Contact builder

Abstract

A web-based contact builder, management system and a computer-implemented method to assist a user in efficiently managing and communicating with their designated contacts. The system enables a user to manage existing contacts; to identify via automated means new contacts and determine if they are registered users, or to invite them to join the system; to invite and respond to requests from new contacts in an efficient “one step” method; and to set the level of access that each contact will have to the user's personal identifying information.

1 . A system for managing a user's personal contact information, comprising:
 a) a server computer that provides a registered user interface having functionality for users to establish relationships with their contacts such that each user may have one or more contacts; said server comprising,
 a database that stores personal data records for each user indicating the connections established between the registered users of the system; 
 a contact builder module that provides cross reference functionality for said server to search a user's electronic communications and compare them to a user's stored contacts on said database; and 
 a contact management module that provides functionality for a user to manage their contact information on a contact-by-contact basis; and 
   b) a client computer with a user interface for each system user to communicate with said server.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said contact builder module provides functionality to said server to electronically communicate to a user contact when no data is found in said database identifying said contact as a registered system user. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said contact builder module provides functionality for the user to be notified of said user contact becoming a registered system user and electronically transmitting an invitation to said user contact to exchange their information stored on said database. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said contact builder module provides functionality for the user and the user contact to specify the type of information to exchange selected from the group consisting of none, home, work, or both home and work contact information. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said contact builder and management modules provide the functionality for registered users to communicate directly user-to-user without utilizing the server contact builder and contact manager modules. 
     
     
         6 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for identifying a contact that a user may desire to add to their contact database, the method comprising:
 a) accessing said user's electronic communications account(s), on an ongoing or temporary basis, that are hosted by an electronic communications service, server or client computer, to locate and extract or carbon copy a contact's unique electronic communications screen name(s) or number(s) to identify a contact not in user's contact database;   b) determining if said contact has a user file stored on the server database;   c) if contact does have said user file, notifying the user via electronic communication of contact's status as a potential addition to said user's contact database; and,   d) if contact does not have said user file, automatically generating an electronic communication to said contact to invite contact to register on the server, and notifying said user of contact's status as a potential addition to said user's contact database after contact has registered.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein said user's electronic communications account(s) are user's email account(s), and said contact's unique electronic communications screen name(s) or number(s) comprise a user's incoming and/or outgoing email addresses. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising said user transmitting to a registered contact with a single action, an invitation to exchange personal contact information, and specifying the type of information to exchange selected from the group consisting of:
 home, work, or both home and work contact information. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising said registered contact responding to said invitation with a single action specifying the type of their personal information to exchange with said user selected from the group consisting of: home, work, or both home and work contact information, or by declining said invitation. 
     
     
         10 . A method for establishing a communication connection between users of a networked based personal contact management system, comprising:
 under control of a first user client server,
 notifying a first user on a graphical user interface of a second user registered on the server system that said first user has previously exchanged electronic communications with; 
 in response to only a single action being performed,
 sending an electronic message from said first user to said second user; 
 
   under control of the system server,
 extracting a first user's contact information from said system server database, forwarding said message and contact information to said second user, 
   under control of a second user client server,
 viewing by second user on a graphical user interface of said message and information from said first user, 
   in response to only a single action being performed by said second user,
   sending a response to said message to the system server.   
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said first user and said second user may view each other's identity information comprising any of the following: name, photograph, job title, employer, and/or geographical location, before responding in said single action. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said message is an invitation from said first user to said second user to exchange contact information by linking said users' server system accounts. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said second user declines said invitation with said single action of selecting the delete function, and the system server deletes the second user's email address from the first user's client server database. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said second user accepts said invitation with said single action of selecting a function representing the type of contact information to disclose to said first user selected from the group consisting of: home, work, or both home and work. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said message further comprises the first user selecting the type of contact information to disclose to said second user with said single action of selecting a function and submitting said message to the server system in one action. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said type of contact information is selected from the group consisting of: home, work, or both home and work. 
     
     
         17 . A method for establishing a communication connection between users of a networked based personal contact management system, comprising:
 under control of the system server,
 identifying a first user electronic communication with a second user registered on the database of said server, 
 extracting a first user's contact information from said system server database, forwarding an electronic message and contact information to said second user, 
   under control of a second user client server,
 viewing by second user on a graphical user interface of said message and information from said first user, 
 in response to only a single action being performed by said second user, sending a response to said message to the system server. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said message is an automated invitation from said first user to said second user to exchange contact information by linking said users' server system accounts. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said second user declines said invitation with said single action of selecting the delete function, and the system server deletes the second user's email address from the first user's client server database. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said second user accepts said invitation with said single action of selecting a function representing the type of contact information to disclose to said first user selected from the group consisting of: home, work, or both home and work.