CONTACT PICKER INTERFACE

• US 20110010391A1
• Filed: 09/20/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Denise L., Perlow, Jonathan D., Owens, John-Anthony, Silbey, Marc A., Pettinati, Fabio, van Dok, Cornelis K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,407,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

An interface for identifying one or more contacts is used to access and provide contact information to one or more interested parties or applications in a controlled manner. Various criteria can be used to identify which contacts will be presented to a user and how they will be presented in such a way as to facilitate access to the corresponding contact information. An API is used to handle and pass contact information on to requesting applications.

Claims

1. In a computing environment that includes one or more computing systems connected with a display device and which includes a user interface that is configured to display contact information at the display device, a method for an API of the one or more computing systems providing contact information obtained from at least one contact information directory to an application hosted by the one or more computing systems, the method comprising:

a contact picker API receiving an API function call request from an application for a contact picker interface to be generated, wherein the request is generated by the application in response to the application receiving user input directed at an application interface displayed at a display device;

in response to the request, the contact picker API generating the contact picker interface;

during the generation of the contact picker interface, the contact picker API querying one or more contact information directories for expected contacts and displaying a list of the expected contacts at the contact picker interface based at least in part on a likelihood of selection criteria, each of the listed expected contacts being obtained from at least one contact information directory;

the contact picker API receiving user input selecting one of the expected contacts displayed by the contact picker interface within the list of expected contacts;

the contact picker API receiving from the application, a request for desired contact information; and

the contact picker API handing off the desired contact information to the application, wherein the desired contact information corresponds to the selected one of the expected contacts and which is usable by the application to perform a function.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the function is sending an email and wherein the desired contact information is an email address.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the function is initiating a telephone call and wherein the desired contact information is a telephone number.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a mouse prompt hovering over a type-in line.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the user input comprises input tabbing a mouse prompt into a type-in line.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the user input comprises character input entered into a type-in line.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the method further includes displaying contact information related to the selected one of the expected contacts within an interface display field of the application that is different than the desired contact information that is used by the application to perform the function.

8. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the desired contact information links to additional contact information used by the application to perform the function.

9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the desired contact information is obtained by searching a plurality of databases.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of databases is a database associated with the associated application.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of databases is remotely located from the the computing system.

12. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the method further includes providing the contact picker interface with security mechanisms that are configured to prevent the application from obtaining contact information that is not required by the application.

13. One or more storage media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more processor of one or more computing systems, implement a method on the one or more computing system for an API providing contact information obtained from at least one contact information directory to an application hosted by the one or more computing systems, the method comprising:

a contact picker API receiving an API function call request from an application for a contact picker interface to be generated, wherein the request is generated by the application in response to the application receiving user input directed at an application interface displayed at a display device;

in response to the request, the contact picker API generating the contact picker interface;

during the generation of the contact picker interface, the contact picker API querying one or more contact information directories for expected contacts and displaying a list of the expected contacts at the contact picker interface based at least in part on a likelihood of selection criteria, each of the listed expected contacts being obtained from at least one contact information directory;

the contact picker API receiving user input selecting one of the expected contacts displayed by the contact picker interface within the list of expected contacts;

the contact picker API receiving from the application, a request for desired contact information; and

the contact picker API handing off the desired contact information to the application, wherein the desired contact information corresponds to the selected one of the expected contacts and which is usable by the application to perform a function.

14. A computing system having at least one processor and at least one storage medium having stored computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to implement a method for an API to provide contact information obtained from at least one contact information directory to an application in communication with the computing system, the method comprising:

a contact picker API receiving an API function call request from an application for a contact picker interface to be generated, wherein the request is generated by the application in response to the application receiving user input directed at an application interface displayed at a display device;

in response to the request, the contact picker API generating the contact picker interface;

during the generation of the contact picker interface, the contact picker API querying one or more contact information directories for expected contacts and displaying a list of the expected contacts at the contact picker interface based at least in part on a likelihood of selection criteria, each of the listed expected contacts being obtained from at least one contact information directory;

the contact picker API receiving user input selecting one of the expected contacts displayed by the contact picker interface within the list of expected contacts;

the contact picker API receiving from the application, a request for desired contact information; and

the contact picker API handing off the desired contact information to the application, wherein the desired contact information corresponds to the selected one of the expected contacts and which is usable by the application to perform a function.