Systems and methods for using aliases to manage contact information in a mobile communication device
First Claim
1. A mobile communication device for communicating with a contact through a plurality of communications applications, comprising:
- a user created address book for storing a plurality of contact entries, the contact entries capable of being located by a corresponding plurality of stored user provided aliases, where an alias of the plurality of user provided aliases is associated with a contact entry of the plurality of contact entries, and with at least one contact entry of the plurality of contact entries having a plurality of contact identifiers;
a communication application, of the plurality of communications applications, configured to receive a contact identifier, of the plurality of contact identifiers, which is selected by a particular user by the alias of the plurality of user provided aliases, determining the associated contact entry for the alias, and determining the appropriate contact identifier from the plurality of contact identifiers appropriate for use with the communications application, which is selected to communicate with the contact through the communication application disposed on the mobile communications device; and
wherein the communication application is configured to receive an incoming communication and allow a user to respond by entering an alias to which the response is directed, and wherein the communication application is configured to receive the alias, map the received alias to the associated contact entry and select the appropriate contact identifier from the plurality of contact identifiers associated with the selected contact entry.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An alias can be used to access address book information across multiple communication applications. The alias can also be a screen name, for example, an instant messenger screen name. However, the alias can be used to access more than just instant messenger contact information; it can be used to access other information, including telephone numbers, SMS, EMS and MMS contact information as well as instant messenger contact information. Additionally, the single alias can be used to access instant messenger contact information across multiple instant messenger services. An alias can be assigned that is easy to remember; for example, it can be a shortened version of the contact'"'"'s name, or a nickname.
30 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A mobile communication device for communicating with a contact through a plurality of communications applications, comprising:
-
a user created address book for storing a plurality of contact entries, the contact entries capable of being located by a corresponding plurality of stored user provided aliases, where an alias of the plurality of user provided aliases is associated with a contact entry of the plurality of contact entries, and with at least one contact entry of the plurality of contact entries having a plurality of contact identifiers; a communication application, of the plurality of communications applications, configured to receive a contact identifier, of the plurality of contact identifiers, which is selected by a particular user by the alias of the plurality of user provided aliases, determining the associated contact entry for the alias, and determining the appropriate contact identifier from the plurality of contact identifiers appropriate for use with the communications application, which is selected to communicate with the contact through the communication application disposed on the mobile communications device; and wherein the communication application is configured to receive an incoming communication and allow a user to respond by entering an alias to which the response is directed, and wherein the communication application is configured to receive the alias, map the received alias to the associated contact entry and select the appropriate contact identifier from the plurality of contact identifiers associated with the selected contact entry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for managing contact information in a mobile communication device, comprising:
-
initiating a specific communication application from a plurality of communications applications supported by the mobile communications device; receiving a user created alias; mapping the received user created alias to an associated contact entry having a plurality of contact identifiers for establishing communications with a contact using a plurality of communications applications; determining the appropriate contact identifier for the specific communication application supported by the associated mobile communications device, from the plurality of contact identifiers for establishing communications with a contact through the specific communication application from the plurality of communications applications that are included in the contact entry, the appropriate contact identifier selected based on the communication application and found by using the user created alias; using the contact identifier to send a communication through the initiated specific communication application; receiving an incoming communication including an alias; mapping the received alias to the associated contact entry; and selecting the appropriate contact identifier from the plurality of contact identifiers associated with the selected contact entry. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification