SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF CONTROLLED RECIPROCATING COMMUNICATION

• US 20160112368A1
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blix Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pecan Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: VOLACH, Ben
• Granted Patent: US 9,749,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Systems and method for controlled pre-interaction are disclosed. The method of performing controlled pre-interaction includes: providing at least one private interaction address, defining at least one manageable public interaction address, forming a record of manageable public interaction address associated with the private interaction address. The method of performing controlled pre-interaction further includes: generating a reverse list, wherein an interaction address of a participant is associated at least with the manageable public interaction address, and performing at least one pre-interaction act. A pre-interaction act includes: accessing the reverse list, identifying the interaction address of the participant in the reverse list, and determining that the manageable public interaction address is associated, at the reverse list, with the interaction address of the participant.

Claims

1. A method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, wherein said controlled reciprocating communication comprises an incoming and outgoing communications, between a first party and at least one second party, said method comprises:

(a) providing at least one private interaction address of said first party;

(b) defining at least one manageable public interaction address for said first party;

(c) forming a record, wherein said manageable public interaction address is associated with said private interaction address for said first party;

(d) receiving an incoming communication, said incoming communication comprises a communication from said second party to said first party;

wherein said incoming communication is initiated by said second party to said manageable public interaction address of said first party;

(e) identifying that said incoming communication was received to said manageable public interaction address;

(f) accessing said record and performing at least one step selected from the group consisting of;

(I) determining said respective identity associated with said manageable public interaction address identified in said incoming communication, and

(II) determining said private interaction address of said first party associated at said record with said manageable public interaction address identified in said incoming communication;

said method is characterized by;

(g) generating at least one reverse list entry, wherein an interaction address of said second party is associated at least with said manageable public interaction address of said first party;

(h) performing a pre-interaction act, said pre-interaction act comprises;

(I) accessing said reverse list;

(II) identifying said interaction address of said second party in said reverse list;

(III) determining that said manageable public interaction address of said first party is associated, at said reverse list, with said interaction address of said second party;

(i) performing an outgoing communication, said outgoing communication comprises a communication from said first party to said second party, said outgoing communication is initiated by said first party;

(j) said outgoing communication is characterized by that said outgoing communication, to said interaction address of said second party, is performed from said manageable public interaction address of said first party;

wherein upon performing said outgoing communication, said second party is exposed merely to said manageable public interaction address of said first party;

wherein said interaction address of said second party is obtainable from a third party or external services provider, wherein said at least one reverse list entry is formed by synchronizing said interaction address of said second party with said manageable public interaction address.

2. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication as set forth in claim 1, wherein said steps of defining and forming further comprise:

(a) defining a respective identity of said first party, for said manageable public interaction address of said first party, and

(b) forming a record associating said respective identity of said first party with said manageable public interaction address of said first party.

3. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication as set forth in claim 2, wherein said step of determining further comprises determining that said interaction address of said second party is associated, at said reverse list, with said respective identity of said first party.

5. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication as set forth in claim 1, wherein said communication comprises a communication selected from the group consisting of:

an attempted communication, incomplete communication, rejected communication, interrupted communication and abrupted communication.

7. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said interaction address selected from the group consisting of:

a line telephone number, line facsimile number, cellular/mobile phone number, instant messaging (IM) name, e-mail address, presence screen name, service handle, universal resource identifier (URI), universal resource name (URN), universal resource locator (URL), extensive resource identifier (XRI), SIP identifier, any type of user identifier for sharing or and any type of user identifier communication.

8. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication as set forth in claim 1, wherein said interaction address is a partial interaction address, comprising a portion of said string of characters or a sub-string thereof or wherein said string is defined as including at least one wildcard, representing more than one participant having identical portions in their interaction addresses.

14. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of determining said private interaction address, during said step of accessing said record, further comprises performing at least one step selected from the group consisting of:

(a) forwarding said incoming communication to said at least one private interaction address associated with said manageable public interaction address at said record;

(b) forwarding information regarding said incoming communication to said at least one private interaction address associated with said manageable public interaction address at said record;

(c) presenting said manageable public interaction address to which said incoming communication was received;

(d) presenting at least one information item selected from the group consisting of;

(I) a name assigned to said manageable public interaction address;

(II) metadata assigned to said manageable public interaction address;

(III) public identity assigned to said manageable public interaction address;

(e) applying a notification rule to said incoming communication;

(f) selecting contents for said notification.

15. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reverse list further comprises at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of:

a name assigned to said manageable public interaction address;

metadata assigned to said manageable public interaction address;

a public identity assigned to said manageable public interaction address;

a rule relating to a notification;

a content for said notification;

a default communication preference;

an overruling alternative for said default communication preference;

personal information of said second party;

contact information of said second party.

16. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, wherein generating said reverse list is performed by at least one selected from the group consisting of:

said first party;

a user of a system for controlled reciprocating communication;

an operator of said system for controlled reciprocating communication;

a third party related to said system for sustaining a controlled reciprocating communication, and external services providers for said system for sustaining a controlled reciprocating communication.

17. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reverse list entry is generated in at least one manner selected from the group consisting of:

manually by inputting said interaction address of said second party;

upon receiving said incoming communication;

upon performing said outgoing communication;

by external services providers for a system for sustaining a controlled reciprocating communication.

18. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said interaction address of said second party is unavailable to said first party, wherein at least a portion of said reverse list entry is confidential to said first party.

19. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reverse list entry is generated upon said outgoing communication, is performed in at least one manner selected from the group consisting of:

(a) automatically upon identifying said manageable public interaction address from which said second party is contacted

(b) by prompting said first party with a proposed reverse list entry and completed upon confirmation of said first party to form said entry.

21. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, further comprises performing at least one predefined rule, said rule comprises at least one instruction for a predefined response, wherein said response selected from the group consisting of:

rejecting a communication;

recording a communication;

converting a communication to another format;

forwarding a communication to said private interaction address of said first party.

23. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, further comprises prescribing at least one communication preference selected from the group consisting of:

a default communication preference and overruling alternative for said default communication preference, said communication preference is assigned to at least one selected from the group consisting of;

(a) said private interaction address of said first party, contained in said record

(b) said manageable public interaction address of said first party, contained in said record or said reverse list, and

(c) said interaction address of said second party, contained in said reverse list.

24. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, further comprises prescribing at least one default communication preference, wherein said default communication preference indicates said manageable public interaction address of said first party, determined at said step of determining during said pre-interaction act.

25. The method of performing controlled reciprocating communication, as set forth in claim 1, further comprises prescribing at least one default communication preference, wherein said default communication preference indicates said manageable public interaction address of said first party, determined at said step of determining during said pre-interaction act, and further comprises an overruling alternative for said default communication preference, wherein said overruling alternative indicates an alternative manageable public interaction address of said first party or said private interaction address of said first party for a particular communication session, if a predefined condition is met.

4. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

9-13. -13. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. A method of performing controlled pre-interaction, between a first party and at least one second party, said method comprises:

(a) providing at least one private interaction address of said first party;

(b) defining at least one manageable public interaction address for said first party;

(c) forming a record, wherein said manageable public interaction address is associated with said private interaction address for said first party;

said method is characterized by;

(d) generating a reverse list, wherein an interaction address of said second party is associated at least with said manageable public interaction address of said first party;

(e) performing at least one pre-interaction act, said pre-interaction act comprises;

(I) accessing said reverse list;

(II) identifying said interaction address of said second party in said reverse list;

(f) determining that said manageable public interaction address of said first party is associated, at said reverse list, with said interaction address of said second party;

wherein said interaction address of said second party is obtainable from a third party or external services provider, wherein said at least one reverse list entry is formed by synchronizing said interaction address of said second party with said manageable public interaction address.

30. The method of performing controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 27, wherein said method is not followed by a communication.

32. The method of performing controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 27, wherein said method is followed by a communication to another interaction address of said second party, wherein said another interaction address of said second party is of a different type than said interaction address of said second party.

33. The method of performing controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 27, wherein said interaction address of said second party is obtainable from a third party comprises several interaction addresses of different types of said second party.

34. The method of performing controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 27, further comprises performing at least one predefined rule, said rule comprises at least one instruction for a predefined response, wherein said response selected from the group consisting of:

recording a communication;

converting a communication to another format;

forwarding a communication to said private interaction address of said first party.

35. The method of performing controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 27, further comprises performing at least one predefined rule, said rule is assigned to at least one selected from the group consisting of:

said private interaction address of said first party, contained in said record;

said manageable public interaction address of said first party, contained in said record or said reverse list, and said interaction address of said second party, contained in said reverse list.

36. The method of performing controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 27, further comprises prescribing at least one communication preference selected from the group consisting of:

a default communication preference and overruling alternative for said default communication preference, said communication preference is assigned to at least one selected from the group consisting of;

said private interaction address of said first party, contained in said record, said manageable public interaction address of said first party, contained in said record or said reverse list, and said interaction address of said second party, contained in said reverse list.

38. The method of performing controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 27, further comprises prescribing at least one default communication preference, wherein said default communication preference indicates said manageable public interaction address of said first party, determined at said step of determining during said pre-interaction act.

39. The method of performing controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 27, further comprises prescribing at least one default communication preference, wherein said default communication preference indicates said manageable public interaction address of said first party, determined at said step of determining during said pre-interaction act, and further comprises an overruling alternative for said default communication preference, wherein said overruling alternative indicates an alternative manageable public interaction address of said first party or said private interaction address of said first party for a particular communication session, if a predefined condition is met.

40. Non-transitory computer readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, that when executed by a computing system, perform a method of controlled reciprocating communication, the non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions as set forth in claim 27.

28-29. -29. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

41-65. -65. (canceled)

66. An apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, between a first party and at least one second party, said apparatus comprises:

(a) a means of providing at least one private interaction address of said first party;

(b) a means of defining at least one manageable public interaction address for said first party;

(c) a means of forming and storing a record, wherein said manageable public interaction address is associated with said private interaction address for said first party;

(d) a means of generating and storing at least one reverse list entry, wherein an interaction address of said second party is associated at least with said manageable public interaction address of said first party;

(e) a means of accessing said reverse list;

(f) a means of identifying said interaction address of said second party in said reverse list;

(g) a means of determining that said manageable public interaction address of said first party is associated, at said reverse list, with said interaction address of said second party;

wherein said interaction address of said second party is obtainable from a third party or external services provider, wherein said at least one reverse list entry is formed by synchronizing said interaction address of said second party with said manageable public interaction address.

67. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, further comprises a means of performing a controlled outgoing communication, said controlled outgoing communication comprises a communication from said first party to said second party, said controlled outgoing communication is initiated by said first party, wherein initiating of said controlled outgoing communication, to said interaction address of said second party, is performed from said manageable public interaction address of said first party.

68. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, further configured to receive said configured to receive said incoming communication, wherein said receiving said incoming communication is performed by at least one means selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a means of receiving said incoming communication from said second party to said first party;

wherein said incoming communication is initiated by said second party to said manageable public interaction address of said first party;

(b) a means of identifying that said incoming communication was received to said manageable public interaction address;

(c) a means of accessing said record and determining said respective identity associated with said manageable public interaction address identified with said means of identifying.

69. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, wherein said controlled pre-interaction is not followed by a communication.

71. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, wherein said pre-interaction is followed by a communication to another interaction address of said second party, wherein said another interaction address of said second party is of a different type than said interaction address of said second party.

72. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, wherein said interaction address of said second party is obtainable from a third party comprises several interaction addresses of different types of said second party.

73. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, further comprises a means of performing at least one predefined rule selected from the group consisting of:

a means of recording a communication;

a means of converting a communication to another format;

a means of forwarding a communication to said private interaction address of said first party.

74. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, further comprises a means of performing at least one predefined rule, said rule is assigned to at least one selected from the group consisting of:

said private interaction address of said first party, contained in said record;

said manageable public interaction address of said first party, contained in said record or said reverse list, and said interaction address of said second party, contained in said reverse list.

75. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, further comprises a means of prescribing at least one communication preference selected from the group consisting of:

a default communication preference and overruling alternative for said default communication preference, said communication preference is assigned by said means of prescribing to at least one selected from the group consisting of;

said private interaction address of said first party, contained in said record;

said manageable public interaction address of said first party, contained in said record or said reverse list, and said interaction address of said second party, contained in said reverse list.

76. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, further comprising a means of defining a preset content for a notification, said preset content for said notification selected from the group consisting of:

text, alphanumeric data, audio files, video files, graphics, hyperlinks and a template comprising at least one empty field, which is filled-in with content thereafter.

77. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, further comprises a means of prescribing at least one default communication preference, wherein said default communication preference indicates said manageable public interaction address of said first party, determined by said means of determining during said pre-interaction act.

78. The apparatus for performing a controlled pre-interaction, as set forth in claim 66, further comprises a means of prescribing at least one default communication preference, wherein said default communication preference indicates said manageable public interaction address of said first party, determined by said means of determining during said pre-interaction act, and further comprises an overruling alternative for said default communication preference, wherein said overruling alternative indicates an alternative manageable public interaction address of said first party or said private interaction address of said first party for a particular communication session, if a predefined condition is met.

70. (canceled)