Systems and methods for remote deletion of contact information

• US 8,069,143 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swanburg, Scott, Okada, Andre, Hanson, Paul, Young, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Yicun
• Application Number:
  US12/051,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20090024633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 709/999.1, 709/206, 709/219, 709/224
• US Class Current: 707/610
• 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

An exemplary system for providing remote deletion of contact information includes a first device associated with a first user. The first device is configured to generate and send a delete request message to a second device. In some embodiments, the delete request message includes a request to delete contact information for the first user from the second device. The second device can be configured to receive the delete request message and delete the first user'"'"'s contact information. A method for providing remote deletion of contact information includes a delete request message being generated at a first device, associated with a first user. The delete request message can include a request to delete contact information for the first user. The first device can send the delete request message to a second device. The delete request message can instruct the second device to delete the first user'"'"'s contact information.

Claims

1. A system for remote deletion of contact information, the system comprising:

a first device associated with a first user and including a local contact database, the first device being configured to;

receive a delete request message from a second device associated with a second user, the delete request message comprising a request to delete, from the first device, contact information associated with the second user;

delete the contact information associated with the second user in response to receiving the delete request message from the second device; and

perform a synchronization with a local computer following deleting of the contact information, the local computer being associated with the first user and including a local contact database, the synchronization including synchronizing a local contact database of the first device with the local contact database of the local computer;

wherein the first device, in performing the synchronization, executes an action to ensure that the contact information, deleted at the first device in response to the delete request message received from the second device, is not added to the local contact database of the first device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device, in being configured to execute the action to ensure that the contact information, deleted in response to the delete request received from the second device, is not added to the local contact database of the first device, is configured to set a flag at the first device, the flag acting to prevent the contact information from being transferred from the local contact database of the local computer to the local contact database of the first device following deleting of the contact information at the first device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the local computer is a computer selected from a group of computers consisting of:

a desktop computer associated with the first user;

a laptop computer associated with the first user;

a notebook computer associated with the first user;

a tablet computer associated with the first user; and

a handheld computer associated with the first user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device, in being configured to execute the action to ensure that the contact information, deleted in response to the delete request received from the second device, is not added to the local contact database of the first device, is configured to, as part of the synchronization, forward the delete request to the local computer for the local computer to delete the contact information associated with the second device from the local contact database of the local computer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the local computer is a computer selected from a group of computers consisting of:

a desktop computer associated with the first user;

a laptop computer associated with the first user;

a notebook computer associated with the first user;

a tablet computer associated with the first user; and

a handheld computer associated with the first user.

6. A method for remote deletion of contact information, the method comprising:

receiving, at the first device, a delete request from a second device, the first device being associated with a first user, the second device being associated with a second user, and the delete request message comprising a request to delete, from the first device, contact information associated with the second user;

deleting, at the first device, the contact information associated with the second user in response to the delete request message received from the second device; and

performing, at the first device, following deleting of the contact information, a synchronization with a local computer, the local computer being associated with the first user and including a local contact database, the synchronization including synchronizing a local contact database of the first device with the local contact database of the local computer;

wherein performing the synchronization includes executing an action to ensure that the contact information, deleted at the first device in response to the delete request message received from the second device, is not added to the local contact database of the first device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein executing the action to ensure that the contact information, deleted in response to the delete request form the second device, is not added to the local contact database of the first device, includes setting a flag at the first device, the flag acting to prevent the contact information from being transferred from the local contact database of the local computer to the local contact database of the first device following deleting of the contact information at the first device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the local computer is a computer selected from a group of computers consisting of:

a desktop computer associated with the first user;

a laptop computer associated with the first user;

a notebook computer associated with the first user;

a tablet computer associated with the first user; and

a handheld computer associated with the first user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein executing the action to ensure that the contact information, deleted in response to the delete request received from the second device, is not added to the local contact database of the first device, includes, as part of the synchronization, forwarding the delete request to the local computer for the local computer to delete the contact information associated with the second device from the local contact database of the local computer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the local computer is a computer selected from a group of computers consisting of:

a desktop computer associated with the first user;

a laptop computer associated with the first user;

a notebook computer associated with the first user;

a tablet computer associated with the first user; and

a handheld computer associated with the first user.

11. A system for remote deletion of contact information, the system comprising:

a first device associated with a first user, the first device comprising;

a local contact database comprising the contact information associated with a second user, the second user being associated with a second device; and

a messaging application, the messaging application being configured to;

receive a delete request message from the second device, the delete request message comprising a request to delete, from the first device, contact information associated with the second user;

delete the contact information associated with the second user from the local contact database of the first device in response to receiving the delete request message from the second device;

establish an instruction at the first device preventing the first user from contacting the second user by way of the first device using the contact information deleted from the local contact database of the first device;

perform a synchronization with a local computer following deleting of the contact information from the first device, the local computer being associated with the first user and including a local contact database, the synchronization comprising;

synchronizing the local contact database of the first device with the local contact database of the local computer; and

the first device receiving the contact information, associated with the second user, from the local computer; and

following the synchronization in which the contact information associated with the second user is received at the first device from the local computer, prevent the first user from contacting the second user, by way of the first device using the contact information, based on the instruction.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the messaging application, in being configured to establish the instruction at the first device preventing the first user from contacting the second user by way of the first device using the contact information deleted from the local contact database of the first device, is configured to establish the instruction in connection with at least one contact data selected from a group of contact data consisting of;

a phone number associated with the second user; and

an e-mail address associated with the second user; and

the messaging application, in being configured to prevent the first user from contacting the second user by way of the first device using the contact information based on the instruction at the first device, following the synchronization in which the contact information associated with the second user is received at the first device from the local computer, is configured to prevent the user from contacting the second user using the selected contact data.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the messaging application, in being configured to establish the instruction at the first device preventing the first user from contacting the second user by way of the first device using the contact information deleted from the local contact database of the first device, is configured to establish the instruction to prevent the user from contacting the first user by inputting the contact information into the first device; and

the messaging application, in being configured to prevent the first user from contacting the second user by way of the first device using the contact information based on the instruction at the first device, following the synchronization in which the contact information associated with the second user is received at the first device from the local computer, is configured to prevent the user from contacting the second user by inputting the contact information into the first device.

14. A method for providing remote deletion of contact information, the method comprising:

receiving a delete request message at a first device, from a second device, the delete request message comprising a request to delete, from the first device, contact information associated with the second user;

deleting contact information associated with the second user stored on the first device in response to receiving the delete request message;

establishing an instruction at the first device preventing the first user from contacting the second user by way of the first device using the contact information deleted from the first device;

performing, at the first device, a synchronization with a local computer following deleting of the contact information from the first device, the local computer being associated with the first user and including a local contact database, the synchronization comprising;

synchronizing a local contact database of the first device with the local contact database of the local computer; and

the first device receiving from the local computer the contact information associated with the second user; and

following the synchronization in which the contact information associated with the second user was received at the first device from the local computer, preventing the first user from contacting the second user, by way of the first device using the contact information, based on the instruction.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

establishing the instruction at the first device preventing the first user from contacting the second user by way of the first device using the contact information deleted from the local contact database of the first device, includes establishing the instruction in connection with at least one contact data selected from a group of contact data consisting of;

a phone number associated with the second user; and

an e-mail address associated with the second user; and

preventing the first user from contacting the second user by way of the first device using the contact information based on the instruction at the first device, following the synchronization in which the contact information associated with the second user is received at the first device from the local computer, includes preventing the user from contacting the second user using the selected contact data.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein:

establishing the instruction at the first device preventing the first user from contacting the second user by way of the first device using the contact information deleted from the local contact database of the first device, includes establishing the instruction to prevent the user from contacting the first user by inputting the contact information into the first device; and

preventing the first user from contacting the second user by way of the first device using the contact information based on the instruction at the first device, following the synchronization in which the contact information associated with the second user is received at the first device from the local computer, includes preventing the user from contacting the second user by inputting the contact information into the first device.