Universal directory service
First Claim
1. A directory system for use with a communication network and a system for providing respective network presences for entities, each of said network presences identified by a unique handle that does not correspond to a physical endpoint, said directory system comprising:
- a storage for storing indices of attributes for said network presences in association with said handles,a communication link for receiving a directory query, said directory query specifying values for selected ones of said attributes, anda computer programmed to use said indices to provide, in response to said directory query, ones of said handles associated with the selected attributes having values respectively matching the specified values.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A directory system, for use with a communication network and in which a network presence is provided for an entity having attributes, stores the attributes and responds to queries. The attributes may have associated authenticity information. The attributes may have a hierarchical relationship, and the queries include information dependent on this hierarchical relationship. When the query includes attributes, the directory system provides identifying information for the entity and automatically transfers the identifying information to a vendor service. When the attributes have associated security information, the directory service responds to queries with only attribute information associated with a public security indication.
355 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A directory system for use with a communication network and a system for providing respective network presences for entities, each of said network presences identified by a unique handle that does not correspond to a physical endpoint, said directory system comprising:
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a storage for storing indices of attributes for said network presences in association with said handles, a communication link for receiving a directory query, said directory query specifying values for selected ones of said attributes, and a computer programmed to use said indices to provide, in response to said directory query, ones of said handles associated with the selected attributes having values respectively matching the specified values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A directory system for use with a communication network and a system for providing respective network presences for entities, each of said network presences identified by a unique handle that does not correspond to a physical endpoint, said directory system comprising:
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a storage for storing indices of attributes for said network presences in association with said handles, a communication link for receiving a directory query, said directory query including a selected one of said handles and a selected one of said attributes, and a computer programmed to use said indices to provide, in response to said directory query, a value for the selected attribute associated with the selected handle. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A directory system for use with a communication network and a system for providing respective network presences for entities, each of said network presences identified by a unique handle that does not correspond to a physical endpoint, said directory system comprising:
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a storage for storing indices of attributes for said network presences in association with said handles, said attributes associated with security information indicating public or non-public, and a computer programmed to use said indices and said security information to respond to a directory query. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification