Method and apparatus for synchronizing e-mail addresses

1. A method for synchronizing a first e-mail address of a user in a computer-implemented authentication proxy and a second e-mail address of said user in a computer-implemented integrated authorized site of said authentication proxy, said method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

(a) checking status of said first e-mail address and said second e-mail address;

(b) determining if said first e-mail address is blank and said second e-mail address is set, and if so then copying said second e-mail address and a confirm status of said second e-mail address to said authentication proxy site;

(c) determining if said first e-mail address is set but said second e-mail address is blank, and if so then copying said first e-mail address to said integrated authorized site and confirming e-mail address change to said first e-mail address;

(d) determining if both said first e-mail address and said second e-mail address are blank, and if so then keeping said first e-mail address blank and a confirm status of said first e-mail address NULL;

(e) determining if both said first e-mail address and said second e-mail address are set, and if so then checking whether said first e-mail address is the same as said second e-mail address;

(e1) determining if said first e-mail address is the same as said second e-mail address, and if so then copying said confirm status of said second e-mail address to said authentication proxy; and

(e2) determining if said first e-mail address is not the same as said second e-mail address, and if so then prompting said user to choose among said first e-mail address and said second e-mail address, or specify a synchronized e-mail address through a graphical interface;

wherein said status of said new e-mail address can be any of: confirm;

unconfirm; and NULL.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step(e2) further comprising the sub-steps of:

(e21) determining if said user selects said second e-mail address, and if so then copying said second e-mail address to said authentication proxy;

(e22) determining if said user selects said first e-mail address, and if so then performing operations including:

copying said first e-mail address to said authorized site;

confirming e-mail address change from said second e-mail address to said first e-mail address; and

displaying an e-mail change message to said user; and

(e23) determining if said user specifies a third new e-mail address, and if so then performing operations including:

copying said third new e-mail address to said authorized site;

confirming e-mail address change from said second e-mail address to said third new e-mail address; and

displaying an e-mail change message to said user.

3. A method for registering a user of a computer-implemented authentication proxy to a computer-implemented partner site of said authentication proxy while keeping profile of said user synchronized, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

said user registering at said partner site;

said user changing profile fields other than e-mail address;

synchronizing said changed profile fields with said authentication proxy;

said user entering a new e-mail address while a confirm status of said e-mail address is change pending; and

transmitting to the user a message stating that said new e-mail address is to be sent to said partner site but not to said authentication proxy.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:

said user entering a blank e-mail address while said confirm status of said e-mail address is not change pending; and

dealing with blank e-mail input by said authentication proxy;

wherein said dealing blank e-mail step further comprising:

displaying an e-mail address required message to said user and asking said user to reenter if an e-mail address is required by said partner site.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the steps of:

said user entering a new e-mail address which is not blank when said confirm status of said e-mail address in said authentication proxy is not NULL; and

displaying an e-mail change message to said user.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the steps of:

said user entering a new e-mail address which is not blank when said confirm status of said e-mail address in said authentication proxy is NULL; and

copying said new e-mail address to said authentication proxy and keeping a confirm status of said new e-mail address NULL.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said dealing blank e-mail step further comprises the steps of:

checking if synchronization of e-mail address is required when e-mail address is not required by partner site; and

if synchronization is required, displaying a message to said user that no e-mail address is sent to said partner site and said e-mail address in said authentication proxy remains.

8. A method for changing profile of a user in a computer-implemented authentication proxy white keeping e-mail address of said user confirmed, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

responsive to said user editing said profile, checking whether a confirm status of said e-mail address is change pending;

validating of new profile data when said user submits said new profile data;

confirming profile change after new profile data are submitted;

responsive to said user attempting to change e-mail address when said confirm status of said e-mail address is change pending:

transmitting to the user a message stating that said e-mail address cannot be changed.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said validating step further comprises the steps of:

displaying an e-mail address required message to said user and asking said user to reenter if said user enters a blank e-mail address.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said validating step further comprises the step of:

displaying an invalid data message if any information other than e-mail address of said new profile data is invalid.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said validating step further comprises the step of:

displaying a submission error message if submission of said new profile data is not successful.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said confirming step further comprises the step of:

displaying a nothing changed message if no information of said new profile data is changed.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said confirming step further comprises the step of:

displaying a profile data saved message if any information other than e-mail address of said new profile data is changed.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said confirming step further comprises the steps of:

if said confirm status of said e-mail address is NULL and a new e-mail address is entered, saving said new e-mail address to authentication proxy; and

keeping said confirm status NULL.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said confirming step further comprises the step of:

displaying an e-mail change message to said user when no other information of said new profile data is changed.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said confirming step further comprises the step of:

displaying an e-mail change and profile saved message to said user when other information of said new profile data is changed.

17. A method for synchronizing profile data of a user from a computer-implemented partner site of a computer-implemented authentication proxy to said authentication proxy, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

said user submitting said profile data at said partner site to said authentication proxy;

said user changing profile fields other than e-mail address;

synchronizing said profile data with said authentication proxy;

said user entering a new e-mail address while the confirm status of said e-mail address is change pending; and

transmitting to the user a message stating that said new e-mail address is to be sent to partner site but not to said authentication proxy.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising the steps of:

said user entering a blank e-mail address while a confirm status of said e-mail address is not change pending; and

displaying a message to said user that no e-mail address is sent to partner site and said e-mail address in said authentication proxy remains.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising the steps of:

said user entering a new e-mail address which is not blank when said confirm status of said e-mail address in said authentication proxy is not NULL; and

displaying an e-mail change message to said user.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:

said user entering a new e-mail address which is not blank when said confirm status of said e-mail address in said authentication proxy is NULL; and

copying said new e-mail address to said authentication proxy and keeping a confirm status of said new e-mail address NULL.

21. A method for synchronizing individual field of profile data of a user from a computer-implemented partner site of a computer-implemented authentication proxy to said authentication proxy, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

said user submitting an individual field change of said profile data at said partner site to said authentication proxy;

said user changing a field in said profile data other than e-mail address;

synchronizing said first profile data with said authentication proxy;

said user entering a new e-mail address while the confirm status of e-mail address for said user at said authentication proxy is change pending;

transmitting to the user a message stating that new e-mail will be sent to partner site but email address at said authentication proxy unchanged; and

forcing said e-mail back to said e-mail address in said authentication proxy.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:

said user entering a blank e-mail address while a confirm status of said e-mail address is not change pending;

displaying a message to said user that no e-mail address is sent to partner site and said e-mail address in said authentication proxy remains; and

forcing said e-mail address back to said e-mail address in authentication proxy.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising the steps of:

said user entering a new e-mail address which is not blank when said confirm status of said e-mail address in said authentication proxy is not NULL; and

displaying an e-mail change message to said user.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising the steps of:

said user entering a new e-mail address which is not blank when said confirm status of said e-mail address in said authentication proxy is NULL; and

copying said new e-mail address to said authentication proxy and keeping a confirm status of said new e-mail address NULL.

25. A digital data processing machine programmed to perform operations for synchronizing and validating user contact information stored in two locations, the operations comprising:

authenticating a user when said user signs in to an authentication proxy;

synchronizing a first contact information of said user in a first location and a second contact information of said user in a second location;

validating a synchronized contact information of said user;

confirming contact information change of said user from an old contact information to a new contact information;

synchronizing a profile of said user to a partner site when said user registers to said partner site;

synchronizing said contact information of said user between said first location and said second location when said user changes his profile data;

synchronizing all profile data of said user to a partner site while keeping said contact information synchronized and validated;

synchronizing individual field of profile data of said user to a partner site while keeping said contact information synchronized and validated; and

confirming e-mail address change of said user.

26. The machine of claim 25 , where the machine is further programmed to perform the operations comprising:

providing a graphical interface for said user to choose among said first contact information and said second contact information, or specify said synchronized contact information.

27. The machine of claim 25 , where the machine is further programmed such that the validating operation further comprises operations of providing:

a contact information not confirmed message; and

a list of options comprising any of a confirm later option, a requesting new confirm message option, and a specifying new contact information option.