SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AWARENESS OF AND CONTEXT FOR PHONE CONVERSATIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE PERSONAL DEVICES

• US 20090285372A1
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barton, John J., Nichols, Jeffrey W., Zhai, Shumin, Yin, Min, Pierce, Jeffrey S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,345,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0063 where the network is a peer-to-peer network

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of a system and method for automating the exchange of information between the multiple personal computerized devices of an entity so as to provide context for communications, such as incoming and/or outgoing telephone calls, with other entities. The system and method associate one entity with multiple devices. Communications over a device (e.g., one of the various types of telephones) are tracked. Then, for a given communication, an identifier (e.g., a caller ID from an incoming telephone call) is communicated to at least one other device. The other device performs a local and/or internet search for information associated with that particular identifier. The retrieved information is then displayed so as to provide the entity with essentially instantaneous context for the given communication. The system can be implemented using client-server network technology or, alternatively, using point-to-point communication technology.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first device associated with an entity;

at least one second device associated with said entity, wherein said second device comprises a memory; and

a server in communication with said first device and said second device,

wherein said server detects communications over said first device and, for at least one communication between said first device and an external device, automatically communicates an identifier associated with said external device, to said second device,

wherein said second device receives said identifier and locally searches said memory for information associated with said identifier, and

wherein at least one of said first device and said second device displays said information so as to provide said entity with context for said communication.

2. The system according to claim 1, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said first device comprises one of a wired telephone, a wireless telephone, a voice-over internet protocol (VOIP) telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) and any other device having a caller identification function.

3. The system according to claim 1, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said server receives instructions from said entity designating at least one of a type of information to be displayed, a specific device on which said information is to be displayed, a specific identifier for which said information is to be displayed, and a specific item of information to be displayed in response to said specific identifier and wherein said server processes said communications according to said instructions.

4. The system according to claim 1, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said identifier comprises one of a name and a telephone number.

5. The system according to claim 1, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said information comprises at least one of a web page, a web address, an image, a message, a document, a file and a folder.

6. The system according to claim 1, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said second device further comprises an internet browser and uses said internet browser to search for additional information associated with said identifier, and wherein said at least one of said first device and said second device displays said additional information.

7. The system according to claim 1, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein one of said first device and said second device further communicates said information to a second entity associated with said external device.

8. A system comprising:

a first device associated with an entity; and

a second device associated with said entity, wherein said second device comprises a memory and is in communication with said first device,

wherein, in response to a communication between said first device and an external device, said first device automatically communicates to said second device an identifier associated with said external device,

wherein said second device receives said identifier and locally searches said memory for information associated with said identifier, and

wherein at least one of said first device and said second device displays said information so as to provide said entity with context for said communication.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a point-to-point communication system connecting said first device and said second device.

10. The system according to claim 8, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said first device comprises one of a wired telephone, a wireless telephone, a voice-over internet protocol (VOIP) telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) and any other device having a caller identification function.

11. The system according to claim 8, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein at least one of said first device and said second device receive instructions from said entity designating at least one of a type of information to be displayed, a specific device on which said information is to be displayed, a specific identifier for which said information is to be displayed, and a specific item of information to be displayed in response to said specific identifier.

12. The system according to claim 8, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said identifier comprises one of a name and a telephone number.

13. The system according to claim 8, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said information comprises at least one of a web page, a web address, an image, a message, a document, a file and a folder.

14. The system according to claim 8, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said second device comprises an internet browser and uses said internet browser to search for additional information associated with said identifier, and wherein said at least one of said first device and said second devices displays said additional information.

15. The system according to claim 8, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein one of said first device and said second device further communicates said information to a second entity associated with said external device.

16. A method for automating the exchange of information between multiple devices, said method comprising:

in response to a communication between a first device and an external device, automatically communicating an identifier associated with said external device to a second device so as to cause said second device to locally search memory within said second device for information associated with said identifier, wherein said first device and said second device are associated with an entity; and

displaying by at least one of said first device and said second device said information so as to provide said entity with context for said incoming communication.

17. The method according to claim 16, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said first device comprises one of a wired telephone, a wireless telephone, a voice-over internet protocol (VOIP) telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) and any other device capable of receiving telephone calls.

18. The method according to claim 16, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, further comprising receiving instructions from said entity designating at least one of a type of information to be displayed, a specific device on which said information is to be displayed, a specific identifier for which said information is to be displayed, and a specific item of information to be displayed in response to said specific identifier.

19. The method according to claim 16, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said identifier comprises one of a name and a telephone number.

20. The method according to claim 16, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said information comprises at least one of a web page, a web address, an image, a message, a document, a file and a folder.

21. The method according to claim 16, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said communicating of said identifier further comprises communicating said identifier so as to cause said second device to search the internet for additional information associated with said identifier and wherein said displaying further comprises displaying said additional information.

22. The method according to claim 16, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, further comprising communicating, by one of said first device and said second device, said information to a second entity associated with said external device.

25. The computer program product according to claim 19, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said method further comprises receiving, by any one of said first device and said second device, instructions from said entity designating at least one of a type of information to be displayed, a specific device on which said information is to be displayed, a specific identifier for which said information is to be displayed, and a specific item of information to be displayed in response to said specific identifier.

23. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium for having computer usable program code embodied therewith, said computer program code comprising a computer usable program code configured to perform a method of automating the exchange of information between multiple devices, said method comprising:

in response to a communication between a first device and an external device, automatically communicating an identifier associated with said external device to a second device so as to cause said second device to locally search memory within said second device for information associated with said identifier, wherein said first device and said second device are associated with an entity; and

displaying by at least one of said first device and said second device said information so as to provide said entity with context for said incoming communication.

24. The computer program product according to claim 23, all the limitations of which are incorporated by reference, wherein said first device comprises one of a wired telephone, a wireless telephone, a voice-over internet protocol (VOIP) telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) and any other device capable of receiving telephone calls.