System and method for controlled access to up-to-date contact information

• US 20060174002A1
• Filed: 12/13/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIZIO, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sridhar Shrinivasan, Subhasree K. Nangamangalam
• Inventors: Shrinivasan, Sridhar, Nangamangalam, Subhasree K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,441,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a recipient'"'"'s access to a user'"'"'s information. The method includes receiving a plurality of contact information, registration information and access information from the user. Only person'"'"'s knowing the user'"'"'s registration information can update the contact and access information of the user. The contact information entered by a user is about that user. The access information defines accessible sets of contact information to be made accessible to recipients. A telephone exchange is associated with each recipient; and a local server is associated with each telephone exchange. The accessible set of information is stored in the local server for access by the recipient. The system handles updates to information on the local servers when a user updates their contact information. The system can automatically place calls for a recipient to a user that has granted the recipient access to a number for communicating with the user.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining up-to-date contact information for a plurality of users, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of contact information from a first user over a communications network, the plurality of contact information being information about the first user;

receiving registration information from the first user over the communications network;

allowing only the first user and persons knowing the registration information of the first user to update the plurality of contact information about the first user;

receiving access information from the first user over the communications network, the access information defining a first accessible set of information to which a first recipient is granted access, the first accessible set of information being all or part of the plurality of contact information about the first user;

allowing only the first user and persons knowing the registration information of the first user to update the access information of the first user;

associating a first telephone exchange with the first recipient;

associating a first local server computing device with the first telephone exchange;

storing the first accessible set of information in the first local server computing device; and

allowing the first recipient to access the first accessible set of information stored in the first local server computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the plurality of contact information about the first user in a global server computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of storing the access information of the first user in the global server computing device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the following steps when the plurality of contact information about the first user is updated:

updating the plurality of contact information about the first user in the global server computing device;

determining whether any of the first accessible set of information has been updated;

if the first accessible set of information has been updated, updating the first accessible set of information in the first local server computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the access information from the first user defines a second accessible set of information to which a second recipient is granted access, the second accessible set of information being all or part of the plurality of contact information about the first user;

associating a second telephone exchange with the second recipient;

associating a second local server computing device with the second telephone exchange;

storing the second accessible set of information in the second local server computing device; and

allowing the second recipient to access the second accessible set of information stored in the second local server computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the following steps when the plurality of contact information about the first user is updated:

updating the plurality of contact information about the first user in a global server computing device;

determining the updated portion of the plurality of contact information about the first user;

searching the access information of the first user for any update recipients with access rights to the updated portion; and

for any update recipient with access rights to the updated portion;

determining the local server computing device associated with the update recipient; and

updating the set of the plurality of contact information about the first user accessible to the update recipient in the local server computing device associated with the update recipient.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contact information about the first user comprises at least one number for communicating with the first user.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from the first recipient to place a call;

checking the first local server computing device to determine a callable set of users, the callable set of users being composed of the set of any user that has granted the first recipient access rights to a number for communicating with that user;

prompting the first recipient to select a user from the callable set of users;

receiving a user selection from the first recipient; and

placing a call connecting the first recipient to the selected user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the first recipient has been granted access rights to more than one number for communicating with the selected user;

prompting the first recipient to select a number from the more than one number for communicating with the selected user;

receiving a number selection from the first recipient; and

placing a call connecting the first recipient to the selected user using the selected number.

10. A method of maintaining up-to-date contact information for a plurality of users, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of contact information from a first user over a communications network, the plurality of contact information being information about the first user;

receiving registration information from the first user over the communications network;

allowing only the first user and persons knowing the registration information of the first user to update the plurality of contact information about the first user;

associating a first telephone exchange with the first user;

associating a first local server computing device with the first telephone exchange;

receiving a plurality of contact information from a second user over a communications network, the plurality of contact information being information about the second user;

receiving registration information from the second user over the communications network;

allowing only the second user and persons knowing the registration information of the second user to update the plurality of contact information about the second user;

associating a second telephone exchange with the second user;

associating a second local server computing device with the second telephone exchange;

receiving access information from the first user over the communications network, the access information defining a first accessible set of information, the first accessible set of information being all or part of the plurality of contact information about the first user to which the second user is granted access;

allowing only the first user and persons knowing the registration information of the first user to update the access information of the first user;

storing the first accessible set of information in the second local server computing device,

allowing the second user to access the first accessible set of information stored in the second local server computing device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

receiving access information from the second user over the communications network, the access information defining a second accessible set of information, the second accessible set of information being all or part of the plurality of contact information about the second user to which the first user is granted access;

allowing only the second user and persons knowing the registration information of the second user to update the access information of the second user;

storing the second accessible set of information in the first local server computing device,

allowing the first user to access the second accessible set of information stored in the first local server computing device.

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

storing the plurality of contact information about the first user in a global server computing device; and

storing the plurality of contact information about the second user in the global server computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

storing the access information of the first user in the global server computing device, and

storing the access information of the second user in the global server computing device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the following steps when the plurality of contact information about the first user is updated:

updating the plurality of contact information about the first user in the global server computing device;

determining whether any of the first accessible set of information has been updated;

if the first accessible set of information has been updated, updating the first accessible set of information in the second local server computing device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the access information from the first user defines a third accessible set of information, the third accessible set of information being all or part of the plurality of contact information about the first user to which a third user is granted access;

associating a third telephone exchange with the third user;

associating a third local server computing device with the third telephone exchange;

storing the third accessible set of information in the third local server computing device; and

allowing the third user to access the third accessible set of information stored in the third local server computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the following steps when the plurality of contact information about the first user is updated:

updating the plurality of contact information about the first user in a global server computing device;

determining the updated portion of the plurality of contact information about the first user;

searching the access information of the first user for any update users with access rights to the updated portion; and

for any update users with access rights to the updated portion;

determining the local server computing device associated with the update user; and

updating the set of the plurality of contact information about the first user accessible to the update user in the local server computing device associated with the update recipient.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of contact information about the first user comprises at least one number for communicating with the first user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from the second user to place a call;

checking the second local server computing device to determine a callable set of users, the callable set of users being composed of the set of any user that has granted the second user access rights to a number for communicating with that user;

prompting the second user to select a user from the callable set of users;

receiving a user selection from the second user; and

placing a call connecting the second user to the selected user.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the second user has been granted access rights to more than one number for communicating with the selected user;

prompting the second user to select a number from the more than one number for communicating with the selected user; and

receiving a number selection from the second user; and

placing a call connecting the second user to the selected person using the selected number.

20. A system for maintaining up-to-date contact information for a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a global server computing device configured to receive registration information, a plurality of contact information and access information from a first user over a communications network, the plurality of contact information being information about the first user, configured to allow only the first user and persons knowing the registration information of the first user to update the access information and the plurality of contact information about the first user, and configured to define a first accessible set of information to which a first recipient is granted access based at least in part on the access information, the first accessible set of information being all or part of the plurality of contact information about the first user;

a first telephone exchange associated with the first recipient; and

a first local server computing device associated with the first telephone exchange, the first local server computing device configured to receive and store the first accessible set of information, and configured to receive and respond to requests from the first recipient to access the first accessible set of information.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein, when the plurality of contact information about the first user is updated,

the global server computing device receives and stores the updates to the plurality of contact information about the first user, determines whether any of the first accessible set of information has been updated, and if the first accessible set of information has been updated, sends any of the first accessible set of information that has been updated to the first local server computing device, and

the first local server computing device receives and stores the updates to the first accessible set of information.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a second telephone exchange; and

a second local server computing device associated with the second telephone exchange;

wherein the access information from the first user also defines a second accessible set of information to which a second recipient is granted access, the second accessible set of information being all or part of the plurality of contact information about the first user, the second telephone exchange being associated with the second recipient, the second local server computing device configured to receive and store the second accessible set of information, and configured to receive and respond to requests from the second recipient to access the second accessible set of information.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein, when the plurality of contact information about the first user is updated,

the global server computing device receives and stores the updates to the plurality of contact information about the first user, determines whether any of the first or second accessible set of information has been updated,

if any of the first accessible set of information has been updated, the global server computing device sends any of the first accessible set of information that has been updated to the first local server computing device, and the first local server computing device receives and stores any updates to the first accessible set of information, and

if any of the second accessible set of information has been updated, the global server computing device sends any of the second accessible set of information that has been updated to the second local server computing device, and the second local server computing device receives and stores any updates to the second accessible set of information.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of contact information about the first user comprises at least one number for communicating with the first user, and the first telephone exchange is configured to receive a request from the first recipient to place a call, and

wherein when the first telephone exchange receives a request from the first recipient to place a call, the first local server computing device determines a callable set of users, the callable set of users being composed of the set of any user that has granted the first recipient access rights to a number for communicating with that user, and the first local server computing device prompts the first recipient to select a user from the callable set of users, receives a user selection from the first recipient, and places a call connecting the first recipient to the selected user.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first local server computing device determines whether the first recipient has been granted access rights to more than one number for communicating with the selected user, and if the first recipient has been granted access rights to more than one number for communicating with the selected user, the first local server computing device prompts the first recipient to select a number from the more than one number for communicating with the selected user, receives a number selection from the first recipient, and places a call connecting the first recipient to the selected user using the selected number.