Advanced Contact Management in Communications Networks

• US 20080235242A1
• Filed: 10/16/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hanson, Paul, Young, Chris, Swanburg, Scott, Okada, Andre
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/205 Parsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/221 Parsing markup language streams streaming G06F40/149
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4547 for personal communications, i.e. using a personal identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 : Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 : Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 : including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 : where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 : Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 : Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 : for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 : Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 : Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 : Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A system provided herein permits a communications network subscriber to establish a local contact database on at least one communications device. The local contact database can communicate with a global contact database to receive contact information updates for a group of subscribers stored within the local contact database. The contact information can include basic contact information, such as name, address, email address, and telephone number. The contact information can also include advanced contact information, such as registration and activity information for each communications device associated with the group of subscribers, location information, hotspot information, points of interest information, and social networking information. Methods are provided herein that permit subscribers to introduce each other and obtain contact information securely. Methods are also provided herein that permit subscribers to request further contact information after a communication session is terminated.

Claims

1. A system for providing contact information to a plurality of subscribers in a communications network via communications devices, the system comprising:

a global contact database (GCD), said GCD being configured to store basic contact information for a plurality of subscribers;

an auxiliary contact database (ACD) in communication with said GCD, said ACD being configured to receive advanced contact information for at least one of said plurality of subscribers from at least one data source and provide said advanced contact information to said GCD upon receipt of a request from said GCD;

a first communications device in communication with said GCD and associated with a first subscriber, said first communications device comprising a first local contact database (LCD) configured to store said basic contact information and said advanced contact information, received from said GCD, for a first subset of said plurality of subscribers; and

a second communications device in communication with said GCD and associated with a second subscriber, said second communications device comprising a second LCD configured to store said basic contact information and said advanced contact information, received from said GCD, for a second subset of said plurality of subscribers;

wherein said first subset comprises said basic contact information and said advanced contact information for said second subscriber and said second subset comprises said basic contact information and said advanced contact information for said first subscriber.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said advanced contact information comprises a registration status and an active status for each of said communications devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said advanced contact information comprises location information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said advanced contact information comprises hot spot identification information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said advanced contact information comprises personal contact point information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said advanced contact information comprises social networking information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said advanced contact information comprises group association information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said advanced contact information comprises policy settings for private and public contact information.

9. A system for providing contact information in a communications network via communications devices, the system comprising:

a global contact database (GCD), said GCD being configured to store contact information for a plurality of subscribers;

a first communications device associated with a first subscriber and configured to store a first local contact database (LCD), said first communications device in communication with said GCD, and said first LCD comprising contact information, acquired from said GCD, associated with each subscriber of a first subset of said plurality of subscribers;

a second communications device associated with a second subscriber and configured to store a second LCD, said second communications device in communication with said GCD, and said second LCD comprising contact information, acquired from said GCD, associated with each subscriber of a second subset of said plurality of subscribers;

a third communications device associated with a third subscriber and configured to store a third LCD, said third communications device in communication with said GCD, and said third LCD comprising contact information, acquired from said GCD, associated with each subscriber of a third subset of said plurality of subscribers;

wherein said first subset comprises contact information for said second subscriber and said second subset comprises contact information for said first subscriber and said third subscriber; and

wherein said second communications device establishes a data session with said first communications device, said data session providing said first subscriber temporary access to said contact information for said third subscriber.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said data session is established upon authorization from said third subscriber.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said first subscriber is provided an option on said first communications device to accept or reject said contact information for said third subscriber.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein if said option is accepted, said third subscriber'"'"'s contact information is stored in said first LCD.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said second communications device is configured to send an introduction message to said first communication device, said introduction message being used to establish said data session pending authorization by at least one of said first subscriber and said third subscriber.

14. A method for providing contact information in a communications network via communications devices, the method comprising:

establishing a data session between a first communications device and a second communications device;

said first communications device being associated with a first subscriber and said second communications device being associated with a second subscriber;

said first communications device comprising a first local contact database (LCD) and said second communications device comprising a second LCD, wherein said first LCD comprises contact information for a first group of subscribers and said second LCD comprises contact information for a second group of subscribers; and

wherein said first group of subscribers comprises said second subscriber and said second group of subscriber comprises said first subscriber;

said data session providing said first communications device temporary access to contact information associated with at least one subscriber stored in said second LCD that is not stored in said first LCD.

15. A method for providing contact information in a communications network via communications devices, comprising:

establishing a communication session between a first communications device and a second communications device;

said first communications device being associated with a first subscriber and said second communications device being associated with a second subscriber;

said first communications device comprising a first local contact database (LCD) and said second communications device comprising a second LCD, wherein said first LCD comprises contact information for a first group of subscribers not including said second subscriber and said second LCD comprises contact information for a second group of subscribers not including said first subscriber;

terminating said communication session;

providing a first option to said first subscriber on said first communications device in response to said step of terminating, wherein said first option permits said first subscriber to request contact information for said second subscriber;

receiving a request for said second subscriber'"'"'s contact information; and

providing said second subscriber'"'"'s contact information to said first communication device for storage in said first LCD.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

providing a second option to said second subscriber on said second communications device in response to said step of terminating, wherein said second option permits said second subscriber to request contact information for said first subscriber;

receiving a request for said first subscriber'"'"'s contact information; and

providing said first subscriber'"'"'s contact information to said second communications device for storage in said second LCD.

17. A method for providing contact database search functions in a communications network via communications devices, the method comprising:

receiving a search request from a communications device at a global contact database (GCD), said GCD being configured to store contact information for a plurality of subscribers;

searching said GCD for contact information that corresponds to said search request;

compiling search results from said step of searching;

determining a policy setting for each subscriber associated with said search results, wherein said policy setting is one of a public setting and a private setting;

sending said search results with said policy setting for each subscriber to said communications device;

if said policy setting is public, permitting said communications device to store available contact information for the corresponding subscriber; and

if said policy setting is private, permitting said communications device to generate and send a request for further contact information for the corresponding subscriber.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said request comprises a message sent to said GCD.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving said message;

generating a message response comprising said further contact information for said corresponding subscriber; and

sending said message response to said communications device for storage in a local contact database associated with said communications device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said request comprises a message sent to a second communications device associated with said corresponding subscriber.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

receiving said message;

generating a message response comprising further contact information for said corresponding subscriber; and

sending said message response to said communications device for storage in a local contact database associated with said communications device.