Exchange of information in a communication system
View Patent ↗A technique for supplying a data object to a user of a communication system includes: (a) creating a data object intended for rendering at a first communication device (e.g., a subscriber's communication device), the rendering to take place upon the occurrence of a triggering communication event, the data object providing information pertaining to a user of a second communication device (e.g., a “holder's communication device); (b) storing the data object in a data server; (c) transferring, in a first transferring step, the data object from the data server to the second communication device (e.g., the holder's communication device); (d) transferring, in a second transferring step, the data object from the second communication device to the first communication device (e.g., the subscriber's communication device); (e) determining whether the triggering communication event has occurred; and (f) rendering the data object at the first communication device (e.g., the subscriber's communication device) upon the occurrence of the communication event. In another embodiment, the data server may transfer the data object directly to the first communication device. A physical implementation of the above technique is also described.
1. A method of providing data objects to be rendered at communication devices, comprising:
storing a first set of data objects corresponding to a first communication device and a second communication device, each data object in the first set having an associated communications-related event trigger that will prompt rendering of the data object at the second communication device; and
transferring the first set of data objects to the second communication device for rendering upon detection by the second communication device of one or more of the associated communications-related event triggers.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said storing and transferring are performed at a data object server, and further comprising first receiving, at said data object server, the first set of data objects from a user of the first communication device.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising first providing one or more data object templates to a user of the first communication device, for use in creating the first set of data objects.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said storing and transferring are performed at the first communication device, and further comprising first receiving, at the first communication device, the first set of data objects from a data object server.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing a second set of data objects corresponding to the first communication device and a third communication device, each data object in the second set having an associated communications-related event trigger that will prompt rendering of the data object at the third communication device; and
transferring the second set of data objects to the third communication device for rendering upon detection of one or more of the associated communications- related event triggers.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
storing a third set of data objects corresponding to a fourth communication device and a fifth communication device, each data object in the third set having an associated communications-related event trigger that will prompt rendering of the data object at the fifth communication device; and
transferring the third set of data objects to the fifth communication device for rendering upon detection of one or more of the associated communications-related event triggers.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein transferring the first set of data objects to the second communication device is initiated immediately after creation of the first set of data objects by a user of the first communication device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein transferring the first set of data objects to the second communication device is initiated in response to a request by a user of the first communication device.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein transferring the first set of data objects to the second communication device is initiated upon the occurrence of an event pertaining to the second communication device.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the event pertaining to the second communication device comprises a telephone call placed to the first communication device by the second communication device.
11. A method for rendering data objects at a first communication device, comprising:
receiving a first set of data objects corresponding to the first communication device and a second communication device, each data object in the first set having an associated communications-related event trigger that will prompt rendering of the data object at the first communication device;
detecting one of the associated trigger events in connection with communication with the second communication device; and
rendering a data object in the first set of data object corresponding to the detected trigger event.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first set of data objects is received from a data object server.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising initiating a call with the second communication device, wherein the first set of data objects is received in response to said initiating.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving a call from the second communication device, wherein the first set of data objects is received in connection with said call.
15. A server comprising:
a database configured to store a first set of data objects corresponding to a first communication device and a second communication device, each data object in the first set having an associated communications-related event trigger that will prompt rendering of the data object at the second communication device; and
processing logic configured to transfer the first set of data objects to the second communication device for rendering upon detection by the second communication device of one or more of the associated communications-related event triggers.
16. The server of claim 15 , wherein the processing logic is further configured to receive the first set of data objects from a user of the first communication device and to store the first set of data objects in the database.
17. The server of claim 15 , wherein the processing logic is further configured to provide one or more data object templates to a user of the first communication device, for use in creating the first set of data objects.
18. The server of claim 15 , wherein:
the database is further configured to store a second set of data objects corresponding to the first communication device and a third communication device, each data object in the second set having an associated communications-related event trigger that will prompt rendering of the data object at the third communication device; and
the processing logic is further configured to transfer the second set of data objects to the third communication device for rendering upon detection of one or more of the associated communications-related event triggers.
19. The server of claim 18 , wherein:
the database is further configured to store a third set of data objects corresponding to a fourth communication device and a fifth communication device, each data object in the third set having an associated communications-related event trigger that will prompt rendering of the data object at the fifth communication device; and
the processing logic is further configured to transfer the third set of data objects to the fifth communication device for rendering upon detection of one or more of the associated communications-related event triggers.
20. A first communication device comprising:
a memory configured to store a first set of data objects corresponding to the first communication device and a second communication device, each data object in the first set having an associated communications-related event trigger that will prompt rendering of the data object at the second communication device; and
control logic configured to transfer the first set of data objects to the second communication device for rendering upon detection by the second communication device of one or more of the associated communications-related event triggers.
21. The first communication device of claim 20 , wherein the control logic is configured to receive the first set of data objects from a data object server and to store the first set of data objects in the memory.
22. The first communication device of claim 20 , wherein:
the memory is further configured to store a second set of data objects corresponding to the first communication device and a third communication device, each data object in the second set having an associated communications-related event trigger that will prompt rendering of the data object at the third communication device; and
the control logic is further configured to transfer the second set of data objects to the third communication device for rendering upon detection of one or more of the associated communications-related event triggers.
23. The first communication device of claim 20 , wherein the control logic is configured to transfer the first set of data objects to the second communication device upon the occurrence of an event pertaining to the second communication device.
24. The first communication device of claim 23 , wherein the event pertaining to the second communication device comprises a call placed to the first communication device by the second communication device or a call placed to the second communication device by the first communication device.