Methods, systems and program products for creation of multiple views and optimized communications pathways based on personal descriptors

• US 7,930,731 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Glasgow, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Jung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nobahar, Abdulhakim
• Application Number:
  US12/122,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20090165090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 726 2- 5, 726 26- 28, 707/705, 707/736, 707/781, 707/785, 709204-207
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/562 Brokering proxy services

Abstract

Multiple views and optimized communications pathways of personal descriptors are provided over a communications network for a globally accessible contact list of contacts in a database. User descriptors are automatically populated in a dynamic repository, and subsequently form personal descriptors. User queries and contact information are received anonymously and stored in a dynamic repository, based on adding the contact to an instant messaging roster state database, where the contact information is categorized, based on identifiable relationships between user descriptors and a group of user defined rules. Such user contact information is transmitted and/or received to and/or from contacts in the globally accessible contact list so as to share presence and access information, and where the user is an authorized user providing varying levels of access information. Sharing access to the personal descriptor includes the use of a communications broker, rendering an animated personal descriptor and completing social and business interactions.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions providing multiple pathways of user personal descriptors in a form of an avatar combined with personal information and interests of a plurality of users over a computer network, the computer executable instructions executed by a provider computer processor causing the provider computer processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a globally accessible contact list of the plurality of users in a database;

automatically populating a dynamic repository with at least a first set of user personal descriptors and a second set of user personal descriptors of an at least one of an individual user personal descriptor owner and a contact user of the plurality of users;

receiving contact information anonymously from the at least one of the individual user personal descriptor owner and the contact user;

storing, in the dynamic repository, contact information received from the at least one of the individual user personal descriptor owner and the contact user;

receiving, from the contact user, a request for access to a user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner;

notifying the individual user personal descriptor owner of the request, from the contact user;

receiving, by the provider computer processor, a signal from the individual user personal descriptor owner including one of a designation of permitting access by the contact user to the user personal descriptor and a designation of rejecting access by the contact user to the user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner, based on;

adding an at least one of an individual user and the contact user to an instant messaging roster state database, wherein a status of individual users and contact users are entered and coordinated, and

notifying the contact user of one of the designation of permitting access and the designation of rejecting access by the individual user personal descriptor owner; and

performing one of;

rejecting sharing, with the contact user, access to the user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner, when the signal received is the designation of rejecting access, and

sharing with the contact user, access to the user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner, when the signal received is the designation of permitting access, wherein when the contact user obtains access to the user personal descriptor, one of the individual user personal descriptor owner and exchange information of the contact user to perform completing one of social and business interactions between the individual user personal descriptor owner and the contact user.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1, wherein sharing with the contact user, access includes providing anonymously in real time over the computer network an at least one tier of access information of a plurality of tiers of access information, based on a group of user defined rules, and sharing a third set of user personal descriptors with at least one of the individual user and the contact user, wherein the third set of user personal descriptors includes audio, video, text and still graphic representations, previously granted information, and wherein the third set of user personal descriptors is combined with the avatar to form a smart avatar, which defines a personality of the at least one of the individual user and the contact user.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 2, wherein computer executable instructions are executed by the provider computer processor causing the provider computer processor to perform the method further comprising:

categorizing the at least one of the individual user and the contact user of the plurality of users listed in the globally accessible contact list, based on identifiable relationships between user personal descriptors and the group of user defined rules, to create a state diagram of user personal descriptor trees and stringing together a community of the individual users and the contact users.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 2, wherein sharing with the contact user, access includes sharing user presence information with the at least one of the individual user and the contact user.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 4, wherein sharing user presence information further includes attaching instant messaging roster states to persona information of the smart avatar of the at least one of the individual user and the contact user, wherein the persona information is included in an address book.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 5, wherein user presence information includes time of day or night when the at least one of the individual user and the contact user are available and logged on and can see information and add information to the address book, and wherein the address book is a global network address book.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 5, wherein attaching instant messaging roster states to persona information provides online and offline experiences for the at least one of the individual user and the contact user, within a same request for access.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 2, wherein audio information, video and text representations include descriptions of personality traits, contact information, and preferences.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8, wherein audio information is a common denominator for communicating between at least the individual user and the contact user.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 2, wherein the smart avatar further defines a pixie of the at least one of the individual user and the contact user, and wherein the pixie of the at least one of the individual user and the contact user is rendered as an animation which is transmitted over the computer implemented communications network, in association with a pixie ID which is a communications broker permitting communications between at least the individual user and the contact user.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the pixie of the at least one of the individual user and the contact user represents personal characteristics, personality traits, contact information, preferences including likes and dislikes, gift registries, favorite colors, favorite flowers, favorite sports activities favorite teams, coupon registry information, business card information disbursement, wish lists and presence information.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the individual user and the contact user are authorized users.

13. A computer implemented method of providing multiple pathways of user personal descriptors in a form of an avatar combined with personal information and interests of a plurality of users over a computer network, the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a globally accessible contact list of the plurality of users in a database;

automatically populating a dynamic repository with at least a first set of user personal descriptors and a second set of user personal descriptors of an at least one of an individual user personal descriptor owner and a contact user of the plurality of users;

receiving contact information from the at least one of the individual user personal descriptor owner and the contact user;

storing, in the dynamic repository, contact information received from the at least one of the individual user personal descriptor owner and the contact user;

receiving, from the contact user, a request for access to a user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner;

notifying the individual user personal descriptor owner of the request, from the contact user;

receiving, by the provider computer processor, a signal from the individual user personal descriptor owner including one of a designation of permitting access by the contact user to the user personal descriptor and a designation of rejecting access by the contact user to the user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner, based on;

adding an at least one of an individual user and the contact user to an instant messaging roster state database, wherein the status of individual users of contact users are entered and coordinated, and

notifying the contact user of one of the designation of permitting access and the designation of rejecting access by the individual user personal descriptor owner; and

performing one of;

rejecting sharing, with the contact user, access to the user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner, when the signal received is the designation of rejecting access, and

sharing with the contact user, access to the user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner, when the signal received is the designation of permitting access, wherein when the contact user obtains access to the user personal descriptor, one of the individual user personal descriptor owner and exchange information of the contact user to perform completing one of social and business interactions between the individual user personal descriptor owner and the contact user.

14. The computer implemented method according to claim 13, wherein sharing with the contact user, access includes providing anonymously in real time over the computer network an at least one tier of access information of a plurality of tiers of access information, based on a group of user defined rules, and sharing a third set of user personal descriptors with at least one of the individual user and the contact user, wherein the third set of user personal descriptors includes audio, video, text and still graphic representations, previously granted information, and wherein the third set of user personal descriptors are combined with the avatar to form a smart avatar, which defines a personality of the at least one of the individual user and the contact user.

15. A computer system providing multiple pathways of user personal descriptors in a form of an avatar combined with personal information and interests of a plurality of users over a computer network, the system comprising:

a provider computer processor including a dynamic repository, and a program unit, wherein the provider computer processor is cooperatively coupled over the computer network to a plurality of networked computers operable by the plurality of users;

a networked database including a globally accessible contact list of the plurality of users cooperatively coupled over the computer network; and

a computer executable program residing in the program unit, wherein the computer executable program when executed by the provider computer processor causes the provider computer processor of the computer system to perform a method comprising;

receiving the globally accessible contact list of the plurality of users in a database,

automatically populating the dynamic repository with at least a first set of user personal descriptors and a second set of user personal descriptors of an at least one of an individual user personal descriptor owner and a contact user of the plurality of users,

receiving contact information anonymously from the at least one of the individual user personal descriptor owner and the contact user,

storing, in the dynamic repository, contact information received from the at least one of the individual user personal descriptor owner and the contact user,

receiving, from the contact user, a request for access to a user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner,

notifying the individual user personal descriptor owner of the request, from the contact user,

receiving, by the provider computer processor, a signal from the individual user personal descriptor owner including one of a designation of permitting access by the contact user to the user personal descriptor and a designation of rejecting access by the contact user to the user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner, based on;

adding an at least one of an individual user and the contact user to an instant messaging roster state database, wherein a status of individual users and contact users are entered and coordinated, and

notifying the contact user of one of the designation of permitting access and the designation of rejecting access by the individual user personal descriptor owner, and

performing one of;

rejecting sharing, with the contact user, access to the user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner, when the signal received is the designation of rejecting access, and

sharing with the contact user, access to the user personal descriptor of the individual user personal descriptor owner, when the signal received is the designation of permitting access, wherein when the contact user obtains access to the user personal descriptor, one of the individual user personal descriptor owner and exchange information of the contact user to perform completing one of social and business interactions between the individual user personal descriptor owner and the contact user.

16. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein sharing with the contact user, access includes providing anonymously in real time over the computer network an at least one tier of access information of a plurality of tiers of access information, based on a group of user defined rules, and sharing a third set of user personal descriptors with at least one of the individual user and the contact user, wherein the third set of user personal descriptors includes audio, video, text and still graphic representations, previously granted information, and wherein the third set of user personal descriptors are combined with the avatar to form a smart avatar, which defines a personality of the at least one of the individual user and the contact user.

17. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein the computer executable program when executed by the provider computer processor causes the provider computer processor of the computer system to perform the method further comprising:

categorizing the at least one of the individual user and the contact user of the plurality of users listed in the globally accessible contact list, based on identifiable relationships between user personal descriptors and the group of user defined rules, to create a state diagram of user personal descriptor trees and stringing together a community of the individual users and the contact users.