Handle-Based Contact Correlation System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of managing and updating multiple contact information mechanisms, such as phone numbers and email addresses, across various communication modes becomes cumbersome as individuals change jobs or situations, leading to difficulties in keeping track of accurate contact information for friends and acquaintances.
Innovation Solution
A system that correlates a single handle with multiple contact identifiers across different communication modes, allowing users to provide a unified point of contact that can be accessed through various communication mechanisms, with rules for routing communications based on time, identity, and other factors, ensuring that updates are automatically propagated to acquaintances without requiring them to update individual contact methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a user provides multiple contact identifiers for different communication modes, then the user can be reached through various communication channels, but the complexity of managing and updating contact information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a universal handle that serves as a single point of contact for multiple communication modes including telephone, email, text messaging, and other communication channels. This handle acts as a multi-functional identifier that can route communications across different modes without requiring users to manage separate identifiers for each channel, thereby resolving the contradiction between versatility and management complexity
2Reliability
If contact information is updated frequently due to job changes or situation changes, then the user can maintain current contact details, but acquaintances may receive wrong numbers or outdated information
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automatic feedback mechanisms where updates to contact information associated with a handle are automatically propagated to all acquaintances and communication channels. When a user updates their contact details, the system detects the change and automatically notifies relevant parties, ensuring information accuracy without requiring manual intervention and eliminating the time loss associated with manual updates
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables self-service functionality where the system automatically manages contact information updates without requiring user intervention to notify acquaintances. The handle-based system automatically routes communications and propagates updates, allowing the contact information management system to serve itself by automatically handling updates across all communication channels
3Adaptability or versatility
If acquaintances store multiple contact identifiers for each person, then they can contact the user through different modes, but the burden of tracking and updating this information falls on the acquaintance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a handle-based intermediary system that acts as a mediator between acquaintances and the user's multiple contact identifiers. Instead of acquaintances directly managing multiple contact identifiers, they interact with the single handle, which automatically routes to the appropriate communication mode. This intermediary eliminates the burden of tracking multiple identifiers while preserving communication flexibility
Data Source
AI summary
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a computer-implemented method that includes obtaining, at a computer system, a plurality of contact identifiers for a computer account holder, wherein the identifiers represent a plurality of different communication modes; identifying a handle for the account holder, wherein the handle is associated with a uniform resource locator; and correlating the handle with the plurality of contact identifiers, and storing the handle and plurality of contact identifiers together so as to permit retrieval of the contact identifiers in response to identification of the handle.