System and method for managing electronic communications

• US 7,774,823 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Heath, Pamela J., Pleyer, Sven, Goldthwaite, Flora P., Baumert, David W., Cluts, Jonathan, Woodman, Aaron F., Ashok, Immaneni
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami; Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABEDIN, SHANTO
• Application Number:
  US10/602,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20040268153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,603 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 455/417, 455/418, 455/412, 455/414.4, 455/415, 455/412.1, 709/223, 726/1, 726/18, 726/4, 726/27, 713/170, 713/151, 713/176, 713/168, 713/182, 379/355, 379/67.1, 379/70, 379/88.19, 348/734, 707/1
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security

Abstract

A method and system are provided for allowing a user to efficiently manage communications. A system for allowing a user having a unique identity is provided, wherein the unique identity is associated with a plurality of electronic devices. The system includes a service for assigning a reference to a user'"'"'s unique identity, wherein other identities can access the user'"'"'s unique identity only by using the reference. The system additionally includes permission controls for allowing the user to control access to the unique identity by restricting authorization to a selected set of other identities. Groups of individuals may receive different levels of authorization such that some individuals may be authorized to make live contact and others may be required to leave a message. Preference controls allow the system user to select at least one associated, device from a plurality of associated devices for receiving communication upon an access attempt by an authorized user. The preference controls also allow a system user to select a preferred mode of receiving communication such as audio, video or text modes.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating electronic communications management by a system user, the method comprising:

generating a unique reference for the system user, wherein the unique reference is required for identities to access a unique identity belonging to the system user;

permitting access to the unique identity belonging to the system user through the unique reference, wherein the unique identity comprises a plurality of components and the plurality of components are defined to include a plurality of electronic devices;

allowing the system user to alter any one of the plurality of components without altering the unique reference; and

providing the system user with tools for regulating access to the plurality of components such that only selected known identities have access to selected components of the plurality of components, wherein the selected components of the plurality components are authorized, by the system user, to accept electronic communications from the selected known identities, wherein the unique reference is required to be used by the selected known identities to communicate with the selected components; and

allowing the system user to select, utilizing preference control, a particular communications delivery method for receiving communications from each of the selected known identities using at least one selected device associated with the unique identity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the system user to select an additional communication delivery method for unknown system users.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing live, message, and blocked communication delivery options.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing one of the selected known identities to select a communication transmission mode.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a first system user to select a communication transmission mode and allowing a second system user to select a communication delivery mode.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising translating the communication transmission mode into the communication delivery mode if required.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing video, audio, and text communication delivery modes and communication transmission modes.

8. A method for managing electronic communications directed to an identity owner by way of a unique identity that is accessible by a unique reference, the method comprising:

receiving, from the identity owner, an indication of a user that is authorized to communicate with the identity owner, wherein the user establishes communication with the identity owner by way of unique identity,

the unique identity comprises a plurality of components and the plurality of components are defined to include a plurality of electronic devices,

and wherein the unique identity utilizes the plurality of electronic devices to facilitate the communication from the user to the identity owner;

storing, in the unique identity, the authorization of the user to communicate with the identity owner;

receiving, from the identity owner, an indication as to which of the plurality of electronic devices are allowed to be utilized in the reception of a communication from the user regardless of a communication mode utilized by the user to establish the communication;

storing, in the unique identity, the indication as to which electronic devices are allowed to receive a communication from the user to the identity owner;

generating the unique reference that is the only reference useable by the user to access the unique identity in order to communicate with the identity owner, wherein accessing the unique identity is the only way for the user to establish a communication with the identity owner, and wherein a communication from the user is routed to the identity owner according to the stored indication as to which electronic devices are allowed to receive a communication from the user;

providing preference controls for allowing an identity owner to select default methods for receiving communications from the user; and

allowing a message sender to control a sent message until a receiver processes the message, such that a sender may delete a sent message prior to processing.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising maintaining a look-up table for locating unique references at the request of a system user.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving an indication as to which of the plurality of electronic devices are allowed to be utilized in the conveyance of a communication from the user includes an indication for two or more electronic devices.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the method comprises allowing the identity owner to select a live communication delivery method.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the method comprises allowing the identity owner to select a message communication delivery method.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the method comprises allowing selection of a live communication delivery method for a first group of users and a message communication delivery method for a second group of users.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising allowing the identity owner to block communication delivery from a third group of users.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing the identity owner with a pointer as the associated reference.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising using the pointer to reference a plurality of electronic devices accessible to the identity owner.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising allowing transmission of a communication from the user in a first mode and delivery of the communication to the identity owner in a second mode.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising translating the communication from the first mode to the second mode.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first mode and the second mode comprise one of voice communications, text communications, and video communications modes.

20. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, that when executed by a computing system having a processor and memory, cause the computing system to perform a method for facilitating electronic communications management by a system user, the method comprising:

generating a unique reference for the system user, wherein the unique reference is required for identities to access a unique identity belonging to the system user;

permitting access to the unique identity belonging to the system user through the unique reference, wherein the unique identity comprises a plurality of components and the plurality of components are defined to include a plurality of electronic devices;

allowing the system user to alter any one of the plurality of components without altering the unique reference;

providing the system user with tools for regulating access to the plurality of components such that only selected known identities have access to selected components of the plurality of components, wherein the selected components of the plurality components are authorized, by the system user, to accept electronic communications from the selected known identities, wherein the unique reference is required to be used by the selected known identities to communicate with the selected components; and

allowing the system user to select, utilizing preference control, a particular communications delivery method for receiving communications from each of the selected known identities using at least one selected device associated with the unique identity.

21. The computer storage media of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises allowing the system user to select an additional communication delivery method for unknown system users.

22. The computer storage media of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises providing live, message, and blocked communication delivery options.

23. The computer storage media of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises allowing one of the selected known identities to select a communication transmission mode.

24. The computer storage media of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises allowing a first system user to select a communication transmission mode and allowing a second system user to select a communication delivery mode.

25. The computer storage media of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises translating the communication transmission mode into the communication delivery mode if required.

26. The computer storage media of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises providing video, audio, and text communication delivery modes and communication transmission modes.