Method and system for active profile server
View Patent ↗A system and method for active profile services is provided. An embodiment includes an active profile server that is configured to respond to requests for subscriber profile information from an application server. The profile server is further configured to access a known set of profile information for a subscriber and, according to predefined criteria, automatically modify the known set of subscriber profile information and provide the modified profile information to the application server.
1. An active profile server comprising:
a processing unit;
an interface connecting said processing unit to a profile database; said profile database storing profile information respective to at least one subscriber;
an interface connecting said processing unit to an application requesting access to said profile information; and,
a memory for storing at least one modification criterion in association with an identifier of said subscriber, said modification criterion including substitution data and a condition defining when to use said substitution data;
said processing unit configured to retrieve said profile information from said profile database and to automatically generate and present, without modifying said profile database, a modified version of said profile information to said application in place of said profile information, at least a portion of said modified version including said substitution data in place of information originally contained within said profile information.
2. The active profile server of claim 1 wherein said modified version includes a message that said request to access said profile information is refused.
3. The active profile server of claim 1 wherein said profile database is stored locally on said profile server.
4. The active profile server of claim 1 wherein said profile database is stored at a location remote from said profile server.
5. The active profile server of claim 1 wherein said profile database includes one or more of the following fields of information for each subscriber: subscriber name; ID of Active Device; Type of Active Device; Location; Default Language; Modification Criteria Exists?; Location of Modification Criteria Database; Subscribed Applications and Rates; Account Type; Account Location; Age; Gender; Address; Group Membership Information; and Service Provider.
6. The active profile server of claim 1 wherein said profile information includes presence information.
7. The active profile server of claim 1 wherein said application is configured to modify or append to said profile information.
8. The active profile server of claim 1 wherein said at least one subscriber modification criterion is included in said profile information.
9. The active profile server of claim 1 wherein said at least one subscriber modification criterion implements privacy legislation.
10. A method for providing active profile services comprising:
storing, in a memory of a profile server, at least one modification criterion in association with an identifier of a subscriber, said modification criterion including substitution data and a condition defining when to use said substitution data;
receiving, at an interface of said profile server, a request to access profile information of said subscriber, said profile information stored in a profile database;
retrieving said profile information;
automatically generating a modified version of said retrieved profile information at a processing unit of said profile server, without modifying said profile database, according to said at least one subscriber modification criterion by substituting at least a portion of said profile information with said substitution data; and
presenting said modified profile information in response to said request.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising responding to said request by presenting said profile information in unmodified form if so permitted by said modification criteria.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein said modified version includes a message that said request to access said profile information is refused.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein said profile information includes one or more of the following fields of information for each subscriber: subscriber name; ID of Active Device; Type of Active Device; Location; Default Language; Modification Criteria Exists?; Location of Modification Criteria Database; Subscribed Applications and Rates; Account Type; Account Location; Age; Gender; Address; Group Membership Information; and Service Provider.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein said profile information includes presence information.
15. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of appending additional information to said profile information.
16. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least one subscriber modification criterion is included in said profile information.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least one subscriber modification criterion implements privacy legislation.
18. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of programming instructions for execution on a server; said programming instructions implementing a method for providing active profile services comprising:
storing, in a memory of a profile server, at least one modification criterion in association with an identifier of a subscriber, said modification criterion including substitution data and a condition defining when to use said substitution data;
receiving, at an interface of said profile server, a request to access profile information of said subscriber, said profile information stored in a profile database;
retrieving said profile information;
automatically generating a modified version of said retrieved profile information at a processing unit of said profile server, without modifying said profile database, according to said at least one subscriber modification criterion by substituting at least a portion of said profile information with said substitution data; and,
presenting said modified profile information in response to said request.