Telecommunication service employing an electronic information repository storing social network user information, developer information, and mobile network operator information

Abstract

A telecommunication system that carries out telecommunication functions between multiple parties as initiated by the user interaction with a social network application, while maintaining privacy of the device identifiers (phone numbers or static IP addresses assigned to devices) of the participating parties.

1 .- 85 . (canceled) 
     
     
         86 . A method for supporting real-time telecommunication, the method comprising:
 providing an information repository that stores a device identifier for a first social network user having a plan with an MNO (Mobile Network Operator), wherein the device identifier for the first social network user is stored in the information repository in response to a registration process that authenticates the first social network user and specifies the device identifier for the first social network user;   in response to receiving at least one message for initiating real-time telecommunication whereby the first social network user is an initiator of the real-time telecommunication, querying the information repository and retrieving from the information repository the device identifier for the first social network user; and   generating at least one message for communication to at least one gateway of the MNO, wherein the at least one message includes the device identifier for the first social network user retrieved from the information repository, wherein the device identifier for the first social network user is used by the least one gateway of the MNO in carrying out the real-time telecommunication.   
     
     
         87 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the at least one message communicated to the at least one gateway of the MNO includes additional information about the first social network user, wherein the additional information is also used by the least one gateway of the MNO in carrying out the real-time telecommunication.   
     
     
         88 . A method according to  claim 87 , wherein:
 the additional information includes location information for the first social network user, and the additional information is used by the MNO in billing the real-time communication.   
     
     
         89 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the at least one message for initiating real-time telecommunication is communicated from a user device of the first social network user and generated by execution of a social network application on the user device of the first social network user; and   the additional information includes information that identifies the social network application whose execution generated the at least one message.   
     
     
         90 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the information repository further stores user data corresponding to the first social network user that is queried in response to the least one message and used to selectively authorize the real-time telecommunication, wherein the user data is selected from the group consisting of calling rules data, application-specific data, whitelist data and blacklist data associated with the first social network user.   
     
     
         91 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the information stored in the information repository further comprises a social network username associated with the first social network user;   the at least one message for initiating real-time telecommunication includes the social network username for the first social network user; and   the querying uses the social network username for the first social network user included in the at least one message to query the information repository.   
     
     
         92 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the at least one message for initiating real-time telecommunication is communicated from a mobile communication device of the first social network user.   
     
     
         93 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the device identifier for the first social network user includes information that identifies a communication device for the first social network user; and/or   the device identifier for the first social network user comprises a number or address that identifies a communication device for the first social network user.   
     
     
         94 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the real-time telecommunication is selected from the group consisting of a voice call, a multiparty voice conference, a video conference, file sharing between users, and media streaming between users.   
     
     
         95 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the device identifier for the first social network user retrieved from the information repository is used by the at least one MNO gateway to ring or announce the real-time telecommunication on the device corresponding to the device identifier.   
     
     
         96 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the device identifier for the first social network user retrieved from the information repository is used by the at least one MNO gateway to provision a connection or communication session that carries traffic for the real-time telecommunication.   
     
     
         97 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the registration process is configured to verify possession of the device identified by the device identifier by communication to the device identified by the device identifier.   
     
     
         98 . A method according to  claim 97 , wherein:
 the registration process involves at least one of: i) an SMS message sent to the device identified by the device identifier; ii) communication from the device identified by the device identifier; iii) an SMS message sent from the device identified by the device identifier to an assigned short code; iv) communication of an authentication code to a user via an interactive voice response system and communication of the authentication code from the device identified by the device identifier; and v) an email message or social network message to the first social network user.   
     
     
         99 . A method according to  claim 86 , wherein:
 the information repository further stores a device identifier for a second social network user that is an intended recipient of the real-time telecommunication, wherein the device identifier for the second social network user is stored in the information repository in response to an additional registration process that authenticates the second social network user and specifies the device identifier for the second social network user.   in response to receiving the at least one message for initiating real-time telecommunication, the information repository is queried to retrieve from the information repository the device identifier for the second social network user; and   at least one message is generated for communication to at least one gateway of the MNO, wherein the at least one message includes the device identifier for the second social network user retrieved from the information repository, wherein the device identifier for the second social network user is used by the least one gateway of the MNO in carrying out the real-time telecommunication.   
     
     
         100 . A method according to  claim 99 , wherein:
 the device identifier for the second social network user includes information that identifies a communication device for the second social network user; and/or   the device identifier for the second social network user comprises a number or address that identifies a communication device for the second social network user.   
     
     
         101 . A method according to  claim 100 , wherein:
 the communication device of the second social network user comprises a mobile communication device.   
     
     
         102 . A method according to  claim 99 , wherein:
 the additional registration process is configured to verify possession of the device identified by the device identifier for the second social network user by communication to the device identified by the device identifier for the second social network user.   
     
     
         103 . A method according to  claim 102 , wherein:
 the additional registration process involves at least one of: i) an SMS message sent to the device identified by the device identifier for the second social network user; ii) communication from the device identified by the device identifier for the second social network user; iii) an SMS message sent from the device identified by the device identifier for the second social network user to an assigned short code; iv) communication of an authentication code to a user via an interactive voice response system and communication of the authentication code from the device identified by the device identifier for the second social network user; and v) an email message or social network message to the second social network user.