Application programming interface for shared address book services in a computer system

• US 5,835,089 A
• Filed: 10/25/1996
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Elliott, John D., Skarbo, Rune A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US08/735,318
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 395/326, 395/350, 395/335, 395/346, 395/339, 395/200.02, 395/200.03, 395/200.08, 395/200.09, 395/200.16, 395/680, 395/682, 395/683, 395/200.75
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers

Abstract

An application programmers interface for shared address book services in a computer system that provides a register function call that enables a set of client communication application programs executing on the computer system to each register a callback function. The application programmers interface also provides a notify function call that enables an address book application program executing on the computer system to notify the appropriate client communication application program via the appropriate callback function that a user has selected a destination identifier for the corresponding communication type.

Claims

1. An application programming interface for shared address book services in a computer system, the application programming interface comprising:

a register function call that enables a set of client communication application programs executing on the computer system to each register a callback function with a shared address book service, each client communication application program being associated with a communication type, and the shared address book service including an integrated address file having a plurality of addressees with addresses associated with different communication types; and

a notify function call that enables an address book application program executing on the computer system to notify the client communication application program having the communication type, through the shared address book service, that a user has selected an address of an addressee associated with the communication type, wherein the notify function call invokes the callback function of the client communication application program having the communication type, which in turn initiates a communication transaction with the addressee of the selected address using the selected address.

2. The application programming interface of claim 1, wherein the register function calls from the client communication application programs specify the corresponding communication types for the communication application programs.

3. The application programming interface of claim 1, wherein the communication types include all or selected ones of a fax communication type, a voice communication type, a video communication type and an e-mail communication type.

4. The application programming interface of claim 1, wherein the client communication application program maps to a fax communication type, and comprises a fax communication application program, and wherein the selected address comprises a fax number.

5. The application programming interface of claim 1, wherein the client communication application program maps to a video communication type, and comprises a video conferencing application program, and wherein the selected address comprises an address on a high speed communication link.

6. The application programming interface of claim 1, wherein the client communication application program maps to an e-mail communication type, and comprises an e-mail application program, and wherein the selected address comprises an e-mail address on a network.

7. The application programming interface of claim 1, wherein the notify function call enables the address book application program to notify a default client communication program for a default communication type of the integrated address file.

8. A method for sharing address book services for each of a set of client communication application programs in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

registering a callback function with a shared address book service for each client communication application program executing on the computer system, each client communication application program servicing one or more of a set of communication types, and the shared address book service including an integrated address file having a plurality of addressees with addresses associated with different communication types;

sensing a user selection through an address book application program wherein the user selection specifies one of said addresses with communication types; and

invoking the callback function of the requested client communication application program with a communication type that corresponds to the communication type of the selected address, through the shared address book service, wherein the callback function passes the selected address to the requested client communication application program, initiating a communication transaction with the addressee of the selected address.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of registering a callback function comprises the step of invoking a register function call to an address book service library from each client communication application program such that the register function calls pass the communication types for the client communication application programs.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication types include a fax communication type, a voice communication type, a video communication type, and an e-mail communication type.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the client communication application program maps to a fax communication type, and comprises a fax communication application program, and wherein the selected address comprises a fax number.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the client communication application program maps to a video communication types and comprises a video conferencing application program, and wherein the selected address comprises an address on a high speed communication link.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the client communication application program maps to an e-mail communication type, and comprises an e-mail application program, and wherein the selected address comprises an e-mail address on a network.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of invoking a default client communication application program for a communication type specified in an address book information file.

15. An apparatus for sharing address book services for each of a set of client communication application programs in a computer system, the apparatus comprising:

means for registering a callback function for each client communication application program executing on the computer system with a shared address book service, each client communication application program servicing one or more of a set of communication types, and the shared address book service including an integrated address file having a plurality of addressees with addresses associated with different communication types;

means for sensing a user selection through an address book application program wherein the user selection specifies one of said addresses with communication types; and

means for invoking the callback function of a requested client communication application program with a communication type that corresponds to the communication type of the selected address, through the shared address book service, wherein the callback function passes the selected address to the client communication application program being invoked, which in turn initiates a communication transaction with the addressee of the selected address using the selected address.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for registering a callback function comprises means for invoking a register function call to an address book service library from each client communication application program such that the register function calls pass the communication types for the communication application programs.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the communication types include a fax communication type, a voice communication type, a video communication type, and an e-mail communication type.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the client communication application program maps to the video communication type, and comprises a video conferencing application program, and wherein the selected address comprises an address on a high speed communication link.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the client communication application program maps to the e-mail communication type, and comprises an e-mail application program and wherein the selected address comprises an e-mail address on a network.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for invoking a default client communication application program for a communication type specified in an address book information file.

18. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the client communication application program maps to the fax communication type and comprises a fax communication application programs and wherein the selected address comprises a fax number.