System and method for providing anonymity in a session initiated protocol network

• US 9,148,333 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• 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): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US12/415,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20100246576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,373 Days
• Field of Search: 370/282, 370/352, 370/386, 370/389, 370/401
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/385 Uniform resource identifier for session initiation protocol [SIP URI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment

Abstract

A method for facilitating an anonymous communications session in a communications environment is provided that includes receiving, from a first endpoint, a request for a communication session involving a second endpoint. The method also includes identifying end user data associated with a first endpoint. The data associated with the first endpoint is mapped to an identity of the first endpoint. The second endpoint is shown the identity of the first endpoint and not the end user data associated with the first endpoint.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a remote first endpoint, a request for a telephonic communication session with an endpoint associated with a second user profile identifier of a second user account in a social network comprising a plurality of registered members, wherein the request is launched through the social network and identifies first personal contact information associated with the first endpoint and the second user profile identifier;

accessing one or more databases in order to identify first user profile data mapped to the first personal contact information, the first user profile data including a first user profile identifier of a first user account in the social network;

identifying, from the one or more databases, second personal contact information mapped to the identified second user profile identifier, the second personal contact information associated with a second endpoint;

verifying, from the one or more databases, a membership status within the social network of an end user associated with the first endpoint; and

facilitating initiation of the telephonic communication session, wherein facilitating initiation of the telephonic communication session includes transmitting an invitation message addressed to the second personal contact information to the second endpoint, the invitation message identifying the first user profile identifier as the sender of the invitation message, and the first user profile identifier is presented on the second endpoint and the first personal contact information is hidden from the second endpoint, wherein mapping of the first user profile identifier to the first personal contact information and mapping of the second user profile identifier to the second personal contact information persists after termination of the telephonic communication session, and the first personal contact information is hidden within the social network, wherein initiation of telephonic communication sessions is limited to sessions involving members of the social network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second endpoint is operable to recognize that the first endpoint is seeking to contact the second endpoint to initiate the communication session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request includes an internet protocol address associated with the first endpoint.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint is a selected one of a group of endpoints, the group consisting of:

a) a personal computer;

b) a laptop computer;

c) a personal digital assistant;

d) an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone;

e) a standard telephone;

f) an I-Phone; and

g) a mobile phone.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the second endpoint to respond to the request in order to initiate the communication session.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session does not occur if the second endpoint declines the request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a communication broker serves as an intermediary between the first and second endpoints during the communication session.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication broker is authorized to terminate the communication session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is for a video communication session.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user profile identifier is a first user name that an end user of the first endpoint has selected and the second user profile identifier is a second user name that an end user of the second endpoint has selected.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is for a voice communication session.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint is shown the second user profile identifier associated with the second endpoint and not the second personal contact information associated with the second endpoint.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is initiated through a user interface of the social network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the social network comprises an online dating website and a personal profile of each of the plurality of members is viewable from the online dating website.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint comprises a smartphone.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is sent to a first Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server associated with the first personal contact information and initiation of the telephonic communication session includes identifying a different, second SIP server as associated with the second personal contact information, wherein the invitation message is communicated to the second SIP server and the second SIP server sends a service availability request to the second endpoint in response to the invitation message.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a communications broker that includes a processor and a memory, the communications broker being configured for;

receiving, from a first endpoint, a request for a telephonic communication session with an endpoint associated with a second user profile identifier of a second user account in a social network comprising a plurality of registered members, wherein the request is launched through a website hosting the social network and identifies first personal contact information associated with the first endpoint and the second user profile identifier;

identifying, from a database, a first user profile identifier of a first user account in the social network mapped to the first personal contact information;

identifying, from the database, second personal contact information mapped to the second user profile identifier, the second personal contact information associated with a second endpoint;

verifying, from the database, a membership status within the social network of an end user associated with the first endpoint; and

facilitating initiation of the telephonic communication session, wherein facilitating initiation of the telephonic communication session includes transmitting an invitation message addressed to the second personal contact information to the second endpoint, the invitation message identifying the first user profile identifier as the sender of the invitation message, and the first user profile identifier is presented on the second endpoint and the first personal contact information is hidden from the second endpoint, wherein mapping of the first user profile identifier to the first personal contact information and mapping of the second user profile identifier to the second personal contact information persists after termination of the telephonic communication session, and the first personal contact information is hidden within the social network, wherein initiation of telephonic communication sessions is limited to sessions involving members of the social network.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second endpoint is prompted to respond to the request in order to initiate the communication session.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the communication session does not occur if the second endpoint declines the request.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the communication broker serves as an intermediary between the first and second endpoints during the set up of the communication session.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the communication broker is authorized to terminate the communication session.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

the database, wherein the database is operable to store personal contact information and associated profile identifiers within the particular context for each of a plurality of endpoints.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first endpoint is shown the second user profile identifier associated with the second endpoint and not the second personal contact information associated with the second endpoint.

24. Logic encoded in non-transitory media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor is operable to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a remote first endpoint, a request for a telephonic communication session with an endpoint associated with a second user profile identifier of a second user account in a social network comprising a plurality of registered members, wherein the request is launched through the social network and identifies first personal contact information associated with the first endpoint and the second user profile identifier;

accessing a database in order to identify first user profile data mapped to the first personal contact information, the first user profile data including a first user profile identifier of a first user account in the social network;

identifying, from the database, second personal contact information mapped to the identified second user profile identifier, the second personal contact information associated with a second endpoint;

verifying, from the database, a membership status within the social network of an end user associated with the first endpoint; and

facilitating initiation of the telephonic communication session, wherein facilitating initiation of the telephonic communication session includes transmitting an invitation message addressed to the second personal contact information to the second endpoint, the invitation message identifying the first user profile identifier as the sender of the invitation message, and the first user profile identifier is presented on the second endpoint and the first personal contact information is hidden from the second endpoint, wherein mapping of the first user profile identifier to the first personal contact information and mapping of the second user profile identifier to the second personal contact information persists after termination of the telephonic communication session, and the first personal contact information is hidden within the social network, wherein initiation of telephonic communication sessions is limited to sessions involving members of the social network.

25. The logic of claim 24, the operations further comprising:

prompting the second endpoint to respond to the request in order to initiate the communication session.

26. The logic of claim 24, wherein the communication session does not occur if the second endpoint declines the request.

27. The logic of claim 24, wherein an intermediary computing device is provisioned between the first and second endpoints during the communication session.