Systems and methods for updating native contact information

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically updating contact information in a native contacts application of a device are provided. A contact synchronization engine executing on one or more processors can store a first plurality of contacts received from a first agent running on a first device, store a second plurality of contacts received from a second agent on a second device, receive a change to one or more contact fields of a contact of a user of the second device, determine that the contact of the user of the second device is in the first export, and transmit, responsive to the determination, the change to the first agent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for automatically updating a contact stored in a native contact application of a device, the method comprising:
 storing, in a database of the server, a first export of a first plurality of contacts received from a first agent executed on a first device;   storing, in the database, a second export of a second plurality of contacts received from a second agent executed on a second device;   receiving, by the server from the second agent, a change to one or more contact fields of a contact of a user of the second device;   determining, by the server, that the contact of the user of the second device is in the first export; and   transmitting, by the server, responsive to the determination, the change to the first agent.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the server, that the contact of the user of the second device is in each of a plurality of exports received from a plurality of agents; and   transmitting, by the server, the change to each agent.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving, by the server from a third agent executed on a third device, a change to the one or more contact fields of the contact of the user of the second device; and   transmitting, by the server, the change to the first agent.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving, by the server from a third agent executed on a third device, a change to a first contact field of the one or more contact fields of the contact of the user of the second device;   receiving, by the server from a fourth agent executed on a fourth device, a change to a second contact field of the one or more contact fields of the contact of the user of the second device;   determining, by the server, that the contact of the user of the second device is in the first export; and   transmitting, by the server to the first agent, responsive to the determination, the change in the first contact field and the change in the second contact field.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving, by the server from the first agent, an instruction to a third agent that subsequent communications directed to a first communication address are to be directed to a second communication address different from the first communication address; and   transmitting, from the server to the third agent, the instruction.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 identifying, by the server, a third agent on a third device;   receiving, by the server, a third export of a third plurality of contacts received from the third agent;   identifying, by the server, a fourth agent on a fourth device, the third device and the fourth device belonging to the same user;   determining, by the server, that the contact of the user of the second device is in the third export; and   transmitting, by the server, responsive to the determination, the change to the third agent and the fourth agent.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving, at the server, an invitation from the first agent to connect with a second contact of the plurality of contacts;   transmitting, from the server, the invitation to a third agent on a third device, the third device associated with the second contact;   receiving, at the server, an acceptance of the invitation from the third agent;   transmitting, from the server to the first agent, a first pointer linking to the second contact in the database; and   transmitting, from the server to the third agent, a second pointer linking to a home contact in the database, the home contact associated with the first device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 receiving, at the server, an update to one or more fields of the second contact; and   transmitting, from the server to the first agent, the update.   
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a contact synchronization engine configured to execute on the one or more processors and to:
 store, in a database of a server, a first export of a first plurality of contacts received by the contact synchronization engine from a first agent executed on a first device; 
 store, in the database, a second export of a second plurality of contacts received by the contact synchronization engine from a second agent executed on a second device; 
 receive, from the second agent, a change to one or more contact fields of a contact of a user of the second device; 
 determine that the contact of the user of the second device is in the first export; and 
 transmit, responsive to the determination, the change to the first agent. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , the contact synchronization further configured to:
 determine that the contact is in each of a plurality of exports received from a plurality of agents; and   transmit the change to each agent.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , the contact synchronization further configured to:
 receive, from a third agent executed on a third device, a change to the one or more contact fields of the contact of the user of the second device; and   transmit the change to the first agent.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , the contact synchronization further configured to:
 receive, from a third agent executed on a third device, a change to a first contact field of the one or more contact fields of the contact of the user of the second device;   receive, from a fourth agent executed on a fourth device, a change to a second contact field of the one or more contact fields of the contact of the user of the second device;   determine that the contact of the user of the second device is in the first export; and   transmit, to the first agent, responsive to the determination, the change in the first contact field and the change in the second contact field.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , the contact synchronization further configured to:
 receive, from the first agent, an instruction to a third agent that subsequent communications directed to a first communication address are to be directed to a second communication address different from the first communication address; and   transmit, to the third agent, the instruction.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , the contact synchronization further configured to:
 identify a third agent on a third device;   receiving a third export of a third plurality of contacts received from the third agent;   identify a fourth agent on a fourth device, the third device and the fourth device belonging to the same user;   determine that the contact of the user of the second device is in the third export; and   transmit, responsive to the determination, the change to the third agent and the fourth agent.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , the contact synchronization further configured to:
 receive an invitation from the first agent to connect with a second contact of the plurality of contacts;   transmit the invitation to a third agent on a third device, the third device associated with the second contact;   receive an acceptance of the invitation from the third agent;   transmit, to the first agent, a first pointer linking to the second contact in the database; and   transmit, to the third agent, a second pointer linking to a home contact in the database, the home contact associated with the first device.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , the contact synchronization further configured to:
 receive an update to one or more fields of the second contact; and   transmit the update to the first agent.   
     
     
         17 . A method for automatically managing updates to a contact stored in a native contact application of a device, the method comprising:
 identifying, by a first agent executed on a first device, a plurality of contacts of a user of the first device stored in a native contact application of the first device, each of the plurality of contacts comprising contact information for a different third person;   transmitting, by the first agent via a network to a server, an export of the plurality of contacts;   receiving, by the first agent from the server, a change in one or more contact fields of a contact of the plurality of contacts received by the server from a second agent executed on a second device of a user of the second device; and   storing, by the first agent, responsive to a confirmation of the user of the first device, the change in the one or more contact fields to the native contact application.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the agent to the server, in response to a communication from a user of a third device directed to a first communication address of the contact of the user of the first device, an instruction to direct subsequent communications from the user of the third device to a second communication address different from the first communication address.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the first agent to the server, an invitation to connect via the server with a contact of a user of a third device, the contact of the user of the third device present in the plurality of contacts;   receiving, by the agent via the server, an acceptance of the invitation from a third agent on the third device; and   receiving, by the first agent, a pointer from the server, the pointer linking to the contact of the user of the third device stored in a database of the server.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the first agent, an update to one or more fields of the contact of the user of the third device; and   updating, by the first agent, the one or more fields of the contact of the user of the third device in an instance of the contact of the user of the third device stored in the native contact application of the first device.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the first agent, a second change in a contact field of a contact of the user of the first device; and   transmitting, by the first agent, the second change to the server to distribute to a plurality of agents executed on a plurality of devices having the contact of the user of the first device stored in a respective native contact application.   
     
     
         22 . A device comprising:
 one or more processors; and   an agent configured to execute on the one or more processors and to:
 identify a plurality of contacts of a user of the device stored in a native contact application of the device, each of the plurality of contacts comprising contact information for a different third person; 
 transmit, to a server, an export of the plurality of contacts; 
 receive, from the server, a change in one or more contact fields of a contact of the plurality of contacts received by the server from a second agent executed on a second device; and 
 store, responsive to a confirmation of the user of the device, the change in the one or more contact fields to the native contact application. 
   
     
     
         23 . The communication device of  claim 22 , the agent further configured to:
 transmit, by the agent to the server, in response to a communication from a user of a third device directed to a first communication address of the contact of the user of the device, an instruction to direct subsequent communications from the user of the third device to a second communication address different from the first communication address.   
     
     
         24 . The communication device of  claim 22 , the agent further configured to:
 transmit, by the agent to the server, an invitation to connect via the server with a contact of a user of a third device, the contact of the user of the third device present in the plurality of contacts;   receive, by the agent via the server, an acceptance of the invitation from a third agent on the third device; and   receive, by the agent, a pointer from the server, the pointer linking to the contact of the user of the third device stored in a database of the server.   
     
     
         25 . The communication device of  claim 24 , the agent further configured to:
 receive, by the agent, an update to one or more fields of the contact of the user of the third device; and   update, by the agent, the one or more fields of the contact of the user of the third device in an instance of the contact of the user of the third device stored in the native contact application of the device.   
     
     
         26 . The communication device of  claim 22 , the agent further configured to:
 identify, by the first agent, a second change in a contact field of a contact of the first user of the first device; and   transmit, by the first agent, the second change to the server to distribute to a plurality of agents executed on a plurality of devices having the contact of the user of the device stored in a respective native contact application.