Systems and methods for facilitating identification of communication originators
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a communication from a sending device;
requesting sending device identification information from a distributed contact database fashioned from contact databases of communication devices in a group of communication devices, each communication device comprising an end user device; and
receiving the requested sending device identification information from at least one of the communication devices in the group.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, apparatuses and methods for facilitating identification of the originator of a communication. A communication is received from a sending device. Sending device identification information is requested from a distributed contact database fashioned from the contact databases of the communication devices in a group of communication devices. If the sending device identification information is available at a given communication device, it is received from the communication device.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a communication from a sending device; requesting sending device identification information from a distributed contact database fashioned from contact databases of communication devices in a group of communication devices, each communication device comprising an end user device; and receiving the requested sending device identification information from at least one of the communication devices in the group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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associating with a plurality of communication devices to collectively formulate a distributed contact database, each communication device corresponding to an end user device; receiving a request from a requesting one of the plurality of communication devices for identification information based on partial identification information provided via the request; and providing the requested identification information to the requesting communication device when a local contact database includes the requested identification information. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method comprising:
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receiving a communication from a sending device; requesting sending device identification information from a distributed contact database fashioned from contact databases of one or more second devices, each device comprising an end user device; and searching a respective local contact database to locate the requested sending device identification information, and providing the requested sending device identification information to the sending device when found. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. An apparatus comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive a communication from a sending device; a processor configured to create a request for identification information of a user associated with the sending device; a transmitter configured to transmit the request to a group of communication devices whose individual contact databases collectively form a distributed contact database, each communication device comprising an end user device, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the requested identification information from at least one of the communication devices of the group. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving a communication from a sending device; means for requesting sending device identification information from a distributed contact database fashioned from contact databases of a plurality of communication devices in a group of communication devices, each communication device comprising an end user device; and means for receiving the requested sending device identification information from at least one of the communication devices in the group.
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37. An apparatus comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive a contact item request; a storage device configured to store a local contact database comprising a portion of a distributed contact database comprising contact databases of a plurality of communication devices, each communication device comprising an end user device; a processor configured to determine whether the requested contact item is stored in the local contact database; and a transmitter configured to transmit the requested contact item when the requested contact item is stored in the local contact database. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A system comprising a plurality of end user devices in a communication network, each end user device comprising a local contact database and configured to share the local contact database with at least one other end user device that belongs to a common group, wherein the local contact databases of the end user devices belonging to the common group collectively represent a distributed contact database, such each end user device is configured to transmit a request for identification information to the end user devices belonging to the common group, and receive the requested identification information from at least one of the end user devices.
Specification