Method and system to automate the updating of personal information within a personal information management application and to synchronize such updated personal information management applications

Abstract

Within a database of personal contact information that is accessed by a Personal Information Management (PIM) application, or contact management application, multiple information sets for a specified field or fields of personal information may be stored for a user of the PIM. For example, multiple addresses may be stored. For each set of personal information, an associated event occurrence may be defined upon which the relevant set of personal information is recognized by the PIM as being valid. For example, an event occurrence may comprise a time period during which specific address information is valid. Upon occurrence of the relevant event (e.g., the commencement of the time interval), the relevant information is automatically validated for access by the PIM. In this way, a user is able to, in advance, dictate that certain personal information for the user becomes valid upon certain event occurrences. The personal information concerning the user may then be published to multiple further PIMs to update records concerning the user maintained by such multiple further PIMs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.