IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,734,708
Granted Patent B1
US 7,734,708 · App. 10/744,349 · Granted Jun 8, 2010

Enabling identification of online identities between different messaging services

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,734,708
App. No.
10/744,349
Granted
Jun 8, 2010
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method and system for populating identities in a message service involves registering a user of a first messaging service with a second messaging service. User identities for users other than the registered user may be identified. These user identities may be associated with the first messaging service and may be stored in a list associated with the registered user. It is determined if each identified user identity has a matching user identity associated with the second messaging service. If so, a database associated with the second messaging service is populated with the matching user identities. Determining whether a matching user identity exists may be performed, for example, by making character strings comparisons between user identities or using a database that stores a mapping of first messaging service user identities to second messaging service user identities. The mapping database may be generated as corresponding user identities are discovered.

Claims (42)

1. A method for populating identities in a message service, the method comprising:

registering a user of a first instant messaging service with a second instant messaging service different from the first instant messaging service;

identifying user identities for users other than the registered user, wherein the user identities are associated with the first instant messaging service and the user identities are stored in a list associated with the registered user;

determining when at least one of the user identities from the list of user identities has a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service comprising: identifying a unique portion of each user identity associated with the first instant messaging service has at least a required amount of common features with a unique portion of a user identity associated with the second instant messaging service;

determining a degree of uniqueness of the user identity associated with the second instant messaging service; adjusting the required amount of common features between the unique portion of each user identity associated with the first instant messaging service and a unique portion of a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service based on the determined the degree of uniqueness of the user identity associated with the second instant messaging service;

populating, by a hardware processor, a database associated with the second instant messaging service with the matching user identities; and

storing the database associated with the second instant messaging service, the database accessible by the second instant messaging service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user identities associated with the first instant messaging service are included in a contact list associated with an instant messaging service of the first instant messaging service.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user identities associated with the first instant messaging service comprise screen names.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the database associated with the second instant messaging service comprises a contact list for the registered user that is associated with the second instant messaging service.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising populating a contact list, associated with the second instant messaging service, for at least one of the other users with a user identifier for the registered user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining when each identified user identity has a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service comprises identifying unique portion of each identified user identity is identical to a unique portion of a user identity associated with the second instant messaging service.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining approval to populate a database associated with the second instant messaging service with each matching user identity, wherein the approval is obtained from at least one of the registered user and the other user associated with the matching user identity.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining approval to populate the database with each matching user identity, wherein the approval is obtained from at least one of the registered user and the other user associated with the matching user identity.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein obtaining approval to populate the database with each matching user identity comprises requesting confirmation from the other user associated with the matching user identity that the respective identified user identity is associated with the other user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining when at least one of the identified user identities has a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service comprises determining when each identified user identity has a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein determining when at least one of the identified user identities has a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service comprises determining when profile data associated with the at least one of the identified user identities matches profile data associated with a potential matching user identity.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the matching user identities and the identified user identities comprise electronic mail addresses.

13. An article comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions for causing one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising:

registering a user of a first instant messaging service with a second instant messaging service different from the first instant messaging service;

identifying user identities for users other than the registered user, wherein the user identities are associated with the first instant messaging service and the user identities are stored in a list associated with the registered user;

determining when at least one of the user identities from the list of user identities has a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service comprising: identifying a unique portion of each user identity associated with the first instant messaging service has at least a required amount of common features with a unique portion of a user identity associated with the second instant messaging service;

determining a degree of uniqueness of the user identity associated with the second instant messaging service; adjusting the required amount of common features between the unique portion of each user identity associated with the first instant messaging service and a unique portion of a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service based on the determined the degree of uniqueness of the user identity associated with the second instant messaging service;

populating, by the one or more hardware processors, a database associated with the second instant messaging service with the matching user identities; and

storing the database associated with the second instant messaging service, the database accessible by the second instant messaging service.

14. The article of claim 13 wherein the user identities associated with the first instant messaging service are included in a contact list associated with the first instant messaging service.

15. The article of claim 14 wherein the user identities associated with the first instant messaging service comprise screen names.

16. The article of claim 14 wherein the non-transitory machine-readable medium stores instructions for causing one or more processors to perform further operations comprising populating a contact list, associated with the second instant messaging service, for at least one of the other users with a user identifier for the registered user.

17. The article of claim 13 wherein determining when each identified user identity has a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service comprises identifying a unique portion of each identified user identity is identical to a unique portion of a user identity associated with the second instant messaging service.

18. The article of claim 13 wherein the non-transitory machine-readable medium stores instructions for causing one or more processors to perform further operations comprising: requesting approval to populate a database associated with the second instant messaging service with each matching user identity; and receiving the approval from at least one of the registered user and the other user associated with the matching user identity.

19. The article of claim 13 wherein the non-transitory machine-readable medium stores instructions for causing one or more processors to perform further operations comprising: requesting approval to populate the database with each matching user identity; and receiving the approval from at least one of the registered user and the other user associated with the matching user identity.

20. The article of claim 19 wherein requesting approval to populate the database with each matching user identity comprises requesting confirmation from each of the other users associated with the matching user identities that the respective identified user identity is associated with the other user.

21. The article of claim 13 wherein determining when at least one of the identified user identities has a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service comprises determining when each identified user identity has a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service.

22. A system for populating identities in an instant message service, the system comprising:

one or more hardware processors; and

a memory storing instructions, when executed by the one or more hardware processors to cause the one or more hardware processors to perform operations including:

registering a user of a first instant messaging service with a second instant messaging service different from the first instant messaging service;

identifying user identities for users other than the registered user, wherein the user identities are associated with the first instant messaging service and the user identities are stored in a list associated with the registered user;

determining when at least one of the user identities from the list of user identities has a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service comprising: identifying a unique portion of each user identity associated with the first instant messaging service has at least a required amount of common features with a unique portion of a user identity associated with the second instant messaging service;

determining a degree of uniqueness of the user identity associated with the second instant messaging service; adjusting the required amount of common features between the unique portion of each user identity associated with the first instant messaging service and a unique portion of a matching user identity associated with the second instant messaging service based on the determined the degree of uniqueness of the user identity associated with the second instant messaging service;

populating, by the one or more hardware processors, a database associated with the second instant messaging service with the matching user identities; and

storing the database associated with the second instant messaging service, the database accessible by the second instant messaging service.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058961/0436 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 16, 2010
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N A
To: AOL INC; AOL ADVERTISING INC; GOING INC; LIGHTNINGCAST LLC; MAPQUEST, INC; NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION; QUIGO TECHNOLOGIES LLC; SPHERE SOURCE, INC; TACODA LLC; TRUVEO, INC; YEDDA, INC
Reel/Frame 025323/0416 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2009
From: AOL LLC
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 023723/0645 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 14, 2009
From: AOL INC.; AOL ADVERTISING INC.; BEBO, INC.; ICQ LLC; GOING, INC.; LIGHTNINGCAST LLC; MAPQUEST, INC.; NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION; QUIGO TECHNOLOGIES LLC; SPHERE SOURCE, INC.; TACODA LLC; TRUVEO, INC.; YEDDA, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICAN, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 023649/0061 →