Communication address management system

A communication address management system comprising:

• first and second terminals connected through a communication network;
• said first terminal having communication address management system access means including
• acceptance means for accepting a communication address inquiry request from a communication address inquiry requestor,
• connection means for connecting said first terminal with said second terminal through said communication network,
• transmission means for transmitting the communication address inquiry request to said second terminal,
• reception means for receiving a response from said second terminal, and
• response means for sending the response from said second terminal back to the communication address inquiry requestor;
• and
• said second terminal including
• storage means for storing identification information of a plurality of communication destinations, and data for types of communication services available to the communication destinations and associated communication addresses,
• acceptance means for accepting the communication address inquiry request from said first terminal,
• discrimination means for discriminating a type of communication service which the communication address inquiry requestor uses based on contents of the accepted communication address inquiry request,
• retrieval means for searching data in said storage means to retrieve a desired communication address in accordance with identification information in the accepted communication address inquiry request and the discriminated type of communication service, and
• response means for sending the retrieved communication address to said first terminal.

A communication terminal comprising:

• a communication network interface connected to a communication network;
• and
• address management means including
• storage means for storing identification information of a plurality of communication destinations, and data for types of communication services available for the communication destinations and associated communication addresses,
• acceptance means for accepting a communication address inquiry request from a communication address inquiry requestor executing a communication application program, through said communication network interface,
• discrimination means for discriminating a type of communication service which the communication address inquiry requestor uses based on contents of the accepted communication address inquiry request,
• retrieval means for searching data in said storage means to retrieve a desired communication address in accordance with identification information in the accepted communication address inquiry request and the discriminated type of communication service, and
• response means for sending the retrieved communication address to the communication address inquiry requestor through said communication network interface.

A method for managing a communication address comprising the steps of:

• accepting a communication address inquiry request from a communication address inquiry requestor;
• discriminating a type of communication service which the communication address inquiry requestor uses based on contents of the accepted communication address inquiry request;
• searching stored identification information of a plurality of communication destinations, and data for types of communication services available to the communication destinations and associated communication addresses
• in response to said searching, retrieving a desired communication address in accordance with identification information in the accepted communication address inquiry request and the discriminated type of communication service;
• and
• sending the retrieved communication address back to the communication address inquiry requestor.