Searching multiple directories and generating a sorted integrated directory

• US 7,822,189 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2006
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Orative Corp. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schramm, Steven D., Fullarton, Paul, Chatterjee, Saurav, Rana, Hemendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Al Aubaidi; Rasha S
• Application Number:
  US11/509,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20070041556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 379/218.01, 707 3- 10
• US Class Current: 379/218.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54

Abstract

Embodiments for searching multiple directories are described. The searching includes remote searching and local searching. Local searching is performed against the local integrated phonebook on a client device. In contrast, remote searching is performed against one or more directories or directory types of an enterprise server (e.g. corporate directory, etc.). The local directory on the client device therefore effectively functions like a cache of information of one or more of the directories of the enterprise server, where the cache is stored locally on the client device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first search query;

performing a first search of contacts of a plurality of directories using the first search query, the first search including a remote search of a first remote directory that represents contacts under a first data structure;

mapping the first search query to a second search query that can be processed by a second directory that represents contacts under a second data structure different than the first data structure;

performing a second search of the second directory using the second search query;

converting results of the first and second searches into a plurality of contact objects having a common data structure;

generating an integrated contact directory comprising the plurality of contact objects;

displaying the integrated contact directory;

following the generating the integrated contact directory, receiving a third search query from an associated user;

receiving search instruction data associated with the third search query from the associated user;

directing the third search against a one of the second directory or the integrated contact directory selected in accordance with the search instructions data;

performing the third search on the selected directory; and

,

displaying results of the third search to the associated user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the remote search comprises accessing at least one enterprise hosting the plurality of remote directories.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the remote search comprises accessing a plurality of enterprises, wherein each enterprise of the plurality of enterprises hosts at least one of the plurality of directories.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the remote search comprises accessing one or more of public directories and private directories hosting the plurality of remote directories.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises receiving the first search query as an input at a client device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of remote directories is located remote to the client device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving at a client device includes receiving at one or more of a mobile communication device and a personal computer.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising transferring the result of the search to the client device.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying the result of the search on the client device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of remote directories include one or more of enterprise directories, public directories, private directories, and personal directories.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of remote directories includes a plurality of remote directories hosted on one or more enterprise servers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the search query includes information of one or more of a name, address, department, city, facility, and group.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the remote search includes performing the remote search comprising a local search of an integrated directory that includes a set of contacts coalesced from the plurality of remote directories to form the set of contacts under a common data structure.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the integrated directory is synchronized to the client device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the result of the remote search excludes contacts included in the integrated directory.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein performing the local search comprises accessing one or more of a client device and a portal hosting the integrated directory.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein performing the local search comprises searching an active integrated directory, the active integrated directory including active contacts of the set of contacts that correspond to other users with whom an owner of the integrated directory has communicated during a pre-specified period of time.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the active contacts include one or more contacts of the integrated directory.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the active contacts include one or more contacts of the plurality of directories that are missing from the integrated directory.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the active contacts include one or more contacts missing from the plurality of directories and from the integrated directory.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the active contacts include one or more background contacts, the background contacts including contacts that correspond to other users with whom an owner of the integrated directory has communicated outside the pre-specified period of time.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein performing the local search comprises searching a background directory, the background directory including background contacts that correspond to other users with whom an owner of the integrated directory has communicated outside the pre-specified period of time.

23. The method of claim 1, comprising, for at least one directory of the plurality of directories, mapping the result to a common result format and aggregating the results having the common result format.

24. The method of claim 1, comprising selecting the result to add to an integrated directory, wherein the integrated directory includes a set of contacts coalesced from the plurality of remote directories to form the set of contacts under a common data structure.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising synchronizing the integrated directory between a remote server and a client device of a user initiating the search.

26. The method of claim 25, comprising the remote server receiving revisions to contacts of the set of contacts, updating the integrated directory to form a revised integrated directory in response to the updates, and synchronizing the revised integrated directory with the client device.

27. The method of claim 25, comprising receiving revisions to contacts of the set of contacts via the client device, synchronizing the revisions with one or more of the plurality of directories.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the result of the remote search excludes a contact of the user initiating the search.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the search comprises using a plurality of search queries to provide a complete version of the result when a server hosting the plurality of remote directories limits the result.

30. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving presence and availability information and integrating the presence and availability information into the set of contacts.

31. A system comprising:

a server, wherein the server is coupled to an enterprise and a communication network that includes a client device; and

a search component coupled to the server, wherein the search component is configured to receive a first search query and to perform a first search in response to the first search query, the first search including a remote search of a first remote directory of the enterprise that represents contacts under a first data structure;

wherein the search component is configured to map the first search query to a second search query that can be processed by a second directory that represents contacts under a second data structure different than the first data structure;

wherein the search component is configured to perform a second search of a second directory using the second search query;

wherein the search component is configured to convert results of the first and second searches into a plurality of contact objects having a common data structure;

wherein the search component is configured to generate an integrated contact directory comprising the plurality of contact objects;

wherein the search component is configured to display the integrated contact directory;

wherein the search component is configured to, flowing the generating the integrated contact directory, receive a third search query from an associated user;

wherein the search component is configured to receive search instruction data associated with the third search query from the associated user;

wherein the search component is configured to direct the third search against a one of the second directory or the integrated contact directory selected in accordance with the search instruction data;

wherein the search component is configured to perform the third search on the selected directory; and

,

wherein the search component is configured to display results of the third search to the associated user.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the search component is configured to perform the remote search by accessing at least one enterprise hosting the plurality of remote directories and accessing one or more of public directories, private directories, and personal directories hosting the plurality of remote directories.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein receiving comprises receiving the search query as an input at the client device, wherein the plurality of remote directories is located remote to the client device.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the search component is configured to transfer the result of the search to the client device.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the search query includes information of one or more of a name, address, department, city, facility, and group.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the search comprises a local search of an integrated directory that includes a set of contacts coalesced from the plurality of remote directories to form the set of contacts under a common data structure.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the integrated directory is synchronized to the client device.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the search component is configured to perform the local search by accessing one or more of a client device and a portal hosting the integrated directory.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the search component is configured to perform the local search by searching an active integrated directory, the active integrated directory including active contacts of the set of contacts that correspond to other users with whom an owner of the integrated directory has communicated during a pre-specified period of time.

40. The system of claim 31, wherein the search component is configured to, for at least one directory of the plurality of directories, map the result to a common result format and aggregating the results having the common result format.

41. The system of claim 31, wherein the server is configured to add the result to an integrated directory, wherein the integrated directory includes a set of contacts coalesced from the plurality of remote directories to form the set of contacts under a common data structure.

42. The system of claim 41, comprising synchronizing the integrated directory between the server and the client device of a user initiating the search.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the server is configured to receive revisions to contacts of the set of contacts, update the integrated directory to form a revised integrated directory in response to the updates, and synchronize the revised integrated directory with the client device.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein one or more of the server and the client device are configured to receive revisions to contacts of the set of contacts via the client device, and synchronize the revisions with one or more of the plurality of directories.

45. The system of claim 31, wherein one or more of the server and the client device are configured to receive presence and availability information and integrate the presence and availability information into the set of contacts.

46. A computer readable media including executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, searches multiple directories by:

receiving a first search query;

performing a first search of contacts of a plurality of directories using the first search query, the first search including a remote search of a first remote directory that represents contacts under a first data structure;

mapping the first search query to second search query that can be processed by a second directory that represents contacts under a second data structure different than the first data structure;

performing a second search of the second directory using the second search query;

converting results of the first and second searches into a plurality of contact objects having a common data structure;

generating an integrated contact directory comprising the plurality of contact objects; and

displaying the integrated contact directory;

following the generating the integrated contact directory, receiving a third search query from an associated user;

receiving search instruction data associated with the third search query from the associated user;

directing the third search against a one of the second directory or the integrated contact directory selected in accordance with the search instructions data;

performing the third search on the selected directory; and

,

displaying results of the third search to the associated user.