Universal point of contact identifier system and method

Abstract

A subscriber to a universal point of contact service designates a preferred point of contact at which a communication initiator, such as a telephone caller, can contact the subscriber. Such an initiator desiring to contact the subscriber uses the subscriber's email address to establish a communication session with a device associated with the subscriber's preferred point of contact. The subscriber's email address is input to an initiating device, preferably a telephone or facsimile machine, using an entry device capable of entering an email address. A requestor unit, receiving the email address, locates a repository of the subscriber's point of contact information, and requests that information. The repository sends the point of contact information the subscriber has designated as preferred, and the requestor unit uses that information to control a telephone switch to establish a communication session between the initiating device and the subscriber's preferred point of contact device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of establishing a communication session between an initiating device of an initiating user and a preferred destination device of a recipient user, the method comprising:
 receiving from an initiating device an initiating user's input of a universal point of contact identifier associated with a recipient user;   selecting a preferred point of contact from among a plurality of points of contact associated with the universal point of contact identifier based at least in part on a preference of the recipient user that identifies one of a plurality of destination devices associated with the plurality of points of contact as a preferred destination device; and   attempting to establish a communication session between the initiating device and the preferred destination device associated with the preferred point of contact.