Telephone Handset Contact List Synchronization

• US 20100159875A1
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bellows, Gregory H.
• Application Number:
  US12/338,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20100159875A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/22 Synchronisation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/36 Memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method comprises a first telephone handset selecting a second telephone handset as an approved contact exchange partner. The first telephone handset and the second telephone handset comprise contact information organized in a database. The first telephone handset establishes a telephone call between the first telephone handset and the second telephone handset. The first telephone handset receives contact update information from the second telephone handset in a first protocol. The first telephone handset synchronizes the contact update information with the contact information of the first telephone handset.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

selecting, by a first telephone handset, a second telephone handset as an approved contact exchange partner;

wherein the first telephone handset and the second telephone handset comprise contact information organized in a database;

establishing a telephone call between the first telephone handset and the second telephone handset;

receiving, by the first telephone handset, contact update information from the second telephone handset in a first protocol; and

synchronizing, by the first telephone handset, the contact update information with the contact information of the first telephone handset.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying the identity of the second telephone handset.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein verifying the identity of the second telephone handset comprises accessing a list of approved contact exchange partners.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting the contact update information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a security handshake.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the contact information of the first telephone handset is in a first format;

wherein the contact information of the second telephone handset is in a second format; and

wherein the first protocol converts the first format to a third format, and the third format to the second format.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving, by the second telephone handset, contact update information from the first telephone handset in the first protocol;

and

synchronizing, by the second telephone handset, the contact update information with the contact information of the second telephone handset.

8. A computer program product for telephone contact information synchronization, the computer program product stored on a computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer useable program code comprising:

computer usable program code configured to select, by a first telephone handset, a second telephone handset as an approved contact exchange partner;

wherein the first telephone handset and the second telephone handset comprise contact information organized in a database;

computer usable program code configured to establish a telephone call between the first telephone handset and the second telephone handset;

computer usable program code configured to receive, by the first telephone handset, contact update information from the second telephone handset in a first protocol; and

computer usable program code configured to synchronize, by the first telephone handset, the contact update information with the contact information of the first telephone handset.

9. The computer program product claim 8, further comprising computer usable program code configured to verify the identity of the second telephone handset.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein verifying the identity of the second telephone handset comprises accessing a list of approved contact exchange partners.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising computer usable program code configured to encrypt the contact update information.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising computer usable program code configured to perform a security handshake.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

wherein the contact information of the first telephone handset is in a first format;

wherein the contact information of the second telephone handset is in a second format; and

wherein the first protocol converts the first format to a third format, and the third format to the second format.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising

computer usable program code configured to receive, by the second telephone handset, contact update information from the first telephone handset in the first protocol;

and

computer usable program code configured to synchronize, by the second telephone handset, the contact update information with the contact information of the second telephone handset.

15. A system, comprising:

a first telephone handset comprising a first telephone interface, a first contact database, and a first modem interface;

the telephone interface configured to establish a telephone call between the first telephone handset and a second telephone handset;

the second telephone handset comprising a second telephone interface, a second contact database, and a second modem interface;

wherein the first telephone handset designates the second telephone handset as an approved contact exchange partner;

wherein the second telephone handset is further configured to transmit contact update information based on the second contact database, to the first telephone handset, in a first protocol; and

wherein the first telephone handset is further configured to synchronize the contact update information with the first contact database.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first telephone handset is further configured to verify the identity of the second telephone handset.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the contact update information is encrypted.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first telephone handset is further configured to perform a security handshake with the second telephone handset.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

wherein the first contact database is configured in a first format;

wherein the second contact database is configured in a second format; and

wherein the first protocol converts the second format to a third format, and the third format to the first format.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the second telephone handset is further configured to:

receive contact update information from the first telephone handset in the first protocol; and

synchronize the contact update information with the second database.