US 8,543,144 B2 · Automated caller identifier from contact lists of a user's contacts

Abstract

When a call or message is received from an unidentified sender on the user's communication device, the caller identifier application launches a text-based messaging application and causes it to send an “invisible” text-based message to the user's contacts. The message includes the metadata (e.g., telephone number) associated with the call or message that the user received. The invisible message is a short message whose headers are programmed in a particular manner so that the receiving mobile phone acknowledges the receipt of the message and the receiving mobile phone displays no behavior perceptible by the user. When the invisible message is received by the corresponding caller identifier application on one of the user's contact's mobile phone, the application searches the contact's contact list maintained in his or hers contact application. If the metadata provided to the contact's mobile phone is located in the contact list, the contact details (e.g. Name) or the contact card, if available, is sent back to the user's mobile phone in a second invisible message. Upon receiving the second invisible message, the caller identifier application causes some or all of the contact details to be displayed on the user's mobile phone or otherwise presented to the user in any appropriate manner.

Claims19

Dependent claims

One or more computer-readable storage media not comprising a propagated data signal and containing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors disposed in an electronic device that is operatively coupled to a communications network, perform a method comprising the steps of:

monitoring for calls or messages received by the electronic device from a sender, the call being carried by the network;
fetching metadata associated with an incoming call or message;
searching a list of contacts associated with the electronic device to locate a given individual associated with the metadata;
if no individual associated with the metadata is found, sending a first invisible text-based message to other electronic devices associated with at least some individuals included in the list of contacts, the first invisible text-based message including the metadata and requesting the other electronic devices to search their respective contact lists to find the given individual associated with the metadata;
receiving at the electronic device, from one of the other electronic devices, a second invisible text-based message that includes an identity of the given individual;
and
presenting an identity of the given individual to a user of the electronic device.

4 more elements

A mobile phone, comprising:

one or more processors for executing machine-executable instructions;
and
one or more machine-readable storage media for storing the machine-executable instructions, the instructions when executed by the one more processors implementing,
a) a call event listener arranged for listening for a call or message received at the mobile phone from a sender;
b) a data handler for fetching metadata pertaining to an identity of the sender from the received call or message;
c) processing logic configured for searching a first contact list associated with the mobile phone and other contact lists associated with electronic devices associated with selected contacts included in the first contact list to locate the metadata and fetch the identity of the sender;
d) a UI arranged for presenting the identity of the sender to a user of the mobile phone;
and
e) a text message component for sending, in response to a request from the processing logic, a first invisible text-based message to other electronic devices associated with at least some individuals included in the list of contacts, the first invisible text-based message including the metadata and requesting the other electronic devices to search their respective contact lists to find the given individual associated with the metadata.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automated caller identifier from contact lists of a user's contacts

Life of this patent

Automated caller identifier from contact lists of a user's contacts

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19