System and method for providing sequenced anonymous communication sessions over a network

• US 8,996,618 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2013
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Match Group, LLC (Match Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Match.com LLC (Match Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bustamente, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Daftuar, Saket K
• Application Number:
  US14/088,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20140082087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 493 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/204, 709/206, 709/207, 709/209, 709/223, 709/224, 709/226, 709/227, 709/228, 709/237, 709/239, 709/238, 709/241, 348/14.08, 370/389, 370/395.2, 370/351, 370/252, 370/431, 370/352, 370/392, 370/395.21, 370/395.52, 370/400, 370/401, 370/410, 370/411, 370/469, 455/519, 455/416, 455/412.1, 455/517, 455/518, 455/520, 455/521, 455/414.1, 707/999.003, 707/999.005, 707/999.01, 707/999.102, 726/12, 726/13
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/9994 Distributed or remote access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method for facilitating a sequenced, anonymous communications session in a communications environment is provided in one example that includes receiving, from a first endpoint, an anonymous, sequenced request for a communication session involving a second endpoint. The communication session is sequenced to occur at designated periods provided by the end user(s) and/or an administrator, while maintaining end user(s) anonymity.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request for a multimedia communication session at a communications broker in a communication network, wherein the communications broker comprises a memory for storing data and instructions, and a processor for executing the instructions, wherein the communications broker is connected to the communications network, wherein a source address of the request indicates a personal contact address of a first user and a recipient address of the request indicates a profile name of a second user in a social networking platform, wherein the first user and the second user are associated with respective profile names in the social networking platform, wherein the profile names are different from respective personal contact addresses of the first user and the second user, wherein the profile names are displayed publicly and the personal contact addresses are not displayed publicly on the social networking platform;

accessing, by the communications broker, a communication sequencing information including data input by the first user and the second user and data input by a social networking platform administrator, wherein the communication sequencing information includes metrics related to sequencing of the multimedia communication session, wherein the metrics include call back preferences and sequencing limitations related to membership privileges, pay to communicate protocols, and network bandwidth availability;

determining, by the communications broker, a common session availability for the first user and the second user based on evaluating the communication sequencing information;

preparing, by the communications broker, a multimedia communication session call invitation message with information showing the source address to be the personal contact address of the second user and the recipient address to be the profile name of the first user; and

transmitting, by the communications broker, the multimedia communication session call invitation message for a time frame indicated by the common session availability.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

translating the personal contact address of the first user in the request to the corresponding profile name of the first user; and

translating the profile name of the second user in the request to the corresponding personal contact address of the second user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metrics further include date, time, type of the multimedia communication session, and duration of the multimedia communication session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia communication session is initiated directly between the users via respective endpoints without exchange of the personal contact addresses.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications broker denies the request if the communication sequencing information indicates no common session availability.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications broker serves as an intermediary between the first and second users during the multimedia communication session.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user can accept or deny the multimedia communication session call invitation message, wherein if the second user accepts the multimedia communication session call invitation message, the multimedia communication session is initiated between the first user and the second user.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a communications broker in a communication network;

a memory; and

a processor that executes instructions associated with the data, wherein the processor and the memory cooperate, such that the apparatus is configured for;

receiving a request for a multimedia communication session at the communications broker, wherein a source address of the request indicates a personal contact address of a first user and a recipient address of the request indicates a profile name of a second user in a social networking platform, wherein the first user and the second user are associated with respective profile names in the social networking platform, wherein the profile names are different from respective personal contact addresses of the first user and the second user, wherein the profile names are displayed publicly on the social networking platform and the personal contact addresses are not displayed publicly;

accessing a communication sequencing information including data input by the first user and the second user and data input by a social networking platform administrator, wherein the communication sequencing information includes metrics related to sequencing of the multimedia communication session, wherein the metrics include call back preferences and sequencing limitations related to membership privileges, pay to communicate protocols, and network bandwidth availability;

determining a common session availability for the first user and the second user based on the communication sequencing information; and

transmitting a multimedia communication session call invitation message for a time frame indicated by the common session availability, wherein the source address of the call invitation message indicates the personal contact address of the second user, and the recipient address of the call invitation message indicates the profile name of the first user.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

translating the personal contact address of the first user in the request to the corresponding profile name of the first user; and

translating the profile name of the second user in the request to the corresponding personal contact address of the second user.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the metrics further include date, time, type of the multimedia communication session, and duration of the multimedia communication session.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the multimedia communication session is initiated directly between the users via respective endpoints without exchange of the personal contact addresses.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the communications broker denies the request if the communication sequencing information indicates no common session availability.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the communications broker serves as an intermediary between the first and second users during the multimedia communication session.

14. Non-transitory tangible media encoding instructions for execution, which when executed by a processor of a communications broker, is operable to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for a multimedia communication session at the communications broker, wherein a source address of the request indicates a personal contact address of a first user and a recipient address of the request indicates a profile name of a second user in a social networking platform, wherein the first user and the second user are associated with respective profile names in the social networking platform, wherein the profile names are different from respective personal contact addresses of the first user and the second user, wherein the profile names are displayed publicly on the social networking platform and the personal contact addresses are not displayed publicly;

accessing a communication sequencing information including data input by the first user and the second user and data input by a social networking platform administrator, wherein the communication sequencing information includes metrics related to sequencing of the multimedia communication session, wherein the metrics include call back preferences and sequencing limitations related to membership privileges, pay to communicate protocols, and network bandwidth availability;

determining a common session availability for the first user and the second user based on the communication sequencing information;

preparing a multimedia communication session call invitation message with information showing the source address to be the personal contact address of the second user and the recipient address to be the profile name of the first user; and

transmitting the multimedia communication session call invitation message for a time frame indicated by the common session availability.

15. The media of claim 14, further comprising:

translating the personal contact address of the first user in the request to the corresponding profile name of the first user; and

translating the profile name of the second user in the request to the corresponding personal contact address of the second user.

16. The media of claim 14, wherein the metrics further include date, time, type of the multimedia communication session, and duration of the multimedia communication session.

17. The media of claim 14, wherein the multimedia communication session is initiated directly between the users via respective endpoints without exchange of the personal contact addresses.

18. The media of claim 14, wherein the communications broker denies the request if the communication sequencing information indicates no common session availability.

19. The media of claim 14, wherein the communications broker serves as an intermediary between the first and second users during the multimedia communication session.

20. The media of claim 14, wherein the second user can accept or deny the multimedia communication session call invitation message, wherein if the second user accepts the multimedia communication session call invitation message, the multimedia communication session is initiated between the first user and the second user.