Address book extension

• US 8,407,599 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Coughlin, Brian, Klein, David Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/363,313
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 715/748, 715/843, 715/733, 715/738, 715/739, 710/30, 725/37
• US Class Current: 715/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Methods, media, and systems are provided for presenting potential matches for address book entries across multiple online applications. Interaction between a web site provider, telecommunications network provider, and third-party data sources enable presentation of an input form that can be utilized across applications for a number of different types of information. Potential matches are automatically displayed based on the information provided in an application-independent user-input form. The retrieval of data is for any type of information that may be applicable to the particular software application for which the retrieval is taking place. Computer-readable media and systems are provided for performing methods of presenting potential matches in address book information across a plurality of internet software applications. Computer-readable media for performing methods of facilitating requests for information from one or more user address book databases are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of presenting potential matches in address book information across a plurality of internet software applications being served by an internet-accessible web server, the method comprising:

the web server serving one of the applications to a user, wherein the user is coupled to the web server through a telecommunications provider network;

in response to user interaction with the served application, the web server sending to a user display device via the telecommunications provider network an application-independent online user-input form defined in a client-side API on the web server;

the client-side API of the web server receiving user input entered into the user-input form that indicates at least a portion of a name;

communicating the user input from the client side API on the web server to a service-side API stored on a network server in the telecommunications provider network, wherein the service-side API and the client-side API are application-independent and are configured to interface with one another;

based on the user input, the service-side API communicating a request from the network server to a database that stores contact information associated with a plurality of people;

the database utilizing said user input to retrieve one or more possible matching entries from said contact information;

sending the one or more possible matching entries from the database to the service-side API in the network server;

returning indications of said one or more possible matching entries from the network server to the web server via the service-side API and the client-side API; and

by way of said user-input form, the served application sending said indications to the user display device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating the receiving the communicating the user input, the communicating the request, the utilizing, the returning and the sending said indications steps as additional user input is entered.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the contact information includes a contact name and at least one of a phone number, a fax number, an e-mail address, a user name, and an instant messenger name.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the request to the database utilizes a parameter for returning the one or more potential matching entries based on a selection of the parameter by the client-side API.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selection of the parameter is based on an action being performed in response to the user input.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein communicating a request to the database includes communicating one or more segments of data to authenticate a user'"'"'s identity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the segments of data are communicated from the web server to the telecommunications network server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the segments of data are stored on the telecommunications network server for a predetermined amount of time.

9. A system for the presentation of potential matches to address book entries across a number of internet software services, the system comprising:

a telecommunications provider network for coupling a user device to one or more web sites;

a telecommunications network server including a set of one or more service-side application programming interfaces (API) configured to

(1) receive requests from client APIs at at least one of the web sites;

(2) request address book database information from a third-party address database based on the requests received; and

(3) communicate potential matches from the address book database information to the client APIs;

an internet-accessible web server serving a web site as an internet software application that utilizes one of the client APIs to

(1) present an input form to the user device via the telecommunications provider network in response to user interaction with the served application;

(2) automatically send requests for address book information to the service-side API, without user intervention;

(3) receive indications of potential matches from the service-side API that were obtained from the third-party address database; and

(4) send from the internet software application the received indications of potential matches to the user device via the telecommunications provider network;

at least one data source containing the third-party address database coupled to the telecommunications network server.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the set is configured to access address book database information utilizing one or more parameters selected by the client APIs.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the client APIs communicate one or more segments of user authentication information.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one server is configured to store the one or more segments of user authentication information for subsequent requests from client APIs.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one server is configured to store the one or more segments of user authentication information for a predetermined period of time.

14. A system for the presentation of potential matches to address book entries across a number of internet software services, the system comprising:

a telecommunications provider network for coupling a mobile user device to one or more web sites, wherein the telecommunications provider network includes a plurality of base transceiver stations, and wherein the mobile user device is capable of placing telephone calls via the telecommunications provider network;

a telecommunications network server including a set of one or more service-side application programming interfaces (API) configured to

(1) receive requests from client APIs at at least one of the web sites;

(2) request address book database information from a third-party address database based on the requests received; and

(3) communicate potential matches from the address book database information to the client APIs;

an internet-accessible web server serving a web site as an internet software application that utilizes one of the client APIs to

(1) present an input form to the user device via the telecommunications provider network in response to user interaction with the served application;

(2) automatically send requests for address book information to the service-side API, without user intervention;

(3) receive indications of potential matches from the service-side API that were obtained from the third-party address database; and

(4) send from the internet software application the received indications of potential matches to the user device via the telecommunications provider network;

at least one data source containing the third-party address database coupled to the telecommunications network server.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the set is configured to access address book database information utilizing one or more parameters selected by the client APIs.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the client APIs communicate one or more segments of user authentication information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one server is configured to store the one or more segments of user authentication information for subsequent requests from client APIs.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one server is configured to store the one or more segments of user authentication information for a predetermined period of time.