System and method for providing access and utilization of context information

• US 20030009566A1
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Malkin, Peter K., Richards, John T., Morrow, Lewis Alexander, Christensen, James Edward, Rosenbaum, Rhonda
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method provides for access to an electronic profile of a first client to a second client. The method comprises creating a network accessible electronic profile of the first client, wherein the electronic profile is accessible by an active object, wherein the active object is bound to the electronic profile. The method further comprises defining an access right of the second client, wherein the access right determines a portion of the electronic profile of available to the second client via the active object. The method verifies an identity of the second client, and provides access to the portion electronic profile to the second client via the active object, wherein the active object is transferable.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to an electronic profile of a first client to a second client comprising the steps of:

creating a network accessible electronic profile of the first client, wherein the electronic profile is accessible by an active object, wherein the active object is bound to the electronic profile;

defining an access right of the second client, wherein the access right determines a portion of the electronic profile of available to the second client via the active object;

verifying an identity of the second client; and

providing access to the portion electronic profile to the second client via the active object, wherein the active object is transferable.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of defining a second access right of a third client wherein the access right determines a portion of the electronic profile available to the third client via the active object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the active object is an network accessible active object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein electronic profile comprises location information of the first client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein electronic profile comprises status information of the first client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein electronic profile comprises a communication channel of the first client.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of defining the access right further comprises the step of defining the access right according to a predefined access right specifying a portion of the electronic profile accessible to the second client.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the electronic profile is associated with one or more clients.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of limiting the portion of the electronic profile provided by the active object according to a preference of the second client.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the active object enables the second client to contact the first client.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps:

specifying, in the electronic profile, a communication channel of the first client accessible to the second client; and

establishing the communication channel between the first client and the second client upon selecting the communication channel, wherein the active object comprises means for selecting the communication channel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic profile notifies the first client upon an access of the electronic profile.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first client and the second client is a role satisfied by one or more users.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of specifying means for transacting funds.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the means for transacting funds is specified in the electronic profile.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of charging a fee for transacting funds between the first client and the second client.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the means for transacting funds dynamically determines one of a source and a destination of funds of the first client according to a property of the transaction.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of authenticated the electronic profile.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of authenticating information disclosed by the electronic profile.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically modifying the access right of the second client according to a variable defined in the electronic profile.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the access right changes over time as a function of a relationship between the first party and the second party.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing a contract template, wherein the contract template comprises a plurality of roles and a plurality of access rights, wherein each role is associated with at least on access right;

staffing each role with one of the first client and the second client, wherein the first client and the second client each provide access to corresponding electronic profiles accessible by corresponding active objects; and

assigning access rights to the first client and second client according to the contract template and the active objects.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising a chat handler module for establishing a private Internet communications channel.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a display; and

a renderer for rendering the active object on the display.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the active object is a web browser.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the active object is managed according to at least one attribute of the electronic profile.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the active object can be rendered in one of an address book, a to-do list, an e-mail active object, and a calendar.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the address book comprises at least one sent active object and at least one received active object.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first client and the second client is a role satisfied by one or more users.

23. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for providing access to an electronic profile of a first client to a second client, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a network accessible electronic profile of the first client, wherein the electronic profile is accessible by an active object, wherein the active object is bound to the electronic profile;

defining an access right of the second client, wherein the access right determines a portion of the electronic profile of available to the second client via the active object;

verifying an identity of the second client; and

providing access to the portion electronic profile to the second client via the active object, wherein the active object is transferable.

24. A system enabling a first client to provide access to an electronic profile of the first client to a second client comprising:

a database connected to a network for storing the electronic profile of the first client, wherein the electronic profile is accessible by an active object;

a network interface for accessing the database;

an access right handler for verifying an identity of the second client, wherein the electronic profile is associated with the identity of the second client;

an awareness handler for responding to information requests from the active object; and

a communications handler for establishing a communications channel between the first client and the second client in response to a request from the active object.

32. A method for opening a communications channel between at least two clients comprises the steps of:

specifying, at a database storing an electronic profile, a communication channel accessible to a second client, wherein the database in connected to a network;

polling the electronic profile for the communication channel accessible to the second client;

providing an indication of a specified communication channel to the second client;

selecting means for establishing the communication channel accessible to the second client; and

establishing the communication channel between the first client and the second client.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the electronic profile is accessible to the second client via a network accessible active object using a synchronous communication means.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the electronic profile is accessible to the second client via a network accessible active object using an asynchronous means.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein access to the electronic profile is made available to the second client by giving the second client a network address corresponding to the electronic profile.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of providing a representation of the communication channel, wherein the representation includes an indication of whether the channel is available.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the representation of the communications channel includes an indication of a preferred channel.

38. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring a status of the communication channel; and

establishing the communication channel upon determining that a resource related to the communication channel is available.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein at least one of the first client and the second client is a role satisfied by one or more users.

40. A method of determining a client for a position of employment comprising the steps of:

providing a description of the position to a staffing agent;

determining staffing for the position according to an eCard of the client, wherein the client provides access to a calendar to the staffing agent;

notifying the client of an acceptance for the position; and

monitoring the position for changes in staffing.