Method of providing temporary access of a calling unit to an anonymous unit

Abstract

A method is provided of establishing a direct communication session by a central service agent between a calling unit and an anonymous unit without revealing the permanent direct access information of the anonymous unit to a calling member. The central service agent is configured to be able to identify a request by a calling member, associated with the calling unit, for future access to a called member associated with the anonymous unit, where the permanent direct access information of the anonymous unit is unknown to the calling member. Once the request is received, the agent assigns a temporary alias ID corresponding, on a temporary basis, to the permanent direct access information of the anonymous unit to facilitate establishing a direct communication session between the calling and anonymous units using at least the temporary alias ID. Upon the occurrence of a predetermined timeout condition, the agent deassigns the temporary alias to prevent further access to the anonymous unit thereafter. In an alternative embodiment, the real and permanent ID is communicated, on a temporary basis, to a specific calling unit, transparent to the caller, thus maintaining anonymity.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.