Virtual calling card system and method

• US 20040042599A1
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chung, Eun-Kyungr, Ranganath, Rama, Mesgar, Eugene, Saretto, Cesare John, Sanders, Erica, Murarka, Neel Ishwar, Vert, John, Zaner, Melora, Stone, Linda, Mulcahy, Kathleen, Savage, Tammy, Zarakhovsky, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 7,149,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/144.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/026 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/103 using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/106 using commercial credit or debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/12 using calling, telephone credit/debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/14 using commercial credit/debit cards, e.g. VISA, AMEX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/24 with on-line recharging of an account or card, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet

Abstract

A novel virtual calling card system and method aid in the formation of online relationships, serving as an introduction tool and as a contact mechanism. The calling card is an exchangeable entity that is automatically updated, ensuring that the recipient or viewer sees the most current version of the card. The card may display an aspect ratio that is the same as that of a traditional business card, and has front side and a reverse side. Furthermore, the card provides a number of avenues for the card owner to express themselves, including an array of affiliation symbols, a most recent mood symbol, and a text field. The reverse side of the card can display a representation of the owner'"'"'s social network, so that recipients of the card may identify common friends and associates. The exchange of the card, although server-based, appears to users to simply be a transfer of the card from the owner, or other party, to the recipient, much as a card changes hands in the physical world.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having thereon a computer-readable data structure corresponding to a virtual calling card comprising:

a first side having thereon a first display comprising an identification of an owner of the calling card and a contact control, the contact control being user-selectable to automatically send a message to the owner of the calling card; and

a second side accessible via a user-actuatable flip control on the first side, the second side having thereon a second display.

2. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the first display further comprises a character figure selected by the owner of the virtual calling card.

3. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the first display further comprises a text area for displaying a text message entered by the virtual calling card owner.

4. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the first display further comprises a set of at least one affiliation symbol selected by the virtual calling card owner to represent at least one affiliation of the owner.

5. The computer-readable medium according to claim 4, further comprising instructions for using the at least one affiliation symbol to identify another person who shares the corresponding affiliation and to apprise the card owner of the existence of such a person.

6. The computer-readable medium according to claim 5, wherein using the at least one affiliation symbol to identify another person who shares the corresponding affiliation comprises analyzing a calling card of that other person.

7. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the first display further comprises a mood area for displaying an indication selected by the virtual calling card owner of the owner'"'"'s mood.

8. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the first display further comprises a popularity area for displaying an indication of the number of people who have received the calling card owner'"'"'s card.

9. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the indication of the number of people who have received the calling card owner'"'"'s card is a relative indication, being relative to the number of other people that have received the calling card of another calling card owner, the other calling card owner being a member of a predefined set of calling card owners.

10. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the second display comprises a visual network representation of associates of the virtual calling card owner.

11. A method of transferring a virtual business card to a recipient machine from a sender machine comprising:

receiving at the recipient machine from the sender machine a virtual business card locator associated with the virtual business card;

utilizing the locator without user intervention to determine identity and location information of a most recent version of the virtual business card;

retrieving the most recent version of the virtual business card using the identity and location information without user intervention; and

automatically displaying the retrieved most recent version of the virtual business card on a display of the recipient machine.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein utilizing the locator to determine identity and location information of a most recent version of the virtual business card further comprises:

requesting that a central server provide a modification date for a version of the virtual business card stored at the central server;

determining if a locally cached version of the virtual business card is stored on the recipient machine and if so, whether a modification date of the locally cached version of the virtual business card is earlier than the modification date for the version of the virtual business card stored at the central server;

automatically downloading the version of the virtual business card stored at the central server and displaying the downloaded virtual business card if the modification date of the locally cached version of the virtual business card is earlier than the modification date for the version of the virtual business card stored at the central server, or if no locally cached version of the virtual business card exists; and

automatically retrieving the locally cached version of the virtual business card and displaying the retrieved virtual business card if the modification date of the locally cached version of the virtual business card is not earlier than the modification date for the version of the virtual business card stored at the central server.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the virtual business card locator associated with the virtual business card is derived from contact information of the virtual business card owner.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the virtual business card locator is derived from the contact information of the virtual business card owner via a one-way hash operation.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the virtual business card is caused to be transferred by a party who is not the virtual business card owner.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving at the recipient machine from a user of the recipient machine a selection of a contact field located within the display of the virtual business card; and

in response to receiving the selection of the contact field by the user of the recipient machine, automatically sending a message to the owner of the virtual business card, whereby the owner may initiate a bi-directional communication by responding to the sent message.

17. A computer-readable medium having thereon computer-readable instructions for performing the steps of the method according to claim 11.

18. A method of transferring a virtual business card to a recipient machine from a sender machine comprising:

receiving at the sender machine a user input indicating a desire of a first user of the sender machine to send a virtual business card to a second user of the recipient machine; and

automatically sending from the sender machine to the recipient machine a business card locator associated with the virtual business card, whereby the business card locator is automatically utilized by the recipient machine to retrieve and display the most recent version of the virtual business card.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the business card locator associated with the virtual business card is derived from contact information of an owner of the virtual business card.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the business card locator is derived via a one-way hash operation on the contact information of the virtual business card owner.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first user is not the virtual business card owner.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first user is the virtual business card owner.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising receiving at the sender machine a message from the second user, the message having been sent automatically by the recipient machine upon receiving a selection by the second user of a visual contact control displayed within the display of the most recent version of the virtual business card.

24. A computer-readable medium having thereon computer-readable instructions for performing the steps of the method according to claim 18.

25. A computer-readable medium having thereon computer-readable instructions for generating a graphical user interface for allowing a first user to access information regarding virtual calling cards comprising:

a personal interface for viewing and manipulating at least one virtual calling card generated by the first user;

a library interface for viewing and manipulating at least one virtual calling card generated by at least one other user; and

a social network interface for displaying an indication of other users that have received the at least one virtual calling card generated by the first user.