METHOD FOR THE CREATION OF TRANSIENT PHONEBOOK CONTACTS
A method that includes searching a contact database for at least one contact entry; detecting a contact expiration flag associated with the at least one contact entry; comparing the contact expiration flag to a current date; and deleting the contact entry from the contact database if the expiration flag is older than the current date.
1 . A method comprising:
searching a contact database for at least one contact entry;
detecting an expiration flag associated with the at least one contact entry;
comparing the expiration flag to a current date; and
removing the contact entry from the contact database if the expiration flag is older than the current date.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising if an expiration flag is not associated with the at least one contact entry, assigning an expiration flag to the at least one contact entry.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein assigning an expiration field further comprises creating an expiration field and adding the expiration field to the contact entry in the contacts database.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the expiration date is a relative date or an absolute date.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising, if an expiration flag is not associated with the at least one contact entry:
determining if the at least one contact entry has been accessed within a pre-determined period of time; and
if not, deleting the at least one contact entity.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein deleting the at least one contact entity further comprises storing the deleted contact entity in an archive.
7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to deleting the contact entry, soliciting a user input confirming deletion of the contact entry.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the input further comprises a request to extend an expiration date of the expiration flag.
9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the searching occurring at pre-determined time intervals.
10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising, if the contact entry is not purged, detecting another contact validity criteria associated with the contact entry and determining whether to purge the contact entry based on the another contact validity criteria.
11 . An apparatus comprising:
a processor configured to assign an expiration flag to a contact entry in a contacts application;
a processor configured to execute a search of all contacts on the contacts application and determine which contacts have an expired expiration flag; and
a processor configured to automatically delete all expired contacts.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising the processor being configured to assign an expiration flag to a contact entry that does not have an expiration flag.
13 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the processor being configured to:
determine if the at least one contact entry has been accessed within a pre-determined period of time; and
if not, delete the at least one contact entity.
14 . A system comprising:
means for searching for an expiration flag associated with a contact entry in a contacts application;
means for determining which contacts have an expired expiration flag; and
means for automatically deleting all expired contacts.
15 . The system of claim 14 further comprising means for determining, if an expiration flag is not associated with a contact entry, if the contact entry has been accessed within a pre-determined period of time; and if not, deleting the contact entity.
16 . The system of claim 14 further comprising means for detecting a second contact validity criteria associated with the contact entry prior to deleting an expired contact entry and determining whether to purge the contact entry on the basis of the combination of the expiration flag and the second contact validity criteria.
17 . A computer program product stored in a memory comprising:
a computer useable medium having computer readable code means embodied therein for causing a computer to automatically delete contact data in a contacts application, the computer readable code means in the computer program product comprising:
computer readable program code means for causing a computer to search for an expiration flag associated with a contact entry in a contacts application;
computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine which contacts have an expired expiration flag;
computer readable program code means for causing a computer to automatically delete all expired contacts.
18 . The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine, if an expiration flag is not associated with a contact entry, if the contact entry has been accessed within a pre-determined period of time; and if not, deleting the at least one contact entity.
19 . The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to update an expired contact entry to extend the a lifespan of the contact entry upon determining that the contact entry is expired and a user input requests an extension.
20 . The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to detect a second contact validity criteria associated with the contact entry prior to deleting an expired contact entry and determining whether to purge the contact entry on the basis of the combination of the expiration flag and the second contact validity criteria.