User profile opening apparatus and method

• US 20040255304A1
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Hidemi, Inoue, Masakazu, Ikawa, Tomoko, Takauji, Chikara
• Granted Patent: US 8,230,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/909 Usage charge determination

Abstract

The server of a communication system determines a communication growth level that is the level of growth of communication between one user and another user based on the cumulative count of mail send/receive events, and stores the determined growth level in the communication growth level Data Base. When the server receives a profile view request to view the profile of user A from the terminal of user B, the server determines the range of profile information to be opened for user B out of the profile of user A, based on the communication growth level of the pair of user A and user B stored in the communication growth level Data Base.

Claims

1. A profile opening method comprising:

receiving a request for a user profile of a first user from second user, and

determining contents of said profile of said first user to be opened for said second user based on mail information of mail communicated between said first user and said second user.

2. The profile opening method claimed in claim 1, wherein said determination is based on a cumulative count of mail events between said first user and said second user.

3. The profile opening method claimed in claim 1, wherein said determination is based on time elapsed after said first user or said second user receives mail from said first user or said second user until said first user or said second user sends a reply to said first user or said second user.

4. The profile opening method claimed in claim 1, wherein said determination is based on frequency of mail between said first user and said second user.

5. The profile opening method claimed in claim 1, wherein said determination is based on a period from the time when the first mail sending or receiving was performed between said first user and said second user to the present time.

6. The profile opening method claimed in claim 1, wherein said determination is based on the total number of characters in mail between said first user and said second user.

7. The profile opening method claimed in claim 1, wherein said determination is based on the total number of pictorial symbols included in mail sent and received between said first user and said second user.

8. The profile opening method claimed in claim 1, further comprising generating a user profile to be opened for said second user from a pre-stored user profile of said first user.

9. The profile opening method claimed in claim 1, further comprising generating a picture of said first user to be opened for said second user based on pre-stored pictures.

10. A profile opening method comprising:

receiving a request for a user profile of a first user from a second user;

determining, from mail information between said first user and said second user, a communication growth level that is the level of growth of communication between said first user and said second user, and

changing said user profile opened for said second user according to said determined communication growth level.

11. The profile opening method claimed in claim 10, wherein said determination is based on a cumulative count of mail events between said first user and said second user.

12. The profile opening method claimed in claim 10, wherein said determination is based on time elapsed after said first user or said second user receives mail from said first user or said second user until said first user or said second user sends a reply to said first user or said second user.

13. The profile opening method claimed in claim 10, wherein said determination is based on frequency of mail between said first user and said second user.

14. The profile opening method claimed in claim 10, wherein said determination is based on a period from the time when the first mail sending or receiving was performed between said first user and said second user to the present time.

15. The profile opening method claimed in claim 10, wherein said determination is based on the total number of characters in mail between said first user and said second user.

16. The profile opening method claimed in claim 10, wherein said determination is based on the total number of pictorial symbols included in mail sent and received between said first user and said second user.

17. The profile opening method claimed in claim 10, further comprising generating a user profile to be opened for said second user from a pre-stored user profile of said first user.

18. The profile opening method claimed in claim 10, further comprising generating a picture of said first user to be opened for said second user based on pre-stored pictures.

19. A profile opening method comprising allowing a communication system to open a user profile of a first user to a second user if mail is sent from said first user to said second user.

20. A profile opening method comprising allowing a communication system to open a user profile of a first user to a second user if mail is sent from said first user to said second user and mail is sent from said second user to said first user.

21. The profile opening method claimed in claim 20, further comprising opening other party'"'"'s profiles for both said first user and said second user, respectively, at the same time.

22. A profile opening apparatus comprising:

a receiver which receives a request for a user profile of a first user from a second user, and

a determining circuit which determines contents of a profile of said first user to be opened for said second user based on mail information of mail communicated between said first user and said second user.

23. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 22, wherein said determination is based on a cumulative count of mail events between said first user and said second user.

24. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 22, wherein said determination is based on time elapsed after said first user or said second user receives a mail from said first user or said second user until said first user or said second user sends a reply to said first user or said second user.

25. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 22, wherein said determination is based on frequency of mail between said first user and said second user.

26. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 22, wherein said determination is based on a period from the time when the first mail sending or receiving was performed between said first user and said second user to the present time.

27. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 22, wherein said determination is based on the total number of characters in mail between said first user and said second user.

28. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 22, wherein said determination is based on the total number of pictorial symbols included in mail sent and received between said first user and said second user.

29. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 22, further comprising a generator which generates a user profile to be opened for said second user from a pre-stored user profile of said first user.

30. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 22, further comprising a generator which generates a picture of said first user to be opened for said second user based on pre-stored pictures.

31. A profile opening apparatus comprising:

a receiver which receives a request for a user profile of a first user from a second user;

a determination circuit which determines, from mail information for mail between said first user and said second user, a-communication growth level that is the level of growth of communication between said first user and said second user, and

a changer which changes said user profile opened for said second user based on said determined communication growth level.

32. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 31, wherein said determination is based on a cumulative count of mail events between said first user and said second user.

33. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 31, wherein said determination is based on time elapsed after said first user or said second user receives mail from said first user or said second user until said first user or said second user sends a reply to said first user or said second user.

34. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 31, wherein said determination is based on frequency of mail between said first user and said second user.

35. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 31, wherein said determination is based on a period from the time when the first mail sending or receiving was performed between said first user and said second user to the present time.

36. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 31, wherein said determination is based on the total number of characters in mail between said first user and said second user.

37. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 31, wherein said determination is based on the total number of pictorial symbols included in mail sent and received between said first user and said second user.

38. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 31, further comprising a generator which generates a user profile to be opened for said second user from a pre-stored user profile of said first user.

39. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 31, further comprising a generator which generates a picture of said first user to be opened for said second user based on pre-stored pictures.

40. A profile opening apparatus comprising:

a receiver which receives mail sent from a first user to a second user; and

an allowing circuit which allows a user profile of said first user to be opened for said second user if said receiver receives said mail.

41. A profile opening apparatus comprising:

a receiver which receives mail; and

an allowing circuit which allows a user profile of a first user to be opened for a second user if said receiver receives mail sent from said first user to said second user and mail sent from said second user to said first user.

42. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 41, further comprising an opening circuit which opens other party'"'"'s profiles for both said first user and said second user, respectively, at the same time.

43. A profile opening apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a request for a user profile of a first user from a second user, and

determining means for determining contents of a profile of said first user to be opened for said second user based on mail information of mail communicated between said first user and said second user.

44. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 43, wherein said determination is based on a cumulative count of mail events between said first user and said second user.

45. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 43, wherein said determination is based on time elapsed after said first user or said second user receives mail from said first user or said second user until said first user or said second user sends a reply to said first user or said second user.

46. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 43, wherein said determination is user based on frequency of mail between said first user and said second user.

47. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 43, wherein said determination is based on a period from the time when the first mail sending or receiving was performed between said first user and said second user to the present time.

48. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 43, wherein said determination is based on the total number of characters in mail between said first user and said second user.

49. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 43, wherein said determination is based on the total number of pictorial symbols included in mail sent and received between said first user and said second user.

50. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 43, further comprising generating means for generating a user profile to be opened for said second user from a pre-stored user profile of said first user.

51. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 43, further comprising generating means for generating a picture of said first user to be opened for said second user based on pre-stored pictures.

52. A profile opening apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a request for a user profile of a first user from a second user,

determining means for determining, from mail information for mail between said first user and second user, a communication growth level that is the level of growth of communication between said first user and said second user, and

changing means for changing said user profile opened for said second user based on said determined communication growth level.

53. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 52, wherein said determination is based on a cumulative count of mail events between said first user and said second user.

54. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 52, wherein said determination is based on time elapsed after said first user or said second user receives mail from said first user or said second user until said first user or said second user sends a reply to said first user or said second user.

55. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 52, wherein said determination is based on frequency of mail between said first user and said second user.

56. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 52, wherein said determination is based on a period from the time when the first mail sending or receiving was performed between said first user and said second user to the present time.

57. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 52, wherein said determination is based on the total number of characters in mail between said first user and said second user.

58. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 52, wherein said determination is based on the total number of pictorial symbols included in mail sent and received between said first user and said second user.

59. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 52, further comprising generating means for generating a user profile to be opened for said second user from a pre-stored user profile of said first user.

60. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 52, further comprising generating means for generating a picture of said user to be opened for said second user based on pre-stored pictures.

61. A profile opening apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving mail sent from a first user to a second user; and

allowing means for allowing a user profile of said first user to be opened for said second user if said receiving means receives said mail.

62. A profile opening apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving mail; and

allowing means for allowing a user profile of a first user to be opened for a second user if said receiving means receives mail sent from said first user to said second user and mail sent from said second user to said first user.

63. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 62, further comprising opening means for opening other party'"'"'s profiles for both said first user and said second user, respectively, at the same time.

65. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 63, wherein said transmitter transmits a request signal to said server to obtain a user profile.

66. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 63, wherein said viewer presents a picture of said user of said counterpart apparatus generated by said server based on pre-stored pictures in said server.

64. A profile opening apparatus comprising:

a transmitter which transmits mail to a counter part user apparatus through a server;

a receiver which receives mail from said counterpart user apparatus, and

a viewer which presents a user profile of a user of said counterpart apparatus sent from said server, wherein said user profile includes contents determined by said server based on mail information for mail communicated with said counterpart apparatus.

67. A profile opening apparatus comprising:

transmitting means for transmitting mail to a counter part user apparatus through a server;

receiving means for receiving mail from said counterpart user apparatus, and

viewing means for presenting a user profile of a user of said counterpart apparatus sent from said server, wherein said user profile includes contents determined by said server based on mail information for mail communicated with said counterpart apparatus.

68. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 67, wherein said transmitting means transmits a request signal to said server to obtain a user profile.

69. The profile opening apparatus claimed in claim 67, wherein said viewing means presents a picture of said user of said counterpart apparatus generated by said server based on pre-stored pictures in said server.