Dynamic directory and content communication

• US 9,367,631 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Revolution Technologies
• Original Assignee: Revolution Technologies
• Inventors: Hern, Alexander, Kosage, William Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Hexing
• Application Number:
  US14/689,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20150302098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

Features for dynamic directory and content communication are described which provide bidirectionally optimize searches for users and/or content. One type of message which may be associated with a contact is a private descriptor identifying how the user wishes to identify the contact (e.g., other user). Other users of the system will not see this tag. Accordingly, when the user who provided the tag submits a search, the tag will be considered as part of the search. A global or public descriptor may also be associated with the contact. The public descriptor is added to the system by the contact and indicates how the contact wants the world to find and view him. All users of the system will see this tag. The public and private descriptors are used by a search engine to dynamically optimize searches conducted therewith.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

an access controller configured to;

receive credentials from a sender device of a user account; and

provide access to the user account based on the received credentials;

a contact manager configured to, for an accessed user account;

receive contact information for a contact, the contact information including a contact identifier, a public descriptor, and a private descriptor, wherein the public descriptor is received from a central contact directory and the private descriptor is provided by the user account, wherein the private descriptor is searchable only for a search request for the user account; and

transmit a public user account descriptor to the central contact directory, the public user account descriptor including information for the user account, the information being searchable during searches submitted by other users;

a search engine configured to;

receive a search string from the sender device of the user account; and

compare the search string to at least one of the public descriptor for the contact and the private descriptor for the contact to identify the contact;

a conversation module configured to;

receive an identifier for the identified contact;

receive content to be transmitted to a receiver device of the identified contact; and

communicate the content between the user account and the identified contact based at least in part on a conversation rule; and

a transaction module configured to consummate a transaction between the user and one or more identified contacts based on content communicated between the user account and the identified contact.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the conversation module is further configured to receive the conversation rule, wherein the conversation rule identifies:

available response actions to respond to the content;

a receipt time period identifying a period of time the content may be accessed; and

a response time period identifying a period of time during which an associated response action may be taken.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the public descriptor or the private descriptor include location information, wherein the search engine is further configured to:

receive device location information; and

compare the device location information to the location information included in the at least one of the public descriptor for the contact and the private descriptor for the contact to identify the contact.

4. A communication server comprising:

an account manager configured to receive user account information including credentials;

a tag manager configured to receive public descriptors and private descriptors for a user account;

a search engine configured to receive and execute search requests, wherein execution of a search request for the user account includes consideration of the public descriptor for the user account, and wherein execution of the search request from the user account includes consideration of the private descriptors for the user account; and

a conversation module configured to receive and transmit content between user accounts based at least in part on a conversation request, the conversation request identifying;

the content, and

users to receive the content; and

a transaction module configured to consummate a transaction between the user account and one or more of the users to receive the content based on the content transmitted between the user account and the one or more of the users.

5. The communication server of claim 4 wherein the conversation request further includes a conversation rule, the conversation rule identifying:

available response actions to respond to the content, the response actions including a transaction;

a receipt time period identifying a period of time the content may be accessible by the users; and

a response time period identifying a period of time users may take an associated response action,

wherein the content is received and transmitted using the conversation rule.

6. A computer-implemented method for bidirectional searching, the method comprising:

under control of one or more computing devices configured with specific computer-executable instructions,

receiving a request to create a public account descriptor for a user account based on one or more strings;

generating the public account descriptor based on the one or more strings;

associating the public account descriptor to the user account, wherein said associating of the public account descriptor is a factor for a public search;

receiving another request to create a private descriptor based on another one or more strings;

generating the private descriptor based on the another one or more strings;

associating the private descriptor to a contact of the user account, wherein said associating of the private descriptor is a factor for a private search;

receiving a search string from a requestor device;

comparing the search string to at least one of the public descriptor for the user account and the private descriptor for the user account to identify the user account;

transmitting content between user accounts based at least in part on a conversation request, the conversation request identifying;

the content, and

users to receive the content; and

consummating a transaction between the user account and one or more of the users to receive the content based on the content transmitted between the user account and the one or more of the users.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the public account descriptor is viewable by a user who is not associated with the user account, and wherein the private account descriptor is viewable only by a user of the user account.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the public search comprises a search for one or more public account descriptors, and wherein the private search comprises a search for one or more private account descriptors.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a request to remove at least one of the public descriptor or the private descriptor; and

dissociating the at least one of the public descriptor or the private descriptor from the user account.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a request to create a communication thread between a plurality of users; and

generating the communication thread.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising applying one or more filters of at least one of the plurality of users, wherein the communication thread is not provided to the at least one of the plurality of users if a value in the communication thread matches an applied filter.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request to restrict the communication thread between a plurality of users; and

restricting the communication thread based on the request to restrict,

wherein the request to restrict comprises at least one of;

limiting an addition of users to the communication thread;

restricting a view of a recipient list for the communication thread; and

restricting users permitted to reply to the communication thread.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request to create a public communication descriptor for the communication thread based on a string input;

creating the public communication descriptor based on the string input; and

associating the public communication descriptor to the communication thread.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request to pause the communication thread from a device associated with a requesting user account; and

pausing transmission of information for the communication thread devices associated with the requesting user account.

15. A bidirectionally guided directory system, the system comprising:

a user directory of user accounts, the user directory identifying a first association of a public descriptor to a user account, the user directory further identifying a second association of a private descriptor to a contact of the user account;

a content directory identifying available content items, each available content item associated with another public descriptor; and

a search engine configured to;

receive a search request transmitted from a client device associated with the user account, the search request including a descriptor;

search the content directory and the user directory based on the received search request, wherein the search of the user directory is based on a comparison of the descriptor included in the search request with the private and public descriptors associated with the requesting user account; and

transmit a search result including at least an identifier for a user account or a content item matching the search request;

a communication module configured to;

receive a communication request from a requesting device, the communication request including the identifier of the user account or the content item, and

initiate a communication session between the requesting device and a device of the user account or the content item; and

a transaction module configured to consummate a transaction between the requesting device and the device of the user account or the content item based on the content item transmitted between the requesting device and the device of the user account or the content item.

16. The bidirectionally guided directory system if claim 15, wherein the communication request includes a second identifier for another user account or another content item, and

wherein the communication module is further configured to initiate the communication session between the requesting device and another device of the another user account or another content item, wherein the user account or the content item are not identified to the another user account or another content item.