PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL CONTACT INFORMATION CORRESPONDING TO A REFERENCED INDIVIDUAL

• US 20110231507A1
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: APPELMAN, Barry
• Application Number:
  US13/149,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• 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 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments

Abstract

Providing supplemental contact information for an individual referenced in an electronic message typically includes receiving an electronic message, examining the electronic message, detecting an identifier for a referenced individual contained in the electronic message, and making supplemental contact information for the referenced individual available to a recipient of the electronic message. The supplemental contact information may include information that is in addition to information contained in the electronic message. The supplemental contact information may include at least one of an e-mail address, a screen name, a telephone number, a facsimile number, and a mailing address, each of which is associated with the referenced individual.

Claims

1-111. -111. (canceled)

112. A computer-implemented method for providing supplemental information corresponding to an individual referenced in an electronic message, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic message;

examining, using a processor, the received electronic message for a name of an individual within a body of the electronic message;

detecting, using a processor, a name of an individual within the body of the electronic message based on examination of the electronic message;

associating an instant messaging screen name with the name of the individual based on detection of the name of the individual within the body of the electronic message; and

providing the instant messaging screen name associated with the name of the individual within the body of the electronic message to a recipient of the electronic message, wherein the instant messaging screen name is in addition to information contained in the electronic message.

113. The method of claim 112, further comprising:

associating supplemental information for the individual including at least one of an e-mail address, a telephone, a facsimile, and a mailing address based on detection of the name of the individual within the body of the electronic message; and

providing the supplemental information to the recipient of the electronic message.

114. The method of claim 113, wherein the supplemental information is communicated by the individual to a host that stores the supplemental information.

115. The method of claim 113, wherein the supplemental information includes real time contact information of the individual.

116. The method of claim 112, wherein the electronic message is an e-mail message.

117. The method of claim 112, wherein the electronic message is an instant message.

118. The method of claim 112, wherein the electronic message is an e-mail message, and wherein providing the instant messaging screen name includes displaying a control configured to initiate an instant messaging session with the instant messaging screen name corresponding to the individual.

119. The method of claim 118, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the control by the recipient; and

initiating an instant messaging session between the recipient and the individual based on the selection.

120. The method of claim 112, further comprising checking a preference of the individual, and providing the instant messaging screen name to the individual based on the preference.

121. The method of claim 112, further comprising checking a preference of the recipient, and providing the instant messaging screen name to the individual based on the preference.

122. The method of claim 112, further comprising updating a personal address book of the recipient to include the instant messaging screen of the individual.

123. The method of claim 112, further comprising determining an online presence status for the individual, wherein providing the instant messaging screen name includes providing an indication of the online presence.

124. The method of claim 112, wherein providing the instant messaging screen name includes displaying an indicator associated with the individual to indicate that an instant messaging screen name corresponding to the individual is available.

125. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed on at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method for providing supplemental information corresponding to an individual referenced in an electronic message, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic message;

examining the received electronic message for a name of an individual within a body of the electronic message;

detecting a name of an individual within the body of the electronic message based on examination of the electronic message;

associating an instant messaging screen name with the name of the individual based on detection of the name of the individual within the body of the electronic message; and

providing the instant messaging screen name associated with the name of the individual within the body of the electronic message to a recipient of the electronic message, wherein the instant messaging screen name is in addition to information contained in the electronic message.

126. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 125, wherein the method performed by the at least one processor further comprises:

associating supplemental information for the individual including at least one of an e-mail address, a telephone, a facsimile, and a mailing address based on detection of the name of the individual within the body of the electronic message; and

providing the supplemental information to the recipient of the electronic message.

127. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 125, wherein the electronic message is an e-mail message, and wherein providing the instant messaging screen name includes displaying a control configured to initiate an instant messaging session with the instant messaging screen name corresponding to the individual.

128. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 125, wherein the method performed by the at least one processor further comprises:

determining an online presence status for the individual, wherein providing the instant messaging screen name includes providing an indication of the online presence.

129. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 125, wherein providing the instant messaging screen name includes displaying an indicator associated with the individual to indicate that an instant messaging screen name corresponding to the individual is available.

130. An apparatus comprising:

a memory device storing instructions;

at least one processor executing the instructions to;

receives an electronic message;

examines the received electronic message for a name of an individual within a body of the electronic message;

detects a name of an individual within the body of the electronic message based on examination of the electronic message;

associates an instant messaging screen name with the name of the individual based on detection of the name of the individual within the body of the electronic message; and

provides the instant messaging screen name associated with the name of the individual within the body of the electronic message to a recipient of the electronic message, wherein the instant messaging screen name is in addition to information contained in the electronic message.

131. The apparatus of claim 130, wherein the at least one processor:

associates supplemental information for the individual including at least one of an e-mail address, a telephone, a facsimile, and a mailing address based on detection of the name of the individual within the body of the electronic message; and

provides the supplemental information to the recipient of the electronic message.

132. The apparatus of claim 130, wherein the at least one processor determines an online presence status for the individual, and wherein providing the instant messaging screen name includes providing an indication of the online presence.