Privacy protection in network-based phonebooks

• US 20070213034A1
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sound View Innovations, LLC (Sound View Innovation Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Cai, Yigang, Hua, Shiyan
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

Phonebook systems and associated methods are disclosed that provide a mechanism for protecting private information of a contact from being published in a network-based phonebook. A typical network-based phonebook service allows subscribers to set up network-based phonebooks, where each phonebook includes one or more contacts and associated contact information. Before contact information for a contact is included in a network-based phonebook for a subscriber, a phonebook system identifies privacy criteria for the contact. The privacy criteria may be predefined by the contact, predefined by the service provider, or predefined by another entity. The phonebook system then processes the privacy criteria to identify the contact information for the contact that is authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook. The processing system may then include the authorized contact information in the network-based phonebook, and block the unauthorized contact information from being included in the network-based phonebook.

Claims

1. A phonebook system for providing a network-based phonebook, the phonebook system comprising:

a phonebook database adapted to store a network-based phonebook for a subscriber, wherein the network-based phonebook includes at least one contact; and

a processing system adapted to identify privacy criteria for the at least one contact in the network-based phonebook, process the privacy criteria to identify contact information for the at least one contact that is authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook for the subscriber, and include the authorized contact information in the network-based phonebook for the subscriber.

2. The phonebook system of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further adapted to block the unauthorized contact information from being included in the network-based phonebook for the subscriber.

3. The phonebook system of claim 1 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes a black-list of subscribers not authorized for particular contact information.

4. The phonebook system of claim 1 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes a white-list of subscribers authorized for particular contact information.

5. The phonebook system of claim 1 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes a time period during which particular contact information is not authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook.

6. The phonebook system of claim 1 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes a time period during which particular contact information is authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook.

7. The phonebook system of claim 1 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes at least one location that is not authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook.

8. The phonebook system of claim 1 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes presence and/or status information of the at least one contact that is not authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook.

9. A method of providing a network-based phonebook for a subscriber, the method comprising:

storing the network-based phonebook for the subscriber, wherein the network-based phonebook includes at least one contact;

identifying privacy criteria for the at least one contact in the network-based phonebook;

processing the privacy criteria to identify contact information for the at least one contact that is authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook for the subscriber; and

including the authorized contact information in the network-based phonebook for the subscriber.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

blocking the unauthorized contact information from being included in the network-based phonebook for the subscriber.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes a black-list of subscribers not authorized for particular contact information.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes a white-list of subscribers authorized for particular contact information.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes a time period during which particular contact information is not authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes a time period during which particular contact information is authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes at least one location that is not authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the privacy criteria for the at least one contact includes presence and/or status information of the at least one contact that is not authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook.

17. A method of operating a communication network for providing a network-based phonebook service, the method comprising:

storing a network-based phonebook for a subscriber, wherein the network-based phonebook includes at least one contact;

identifying privacy criteria for the at least one contact responsive to a trigger;

processing the privacy criteria to identify contact information for the at least one contact that is authorized to be included in the network-based phonebook for the subscriber;

including the authorized contact information in the network-based phonebook for the subscriber;

blocking the unauthorized contact information from being included in the network-based phonebook for the subscriber;

receiving a request for the network-based phonebook from an access device of the subscriber; and

transmitting a copy of the network-based phonebook to the access device of the subscriber responsive to the request.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the trigger comprises a change to the contact information for the at least one contact.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the trigger comprises a change to the privacy criteria of the at least one contact.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

providing a mechanism to allow the at least one contact to define the privacy criteria.