Recognizing multiple identities of sender and sending the multiple identities to recipient

• US 8,745,271 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: O'Sullivan, Patrick, Raguillat, Fred, Stern, Edith H., Willner, Barry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry, Lance L
• Application Number:
  US13/164,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20120323959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 709/209, 709/206, 709/236, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method, device and computer program product for multiple identity recognition includes receiving a first communication from a sender addressed to a recipient using a first identity. A determination may be made as to whether the sender has multiple identities, and in response to determining that the sender has multiple identities, information regarding the identities of the sender is retrieved. The identities of the sender may be associated together so that the recipient may be provided an indication that the sender has at least one identity other than the first identity.

Claims

1. A method for multiple identity recognition, comprising:

receiving, at a server, a first communication from a sender using a first identity, the first communication capable of being received by a recipient;

determining that the sender has multiple identities;

in response to determining that the sender has multiple identities, retrieving information regarding the identities of the sender;

associating the identities with the sender so that the recipient is provided an indication that the sender has at least one identity other than the first identity; and

sending the first communication to the recipient with the multiple identities of the sender identified in the first communication.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second communication from the sender using a second identity, the second identity being addressed to the recipient; and

providing an indication to the recipient that the first and second identities are associated with the sender.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication comprises an electronic communication.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input that the identities are associated with the sender; and

storing the input in a database.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the input is received from one of the recipient or the sender.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the input is received from a party other than the recipient or the sender.

7. The method of claim 1, automatically retrieving information about identities associated with entities via communication servers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the sender has multiple identities comprises querying a database containing data indicating which identities are owned by which entity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the sender has multiple identities is automatically performed in response to receiving the first communication.

10. A device for multiple identity recognition, comprising:

a processor;

a memory associated with the processor;

wherein the processor is configured for;

receiving, at a server, a first communication from a sender using a first identity, the first communication capable of being received by a recipient;

determining that the sender has multiple identities;

in response to determining that the sender has multiple identities, retrieving information regarding the identities of the sender;

associating the identities with the sender so that the recipient is provided an indication that the sender has at least one identity other than the first identity; and

sending the first communication to the recipient with the multiple identities of the sender identified in the first communication.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured for:

receiving a second communication from a sender using a second identity, the second communication being addressed to the recipient; and

providing an indication to the recipient that the first and second identities are associated with the sender.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured for sending the first communication to the recipient.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured for:

receiving input that the identities are associated with the sender; and

storing the input in a database.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured for automatically retrieving information about identities associated with entities via servers.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the determining that the sender has multiple identities comprises querying a database containing data indicating which identities are owned by which entity.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the determining that the sender has multiple identities is automatically performed in response to receiving the first communication.

17. A computer program product for multiple identity recognition, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured for receiving, at a server, a first communication from a sender using a first identity, the first communication capable of being received by a recipient;

computer readable program code configured for determining that the sender has multiple identities;

computer readable program code configured for retrieving information regarding the identities of the sender in response to determining that the sender has multiple identities;

computer readable program code configured for associating the identities with the sender so that the recipient is provided an indication that the sender has at least one identity other than the first identity; and

computer readable program code configured for sending the first communication to the recipient with the multiple identities of the sender identified in the first communication.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable program code further comprises:

computer readable program code for receiving a second communication from a sender using a second identity, the second communication being addressed to the recipient; and

computer readable program code for providing an indication to the recipient that the first and second identities are associated with the sender.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable program code further comprises:

computer readable program code for receiving input that the identities are associated with the sender; and

computer readable program code for storing the input in a database.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable program code further comprises computer readable program code for automatically retrieving information about identities associated with entities via servers.