SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING A CONTACT ASSOCIATED WITH AN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

• US 20110212712A1
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: ABDEL-KADER, Sherif Aly
• Granted Patent: US 8,208,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A method is provided on an electronic communications device having a subscriber identifier, the method for identifying a contact entry associated with an electronic communication specified by a communication identifier. The method comprises searching an address book associated with the device; in response to finding a first and a second contact entry each having a respective first contact communication identifier matching the communication identifier, comparing a second contact communication identifier with the subscriber identifier; and identifying the second contact entry associated with the electronic communication if the second contact communication identifier in the first contact entry matches the subscriber identifier.

Claims

1. A method for execution at a communications device, the method comprising:

at the communications device, searching an address book for a first and second contact entries, the address book having a plurality of contact entries, each contact entry storing a contact identity identifier and at least two contact communication identifiers, each of the first and second contact entries having a respective first contact communication identifier matching a predetermined communication identifier associated with an electronic communication;

at the communications device, in response to finding the first and second contact entries, comparing a second contact communication identifier in each of the first and second contact entries with a subscriber identifier associated with the communications device and

at the communications device, identifying the second contact entry as the contact entry associated with the electronic communication if the second contact communication identifier in the first contact entry matches the subscriber identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic communication further comprises an incoming communication, and wherein the contact entry associated with the electronic communication includes an initiator of the incoming communication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic communication further comprises an outgoing communication, and wherein the contact associated with the electronic communication includes a recipient of the outgoing communication.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein both the subscriber identifier and the second contact communication identifier further comprise telephone numbers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein both the subscriber identifier and the second contact communication identifier further comprise personal identification numbers.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein both the subscriber identifier and the second contact communication identifier further comprise e-mail addresses.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein both the predetermined communication identifier and the first contact communication identifier further comprise telephone numbers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein both the predetermined communication identifier and the first contact communication identifier further comprise electronic mail addresses.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a message containing the contact identity identifier stored in the second contact entry.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed, direct a communications device to:

search an address book for a first contact entry and a second contact entry, the address book having a plurality of contact entries, each contact entry storing a contact identity identifier and at least two contact communication identifiers, each of the first and second contact entries having a respective first contact communication identifier matching a predetermined communication identifier associated with an electronic communication;

in response to finding the first and second contact entries, compare a second contact communication identifier in each of the first and second contact entries with the subscriber identifier; and

identify the second contact entry as the contact entry associated with the electronic communication if the second contact communication identifier in the first contact entry matches the subscriber identifier.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein both the predetermined communication identifier and the first contact communication identifier further comprise telephone numbers.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein both the predetermined communication identifier and the first contact communication identifier further comprise electronic mail addresses.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the instructions further direct the communications device to display a message containing the contact identity identifier stored in the second contact entry.

14. An electronic communications device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to the processor, for storing at least one address book having a plurality of contact entries, each contact entry storing a contact identity identifier and at least two contact communication identifiers; and

computer-readable instructions, stored in the memory and executable on the processor, for an identification software module, the identification module operable for;

searching the address book for a first contact entry and a second contact entry, each of the first and second contact entries having a respective first contact communication identifier matching a predetermined communication identifier associated with an electronic communication;

in response to finding the first and second contact entries, comparing a second contact communication identifier in each of the first and second contact entries with a subscriber identifier associated with the electronic communications device; and

identifying the second contact entry as the contact entry associated with the electronic communication if the second contact communication identifier in the first contact entry matches the subscriber identifier.

15. The electronic communications device of claim 14 wherein the electronic communication further comprises an incoming communication, and wherein the contact entry associated with the electronic communication includes an initiator of the incoming communication.

16. The electronic communications device of claim 14 wherein the electronic communication further comprises an outgoing communication, and wherein the contact associated with the electronic communication includes a recipient of the outgoing communication.

17. The electronic communications device of claim 14 wherein both the subscriber identifier and the second contact communication identifier further comprise telephone numbers;

18. The electronic communications device of claim 14 wherein both the subscriber identifier and the second contact communication identifier further comprise personal identification numbers.

19. The electronic communications device of claim 14 wherein both the subscriber identifier and the second contact communication identifier further comprise e-mail addresses.

20. The electronic communications device of claim 14 wherein both the communication identifier and the first contact communication identifier further comprise telephone numbers.