Association of Multiple Public User Identifiers to Disparate Applications in an End-User's Device

Abstract

Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to managing multiple public user identifiers (PUIDs) in a database by setting customizable access rules and requiring authorization from applications for access. These PUIDs can be virtually any electronic identifier such as a telephone number, email address, FACEBOOK name, etc. The PUID database is on the memory of a mobile communication device. Applications on the mobile communication device or on the network request access to the PUID database. Access logic on the mobile communication device checks another database of PUID Access Policies and Preferences (PAPP) for authorization. The PAPP database may allow the application immediate access, deny access, or query the user for allowance. The PUID database and PAPP database are on a server on a network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that store instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile communication device, cause the mobile communication device to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, from an application, a request for access to a user identifier of a plurality of user identifiers;   in response to receiving the request, referencing an access database to determine whether the application has a permission to access the user identifier based upon a rule;   granting the application access to the user identifier when the application has the permission to access the user identifier based upon the rule; and   presenting, on a display, an access request that identifies the application and that comprises a first selectable option to select the user identifier, a second selectable option to grant access to the user identifier if selected via the first selectable option, and a third selectable option to deny access to the user identifier if selected via the first selectable option when the application does not have the permission to access the user identifier based upon the rule.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving an input from a user, the input comprising a first selection of the first selectable option to select the user identifier and a second selection of the second selectable option to grant access to the user identifier; and   in response to the input, granting the application access to the user identifier.   
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving an input from a user, the input comprising a first selection of the first selectable option to select the user identifier and a third selection of the third selectable option to deny access to the user identifier; and   in response to the input, denying the application access to the user identifier.   
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the application created the user identifier; and   granting the application the ability to edit the user identifier.   
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the access request comprises a fourth selectable option to select a further user identifier. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving an instruction to always allow access to the user identifier. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein receiving, from the application, the request for access to the user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers comprises receiving, from the application, the request for access to the user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers stored in a user identifier database stored on the mobile communication device. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein receiving, from the application, the request for access to the user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers comprises receiving, from the application, the request for access to the user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers stored in a user identifier database stored on a server computer. 
     
     
         9 . A mobile communication device comprising:
 a display;   a processor; and   a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
 receiving, from an application, a request for access to a user identifier of a plurality of user identifiers, 
 in response to receiving the request, referencing an access database to determine whether the application has a permission to access the user identifier based upon a rule, 
 granting the application access to the user identifier when the application has the permission to access the user identifier based upon the rule, and 
 presenting, on the display, an access request that identifies the application and that comprises a first selectable option to select the user identifier, a second selectable option to grant access to the user identifier if selected via the first selectable option, and a third selectable option to deny access to the user identifier if selected via the first selectable option when the application does not have the permission to access the user identifier based upon the rule. 
   
     
     
         10 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving an input from a user, the input comprising a first selection of the first selectable option to select the user identifier and a second selection of the second selectable option to grant access to the user identifier; and   in response to the input, granting the application access to the user identifier.   
     
     
         11 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving an input from a user, the input comprising a first selection of the first selectable option to select the user identifier and a third selection of the third selectable option to deny access to the user identifier; and   in response to the input, denying the application access to the user identifier.   
     
     
         12 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the application created the user identifier; and   granting the application the ability to edit the user identifier.   
     
     
         13 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the access request comprises a fourth selectable option to select a further user identifier. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving an instruction to always allow access to the user identifier. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9 , wherein receiving, from the application, the request for access to the user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers comprises receiving, from the application, the request for access to the user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers stored in a user identifier database stored on the mobile communication device. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9 , wherein receiving, from the application, the request for access to the user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers comprises receiving, from the application, the request for access to the user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers stored in a user identifier database stored on a server computer. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that store instructions that, when executed by a processor of a server computer, cause the server computer to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, from an application, a request for access to a user identifier of a plurality of user identifiers associated with a user;   in response to receiving the request, referencing an access database for a permission regarding whether the application is allowed to access the user identifier based upon a rule;   granting the application access to the user identifier when the application has the permission to access the user identifier based upon the rule; and   when the application does not have the permission to access the user identifier based upon the rule,
 causing a query to be sent to a mobile communication device associated with the user so that the query can be presented on a display of the mobile communication device, the query comprising an access request by which the user can grant or deny the application access to the user identifier, 
 in response to the query, receiving an input from the user, the input identifying whether the user grants or denies the application access to the user identifier, 
 if the input identifies that the user grants the application access to the user identifier, granting the application access to the user identifier, and 
 if the input identfies that the user denies the application access to the user identifier, denying the application access to the user identifier. 
   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the application created the user identifier; and   further in response to receiving the permission, granting the application the ability to edit the user identifier.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the rule comprises a preference to always grant the permission. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein receiving, from the application, the request for access to the user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers associated with the user comprises receiving, from an application server that hosts the application, the request for access to the user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers.