Universal address book

• US 9,442,953 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Mitchell, Douglas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Son T
• Application Number:
  US12/762,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20110258159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,342 Days
• Field of Search: 707/610, 707/694
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

An embodiment is directed to synchronizing a universal address book located in a database amongst a first user and a second user. The first user sends an initialization message to the database and an invitation message to the second user. The first user receives an acceptance message from the second user and sends an update message to the database. The initialization message includes current personal data of the first user, the invitation message includes a database pointer, and the update message changes the personal data of the first user in the database and prompts the database to inform the second user of the changed data of the first user.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing a universal address book between access terminals at a first access terminal, comprising:

sending, via an access network, an initialization message to a database from the first access terminal associated with a first user, wherein the initialization message includes personal data of the first user that identifies one or more contact addresses at which the first user can be contacted;

sending, from the first access terminal, an invitation message to a second access terminal that invites the second access terminal to access the personal data of the first user within the database, wherein

the invitation message includes a database pointer that points to the personal data of the first user within the database, and

the invitation message is one of a plurality of invitation messages sent from the first access terminal to a plurality of access terminals including the second access terminal for inviting the plurality of access terminals to access the personal data of the first user within the database; and

sending an update message to the database, from the first access terminal, wherein the update message changes the personal data of the first user in the database and is configured to prompt the database to inform only those of the plurality of access terminals that accepted a corresponding invitation message of the plurality of invitation messages that the personal data of the first user in the database has been updated and is available for download upon request irrespective of whether any other access terminal maintains any contact information of the first user in any associated contact book.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the database pointer identifies a database entry location of the personal data of the first user within the database.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the initialization message or the update message is sent to the database via an application contained on the first access terminal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the application includes an authentication feature to verify an identity of the first user.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the initialization message or the update message is sent to the database via a web interface.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the initialization message sent to the database includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) message.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the update message sent to the database includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) message.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the update message is configured to prompt the database to inform the second access terminal of the updated personal data via a pull technology message type.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the update message is configured to prompt the database to inform the second access terminal of the updated personal data via a push technology message type.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first user and a second user are connected to a single carrier network.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first user and a second user are connected to different carrier networks.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the invitation message, if accepted by the second access terminal, is configured to trigger the second access terminal to transmit acceptance messages to both the first access terminal and the database based on routing information for the first access terminal that is contained in the invitation message and the database pointer, respectively.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the update message is only sent to access terminals that were earlier invited by the first user to access the personal data of the first user within the database.

14. A method of synchronizing a universal address book between access terminals at a database that is configured to be accessed by the access terminals via an access network comprising:

receiving an initialization message from a first access terminal that is associated with a first user, wherein the initialization message includes personal data of the first user that identifies one or more contact addresses at which the first user can be contacted;

storing, within the database, the personal data of the first user that is contained in the initialization message;

receiving an acceptance message from a second access terminal that is associated with a second user, wherein the acceptance message indicates acceptance of one of a plurality of invitation messages sent from the first access terminal to a plurality of access terminals including the second access terminal to access the personal data of the first user within the database, wherein each invitation message includes a database pointer that points to the personal data of the first user within the database;

receiving an update message from the first access terminal;

updating the personal data of the first user stored within the database in response to the update message; and

pushing, in response to the personal data of the first user has been updated successfully, a notification to only those of the plurality of access terminals that accepted a corresponding invitation message of the plurality of invitation messages that the personal data of the first user stored within the database has been updated and is available for download upon request irrespective of whether any other access terminal maintains any contact information of the first user in any associated contact book.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the database is associated with the second user via a second database pointer, and wherein the second database pointer identifies a database entry location of personal information of the second user.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the initialization message or the update message is received at the database via an applet contained on the first access terminal.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the initialization message or the update message is received at the database via a web interface.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the initialization message received by the database includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) message.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the acceptance message received by the database includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) message.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the update message received by the database includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) message.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second access terminal is informed that the personal data of the first user stored within the database has been updated includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) message.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second access terminal is informed that the personal data of the first user stored within the database has been updated by a pull technology message type.

23. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second access terminal is informed that the personal data of the first user stored within the database has been updated by a push technology message type.

24. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first user and second user are connected to a single carrier network.

25. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first user and second user are connected to different carrier networks.

26. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a poll message from the second access terminal; and

determining, in response to the poll message, that the personal data of the first user stored within the database has been updated,

wherein the informing informs the second access terminal that the personal data of the first user stored within the database has been updated responsive to the determination by sending at least a portion of the updated personal data of the first user to the second access terminal.

27. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

wherein the informing informs the second access terminal that the personal data of the first user stored within the database has been updated by sending a notifying message to the second access terminal, further comprising;

receiving a request message from the second access terminal in response to the notifying message; and

sending a response message to the second access terminal that includes at least a portion of the updated personal data of the first user in response to the request message.

28. An apparatus corresponding to a first access terminal associated with a first user that is configured to synchronize a universal address book with a second access terminal associated with a second user, comprising:

a transceiver, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to;

send, from the first access terminal, an initialization message via an access network to a database, the initialization message including personal data of the first user that identifies one or more contact addresses at which the first user can be contacted,

send, from the first access terminal, an invitation message to the second access terminal that invites the second access terminal to access the personal data of the first user within the database, wherein

the invitation message includes a database pointer that points to the personal data of the first user within the database,

the invitation message is one of a plurality of invitation messages sent to a plurality of access terminals including the second access terminal for inviting the plurality of access terminals to access the personal data of the first user within the database, and

send, from the first access terminal, an update message to the database to change the personal data of the first user in the database wherein the update message is configured to prompt the database to inform only those of the plurality of access terminals that accepted a corresponding invitation message of the plurality of invitation messages that the personal data of the first user in the database has been updated and is available for download upon request irrespective of whether any other access terminal maintains any contact information for the first user in any associated contact book.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the database pointer identifies a database entry location of the personal data of the first user within the database.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein at least one of the initialization message or the update message is sent via an application contained on the first access terminal.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the application includes an authentication feature to verify an identity of the first user.

32. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein at least one of the initialization message or the update message is sent via a web interface.

33. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the initialization message sent to the database includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) message.

34. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the update message sent to the database includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) message.

35. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the update message is configured to prompt the database to inform the second access terminal of the database update via a pull technology message type.

36. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the update message is configured to prompt the database to inform the second access terminal of the database update via a push technology message type.

37. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the first access terminal and the second access terminal are connected to a single carrier network.

38. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the first access terminal and the second access terminal are connected to different carrier networks.

39. An apparatus corresponding to a first access terminal associated with a first user that is configured to synchronize a universal address book with a second access terminal associated with a second user, comprising:

means for sending, from the first access terminal, an initialization message via an access network to a database, the initialization message including personal data of the first user that identifies one or more contact addresses at which the first user can be contacted;

means for sending, from the first access terminal, an invitation message to the second access terminal that invites the second access terminal to access the personal data of the first user within the database, wherein the invitation message includes a database pointer that points to the personal data of the first user within the database, wherein the invitation message is one of a plurality of invitation messages sent to a plurality of access terminals including the second access terminal for inviting the plurality of access terminals to access the personal data of the first user within the database; and

means for sending, from the first access terminal, an update message to the database to change the personal data of the first user in the database wherein the update message is configured to prompt the database to inform only those of the plurality of access terminals that accepted a corresponding invitation message of the plurality of invitation messages that the personal data of the first user in the database has been updated and is available for download upon request irrespective of whether any other access terminal maintains any contact information for the first user in any associated contact book.

40. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the database pointer identifies a database entry location of the personal data of the first user within the database.

41. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein at least one of the initialization message or the update message is sent via an application contained on the first access terminal.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the application includes an authentication feature to verify an identity of the first user.

43. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the at least one of the initialization message or the update message is sent via a web interface.

44. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the initialization message sent to the database includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) message.

45. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the update message sent to the database includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) message.

46. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the update message is configured to prompt the database to inform the second access terminal of the database update via a pull technology message type.

47. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the update message is configured to prompt the database to inform the second access terminal of the database update via a push technology message type.

48. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the first access terminal and the second access terminal are connected to a single carrier network.

49. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the first access terminal and the second access terminal are connected to different carrier networks.

50. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions thereon for synchronizing a universal address book between access terminals at a first access terminal when read and executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform functions associated therewith, the instructions comprising:

at least one instruction to send, from the first access terminal via an access network, an initialization message to a database from the first access terminal associated with a first user, wherein the initialization message includes personal data of the first user that identifies one or more contact addresses at which the first user can be contacted;

at least one instruction to send, from the first access terminal, an invitation message to a second access terminal that invites the second access terminal to access the personal data of the first user within the database, wherein

the invitation message includes a database pointer that points to the personal data of the first user within the database, and

the invitation message is one of a plurality of invitation messages sent to a plurality of access terminals including the second access terminal for inviting the plurality of access terminals to access the personal data of the first user within the database; and

at least one instruction to send an update message to the database, from the first access terminal, wherein the update message changes the personal data of the first user in the database and is configured to prompt the database to inform only those of the plurality of access terminals that accepted a corresponding one of the plurality of invitation messages that the personal data of the first user in the database has been updated and is available for download upon request irrespective of whether any other access terminal maintains any contact information for the first user in any associated contact book.

51. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions thereon for synchronizing a universal address book between access terminals at a database that is configured to be accessed by the access terminals via an access network, the instructions when read and executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform functions associated therewith, the instructions comprising:

at least one instruction to receive an initialization message from a first access terminal that is associated with a first user, wherein the initialization message includes personal data of the first user that identifies one or more contact addresses at which the first user can be contacted;

at least one instruction to store, within the database, the personal data of the first user that is contained in the initialization message;

at least one instruction to receive an acceptance message from a second access terminal that is associated with a second user, wherein

the acceptance message indicates acceptance of one of a plurality of invitation messages sent from the first access terminal to a plurality of access terminals including the second access terminal to access the personal data of the first user within the database, and

each invitation message includes a database pointer that points to the personal data of the first user within the database;

at least one instruction to receive an update message from the first access terminal;

at least one instruction to update the personal data of the first user stored within the database in response to the update message; and

at least one instruction to push, in response to the personal data of the first user has been updated successfully, a notification to only those of the plurality of access terminals that accepted a corresponding invitation message of the plurality of invitation messages that the personal data of the first user stored within the database has been updated and is available for download upon request irrespective of whether any other access terminal maintains any contact information for the first user in any associated contact book.

52. A database apparatus configured to be accessed by access terminals via an access network and to synchronize a universal address book between the access terminals, comprising:

a computer processor, implemented at least partially by hardware, coupled to memory, the processor configured to;

receive an initialization message from a first access terminal that is associated with a first user, wherein the initialization message includes personal data of the first user that identifies one or more contact addresses at which the first user can be contacted;

store, within the database, the personal data of the first user that is contained in the initialization message;

receive an acceptance message from a second access terminal that is associated with a second user, wherein

the acceptance message indicates acceptance of one of a plurality of invitation messages sent from the first access terminal to a plurality of access terminals including the second access terminal to access the personal data of the first user within the database, and

each invitation message includes a database pointer that points to the personal data of the first user within the database;

receive an update message from the first access terminal;

update the personal data of the first user stored within the database in response to the update message; and

push, in response to the personal data of the first user has been updated successfully, a notification to only those of the plurality of access terminals that accepted a corresponding invitation message of the plurality of invitation messages that the personal data of the first user stored within the database has been updated and is available for download upon request irrespective of whether any other access terminal maintains any contact information for the first user in any associated contact book.

53. A database configured to be accessed by access terminals via an access network and to synchronize a universal address book between the access terminals, comprising:

means for receiving an initialization message from a first access terminal that is associated with a first user, wherein the initialization message includes personal data of the first user that identifies one or more contact addresses at which the first user can be contacted;

means for storing, within the database, the personal data of the first user that is contained in the initialization message;

means for receiving an acceptance message from a second access terminal that is associated with a second user, wherein

the acceptance message indicates acceptance of one of a plurality of invitation messages sent from the first access terminal to a plurality of access terminals including the second access terminal to access the personal data of the first user within the database, and

each invitation message includes a database pointer that points to the personal data of the first user within the database;

means for receiving an update message from the first access terminal;

means for updating the personal data of the first user stored within the database in response to the update message; and

means for pushing, in response to the personal data of the first user has been updated successfully, a notification to only those of the plurality of access terminals that accepted a corresponding invitation message of the plurality of invitation messages that the personal data of the first user stored within the database has been updated and is available for download upon request irrespective of whether any other access terminal maintains any contact information for the first user in any associated contact book.