METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING CONTACTS

• US 20110035455A1
• Filed: 08/04/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sharma, Ajay Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 8,799,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing messages, such as a recommendation, to one or more recipients may include receiving a message intended for one or more recipients. The methods and apparatus may further include determining the format of the message along with forwarding information for the one or more recipients. The methods and apparatus may also include forwarding the message to the one or more recipients based upon the forwarding information.

Claims

1. A method for processing messages, comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, a message intended for one or more recipients;

determining a format of the message and forwarding information for the one or more recipients; and

determining for each of the one or more recipients whether the recipient is capable of receiving the format of the message based upon the forwarding information for the recipient;

wherein if the recipient is capable of receiving the format of the message, forwarding the message to the recipient; and

wherein if the recipient is not capable of receiving the format of the message, the format of the message is converted into a new format capable of being received by the recipient and forwarding the message with the new format to the recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the forwarding information comprises at least one of a mobile telephone number, a social networking address, an internet address, an e-mail address, or a landline telephone number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more recipients are selected from contact information on the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more recipients are selected from a group in the contact information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises a recommendation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the recommendation comprises at least one of an application stored on the mobile device, a voice message from the user, a song, a video, a URL link, a message, a short message service (SMS) message, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message, or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving information relating to a recipient response to the recommendation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information relating to the recipient response comprises one of purchasing the application, listening to the voice message, listening to the song, viewing the video, and selecting the URL link.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

rating the recommendation, wherein the rating comprises determining the number of recipients who respond to the recommendation.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the ratings are converted into reward points usable towards purchasing additional applications.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the message destined for the one or more recipients should be filtered to stop delivery of the message; and

stopping delivery of the message based upon the determining.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the filtering is based upon location information.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining a social network site associated with the user; and

posting the recommendation on the social networking site.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the converting comprises changing text to speech.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the recipient is not capable of receiving the format of the message, and generating a notification that the recipient is unable to receive the format of the message.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the forwarding further comprises determining an optimal manner to forward the message to the recipient.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a current location for the mobile device,

wherein the message is based upon the current location of the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a search history for the user,

wherein the message is based upon the search history for the user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the search history further includes additional comments provided by the user.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

searching the search history based upon a criterion; and

generating a report analyzing the recommendations based upon the search results.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises receiving the message from a wireless device at a network server;

and

wherein the determining comprises determining at the network server.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises receiving at a wireless device;

and

wherein the determining comprises determining at the wireless device.

23. At least one processor configured to process messages, the processor comprising:

a first module for receiving, at a computing device, a message intended for one or more recipients;

a second module for determining a format of the message and forwarding information for the one or more recipients; and

a third module for determining for each of the one or more recipients whether the recipient is capable of receiving the format of the message based upon the forwarding information for the recipient;

wherein if the recipient is capable of receiving the format of the message, forwarding the message to the recipient; and

wherein if the recipient is not capable of receiving the format of the message, the format of the message is converted into a new format capable of being received by the recipient and forwarding the message with the new format to the recipient.

24. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to receive, at a computing device, a message intended for one or more recipients;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to determine a format of the message and forwarding information for the one or more recipients; and

a third set of codes for causing the computer to determine for each of the one or more recipients whether the recipient is capable of receiving the format of the message based upon the forwarding information for the recipient;

wherein if the recipient is capable of receiving the format of the message, forwarding the message to the recipient; and

wherein if the recipient is not capable of receiving the format of the message, the format of the message is converted into a new format capable of being received by the recipient and forwarding the message with the new format to the recipient.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving, at a computing device, a message intended for one or more recipients;

means for determining a format of the message and forwarding information for the one or more recipients; and

means for determining for each of the one or more recipients whether the recipient is capable of receiving the format of the message based upon the forwarding information for the recipient;

wherein if the recipient is capable of receiving the format of the message, forwarding the message to the recipient; and

wherein if the recipient is not capable of receiving the format of the message, the format of the message is converted into a new format capable of being received by the recipient and forwarding the message with the new format to the recipient.

26. An apparatus for processing messages, comprising:

a recommendation component operable for receiving a message intended for one or more recipients;

a forwarding component operable for determining a format of the message and forwarding information for the one or more recipients; and

the forwarding component operable for determining for each of the one or more recipients whether the recipient is capable of receiving the format of the message based upon the forwarding information for the recipient;

wherein if the recipient is capable of receiving the format of the message, forwarding the message to the recipient; and

wherein if the recipient is not capable of receiving the format of the message, the format of the message is converted into a new format capable of being received by the recipient and forwarding the message with the new format to the recipient.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the forwarding information comprises at least one of a mobile telephone number, a social networking address, an internet address, an e-mail address, or a landline telephone number.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the one or more recipients are selected from contact information on the mobile device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the one or more recipients are selected from a group in the contact information.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the message comprises a recommendation.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the recommendation comprises at least one of an application stored on the mobile device, a voice message from the user, a song, a video, a URL link, a message, a short message service (SMS) message, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message, or any combination thereof.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

a transaction history data store operable for receiving information relating a recipient response to the recommendation.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the information relating to the recipient response comprises one of purchasing the application, listening to the voice message, listening to the song, viewing the video, and selecting the URL link.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising:

a rating component operable for rating the recommendation, wherein the rating comprises determining the number of recipients who respond to the recommendation.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the rating component is further configured to convert the ratings into reward points usable towards purchasing additional applications.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

a transaction history data store component operable for determining whether the message destined for the one or more recipients should be filtered to stop delivery of the message; and

stopping delivery of the message based upon the determining.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the filtering is based upon location information.

38. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the forwarding is further operable for determining a social network site associated with the user;

and posting the recommendation on the social networking site.

39. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the converting comprises changing text to speech.

40. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein if the recipient is not capable of receiving the format of the message, the mobile device is notified that the recipient is unable to receive the format of the message.

41. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the forwarding component is further configured to determine an optimal manner to forward the message to the recipient.

42. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

a recommendation manager operable for obtaining a current location for the mobile device and wherein the message is based upon the current location of the mobile device.

43. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

a transaction history data store operable for storing a search history for the user and wherein the message is based upon the search history for the user.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the search history further includes additional comments provided by the user.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the transaction history data store is further operable for searching the search history based upon a criteria and generating a report analyzing the recommendations based upon the search results.

46. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the recommendation component is located on a network server and receives the message from a wireless device;

and

wherein the forwarding component is located on the network server.

47. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the recommendation component is located on a wireless device;

and

wherein the forwarding component is located on the wireless device.