Method and System for Controlled Distribution of Profile Information with Communication Support

Abstract

An information management and distribution system is disclosed. The information management and distribution system includes a client-side application and a server application that interact to facilitate the controlled exchange of contact information over a network. The client-side application can provide creation and design, rolodex, exchange, and update features. The information management and distribution system can also include a corporate administrator application. Still another aspect of the invention is that contact information can be distributed to registered users in a common format.

1 . A computer-implemented method for providing access to certain profile information over a network, the profile information being stored in a database and pertaining to a plurality of registered users, said method comprising the acts of:
 (a) registering a plurality of users;   (b) for each registered user, maintaining in the database content information provided by the respective user, the content information including profile information about the user and identification of communication mechanisms for communicating with the user;   (c) identifying a particular one of the plurality of registered users for which a requesting user desires to access the content information, the requesting user also being one of the plurality of registered users;   (d) informing the identified registered user via the network that the requesting user has requested to access the content information;   (e) receiving instructions from the identified registered user via the network on whether to permit the requesting user with access to the content information;   (f) thereafter providing the requesting user with access to at least a portion of the content information from the database, via the network, in accordance with the instructions; and   (g) causing the display of a profile of the identified registered user to the requesting user, the displayed profile comprising at least a portion of the profile information and an indication of one or more of the communication mechanisms that are selectable by the requesting user and adapted to induce communication with the identified registered user in accordance with the selected communication mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (h) detecting a selection by the requesting user of an available communication mechanism of the one or more of the communication mechanisms that are selectable by the requesting user; and   (i) initiating communication between the requesting user and the identified registered user in accordance with the selected communication mechanism.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the displayed profile distinguishably displays an indication of those communication mechanisms that are authorized by the identified registered user and presently available for use in communicating with the identified registered user. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the communication mechanisms include one or more of email, on-line chat, video conference, telephone, Internet telephony or facsimile. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein detecting a selection by the requesting user of an indication representing email communication causes the display of a message generation screen to the requesting user for entry of the email message to be transmitted to the identified registered user. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein detecting a selection by the requesting user of an indication representing on-line chat communication causes the display of a screen to the requesting user for initiating a chat session with the identified registered user. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein detecting a selection by the requesting user of an indication representing telephone communication causes the dialing of a phone number associated with the identified registered user. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a selection by the requesting user of one of the communication mechanisms; and   triggering an application to initiate a communication between the requesting user and the identified registered user in accordance with the selected one of the communication mechanisms.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the content information maintained in the database and provided by the identified registered user further comprises a data object, the data object comprising a representation of additional content accessible through the displayed profile of the identified registered user, wherein the additional content comprises one or more data types selected by the identified registered user from a plurality of different available data types. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the displayed profile of the identified registered user further comprises the data object. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the data object comprises a link to the additional content accessible over the network. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the additional content represented by the data object comprises multimedia content and the data object provides predefined run time execution behaviors for interacting with the multimedia content. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising maintaining in the database data specifying customization to an appearance of the profile in accordance with commands received from the identified registered user, such that the displayed profile of the identified registered user is displayed in accordance with the customization specified by the identified registered user. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (h) registering a business entity;   (i) receiving contact information for the business entity; and   (j) establishing and electronically storing, in a data repository, at least one employee profile for each of one or more employees identified by the business entity, where each of the employee profiles for the one or more employees includes at least some of the business entity contact information;   wherein the registering the plurality of users comprises registering each of the one or more employees identified by the business entity.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the causing the display of the profile comprises causing the display of the profile of the identified registered user to the requesting user, the displayed profile comprising the indication of the one or more of the communication mechanisms as dictated by the profile information. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method for creating and exchanging information over a network, said method comprising the acts of:
 registering a plurality of users;   establishing and electronically storing, in a data repository, at least one profile for each of the plurality of users such that at least one distinct profile is exclusively associated with each registered user, where each profile comprises profile formation received, via the network, from the respective registered users;   permitting controlled exchange, via the network, of the profiles between the users through the network; and   subsequently updating through the network in an automated manner one or more of the profiles that have been previously exchanged with at least one recipient user, when the one or more of the profiles have been updated;   wherein each of a plurality of the profiles presents one or more visual indicators of communication mechanisms for use in communicating with the user associated with the profile that are selectable by the requesting user and adapted to induce communication with the identified registered user in accordance with the selected communication mechanism.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said permitting the controlled exchange comprises distributing a first profile associated with a first user to a second user such that the first profile upon being displayed to the second user displays an indication of those communication mechanisms that are authorized for use in communicating with the first user. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said method further comprises:
 initiating communicating between the first user and the second user using a communications mechanism authorized in the first profile associated with the first user.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said method further comprises:
 displaying the profile, including displaying an indication of those communication mechanisms that are authorized and presently available for use in communicating with the user associated with the profile.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said method further comprises:
 receiving a selection, by a first user, of a first profile exclusively associated with a second user, where the first profile was previously received by the first user, and the first profile comprises the at least one of the one or more communication mechanisms to contact the second user;   determining availability of the at least one of the specified communication mechanisms that are authorized to contact the second user; and   distinguishably displaying those of the at least one communication mechanisms that are authorized for contacting the user of the received profile that are determined to be available.   
     
     
         21 . In a network-based information exchange system, a computer-implemented method for exchanging electronic information in a controlled manner, said method comprising the acts of:
 receiving a designation, by a requester, of a requested party with which an information exchange is desired;   receiving a request, by the requester, for an information exchange with the requested party;   thereafter exchanging electronic information, in response to receiving the request, between the requester and the requested party over a network to the extent permitted by the requested party, where the electronic information identifies one or more communication mechanisms available to initiate communication with the requested party;   receiving a selection, by the requester, of one of the one or more available communication mechanisms; and   initiating communication in accordance with the selected one of the available communication mechanisms between the requester and requested party in response to receiving the selection of the available communication mechanisms.