Communication Method and System

Abstract

A system is disclosed that may include a directory server on a network, the server having a network interface that includes a plurality of actuatable software buttons, each button identifying a listed party; a database of private information for listed parties; a button server on the network containing executable software agents constructed to create a communication interface for a communication connection; wherein the buttons are constructed to transfer to the user's computing device information describing the type of connection and private address information for the listed party identified by the actuated button, the button server then downloading, to the computing device of the user actuating the button, a software agent constructed to create a communication interface to the private address of the listed party identified by the actuated button.

1 . A method for establishing a communication connection between a calling computing device connected to a network and a second device, comprising the steps of:
 providing for the calling computing device a software button originating outside the calling computing device which is associated with the second device and is actuatable by a user of the calling computing device;   upon actuation of the software button by the user, downloading an executable agent to the calling computing device, said agent containing control information for a communication to be established by the calling computing device to the second device, the control information including one of: (i) an address, not derived from or accessible to the user of the calling computing device, for contacting the second device; and (ii) information for controlling the type of connection to be established between the calling computing device and second device, based on information provided from the user of the second device; and   the agent being constructed to effect establishment of communication between the calling computing device and second device based upon the control information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the software button includes a public identification of the second device and is provided on a server connected to the network, along with at least one additional actuatable software button which is associated with a third device, contains a public identification of the third device, the additional software button being constructed so that upon its actuation, an additional software agent is downloaded to the calling computing device, said additional software agent containing additional control information including an additional address, not derived from or accessible to the user of the calling computing device, for contacting the third device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the server is publicly accessible. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the user of the second device or the user of the third device being provided access to input and modify information on the server related to their respective devices, the information affecting the content of the control information. 
     
     
         5 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A button directory system for establishing communications, comprising:
 a directory server on a network, the server having a network interface for users connected to the network through a computing device, the network interface having a plurality of actuatable software buttons, each identifying a listed party,   a database of private information for listed parties, accessible to the server but not to users accessing the network interface, the private information including a communication address for each listed party;   a button server on the network containing a plurality of executable software agents constructed to create a communication interface for a communication connection; and   the actuatable buttons being constructed so that, when actuated by a user with a computing device, the actuatable buttons transfer to the user's computing device from the button server information describing the type of connection and private address information for the listed party identified by the actuated button, the button server then downloading, to the computing device of the user actuating the button, a software agent constructed to create a communication interface to the private address of the listed party identified by the actuated button;   whereby a communication connection is established with the listed party identified by the actuated button, while protecting from access private information related to the listed party.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the directory server is publicly accessible. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein two buttons correspond to two different types of connections to the same listed party. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a management unit providing callable parties access to input and modify their private information in the database. 
     
     
         13 . A method for providing a button directory system for establishing communications, comprising:
 making available on a network an interface containing a plurality of actuatable software buttons, each identifying a listed party, the interface being accessible through the network by users with a computing device;   maintaining a database of private information for listed parties, the database being inaccessible to users, the private information including a communication address for each listed party;   upon actuation of a button by a user, transferring to the user's computing device an actuatable agent constructed to create a communication interface in the user's computing device for a connection to the communication address contained in the private information for the listed party identified by the actuated button.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the interface is publicly accessible. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing a listed party access to the database, thereby enabling the listed party to input and edit the listed party's private information. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein two buttons in the interface correspond to two different types of connections to the same listed party. 
     
     
         17 . A system for establishing a communication connection between a calling computing device connected to a network and a second device, comprising:
 a generator of an executable agent constructed to establish a communication connection between the calling computing device and the second device and containing control information including one of: (i) an address, not derived from or accessible to the user of the calling computing device, for contacting the second device; and (ii) information for controlling the type of connection to be established between the calling computing device and second device, based on information provided from the user of the second device; and   a software button which is associated with the second device and is the calling computing device, the software button being available to the calling computing device, being actuatable by a user thereof, and being constructed so that causes an executable agent from the generator to be downloaded to the calling computing device.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the software button includes a public identification of the second device and further comprising a server connected to the network on which the software button is available, along with at least one additional actuatable software button which is associated with a third device, contains a public identification of the third device, the additional software button being constructed so that upon its actuation, an additional software agent is downloaded from the generator to the calling computing device, said additional software agent containing additional control information including an additional address, accessible to the user of the calling computing device, for contacting the third device. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the server is publicly accessible. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising means providing access to the user of the second device or the user of the third device to input and modify information on the server related to their respective devices, the information affecting the content of the control information. 
     
     
         21 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method for providing dynamic communication between a calling computing device and a called party accessible via a plurality of different types of connections, comprising:
 maintaining a database of the different types of connections available to the called party, in which the called party has specified operating states in which each type of connection is to be used;   providing to the calling computing device an executable software button identifying the called party;   upon actuation of the software button:   determining the operating state of the software button;   determining from the database the type of connection to be established to the called party;   creating an executable software agent constructed to create the determined type of connection; and   downloading the software agent to the calling computing device.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the step of determining the operating state requires information from the calling computing device, said step of determining the operating state being preceded by:
 requesting the calling computing device to provide information; and 
 receiving a response to the request, information contained in the response being used in the step of determining the operating state. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the database contains information regarding different types of connections available to an additional called party, in which the additional called party has specified operating states in which each type of connection is to be used, the method being used to create a dynamic communications with the additional called party, by:
 providing to the calling computing device an executable software button identifying the additional called party; 
 upon actuation of this software button: 
 determining the operating state; 
 determining from the database the type of connection to be established to the additional called party; 
 creating an executable software agent constructed to create the determined type of connection to the additional called party; and 
 downloading the software agent to the calling computing device. 
 
     
     
         28 . A system for providing dynamic communication between a calling computing device and a called party accessible via a plurality of types of connections, comprising:
 a database of the different types of connections available to the called party, in which the called party has specified operating states in which each type of connection is to be used;   a button generator providing to the calling computing device an executable software button identifying the called party, the button being constructed to produce an alert signal on the network upon being actuated;   control means responsive to the alert signal, including:   means for determining the operating state of the software button;   means responsive to the determined operating state, for determining from the database the type of connection to be established to the called party;   means for creating an executable software agent constructed to create the determined type of connection; and   means for downloading the software agent to the calling computing device.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the means for determining the operating state requires information from the calling computing device, the system further comprising:
 query means sending a query to the calling computing device requesting information, the query means producing a completion signal upon receiving a response to the query; 
 the means for determining the operating state awaiting the completion signal and making use of information in the response to the query before determining the operating. 
 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the database contains information regarding different types of connections available to an additional called party, in which the additional called party has specified operating states in which each type of connection is to be used, the system being effective to create a dynamic communications with the additional called party, wherein:
 the button generator is constructed to provide to the calling computing device an executable software button identifying the additional called party, the button being constructed to produce an alert signal on the network upon being actuated; and 
 the means for determining the type of connection is constructed to also determine the type of connection to be established to the additional called party. 
 
     
     
         31 . A system comprising an actuatable button, said button being configured to generate contact an associated sender, said contact being conducted without disclosing said sender's contact information for a first set of users of said actuatable button, while disclosing said sender's contact information to other button users who do not form part of said first set of users. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31  arranged to permit password access by said associated sender to configure said button. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled)