Unified directory for caller ID and electronic mail addresses
First Claim
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1. Method for communicating messages, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a first message via a first communications medium;
extracting from the first message first address information associated with the first communications medium;
determining in response to the first address information second address information associated with a second communications medium by searching a database comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries having a respective address field and a name field associated with, respectively, the first communications medium, and also with the second communications medium, the database being searched first in a first entry of said entries and if not present searched in a second entry of said entries to locate an address in the address field for the first message in the first communications medium to provide second address information and if not found requesting an address from a user and saving the user-supplied address in one of the entries to provide said second address information.
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Abstract
A method and system for message communications in different media. A first message is received via a first communications medium. First address information associated with the first communications medium is extracting from the first communications medium. Second address information associated with a second communications medium is determined automatically in response to the first address information. A reply for the first message is sent via the second communications medium using the second address information.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. Method for communicating messages, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first message via a first communications medium;
extracting from the first message first address information associated with the first communications medium;
determining in response to the first address information second address information associated with a second communications medium by searching a database comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries having a respective address field and a name field associated with, respectively, the first communications medium, and also with the second communications medium, the database being searched first in a first entry of said entries and if not present searched in a second entry of said entries to locate an address in the address field for the first message in the first communications medium to provide second address information and if not found requesting an address from a user and saving the user-supplied address in one of the entries to provide said second address information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
searching for an entry in the database with a name in said second communications medium matching a name determined from said first message, if no entry is found having the same first address information.
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4. A method for automatically providing a destination address for a reply in a first communications medium to a message received from an originating address and originating name in a second communications medium, comprising the steps of:
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searching a correspondent data base containing a plurality of entries, each entry representing a correspondent and containing an address field and a name field for messages in the first communications medium and an address field and a name field for messages in the second communications medium, for a first entry containing the originating address in the address field for messages in the second communications medium;
if the first entry contains an address in the address field for messages in the first communications medium, providing that address as the destination address;
if the first entry does not contain an address in the address field for messages in the first communications medium, searching the correspondent data base for a second entry having a name in the name field for messages in the first communications medium corresponding to the originating name;
if a second entry is found, providing an address from the address field for messages in the first communications medium in the second entry as the destination address and merging the first and second entries;
if a second entry is not found, requesting an address from a user, saving the user-supplied address in the address field for messages in the first communications medium in the first entry, saving the originating name in the name field for messages in the first communications medium in the first entry, and providing the user-supplied address as the destination address. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
extracting the originating address of the message from the message;
searching the correspondent database for a third entry containing the originating address in the address field for messages in the one of the first and second communications media;
if a third entry is found, then inserting the originating name into the name field for messages in the one of the first and second communications media;
if a third entry is not found, then searching the correspondent database for a fourth entry containing a name in the name field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media corresponding to the originating name;
if a fourth entry is found, then if the address field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media and the name field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media in the fourth entry are blank, then inserting the originating address into the address field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media in the fourth entry and inserting the originating name into the name field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media in the fourth entry;
otherwise, adding a new entry to the correspondent database and inserting the originating address into the address field for messages in the one of the first and second communications media in the new entry and inserting the originating name in the name field for messages in the one of the first and second communications media in the new entry.
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7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of searching the correspondent data base for a fourth entry comprises the step of:
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searching for a plurality of close matches between the originating name and the name in the name field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media;
displaying the list of entries; and
allowing the user to select one of the list of entries as the fourth entry.
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8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of searching the correspondent data base for a fourth entry comprises the step of searching for an exact match between the originating name and the name in the name field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media.
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9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of searching the correspondent data base for a fourth entry comprises the step of searching for a closest match between the originating name and the name in the name field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media.
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10. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of searching the correspondent data base for a second entry comprises the step of:
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searching for a plurality of close matches between the originating name and the name in the name field for messages in the first communications medium;
displaying the list of entries; and
allowing the user to select one of the list of entries as the second entry.
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11. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of searching the correspondent data base for a second entry comprises the step of searching for an exact match between the originating name and the name in the name field for messages in the first communications medium.
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12. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of searching the correspondent data base for a second entry comprises the step of searching for a closest match between the originating name and the name in the name field for messages in the first communications medium.
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13. The method of claim 4 wherein:
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one of the first and second communications media is e-mail, the address for e-mail messages is the e-mail address, and the name for e-mail messages is the name of the e-mail correspondent; and
the other one of the first and second communications media is telephone, the address for telephone messages is the caller ID telephone number and the name for telephone messages is the caller ID name of the telephone correspondent.
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14. Apparatus for automatically providing a destination address for a reply in a first communications medium to a message received from an originating address and originating name in a second communications medium, comprising:
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a database memory storing a correspondent data base containing a plurality of entries, each entry representing a correspondent and containing an address field and a name field for messages in the first communications medium and an address field and a name field for messages in the second communications medium;
a user input device;
a display device; and
a processor, coupled to the database memory, the user input device and the display device, and responsive to instructions stored in a control program memory for;
conditioning the database memory to retrieve entries searching for a first entry containing the originating address in the address field for messages in the second communications medium;
if the first entry contains an address in the address field for messages in the first communications medium, then providing that address as the destination address;
if the first entry does not contain an address in the address field for messages in the first communications medium, then conditioning the database memory to retrieve entries searching for a second entry having a name in the name field for messages in the first communications medium corresponding to the originating name;
if a second entry is found, providing an address from the address field for messages in the first communications medium in the second entry as the destination address, merging the first and second entries, and conditioning the database memory store the merged entry in the database memory; and
if a second entry is not found, conditioning the display device to display a request for a destination address, conditioning the user input device to receive a destination address from the user, conditioning the database memory to store the user-supplied destination address in the address field for messages in the first communications medium in the first entry and to store the originating name in the name field for messages in the first communications medium in the first entry, and providing the user-supplied address as the destination address. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
an input terminal, coupled to the processor, and able to receive messages in the first and second communications media; and
a message memory, coupled to the processor; and
wherein;
the processor is further responsive to the instructions for;
conditioning the message memory to store messages received from the input terminal in the message memory; and
conditioning the database memory to maintain the entries in the database memory in response to the received message.
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16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is further responsive to the instructions for:
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conditioning the message memory to extract the originating address of the received message;
conditioning the database memory to retrieve entries searching for a third entry containing the originating address in the address field for messages in the one of the first and second communications media;
if a third entry is found, then conditioning the database memory to insert the originating name into the name field for messages in the one of the first and second communications media of the third entry;
if a third entry is not found, then conditioning the database memory to retrieve entries searching the database memory for a fourth entry containing a name in the name field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media corresponding to the originating name;
if a fourth entry is found, and if the address field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media and the name field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media in the fourth entry are blank, then conditioning the database memory to insert the originating address into the address field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media in the fourth entry and to insert the originating name into the name field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media in the fourth entry;
otherwise, conditioning the database memory to add a new entry, to insert the originating address into the address field for messages in the one of the first and second communications media in the new entry and to insert the originating name in the name field for messages in the one of the first and second communications media in the new entry.
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17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the processor is further responsive to the instructions for conditioning the database memory to retrieve entries searching for a fourth entry by:
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searching for a plurality of close matches between the originating name and the name in the name field for messages in the other one of the first and second communications media;
conditioning the display device to display the list of entries; and
conditioning the user input device to receive user input allowing the user to select one of the list of entries as the fourth entry.
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18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is further responsive to the instructions for conditioning the database memory to retrieve entries searching for a second entry by:
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searching for a plurality of close matches between the originating name and the name in the name field for messages in the first communications medium;
conditioning the display device to display the list of entries; and
conditioning the user input device to allow the user to select one of the list of entries as the second entry.
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19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is further responsive to the instructions for conditioning the database memory to retrieve entries searching for a second entry by searching for an exact match between the originating name and the name in the name field for messages in the first communications medium.
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20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is further responsive to the instructions for conditioning the database memory to retrieve entries searching for a second entry by searching for a closest match between the originating name and the name in the name field for messages in the first communications medium.
Specification