Method for Populating a Caller's Information to a Host-Based Address Book

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided to populate a caller's information to a host-based address book automatically or by a single click on a virtual button included in a popup window or by a series of simple commands.

1 . A method for populating a personal online contacts directory associated with a user's online services account, where an online services provider provides multiple Internet accessible, user configurable, personal online contacts directories each associated with a user's online services account, and where service has been established for at least some users' telephone lines such that the online services provider is notified of incoming calls to each said line, the method comprising operations of: 
 responsive to the online services provider receiving an indication of an incoming call placed to a user, where the indication occurs while the user is logged-in to the online services provider, performing operations comprising: 
 the online services provider transmitting a substantially real-time interactive indication of the incoming call to the user via online connection by which the user is logged into to the online services provider;  
 the online services provider utilizing caller-ID data received in conjunction with the incoming call to extract information identifying a party who placed the incoming call;  
 responsive to user direction submitted via the interactive indication of the incoming call, the online services provider updating the user's personal online contacts directory to include at least part of the extracted information.  
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where service has been established for users' telephone lines such that the online services provider is notified of incoming calls to each said line under prescribed conditions.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , the prescribed conditions comprising incoming calls to lines occurring while the lines are busy.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , the prescribed conditions comprising incoming calls going unanswered by the users.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , where the operation of the online services provider receiving an indication of an incoming call placed to a user comprises the online services provider receiving redirection of the incoming call.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , where the operation of online services provider receiving an indication of an incoming call placed to a user comprises the online services provider receiving redirection of the incoming call because the user's line is busy.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , where the operation of the online services provider transmitting an interactive indication of the incoming call to the user comprises: 
 causing the user's computer to display the indication.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , where the operation of the online services provider updating the user's personal online contacts directory to include at least part of the extracted information occurs responsive to the user selecting a prescribed graphical feature of the displayed indication.  
     
     
         9 . A method for populating a personal online contacts directory associated with a user's online services account, where an online services provider provides multiple Internet accessible, user configurable, personal online contacts directories each associated with a user's online services account, and where service has been established for at least some users' telephone lines such that the online services provider is notified of incoming calls to each said line, the method comprising operations of: 
 responsive to the online services provider receiving an indication of an incoming call placed to a user, the online services provider utilizing caller-ID data received in conjunction with the incoming call to extract information identifying a party who placed the incoming call;    responsive to the online services provider receiving an indication that the party who placed the incoming call left a voicemail message, the online services provider performing operations comprising: 
 while the user is logged-in to the online services provider, transmitting an interactive indication of the voicemail message to the user via online connection by which the user is logged-in to the online services provider;  
 responsive to user direction via the interactive indication of the voicemail message, the online services provider updating the user's personal online contacts directory to include at least part of the extracted information.  
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , where service has been established for users' telephone lines such that the online services provider is notified of incoming calls to each said line under prescribed conditions.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , the prescribed conditions comprising incoming calls to lines occurring while the lines are busy.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , the prescribed conditions comprising incoming calls going unanswered by the users.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , where the online services provider receiving an indication of an incoming call placed to a user comprises the online services provider receiving redirection of the incoming call.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , where the online services provider receiving an indication of an incoming call placed to a user comprises the online services provider receiving redirection of the incoming call because the user's line is busy.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , where the online services provider receiving an indication of an incoming call placed to a user comprises the online services provider receiving redirection of the incoming call because the incoming call goes unanswered by the user.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , where the operation of the online services provider transmitting an interactive indication of the voicemail message to the user comprises: 
 causing the user's computer to display the indication.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , where the operation of the online services provider updating the user's personal online contacts directory to include at least part of the extracted information occurs responsive to the user selecting a prescribed graphical feature of the displayed indication.