Trust -Interactive Communication Applications
A communication software module executing on a computerized appliance from a machine-readable medium includes functionality enabling a user to direct a communication event to a particular destination by an address of the destination, functionality for transmitting the destination address to a remote trust authority, functionality for initiating the communication event, and functionality for receiving trust information from the remote trust authority, the trust information associated with an enterprise or a person associated with the destination address. Various communication modules are provided, such as email clients, instant messaging systems, chat systems, and voice communication systems.
1 . A communication software module executing on a computerized appliance from a machine-readable medium, comprising:
functionality enabling a user to direct a communication event to a particular destination by an address of the destination;
functionality for transmitting the destination address to a remote trust authority;
functionality for initiating the communication event; and
functionality for receiving trust information from the remote trust authority, the trust information associated with an enterprise or a person associated with the destination address.
2 . The software module of claim 1 wherein the module is an email client, and the destination address is entered into a “to” field in a window for preparing an email to send.
3 . The software module of claim 1 wherein the module is a texting module providing an interactive interface for a user to indicate an addressee and text to send to the addressee.
4 . The software module of claim 1 wherein the module is a peer-to-peer telephony module providing an interactive interface for a user to enter a destination address and to initiate a data network telephony event.
5 . The software module of claim 1 wherein the module tracks user input into a telephone apparatus separate from but coupled to the computerized appliance, the user input asserting a telephone number.
6 . The software module of claim 1 wherein the module, receiving a response from the trust authority, causes to an indicator to be posted in the appliance display, the indicator indicating a level of trust for the enterprise or agent associated with the destination address.
7 . The software module of claim 1 wherein, upon the user initiating the communication event, the computerized appliance is monitors content of the communication event, and provides at least a portion of the content to the trust authority, which returns trust information associated at the trust authority with the content.
8 . The software module of claim 1 wherein the module is an Internet browser module, the destination address is a Universal Resource Locator (URL).
9 . A method for indicating trust in communication, comprising steps of:
(a) executing a communication software module from a machine-readable medium on a computerized alliance, the module enabling a user to direct a communication event to a particular destination by an address of the destination, and to initiate the communication event;
(b) transmitting the destination address to a remote trust authority; and
(c) receiving from the remote trust authority trust information about an enterprise or a person associated with the destination address.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the module is an email client, and the destination address is entered into a “to” field in a window for preparing an email to send.
11 . The method of claim 9 wherein the module is a texting module providing an interactive interface for a user to indicate an addressee and text to send to the addressee.
12 . The method of claim 9 wherein the module is a peer-to-peer telephony module providing an interactive interface for a user to enter a destination address and to initiate a data network telephony event.
13 . The method of claim 9 wherein the module tracks user input into a telephone apparatus separate from but coupled to the computerized appliance, the user input asserting a telephone number.
14 . The method of claim 9 wherein the module, receiving a response from the trust authority, causes to an indicator to be posted in the appliance display, the indicator indicating a level of trust for the enterprise or agent associated with the destination address.
15 . The method of claim 9 wherein, upon the user initiating the communication event, the computerized appliance is monitors content of the communication event, and provides at least a portion of the content to the trust authority, which returns trust information associated at the trust authority with the content.
16 . The method of claim 9 wherein the module is an Internet browser module, the destination address is a Universal Resource Locator (URL).