System and method for controlled access to up-to-date personal information

• US 9,197,605 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VIZIO, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VIZIO, Inc.
• Inventors: Shrinivasan, Sridhar, Nangamangalam, Subhasree K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le H
• Application Number:
  US13/862,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 954 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• 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 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a recipient'"'"'s access to a user'"'"'s information. The method includes receiving a plurality of contact information, registration information and access information from the user. Only person'"'"'s knowing the user'"'"'s registration information can update the contact and access information of the user. The contact information entered by a user is about that user. The access information defines accessible sets of contact information to be made accessible to recipients. A telephone exchange is associated with each recipient; and a local server is associated with each telephone exchange. The accessible set of information is stored in the local server for access by the recipient. The system handles updates to information on the local servers when a user updates their contact information. The system can automatically place calls for a recipient to a user that has granted the recipient access to a number for communicating with the user.

Claims

1. A personal information system, comprising:

a server computer system, having memory storing first user'"'"'s personal information associated with a first user, and to store information about which of a plurality of other users, other than said first user, have been granted access rights to said first user'"'"'s personal information;

said server computer detecting a first change in said first user'"'"'s personal information to updated first personal information;

said server computer system operating to determine locations of said plurality of other users and determines locations of first server computer systems which are local to said plurality of other users, and updates said first server computer systems to have said updated first information and to provide said updated first information to said plurality of other users, and

said server computer system determining second server computer systems which are not local to any of said plurality of other users, and not providing said updated first information to said second server computer systems.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein said server computer system determines a list of said plurality of other users, and location information associated with said plurality of other users, each said location information indicating a location of one of said other users, and wherein said location information is used by said server computer system to find said other server computer systems, where said other server computer systems are computer systems which are local to said location.

3. The system as in claim 2, wherein said location information comprises information about a telephone exchange of said other users.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein said stored information comprises information about said other server computer systems which are local to said plurality of other users who are authorized to have updated information.

5. The system as in claim 4, wherein said server computer determines said first server computer systems by also determining if users among said plurality of other users have subscribed to an update service, and updates only said first server computer systems which are local to users who have been granted access rights to said first user'"'"'s personal information, and have subscribed to said update service and does not update second server computer systems which are not local to any of said plurality of other users who have subscribed to said update service.

6. The system as in claim 1, wherein said server computer stores information about an amount of access rights to the first user'"'"'s personal information which has been granted to users, where a second user is stored associated with a first category, where based upon said first category, said server computer permits said second user to access a first amount of the first user'"'"'s personal information, and a third user is stored associated with a second category, wherein based upon said second category, said server computer permits said third user to access a second amount of the first user'"'"'s personal information, wherein said first amount is different than said second amount.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the second user is not permitted to access the second amount of the first user'"'"'s personal information.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user'"'"'s personal information stored in the memory comprises multiple different image data files associated with said first user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said server computer stores information about an amount of access rights to the first user'"'"'s personal information which has been granted to users, where a second user is stored associated with a first category, where based upon said first category, said server computer permits said second user to access a first amount of the user'"'"'s information including said image files, and to obtain updates to said image files, and where a third user is stored associated with a second category, wherein based upon said second category, said server computer permits said third user to access a second amount of the first user'"'"'s personal information, wherein said second amount of said information does not include said image files.

10. A personal information system, comprising:

a server computer system, having memory storing a first user'"'"'s personal information, and to store information about which of a plurality of other users, other than said first user, have been granted access rights to said first user'"'"'s personal information;

said server computer detecting a first change in said first user'"'"'s personal information to updated first personal information;

said server computer system operating to provide said updated first information to said plurality of other users, wherein said server computer stores information about an amount of access rights to the first user'"'"'s personal information which has been granted to users, where a second user is stored associated with a first category, where based upon said first category, said server computer permits said second user to access a first amount of the first user'"'"'s personal information, and a third user is stored associated with a second category, wherein based upon said second category, said server computer permits said third user to access a second amount of the first user'"'"'s personal information, wherein said first amount is different than said second amount, said server computer system operating to determine locations of said plurality of other users and determines locations of first server computer systems which are local to said plurality of other users, and updates said first server computer systems to have said updated first information and to provide said updated first information to said plurality of other users, and

said server computer system determining second server computer systems which are not local to any of said plurality of other users, and not providing said updated first information to said second server computer systems.

11. The system as in claim 10, wherein said server computer system only updates some of said other server computer systems based on stored information.

12. The system as in claim 10, wherein said stored information comprises information about said other server computer systems which are local to said plurality of other users who are authorized to have updated information.

13. The system as in claim 12, wherein said stored information is based on said server computer determining if users among said plurality of other users have subscribed to an update service, wherein said server computer determines said first server computer systems by also determining if users among said plurality of other users have subscribed to said update service, and updates only those other server computer systems which are local to users who have been granted access rights to said first user'"'"'s information, and have subscribed to said update service and does not update second server computer systems which are not local to any of said plurality of other users who have subscribed to said update service.

14. The system as in claim 10, wherein said server computer system determines a list of said plurality of other users, and location information associated with said plurality of other users, each said location information indicating a location of one of said other users, and wherein said location information is used by said server computer system to find said other server computer systems, where said other server computer systems are computer systems which are local to said location.

15. The system as in claim 14, wherein said location information comprises information about a telephone exchange of said other users.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the first user'"'"'s personal information stored in the memory comprises multiple different image data files associated with said first user.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first user receives updates to the image data files and the second user does not receive updates to the image data files.

18. A system for selectively enabling a second user access to a first user'"'"'s personal information, wherein said system comprises memory for storing said first user'"'"'s information and for storing a plurality of programmatic instructions, wherein said instructions comprise:

a. instructions for electronically assigning the second user to a first named group based upon an instruction from said first user;

b. instructions for electronically assigning other users to a second named group based upon instructions from said first user;

c. instructions for permitting said second user to access multiple different image files associated with said first named group and for preventing said second user from accessing said multiple different associated with said second named group;

d. instructions for permitting said second user to update of said first user'"'"'s information to updated first information; and

e. instructions for determining locations of said other users and first server computer systems and to update said first server computer systems which are local to said other users to have said updated first information and said instructions determining locations of second server computer systems which are not local to any of said plurality of other users, and not providing said updated first information to said second server computer systems.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein, the system further permits the other users to access said updated first user'"'"'s information.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the system controls defining which of said first user'"'"'s personal information is accessible by users assigned to said first named group and said second named group.

21. The system as in claim 18, wherein said stored information comprises information about said other server computer systems which are local to said other users who are authorized to have updated information.

22. The system as in claim 21, wherein said stored information is based on said server computer determining said first server computer systems by also determining if users among said other users have subscribed to an update service, and updates only said first server computer systems which are local to users who have been granted access rights to said first user'"'"'s information, and have subscribed to said update service and does not update second server computer systems which are not local to any of said plurality of other users who have subscribed to said update service.

23. The system as in claim 18, wherein said system determines a list of said plurality of other users, and location information associated with said other users, each said location information indicating a location of one of said other users, and wherein said location information is used by said system to find other server computer systems, where said other server computer systems are computer systems which are local to said location.

24. The system as in claim 23, wherein said location information comprises information about a telephone exchange of said other users.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the first user'"'"'s personal information stored in the memory comprises multiple different image data files associated with said first user.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the first user receives updates to the image data files and the second user does not receive updates to the image data files.

27. A personal information system, comprising:

a server computer system, having memory storing a first user'"'"'s personal information including multiple different photographs that have been provided by the first user, and to store information about which of a plurality of other users, other than said first user, have been granted access rights to said first user'"'"'s personal information;

said server computer detecting a first change in said first user'"'"'s personal information to updated first personal information;

said server computer system operating to provide said updated first information to said plurality of other users, wherein said server computer stores information about an amount of access rights to the first user'"'"'s personal information which has been granted to users, where a second user is stored associated with a first category, where based upon said first category, said server computer permits said second user to access a first amount of the first user'"'"'s personal information including said photographs, and a third user is stored associated with a second category, wherein based upon said second category, said server computer permits said third user to access a second amount of the first user'"'"'s personal information that does not include said photographs,

said server computer system operating to determine locations of said plurality of other users and determines locations of first server computer systems which are local to said plurality of other users, and updates said first server computer systems to have said updated first information and to provide said updated first information to said plurality of other users, and

said server computer system determining second server computer systems which are not local to any of said plurality of other users, and not providing said updated first information to said second server computer systems.

28. The system as in claim 27, wherein said stored information comprises information about said other server computer systems which are local to said plurality of other users who are authorized to have updated information.

29. The system as in claim 28, wherein said stored information is based on said server computer determining said first server computer systems by also determining if users among said plurality of other users have subscribed to an update service, and updates only those other server computer systems which are local to users who have been granted access rights to said first user'"'"'s information, and have subscribed to said update service and does not update second server computer systems which are not local to any of said plurality of other users who have subscribed to said update service.

30. The system as in claim 27, wherein said server computer system determines a list of said plurality of other users, and location information associated with said plurality of other users, each said location information indicating a location of one of said other users, and wherein said location information is used by said server computer system to find said other server computer systems, where said other server computer systems are computer systems which are local to said location.

31. The system as in claim 30, wherein said location information comprises information about a telephone exchange of said other users.