System and method for secure reciprocal exchange of data

• US 7,958,144 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knapp Investment Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Boss Logic LLC
• Inventors: Shoemaker, Daniel D., O'Donnell, Lee Thomas, Broder, James P., Shoemaker, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Hanh B
• Application Number:
  US10/651,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20050182767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,839 Days
• Field of Search: 707/9, 707/100, 707/781, 707/785, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227, 709/229
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

A system for transmission of data between a first device operated by a first user and a second device includes a database that receives a first set of data input by the first user and a second set of data input by the second user. In one embodiment, the first set of data includes an immediate mode of access and/or one or more future modes of access of the first user which correlate to one or more specific time periods during which the future mode of access will become the immediate mode of access. Additionally, the first set of data can include a time-dependent schedule of the future mode of access of the first user.

Claims

1. A system for transmission of data between a first device operated by a first user and a second device operated by a second user, the system comprising:

a database that is in network communication with the first device and the second device, the database receiving a first set of data input by the first user from the first device, the first set of data including a future mode of access of the first user, the future mode of access correlating to a time period during which the future mode of access will become an immediate mode of access of the first user, the immediate mode of access of the first user being accessible from the database by the second user using the second device, wherein the database receives a second set of data input by the second user, and wherein the second user has access to the immediate mode of access from the database only after the second user authorizes the database to allow the first user access to at least a portion of the second set of data from the database.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the future mode of access of the first user is inaccessible to the second user.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the time period is inaccessible to the second user.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user changes the immediate mode of access of the first user in the database using an auditory recognition device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first set of data includes a plurality of future modes of access of the first user, each future mode of access correlating to one or more corresponding time periods during which each such future mode of access will become an immediate mode of access of the first user.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein at least one of the time periods is at least approximately one hour in length.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the future mode of access is selected from at least one of a phone number, an electronic mail address, a facsimile number and a text message number.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the second device is a wireless device having a memory.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the database automatically updates the memory of the wireless device with the immediate mode of access of the first user at least approximately one time per day.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the second device is a mobile phone having a storage device, and wherein the database automatically updates the storage device of the mobile phone with the immediate mode of access of the first user at a frequency that is input into the database by the second user.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the database is part of a non-distributed network.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user has access to at least a portion of the second set of data only after the first user has authorized the database to allow the second user access to at least a portion of the first set of data from the database.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the database receives a privacy level that is input by the first user for the immediate mode of access of the first user, the privacy level being selected from a hierarchy of privacy levels, and wherein the database receives a clearance level for the second user that is input by the first user, the clearance level being selected from a hierarchy of clearance levels that correspond with the hierarchy of privacy levels, the clearance level being measured against the privacy level to determine whether the second user has access to the immediate mode of access of the first user from the database.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the clearance level must be at least as high in the hierarchy of clearance levels as the privacy level is high in the hierarchy of privacy levels for the second user to have access to the immediate mode of access of the first user from the database.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the second device includes an auditory recognition device, the second device communicating with the database using the auditory recognition device.

16. A system for selective transmission of data between a first device operated by a first user, a second device and a third device, the system comprising:

a database that is in network communication with the first device and the second device, the database receiving a future mode of access of the first user that is input into the database using the first device, the future mode of access of the first user not being accessible from the second device, the database receiving a second set of data input by the second user, wherein the second user has access to the immediate mode of access from the database only after the second user authorizes the database to allow the first user access to at least a portion of the second set of data from the database;

wherein at a predetermined time, the future mode of access of the first user automatically changes within the database to become an immediate mode of access of the first user, the database providing access by the second device to the immediate mode of access of the first user and denying access by the third device to the immediate mode of access of the first user.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the database receives a plurality of future modes of access of the first user from the first device, each future mode of access correlating to a separate time period during which the future mode of access will automatically become the immediate mode of access of the first user.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the predetermined time is determined by the first user.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the future mode of access is selected from the group consisting of a phone number, an electronic mail address, a text message request and a facsimile number.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the predetermined time is inaccessible from the second device.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the database is adapted to change the immediate mode of access of the first user based on a command from the first user using an auditory recognition device.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the second device is a wireless device having a memory.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the database automatically updates the memory of the wireless device with the immediate mode of access of the first user at least approximately one time per day.

24. The system of claim 16 wherein the second device is a mobile phone having a storage device, and wherein the database automatically updates the storage device of the mobile phone with the immediate mode of access of the first user at a frequency that is input into the database by a second user.

25. The system of claim 16 wherein the database is part of a non-distributed network.

26. The system of claim 16 wherein the first user has access to at least a portion of the second set of data only after the first user has authorized the database to allow the second user access to at least a portion of the first set of data from the database.

27. A system for transmission of data between a first device operated by a first user and a second device, the system comprising:

a database that is in network communication with the first device and the second device, the database receiving a mode of access schedule of the first user from the first device, the mode of access schedule including data that includes an immediate mode of access of the first user and a future mode of access of the first user, the database receiving a second set of data input by the second user, wherein the second user has access to the immediate mode of access from the database only after the second user authorizes the database to allow the first user access to at least a portion of the second set of data from the database, the database allowing access by the second device to only a portion of the data;

wherein at a predetermined time, (i) the future mode of access of the first user automatically changes within the database to an immediate mode of access of the first user, and (ii) the database selectively changes the portion of the data that is accessible from the second device.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the portion of data that is accessible by the second device includes the immediate mode of access of the first user.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the portion of data that is accessible by the second device does not include the future mode of access of the first user.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the portion of data that is accessible by the second device includes the immediate mode of access of the first user.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein the database receives a plurality of future modes of access of the first user from the first device, each future mode of access correlating to a future time period during which the future mode of access will automatically become the immediate mode of access of the first user.

32. The system of claim 27 wherein the predetermined time is determined by the first user.

33. The system of claim 27 wherein the future mode of access is selected from the group consisting of a phone number, an electronic mail address, a text message request and a facsimile number.

34. The system of claim 27 wherein the predetermined time is inaccessible from the second device.

35. The system of claim 27 wherein the database is adapted to change the immediate mode of access of the first user based on a command from the first user using an auditory recognition device.

36. The system of claim 27 wherein the second device is a wireless device having a memory.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the database automatically updates the memory of the wireless device with the immediate mode of access of the first user at least approximately one time per day.

38. The system of claim 27 wherein the second device is a mobile phone having a storage device, and wherein the database automatically updates the storage device of the mobile phone with the immediate mode of access of the first user at a frequency that is input into the database by a second user.

39. The system of claim 27 wherein the database is part of a non-distributed network.

40. The system of claim 27 wherein the first user has access to at least a portion of the second set of data only after the first user has authorized the database to allow the second user access to at least a portion of the first set of data from the database.

41. The system of claim 27 wherein the database is adapted to deny access by a third user to the immediate mode of access of the first user.

42. A system for transmission of data between a first device operated by a first user and a second device operated by a second user, the system comprising:

a database that is in network communication with the first device and the second device, the database receiving a future mode of access of the first user that is input using the first device, the future mode of access of the first user not being accessible from the second device, the database receiving a second set of data input by the second user, wherein the second user has access to the immediate mode of access from the database only after the second user authorizes the database to allow the first user access to at least a portion of the second set of data from the database;

wherein at a predetermined time, the future mode of access of the first user automatically changes within the database to become an immediate mode of access of the first user, the database providing access by the second device to the immediate mode of access of the first user.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein the database receives a plurality of future modes of access of the first user from the first device, each future mode of access correlating to a future time period during which the future mode of access will automatically become the immediate mode of access of the first user.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein the predetermined time is determined by the first user.

45. The system of claim 42 wherein the future mode of access is selected from the group consisting of a phone number, an electronic mail address, a text message request and a facsimile number.

46. The system of claim 42 wherein the predetermined time is inaccessible from the second device.

47. The system of claim 42 wherein the database is adapted to change the immediate mode of access of the first user based on a command from the first user using an auditory recognition device.

48. The system of claim 42 wherein the second device is a wireless device having a memory.

49. The system of claim 48 wherein the database automatically updates the memory of the wireless device with the immediate mode of access of the first user at least approximately one time per day.

50. The system of claim 42 wherein the second device is a mobile phone having a storage device, and wherein the database automatically updates the storage device of the mobile phone with the immediate mode of access of the first user at a frequency that is input into the database by a second user.

51. The system of claim 42 wherein the database is part of a non-distributed network.

52. The system of claim 42 wherein the first user has access to at least a portion of the second set of data only after the first user has authorized the database to allow the second user access to at least a portion of the first set of data from the database.

53. The system of claim 42 wherein the database is adapted to deny access by a third user to the immediate mode of access of the first user.

54. The system of claim 42 wherein the first device includes a mobile phone.

55. A system for transmission of data between a first device operated by a first user and a second device operated by a second user, the system comprising:

a database that is in network communication with the first device and the second device, the database being adapted to receive from the first device data that includes an immediate mode of access of the first user and a future mode of access of the first user, the database being adapted to receive a second set of data input by the second user, wherein the second user has access to the immediate mode of access from the database only after the second user authorizes the database to allow the first user access to at least a portion of the second set of data from the database, the database allowing access by the second device to the immediate mode of access of the first user and not to the future mode of access of the first user;

wherein at a predetermined time, (i) the future mode of access data of the first user automatically changes within the database to become the immediate mode of access data of the first user.

56. The system of claim 55 wherein the database receives a plurality of future modes of access of the first user from the first device, each future mode of access correlating to a future time period during which the future mode of access will automatically become the immediate mode of access of the first user.

57. The system of claim 55 wherein the predetermined time is determined by the first user.

58. The system of claim 55 wherein the future mode of access is selected from the group consisting of a phone number, an electronic mail address, a text message request and a facsimile number.

59. The system of claim 55 wherein the predetermined time is inaccessible from the second device.

60. The system of claim 55 wherein the database is adapted to change the immediate mode of access of the first user based on a command from the first user using an auditory recognition device.

61. The system of claim 55 wherein the second device is a wireless device having a memory.

62. The system of claim 61 wherein the database automatically updates the memory of the wireless device with the immediate mode of access of the first user at least approximately one time per day.

63. The system of claim 55 wherein the second device is a mobile phone having a storage device, and wherein the database automatically updates the storage device of the mobile phone with the immediate mode of access of the first user at a frequency that is input into the database by a second user.

64. The system of claim 55 wherein the database is part of a non-distributed network.

65. The system of claim 55 wherein the first user has access to at least a portion of the second set of data only after the first user has authorized the database to allow the second user access to at least a portion of the first set of data from the database.

66. The system of claim 55 wherein the database is adapted to deny access by a third user to the immediate mode of access of the first user.

67. The system of claim 55 wherein the first device includes a mobile phone.