Apparatus for managing communication device identifiers

• US 8,879,404 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Gregory, Jones, Corey
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, STEVEN H D
• Application Number:
  US11/971,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20090176480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,491 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading

Abstract

An apparatus for managing communication device identification is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a multimode communication device having a controller to wirelessly transmit a device identifier of the multimode communication device to another multimode communication device, where the device identifier is transmitted using a short distance mode of communication, where the device identifier is transmitted without retrieving data from an address book of the multimode communication device, and where the device identifier is transmitted in response to actuation of at least one of a dedicated button or a code on a keypad of the multimode communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

wirelessly receiving a device identifier at a second mobile communication device from a first mobile communication device, wherein the device identifier is transmitted using a short range signal and is associated with the first mobile communication device, wherein the short range signal is one mode of a plurality of modes of communication of the first and second mobile communication devices, and wherein the device identifier comprises a first identifier for enabling the second mobile communication device to communicate with the first mobile communication device in one of the plurality of modes of communication and a second identifier to identify a first user of the first mobile communication device; and

storing the device identifier in an address book of the second mobile communication device, wherein the first identifier is concealed in the address book to limit sharing of the device identifier by the second mobile communication device with other mobile communication devices to prevent a presentation of the first identifier.

2. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first identifier comprises one of a telephone number, an email address or an instant messaging address.

3. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the device identifier is transmitted without retrieving data from the address book of the first mobile communication device.

4. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the second identifier comprises a name of the first user.

5. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise decrypting the device identifier based at least in part on an encryption key associated with the second mobile communication device to limit the sharing of the device identifier.

6. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise deleting the device identifier from the second mobile communication after a pre-determined amount of time to limit the sharing of the device identifier.

7. A method, comprising:

wirelessly receiving a device identifier at a second mobile communication device from a first mobile communication device, wherein the device identifier is transmitted using a short range signal and is associated with the first mobile communication device, wherein the short range signal is one mode of a plurality of modes of communication of the first and second mobile communication devices, and wherein the device identifier comprises a first identifier for enabling the second mobile communication device to communicate with the first mobile communication device in one of the plurality of modes of communication and a second identifier to identify a first user of the first mobile communication device; and

storing the device identifier in an address book of the second mobile communication device, wherein the first identifier is concealed in the address book to limit sharing of the device identifier by the second mobile communication device with other mobile communication devices to prevent a presentation of the first identifier.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first identifier comprises one of a telephone number, an email address or an instant messaging address.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the device identifier is transmitted without retrieving data from the address book of the first mobile communication device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the second identifier corresponds to a name of the first user.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising decrypting the device identifier based at least in part on an encryption key associated with the second mobile communication device to limit the sharing of the device identifier.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising deleting the device identifier from the second mobile communication after a pre-determined amount of time to limit the sharing of the device identifier.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising limit sharing of the device identifier by encrypting the device identifier with an encryption key.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising limit sharing of the device identifier by deleting the device identifier after a pre-determined time period.

15. A first multimode communication device, comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a controller coupled to the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions the controller performs operations comprising;

wirelessly receiving a device identifier of a second multimode communication device responsive to the second multimode communication device determining that the first multimode communication device will limit sharing of the device identifier, wherein the device identifier comprises a first identifier for enabling the first multimode communication device to communicate with the second multimode communication device in one of a plurality of modes of communication of the first and second multimode communication devices, and a second identifier to identify a second user of the second multimode communication device; and

storing the device identifier in an address book of the first multimode communication device, wherein the first identifier is concealed in the address book to prevent a presentation of the first identifier.

16. The first multimode communication device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise limit sharing of the device identifier by encrypting the device identifier with an encryption key associated with the first multimode communication device.

17. The first multimode communication device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise limit sharing of the device identifier by deleting the device identifier after a pre-determined time period.

18. The first multimode communication device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise presenting a notification of a receipt of the device identifier at one of a display device or an audio system of the first multimode communication device.

19. The first multimode communication device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

storing the first identifier and the second identifier of the device identifier in the address book of the first multimode communication device; and

preventing a presentation of the first identifier stored in the address book, while enabling a presentation of the second identifier stored in the address book.

20. The first multimode communication device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting to the second multimode communication device a request for the device identifier of the second multimode communication device responsive to input received from a user interface of the first multimode communication device.