Automatic address book update system

• US 6,687,362 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2000
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hallmark Cards Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hallmark Cards Incorporated
• Inventors: Sullivan, John William, Lindquist, Wesley DeWayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US09/502,960
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/100, 707/200, 379/88.01, 379/188, 379/196, 379/197, 379/198, 379/199, 379/200, 379/218.01, 379/356.01
• US Class Current: 379/218.01
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424

Abstract

The automatic address book update system which automates the data collection and maintenance tasks for computerized address book systems. The automatic address book update system is architected to automatically update the data contained therein, by automatically populating the address entries of a subscriber'"'"'s computerized address book system. This is accomplished as part of the origination/receipt of a telephone call by the subscriber, where the Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) maintains a customer database (identifying the name, address, telephone number) of their local customers and can also retrieve this information from other Local Exchange Carriers on a long distance call. Upon the initiation of a call connection between the subscriber and a calling/called party, the Local Exchange Carrier identifies the address book update service authorization for the subscriber, retrieves the calling/called party'"'"'s customer database information, and transmits this information to the subscriber'"'"'s address books system to populate an entry therein under the name of the calling/called party.

Claims

1. An automatic address book update system for automatically maintaining address information in a plurality of subscriber address books, comprising:

means for storing a set of individual address data for a plurality of individuals;

means, responsive to the origination of a telephone call between a calling party and a called party, for determining subscription of at least one of the calling and called parties to an automatic address book update service;

means, responsive to subscription of at least one of the calling and called parties to an automatic address book update service, for propagating address book data to at least one address book of said at least one of the calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service; and

means for disabling said means for propagating for at least one of;

outgoing calls, calls from a calling party occurring at a frequency less than a predetermined threshold, calls to a called party occurring at a frequency less than a predetermined threshold, calls from a calling party occurring at a number less than a predetermined threshold, calls to a called party occurring at a number less than a predetermined threshold, calls from predetermined numbers, calls to predetermined numbers.

2. The automatic address book update system of claim 1 wherein said means for determining comprises:

means, responsive to a one of said calling and called parties being served by a remotely located local exchange server, for communicating with said remotely located local exchange server to determine subscription of said one of said calling and called parties to an automatic address book update service.

3. The automatic address book update system of claim 2 wherein said means for propagating comprises:

means for retrieving address book data from said remotely located local exchange server for said one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service and is served by said remotely located local exchange server.

4. The automatic address book update system of claim 3 wherein said means for propagating further comprises:

means for accessing an address book server identified in said retrieved address book data; and

means for transmitting address book data to said address book server indicative of the identity of said one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service and is served by said remotely located local exchange server and the party with whom they are communicating on said telephone call.

5. The automatic address book update system of claim 4 wherein said means for propagating further comprises:

means for comparing address book entries maintained by said address book server for said one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service and is served by said remotely located local exchange server with the data relating to said telephone call to determine whether a new address book entry or an update to an sting address book entry is required.

6. The automatic address book update system of claim 1 wherein said means for propagating comprises:

means for retrieving address book data from said means for storing for said at least one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service.

7. The automatic address book update system of claim 6 wherein said means for propagating further comprises:

means for acing an address book server identified in said retrieved address book data; and

means for transmitting address book data to said address book server indicative of the identity of said at least one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service and the party with whom they are communicating on said telephone call.

8. The automatic address book update system of claim 7 wherein said means for propagating fur comprises:

means for comparing address book entries maintained by said address book server for said at least one of said caging and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service with the data relating to the said telephone call to determine whether a new address book entry or an update to an existing address book entry is required.

9. The automatic address book update system of claim 1 wherein said Customer service authorization means comprises:

remote customer authorization means, responsive to a one of said calling and called parties being served by a remotely located local exchange server, for communicating with said remotely located local exchange so to determine subscription of said one of said calling and called parties to an automatic address book update service; and

remote data access means for retrieving address book data from said remotely located local exchange server for said one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service and is served by said remotely located local exchange server.

10. A method of operating an automatic address book update system for automatically maintaining address information in a plurality of subscriber address books, comprising the steps of:

storing in a memory a set of individual address data for a plurality of individuals;

determining, in response to the origination of a telephone call between a calling party and a called party, subscription of at least one of the calling and called parties to an automatic address book update service;

propagating, in response to subscription of at last one of the calling and called parties to an automatic address book update service, address book data to at least one address book of said at least one of the calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service; and

disabling said step of propagating for at least one of outgoing calls, calls from a calling party occurring at a frequency less than a predetermined threshold, calls to a called party occurring at a frequency less than a predetermined threshold, calls form a calling party occurring at a number less than a predetermined threshold, calls to a called party occurring at a number less than a predetermined threshold, calls from predetermined numbers, calls to predetermined numbers.

11. The method of operating an automatic address book update system of claim 10 wherein said step of determining comprises.

communicating, in response to a one of said calling and called parties being served by a remotely located local exchange server, with said remotely located local exchange server to determine subscription of said one of said calling and called parties to an automatic address book update service.

12. The method of operating an automatic address book update system of claim 11 wherein said step of propagating comprises:

retrieving address book data from said remotely located local exchange server for said one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service and is served by said remotely located local exchange server.

13. The method of operating an automatic address book update system of claim 12 wherein said step of propagating further comprises:

accessing an address book server identified in said retrieved address book data; and

transmitting address book data to said address book server indicative of the identity of said one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update and is served by said remotely located local exchange server and the party with whom they are communicating on said telephone call.

14. The method of operating an automatic address book update system of claim 13 wherein said step of propagating her comprises:

comparing address book entries maintained by said address book server for said one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service and is served by said remotely located local exchange server with the data relating to said telephone call to determine whether a new address book entry or an update to an existing address book entry is required.

15. The method of operating an automatic address book update system of claim 10 wherein said step of propagating comprises:

retrieving address book data from said memory for said at least one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service.

16. The method of operating an automatic address book update system of claim 15 wherein said step of propagating further comprises:

accessing an address book server identified in said retrieved address book data; and

transmitting address book data to said address book server indicative of the identity of said at least one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service and he part with whom they are communicating on said telephone call.

17. The method of operating an automatic address book update system of claim 16 wherein said step of propagating further comprises:

comparing address book entries maintained by said address book server for said at least one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service with the data relating to the said telephone call to determine whether a new address book entry or an update to an existing address book entry is required.

18. An automatic address book update system operational in a local exchange server of a public switched telephone network for automatically maintaining address information in a plurality of subscriber address books, comprising:

customer memory means for storing a set of individual address data for a plurality of individuals;

customer service authorization means, responsive to the origination of a telephone call between a calling party and a called party, for determining subscription of at least one of the calling and called parties to an automatic address book update service;

address book data entry means, responsive to subscription of at least one of the calling and called parties to an automatic address book update service, for propagating address book data to at least one address book of said at least one of the calling and caged parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service; and

can filtering means for disabling said address book data entry means for at least one of;

outgoing calls, calls from a calling party occurring at a frequency less than a predetermined threshold, calls to a called party occurring at a frequency less than a predetermined threshold, calls from a calling party occurring at a number less than a predetermined threshold, calls to a called party occurring at a number less than a predetermined threshold, calls from predetermined numbers, calls to predetermined numbers.

19. The automatic address book update system of claim 18 wherein said address book data entry means comprises:

means for retrieving address book data from said customer memory means identifying an address book server who maintains an address book for said at least one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service;

data communication means for accessing said address book server; and

data transmission means for transmitting address book data to said address book server indicative of the identity of said at least one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service and the party with whom they are communicating on said telephone call.

20. The automatic address book update system of claim 19 wherein said address book data entry means further comprises:

address book content review means for comparing address book entries maintained by said address book server for said at least one of said calling and called parties who subscribes to an automatic address book update service with the data relating to the said telephone call to determine whether a new address book entry or an update to an existing address book entry is required.