AUTOMATED CALLER IDENTIFIER FROM CONTACT LISTS OF A USER'S CONTACTS

• US 20140018113A1
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wosk, Michal, Losovsky, Alexander, Zelber, Dror
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27457 Management thereof, e.g. manual editing of data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• 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 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

When a call or message is received from an unidentified sender on the user'"'"'s communication device, the caller identifier application launches a text-based messaging application and causes it to send an “invisible” text-based message to the user'"'"'s contacts. The message includes the metadata (e.g., telephone number) associated with the call or message that the user received. The invisible message is a short message whose headers are programmed in a particular manner so that the receiving mobile phone acknowledges the receipt of the message and the receiving mobile phone displays no behavior perceptible by the user. When the invisible message is received by the corresponding caller identifier application on one of the user'"'"'s contact'"'"'s mobile phone, the application searches the contact'"'"'s contact list maintained in his or hers contact application. If the metadata provided to the contact'"'"'s mobile phone is located in the contact list, the contact details (e.g. Name) or the contact card, if available, is sent back to the user'"'"'s mobile phone in a second invisible message. Upon receiving the second invisible message, the caller identifier application causes some or all of the contact details to be displayed on the user'"'"'s mobile phone or otherwise presented to the user in any appropriate manner.

Claims

1. A method performed on at least one computing device executing an identifier application, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a sender;

searching, in response to the receiving, a contact list of a user for information that identifies the sender of the received message; and

sending, in response to the searching not finding the information that identifies the sender of the received message, another message requesting the information that identifies the sender of the received message from a contact list of a contact listed in the contact list of the user.

2. The method of claim 1 where metadata associated with the received message includes a telephone number.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting, in response to the searching finding the information that identifies the sender of the received message, at least a portion of the found information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, in response to the sending, the requested information that identifies the sender of the received message from a contact list of a contact listed in the contact list of the user; and

presenting at least a portion of the received information.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising further presenting a name of the contact from whose contact list the received information was found.

7. The method of claim 1 where the information that identifies the sender of the received message comprises a name of the sender.

6. The method of claim where the at least one computing device comprises at least one server of a service provider.

8. At least one memory device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one computing device comprising an identifier application, cause the at least one computing device and the identifier application to perform actions comprising:

receiving a message from a sender;

searching, in response to the receiving, a contact list of a user for information that identifies the sender; and

sending, in response to the searching not finding the information, another message requesting the information from a contact list of a contact listed in the contact list of the User.

9. The at least one memory device of claim 8 where metadata associated with the received message includes a telephone number.

10. The at least one memory device of claim 8, the actions further comprising presenting, in response to the searching finding the information, at least a portion of the found information.

11. The at least one memory device of claim 8, the actions further comprising:

receiving, in response to the sending, the requested information; and

presenting at least a portion of the received information.

12. The at least one memory device of claim 11, the actions further comprising presenting a name of the contact.

13. The at least one memory device of claim 8 where the at least one computing device comprises at least one server of a service provider.

14. The at least one memory device of claim 8 where the information comprises a name of the sender.

15. A system comprising at least one computing device and an identifier application together configured for performing actions comprising:

receiving a message from a sender;

searching, in response to the receiving, a contact list of a user for information that identifies the sender of the received message; and

sending, in response to the searching not finding the information that identifies the sender of the received message, another message requesting the information that identifies the sender of the received message from a contact list of a contact listed in the contact list of the user.

16. The system of claim 15 where metadata associated with the received message includes a telephone number.

17. The system of claim 15, the actions further comprising presenting, in response to the searching finding the information that identifies the sender of the received message, at least a portion of the found information.

18. The system of claim 15, the actions further comprising:

receiving, in response to the sending, the requested information that identifies the sender of the received message from a contact list of a contact listed in the contact list of the user; and

presenting at least a portion of the received information.

19. The system of claim 18, the actions further comprising presenting a name of the contact from whose contact list the received information was found.

20. The system of claim 15 where the at one computing device comprises at least one server of a service provider.