# US 12,015,589 B2 · Unifying web and phone presence

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- Number: US 12,015,589 B2
- Document ID: US12015589B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/650,785
- Filed: 2022-02-11
- Published: 2022-05-26
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2009-03-31
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Applicants: Google LLC
- Inventors: Vincent F. Paquet; Tiruvilwamalai Venkatram Raman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015589B2

## CPC

- H04L 61/4547: {for personal communications, i.e. using a personal identifier}
- G06F 16/2455: Query execution
- G06F 16/335: Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles (filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536)
- G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management
- H04L 51/04: Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
- H04L 51/48: Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
- H04L 51/56: Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
- H04L 65/1069: Session establishment or de-establishment
- H04L 65/1096: Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding (systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42)
- H04L 67/14: Session management (for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066)
- H04L 67/141: Setup of application sessions (admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70)
- H04L 67/303: Terminal profiles
- H04L 67/306: User profiles
- H04L 69/24: Negotiation of communication capabilities
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a computer-implemented method that includes obtaining, at a computer system, a plurality of contact identifiers for a computer account holder, wherein the identifiers represent a plurality of different communication modes; identifying a handle for the account holder, wherein the handle is associated with a uniform resource locator; and correlating the handle with the plurality of contact identifiers, and storing the handle and plurality of contact identifiers together so as to permit retrieval of the contact identifiers in response to identification of the handle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
providing, to a computer system, a universal handle for a first user including an alphanumeric string;
providing a password to the computer system after providing the universal handle to the computer system;
receiving, from the computer system and responsive to providing the password to the computer system, contact information for the first user comprising a plurality of contact identifiers associated with the universal handle, the plurality of contact identifiers including:
(i) a first contact identifier at which the first user is able to be contacted using a first mode of communication, the first contact identifier different from the universal handle for the first user, and
(ii) a second contact identifier at which the first user is able to be contacted using a second mode of communication that is different from the first mode of communication, the second contact identifier different from the universal handle for the first user;
selecting, after receiving the contact information for the first user, the first or the second contact identifier from the plurality of contact identifiers; and
providing, to the computer system and in response to selecting the first or second contact identifier, a communication request from the second user to connect with the first user using the selected first or second contact identifier.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the selected first or second contact identifier is a user identity of the first user on a social networking site, wherein the method further comprises receiving the user identity of the first user on the social networking site in response to the second user using the universal handle to search for the first user.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein receiving contact information for the first user is based on a relationship between the first user and the second user on the social networking site.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the relationship between the first user and the second user on the social networking site is at least one of:
a friend category that has been accepted by the first user;
a family category that has been accepted by the first user; or
a coworker category.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the selected first or second contact identifier is an email address; and
the communication request includes a request to transmit an email to the email address.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the alphanumeric string comprises at least one of:
an email address for the first user;
a telephone number for the first user; or
a name of the first user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the selected first or second contact identifier is a telephone number; and
the communication request includes a request to call the telephone number.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the selected first or second contact identifier is a telephone number; and
the communication request includes a request to communicate a multimedia message to the telephone number.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
providing the universal handle to the computer system further comprises providing an indication of a preferred mode of communication; and
receiving contact information for the first user is based on the preferred mode of communication.

### Claim 10

A computer system comprising:
one or more computer processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable devices that include instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the processors to:
provide, to a remote computer system, a universal handle for a first user including an alphanumeric string;
provide an indication of a preferred mode of communication with the universal handle;
receive, from the remote computer system based on the preferred mode of communication, contact information for the first user comprising a plurality of contact identifiers associated with the universal handle, the plurality of contact identifiers including:
(i) a first contact identifier at which the first user is able to be contacted using a first mode of communication, the first contact identifier different from the universal handle for the first user, and
(ii) a second contact identifier at which the first user is able to be contacted using a second mode of communication that is different from the first mode of communication, the second contact identifier different from the universal handle for the first user;
select, after receiving the contact information for the first user, the first or the second contact identifier from the plurality of contact identifiers; and
provide, to the remote computer system and in response to selecting the first or second contact identifier, a communication request from the second user to connect with the first user using the selected first or second contact identifier.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The computer system of claim 10, wherein:
the selected first or second contact identifier is a user identity of the first user on a social networking site; and
the one or more non-transitory computer-readable devices further include instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the processors to receive the user identity of the first user on the social networking site in response to the second user using the universal handle to search for the first user.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The computer system of claim 11, wherein the one or more non-transitory computer-readable devices further include instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the processors to receive contact information for the first user based on a relationship between the first user and the second user on the social networking site.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The computer system of claim 12, wherein the relationship between the first user and the second user on the social networking site is at least one of:
a friend category that has been accepted by the first user;
a family category that has been accepted by the first user; or
a coworker category.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The computer system of claim 10, wherein:
the selected first or second contact identifier is an email address; and
the communication request includes a request to transmit an email to the email address.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The computer system of claim 10, wherein the alphanumeric string comprises at least one of:
an email address for the first user;
a telephone number for the first user; or
a name of the first user.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The computer system of claim 10, wherein:
the selected first or second contact identifier is a telephone number; and
the communication request includes a request to call the telephone number.

### Claim 17

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:
providing, to a computer system, a universal handle for a first user including an alphanumeric string;
providing a password to the computer system after providing the universal handle to the computer system;
receiving, from the computer system and responsive to providing the password to the computer system, contact information for the first user comprising a plurality of contact identifiers associated with the universal handle, the plurality of contact identifiers including:
(i) a first contact identifier at which the first user is able to be contacted using a first mode of communication, the first contact identifier different from the universal handle for the first user, and
(ii) a second contact identifier at which the first user is able to be contacted using a second mode of communication that is different from the first mode of communication, the second contact identifier different from the universal handle for the first user;
selecting, after receiving the contact information for the first user, the first or the second contact identifier from the plurality of contact identifiers; and
providing, to the computer system and in response to selecting the first or second contact identifier, a communication request from the second user to connect with the first user using the selected first or second contact identifier.