Method and system for collecting contact information from contact sources and tracking contact sources

US7562104B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Jonathan Cadiz · Redmond, US
• Sumit Chakravarty · Kirkland, US
• Eran Shtiegman · Redmond, US
• Venkateshaiah Setty · Bellevue, US
• Arthur Zwiegincew · Bothell, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 25, 2005
• Grant date: Jul 14, 2009
• Expiry date: Feb 8, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/10
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for aggregating contact information of contacts from multiple contact sources is provided. The aggregation system collects contact information for a user from various contact sources. The aggregation system stores the collected content information in a contact data store. The aggregation system may also store an indication of the contact source of the collected contact information. The aggregation system provides a user interface through which the user may search the contact information of the contact data store to find contact information of contacts that are collected from the different contact sources. The aggregation system allows a user to add a contact to a real-time contact list to enable real-time communications with that contact.