# US 9,438,602 B2 · Evolving rule based contact exchange > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,602 B2 - Document ID: US9438602B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/244,850 - Filed: 2014-04-03 - Published: 2015-10-08 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-04-03 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Kenton Paul Anthony O'Hara; Michael Anthony Massimi; Matthew Kay; Richard Harper; James William Scott - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438602B2 ## CPC - H04L 63/108: {when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time} - H04L 51/212: using filtering or selective blocking - H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload} - H04L 63/101: {Access control lists [ACL]} - H04M 3/382: {using authorisation codes or passwords} - H04W 12/02: Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] - H04W 12/08: Access security - H04L 51/52: for supporting social networking services - H04L 61/4594: Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents (telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Methods and systems are described for managing a user's contact data which use evolving sequential sets of rules where the applicability of each set depends upon adherence or proper application of a prior set. In an embodiment, an initial set of restrictions are generated based on input from a first user, the restrictions relating to contact made by a second user to the first user. These initial restrictions are subsequently modified in response to the second user contacting the first user based on the contact made and a characteristic of the contact. The methods may apply to any form of contact between the first and second users and in an embodiment applies to contact made by the second user to a cellular telephone number belonging to the first user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling contact between a first user and a second user comprising: generating initial access right data defining one or more restrictions on connecting an electronic device of the second user with an electronic device of the first user via a network; generating contact data unique to the second user; receiving a contact from the electronic device of the second user, wherein the contact is received via the network and is made using the contact data; blocking the electronic device of the second user from connecting with the electronic device of the first user, via the network, based at least in part on the initial access right data; and at least partly in response to the contact, automatically modifying the initial access right data based on the contact made and a characteristic of the contact to generate modified access right data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving an additional contact from the electronic device of the second user, via the network; and permitting the electronic device of the second user to connect, via the network, with the electronic device of the first user based on the modified access right data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the modified access right data does not define any restrictions on the second user when contacting the first user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the initial access right data defines a first set of restrictions on the second user when contacting the first user and the modified access right data comprises a second set of restrictions on the second user when contacting the first user and the first and second sets are different. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the second set of restrictions is less restrictive than the first set of restrictions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: storing the initial access right data in a data store; linking the contact data with the initial access right data in the data store; and modifying the stored access right data to correspond to the modified access right data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the contact data comprises temporary contact data for the first user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: generating a unique identifier obfuscating the one or more restrictions of the initial access right data; and associating the initial access right data with the unique identifier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein generating the unique identifier comprises encrypting at least part of the initial access right data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising: filtering the contact received from the electronic device of the second user based on the initial access right data and the unique identifier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein filtering the contact received from the electronic device of the second user comprises: determining that the contact fails to satisfy the one or more restrictions defined by the initial access right data; blocking the electronic device of the second user from connecting with the electronic device of the first user at least partly in response to determining that the contact fails to satisfy the one or more restrictions; determining that an additional contact received from the electronic device of the second user, via the network, satisfies one or more restrictions of the modified access right data; and permitting the electronic device of the second user to connect, via the network, with the electronic device of the first user at least partly in response to determining that the additional contact received from the electronic device of the second user satisfies the one or more restrictions of the modified access right data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the contact comprises at least one of: a characteristic of the contact act; and a characteristic of content of the contact. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the contact is made using a cellular telephone number belonging to the first user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more restrictions defined by the initial access right data comprise a restriction specifying a time by which a first contact must be made to the first user by the second user. ### Claim 15 A system for controlling use of contact data, the system comprising a contact management module arranged to: generate initial access right data defining one or more restrictions on connecting an electronic device of the second user with an electronic device of the first user via a network; generate contact data unique to the second user; provide the contact data to the second user; receive a contact from the electronic device of the second user, wherein the contact is received via the network and is made using the contact data; block the electronic device of the second user from connecting with the electronic device of the first user, via the network, based at least in part on the initial access right data; and at least partly in response to the contact, automatically modify the initial access right data based on the contact and a characteristic of the contact, the modification generating modified access right data. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system according to claim 15, wherein the contact management module is further arranged to: generate a unique identifier obfuscating the one or more restrictions of the initial access right data, and wherein the system is configured to block the electronic device of the second user from connecting with the electronic device of the first user based at least partly on the unique identifier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system according to claim 16, wherein generating the unique identifier comprises encrypting at least part of the initial access right data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system according to claim 15, further comprising a contact filtering module arranged to filter the contact received from the electronic device of the second user based on the initial access right data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system according to claim 18, wherein the contact filtering module is further arranged to filter a subsequent contact received from the electronic device of the second user based on the modified access right data. ### Claim 20 A method of controlling contact between a first user and a second user comprising: generating initial access right data defining one or more restrictions on connecting an electronic device of the second user with an electronic device of the first user via a network; generating contact data unique to the second user; receiving a first contact from the electronic device of the second user, wherein the first contact is received via the network and is made using the contact data; blocking the electronic device of the second user from connecting with the electronic device of the first user, via the network, based at least in part on the initial access right data; generating first modified access right data based on a characteristic of the first contact, the first modified access right data including at least one restriction on connecting the electronic device of the second user with the electronic device of the first user via the network; receiving a second contact from the electronic device of the second user via the network, the second contact satisfying the at least one restriction; permitting the electronic device of the second user to connect, via the network, with the electronic device of the first user; and generating second modified access right data, wherein the second modified access right data does not define any restrictions on connecting the electronic device of the second user with the electronic device of the first user.