System and method for sharing updated information with known users

• US 8,924,523 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2014
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Changefly Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gimigo Inc.
• Inventors: Dickie, Lukas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le H
• Application Number:
  US14/214,851
• Time in Patent Office: 290 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/217, 709/221, 709/220, 705/14.53, 705/318, 705/325, 705/14.66, 455/411, 455/412.1, 726/18, 715/739
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3558 Preliminary personalisation for transfer to user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453

Abstract

Techniques for distributing updated personal information are described. The update is retrieved from a device where it was created and downloaded to another device under the control of a server operating a personal information management system. The update is fully controlled by the user to be released to only certain users or a group of users. Further the user is able to control which portion of the personal information may be shared.

Claims

1. A software product loaded in a nontransitory computer readable media and executed in a server computer to cause the server computer to perform operations of:

creating a link between a first user and a second user when the first user uses a first device to initiate a relationship with the second user using a second device by sharing a portion or all of personal information of the first user with the second user, wherein the first user is a registered user of a personal information management system, the link is updated when the second user changes from a non-registered user to a registered user;

allowing the second user to view the portion or all of personal information of the first user in a way depending on whether the second user is a non-registered user or a registered user;

sending out a notification by the server computer to the second user in accordance with a preference setting by the second user when the first user has updated the personal information, wherein the preference setting is used by the server computer to control, not immediately, but when the notification shall be sent to the second user, the notification includes one or more links to data pertaining to the updated personal information, the links keep unchanged regardless how many times the personal information has been updated and are directed to the updated personal information, and allows the second user to retrieve the updated personal; and

facilitating the second device to retrieve the updated personal information from the first device after the first user had updated some of the personal information on the first device and from the server computer after the first user had updated some of the personal information through the server computer.

2. The software product as recited in claim 1, wherein the links are collectively referenced to a container created for the first user but provide respective paths to the updated information distributed on the first device and the server computer, the container is designed to hold information pertaining to one category and includes data as to where content thereof is located.

3. The software product as recited in claim 2, wherein the link between the first user and the second user is created pertaining to which part of the personal information the first user has determined to share with the second user.

4. The software product as recited in claim 2, wherein each of the first and second devices is a mobile device.

5. The software product as recited in claim 4, wherein the notification is buffered in the server computer in accordance with the preference setting and sent out only in a form chosen by the second user.

6. The software product as recited in claim 5, wherein the personal information of the first user is encapsulated in the container designed to include metadata and a link to an external source.

7. The software product as recited in claim 2, wherein the second user is a business entity operating a database embedded with modules that, when activated, communicate with the server computer to retrieve the updated personal information from all customers including the first user and update the database by correlating all information the business entity has maintained for each of the customers.

8. The software product as recited in claim 7, wherein the updated personal information for the first user includes an updated payment arrangement, the database is updated with the updated personal information and the business entity uses the updated database to reach the customers while one of the customers can close a transaction with the business entity without manually updating his/her account with a new payment arrangement.

9. The software product as recited in claim 1, wherein the personal information includes a plurality of containers, each of the containers is designed to hold information pertaining to one category and includes data as to where content thereof is located.

10. The software product as recited in claim 9, wherein each of the containers includes data pertaining to multiple locations where the personal information and the updated personal information reside in distributed fashion.

11. A software product loaded in a nontransitory computer readable media and executed in a first portable computing device to cause the first portable computing device to perform operations of:

providing a graphic interface to allow a first user to create personal information thereof and update the personal information on the first portable computing device;

uploading the personal information to a server computer configured to operate a personal information management system;

caching the updated personal information locally in the first portable computing device;

releasing the updated personal information from the first portable computing device to a second portable computing device being used by a second user when the server computer authorizes a request from the second computing device, wherein the request is routed to the first portable computing device via the server computer, and the server is configured to update a notification originally created to notify the second user of the updated personal information, and wherein the server is configured to;

create a link between the first user and the second user when the first user initiates a relationship with the second user by sharing a portion or all of the personal information of the first user with the second user, the first user is a registered user of the personal information management system, the link is updated when the second user changes from a non-registered user to a registered user;

allow the second user to view the portion or all of personal information of the first user in a way depending on whether the second user is a non-registered user or a registered user; and

send out the notification to the second user in accordance with a preference setting by the second user when the first user has updated the personal information, wherein the preference setting is used by the server computer to control when the notification shall be sent to the second user, after the first user has updated the personal information, wherein the notification includes one or more links remaining unchanged regardless how many times the personal information has been updated, and allowing the second user to retrieve the updated personal information from the first portable computing device after the first user had updated some of the personal information on the first portable computing device and from the server computer after the first user had updated some of the personal information through the server computer.

12. The software product as recited in claim 11, wherein the links are collectively referenced to a container created for the first user but provide respective paths to the updated information distributed on the first portable computing device and the server computer, the container is designed to hold information pertaining to one category and includes data as to where content thereof is located.

13. The software product as recited in claim 12, wherein the notification is buffered in the server computer in accordance with the preference setting and sent out only in a form chosen by the second user.

14. The software product as recited in claim 11, wherein the personal information of the first user is encapsulated in a container designed to include metadata and a link to an external source.

15. The software product as recited in claim 14, further causing the server computer to perform operations of:

resetting the notification that the updated personal information has been retrieved.

16. The software product as recited in claim 15, wherein the updated personal information for the first user includes an updated payment arrangement, the database is updated with the updated personal information and the business entity uses the updated database to reach the customers while one of the customers can close a transaction with the business entity without manually updating his/her account with a new payment arrangement.

17. The software product as recited in claim 11, wherein the personal information includes a plurality of containers, each of the containers is designed to hold information pertaining to one category and includes data as to where content thereof is located.

18. The software product as recited in claim 17, wherein the each of the containers includes data pertaining to multiple locations where the personal information and the updated personal information reside in distributed fashion.

19. The software product as recited in claim 11, wherein the second user is a business entity operating a database embedded with modules that, when activated, communicate with the server computer to retrieve updated personal information from all customers including the first user and update the database by correlating all information the business entity has maintained for each of the customers.