Claims:1. A method of automatically updating a digital phonebook of a first user, the method comprising:
dialing a contact number of a second user that is available to the first user for initiating a call to the second user over a communications network; and
automatically updating the digital phonebook by associating the available contact number with a unique identifier that is associated with the available contact number in a network database and connecting a call to the second user on the available contact number upon determining that the available contact number is not associated with a unique identifier in the digital phonebook.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising connecting a call to the second user on the available contact number upon determining that a unique identifier originally associated with the available contact number in the digital phonebook matches a unique identifier associated with the available contact number in the network database;
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising automatically updating the digital phonebook with a new contact number for the second user and connecting a call to the second user on the new contact number upon determining that the originally associated unique identifier in the digital phonebook does not match the unique identifier associated with the available contact number in the network database, wherein the new contact number is associated with the originally associated unique identifier in the network database.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is a unique identification code assigned to the second user, and wherein the first user and the second user are subscribers to a wireless communications service provided via the communications network.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the network database comprises contact information and one or more unique identifiers associated with a plurality of subscribers of the wireless communications service, wherein the contact information comprises one or more contact numbers associated with the plurality of subscribers.
6. An enhanced call switching center in a communications network, the switching center comprising:
a network database that stores contact information of a plurality of subscribers of a wireless communications service, wherein each of the plurality of subscribers is associated with a unique identifier;
a database management system operatively coupled to the network database and configured to:
receive a request from a first communications device of a first user to initiate a call to a second user over the communications network using a contact number that is available to the first user, wherein the first user and the second user correspond to the plurality of subscribers; and
determine if the received request comprises a unique identifier, wherein the unique identifier is originally associated with the available contact number in a digital phonebook stored in the first communications device;
retrieve a unique identifier associated with the available contact number in the network database upon determining that the received request does not include any unique identifier;
transmit one or more instructions to the first communications device to automatically update the digital phonebook by associating the available contact number in the digital phonebook with the retrieved unique identifier; and
connect the call to the second user on the available contact number.
7. The enhanced call switching center as claimed in claim 6, wherein the network database comprises a Home Location Register for the communications network.
8. The enhanced call switching center as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a base station controller that is configured to operate in the communications network and to transmit a call connecting message to the enhanced call switching center.
9. A method of automatically updating contact information in a digital repository stored on a first communications device of a first user, comprising:
initiating communications with a second communications device of a second user over a communications network using contact information that is available to the first user; and
automatically updating the digital repository by associating the available contact information with a unique identifier that is associated with the available contact information in a network database and communicating with the second user using the available contact information upon determining that the available contact information is not associated with a unique identifier in the digital repository.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the contact information comprises one or more of a phone number, an email address, a social media identifier, and a device identifier.
11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the unique identifier comprises one or more of a government-issued identifier and a communications network assigned identifier. , Description:BACKGROUND

[0001] Embodiments of the present specification relate generally to mobile communication technologies, and more particularly to technologies for automatically updating digital contact information over a communications network.
[0002] Cellular phones and mobile communication technologies have become an integral part of present day human lives. Cellular devices are now being used for a wide range of activities such as transmitting and receiving calls and textual messages, sending and receiving emails, exchanging pictures, contact information, location information, audio and video files, recorded content, and/or for streaming media.
[0003] While mobile communication technologies offer numerous advantages and render keeping in touch with family and friends easier, it requires users to manage a lot of contact information and any corresponding updates, which can be cumbersome. For instance, if a user changes his/her contact number, it becomes a huge task to send updated contact information individually to everyone. Similarly, if a user loses his/her mobile phone, it would be a daunting task to retrieve all lost contact details and provide updated contact information to others. However, there exist certain applications, which aim to help users to maintain and manage contact information on mobile phones or cellular devices through various means. One such application aids in quickly entering and saving a new user contact information into a digital phonebook of a first user receiving a call by triggering the automatic updating of contact information when a second user places a call to the first user. Some applications update the phone book on noticing repetitive calls received from an unsaved contact number. Such solutions, however, provide updated contact information to the called party, and not the calling party. In addition, most of these applications require the user to manually look-up and update a changed contact number in a user’s digital phonebook.
[0004] Certain other systems facilitate update of digital phonebooks when both calling and receiving parties are subscribers of services provided through a server. Such systems assign a unique user identifier to a user in order to facilitate automatic update of the digital phonebooks. For instance, US patent application 20070121911 A1 describes a system where a digital phonebook is updated based on location information of a user by aid of a satellite, base station location identifiers, cellular beacons, in-home location beacons, IP addressing, computer login records, or caller identification information. This information is stored as a unique identifier in a server, which updates the contact information of a called party in a digital phonebook of a user, for example, when a change in a location of the called party is detected. Another US patent 7349907 B2 describes an information management system, where each of a plurality of users is assigned a unique identifier, which is stored along with their contact information in a remote database. This system enables a user to access the remote database over a wireless communications network to obtain information related to a first user having an assigned unique user identifier.
[0005] Although the above-mentioned references provide systems for updating digital contact information based on unique identifiers, they do not describe any method for updating of contact information of a user initiating a call or other communication in cases where unique identifier is not available in the user’s phonebook. Therefore, there arises a need for such a system, which can facilitate automatic update of first user’s phonebook with changed contact information of another user whose unique identifier is not stored in the first user’s phonebook.

SUMMARY

[0006] According to an exemplary aspect of the present specification, a method for updating contact information in a digital phonebook that addresses the problems described above is presented. The method includes initiating a call by a first user to a second user over a communications network by dialing of a contact number of a second user by a first user. The method further includes connecting the call to the second user by associating a unique identifier to the available contact number in the network database and automatically updating the digital phonebook of the first user by retrieving the contact information of the second user associated with the unique identifier in the network database.
[0007] In one embodiment, the method includes automatically updating contact information in a digital repository stored on a communications device of a first user when the communications device of a first user initiates a call with a communications device of a second user over a communications network. The method further comprises of associating the available contact information of the second user with a unique identifier that is associated with the available contact information of the second user in the network database. The method further includes determining that the available contact information of the second user is not associated with a unique identifier in the digital repository and connecting the call to the communications device of a second user using the available contact information.
[0008] Additional features and advantages will be readily apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0009] The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following detailed description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a graphical representation of an exemplary communication system including an enhanced call switching center, and associated messaging, for automatically updating digital contact information of a user; and
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for automatically updating a digital phonebook of a user using the enhanced call switching center of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following description presents illustrative embodiments directed to a method for automatically updating contact information in a digital repository stored on a first communications device of a first user over a communications network. The method comprises of automatically retrieving updated contact information for a second communications device of a second user when a unique identifier associated with the second communications device of the second user is not available in the digital repository stored in the first communications device of the first user. The method further comprises of automatically retrieving the unique identifier associated with the second communications device of the second user when the contact information of the second communications device of the second user is not associated with the unique identifier in the first communications device of the first user.
[0013] The embodiments of the present method allow the first communications device of the first user to retrieve contact information of the second communications device of the second user wherein the contact information of the second communications device of second user is associated with the unique identifier in a network database. For instance, when the contact information of the second user changes, the second user may intend to notify all or some of his/her contacts, which is a tedious task. Moreover, if the contact information of the second user has changed due to loss of the second communications device, the second user may not have stored details of his/her contacts to share the updated contact information. Even in such a scenario, the method disclosed herein enables the digital repository stored in the first communications device to be automatically updated with the changed contact information of the second communications device. Thus, the second user need not share his/her updated contact information by sending a message or communicating the updated contact information explicitly. Further, instances where an anti-social element changes the contact information to avoid being caught by the authorities, the changed contact information can be retrieved by using the disclosed method. The embodiments are described herein with reference to automatic update of a contact number in a digital repository or phonebook stored on a communications device. However, certain other embodiments may be similarly implemented to allow update of other contact information such as email identifiers (IDs), social media IDs, and other such related information in a digital repository stored on any communications device.
[0014] Fig. 1 depicts a graphical representation of an exemplary communications network including an enhanced call switching center (100) that is configured to aid in automatic update of digital contact information of a user through use of customized messaging. In one embodiment, the enhanced call switching center (100) comprises of a Base Station Controller (104). The Base Station Controller (104) receives a service request (103) when a first user uses a first communications device (101) to dial the contact number of a second user having a second communications device (102). The Base Station Controller (104) then generates and transmits a call setup message (105) to a Database Management System (106). The Database Management System (106) is a processing system that is configured to process received messages and transmit instructions to communications devices. The Database Management System (106) is operatively coupled to a network database Home Location Register (108). The Home Location Register or network database (108) is a database where contact information of a plurality of subscribers of the wireless communication service is stored. In certain embodiments, the contact information stored in the network database (108) for plurality of subscribers comprises of phone numbers, email addresses, social media identifiers, and/or device identifiers.
[0015] In one embodiment, the contact number and unique identifier associated with the second user having a second communications device (102) is available in the digital repository stored on the first communications device (101) of the first user. The first communications device (101) of the first user initiates communication with the second communications device (102) of the second user. The base station controller (104) receives a service request (103) and transmits the call set up message (105) to the database management system (106). In the present embodiment, the call setup message (105) includes the contact information and the unique identifier of the second user that is available with the first user. The database management system (106) scans the call set up message (105) and parses the network database (108) for available contact number for the second user against the unique identifier associated with the second user. Upon determining that the available contact information of the second user matches with the contact information of the second user stored in the network database (108), the database management system (106) transmits the call connect message (109) as it is to the enhanced call switching center (100). The enhanced call switching center (100) then connects the call to the second communications device (102) of the second user from the first communications device (101) of the first user.
[0016] In another embodiment, the available contact number and unique identifier associated with the second user having a second communications device (102) is stored on the first communications device (101) of the first user. The first communications device (101) of the first user initiates communication with the second communications device (102) of the second user. The base station controller (104) receives a service request (103) and transmits the call set up message (105) to the database management system (106). In the present embodiment, the call setup message (105) includes the contact information and the unique identifier of the second user that is available with the first user. The database management system (106) scans the call set up message (105) and parses the network database (108) for available contact number for the second user against the unique identifier associated with the second user. Upon determining that the available contact information of the second user is different from the contact information of the second user stored in the network database (108), the database management system (106) retrieves the contact information of the second user from the network database (108) and updates the message (107) with the retrieved contact information of the second user. The database management system (106) then updates and transmits the call connect message (109) to the enhanced call switching center (100). The updated call connect message (109) comprises of the retrieved contact information of the second user from the network database (108). The enhanced call switching center (100) completes the call to the second communications device (102) of the second user and automatically updates the digital repository stored in first communications device (101) of the first user with the retrieved contact information of the second communications device (102) of the second user.
[0017] In yet another embodiment, the available contact number associated with the second user having a second communications device (102) is stored on the first communications device (101) of the first user. The first communications device (101) of the first user initiates communication with the second communications device (102) of the second user. The base station controller (104) receives a service request (103) and transmits the call set up message (105) to the database management system (106). In the present embodiment, the call setup message (105) includes the contact information of the second user that is available with the first user. The database management system (106) scans the call set up message (105) and parses the network database (108) to identify a record including the available contact number stored in the network database (108). The database management system (106) retrieves the unique identifier associated with the stored record and updates the message (107) with the retrieved unique identifier. The enhanced call switching center (100) completes the call to the second communications device (102) of the second user and automatically updates the digital repository stored in first communications device (101) of the first user with the retrieved unique identifier.
[0018] Table 1 exhibits exemplary contents of the call connect message (109).

IEI Information Element Type / Reference Presence Format Length
Call control protocol discriminator Protocol discriminator 10.2 M V ½
Transaction identifier Transaction identifier 10.3.2 M V ½
Connect message type Message type 10.4 M V 1
1C Facility Facility 10.5.4.15 O TLV 2-?
1E Progress indicator Progress indicator 10.5.4.21 O TLV 4
4C Connected number Connected number 10.5.4.13 O TLV 3-14
4D Connected subaddress Connected subaddress 10.5.4.14 O TLV 2-23
7E User – user User – user 10.5.4.25 O TLV 3-131

[0019] Table 1 outlines exemplary content of the call connect message (109) from the communications network to the mobile station direction. The enhanced call switching center (100) updates the call connect message content in row 4C of Table 1 with the retrieved contact information. Row 4C of Table 1 is the content row where contact number of the second user is updated. The updated call connect message is then sent to the first communications device (101) of the first user.
[0020] Row 4D of Table 1 contains a connected subaddress to identify a subaddress associated with the second user. The enhanced call switching center (100) updates the row 4D of Table 1 in the call connected message with the retrieved unique identifier of the second communications device (102) of the second user to the digital repository on the first communications device (101).
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram (200) describing an exemplary method for automatically updating a digital repository, such as a phonebook, stored in a first communications device (101) of a first user. The digital repository stored in the first communications device (101) of the first user is updated with retrieved contact details of a second user, where the first and second user are subscribers to a wireless communications service provided via a communications network. It may be noted that the order of the steps included in the flow diagram (200) may change in practical implementation. Additionally, certain steps may be deleted, modified, or added to the flowcharts. Moreover, the steps included in the flowcharts may be performed sequentially, or in a distributed manner. For clarity, the exemplary method of FIG. 1 is described with reference to elements of the enhanced switching center (100) of FIG. 1.
[0022] At step (201), first user initiates communication, for example, by dialing contact information of the second user that may be available in the digital phonebook stored in the first communications device (101) of the first user. A record of the contact information of the second user, associated with a unique identifier, is also available in the network database (108). The network database (108) stores contact information of a plurality of subscribers of a wireless communication service, where each subscriber is associated with a unique identifier. In one embodiment, the unique identifier associated with a user is a unique identification code issued by the government or assigned by a communication network or both.
[0023] In one embodiment, upon dialing the contact information of the second user, the first communications device (101) is connected to an appropriate base station controller (104) in the communications network. The base station controller (104), in turn, transmits a call set up message (105) to the database management system (106) for establishing a connection to the second communications device (102) of the second user.
[0024] At step (202), the call set up message (105) is scanned by the database management system (106) to determine if the unique identifier is present in the message. The database management system (106) parses the network database (108) for available contact number for the second user against the unique identifier associated with the second user. At step (203), the database management system (106) retrieves the unique identifier from the network database (108). At step (204), the database management system (106) generates call connect message (109) to connect call from first communications device (101) to second communications device (102) using the available contact information. Further, at step (205), the database management system (106) updates the message (107) with the retrieved unique identifier and transmits the updated message (107) to the enhanced call switching center (100). At step (206), the enhanced call switching center (100) connects the call to the second user having the second communications device (102) from a first user having a first communications device (101) using the available contact information. Additionally, at step (207), the available contact information of the second user in a digital phonebook stored in the first communications device (101) is automatically updated with the retrieved unique identifier.
[0025] Alternatively, the method moves to step (208) if the database management system (106) determines that the unique identifier is present in the message at step (202). Particularly, at step (208), the database management system (106) further determines if the unique identifier associated with the contact information of the second user stored in the first communications device (101) is same as the unique identifier associated with the available contact information record stored in the network database (108). The database management system (106) parses the network database (108) for available contact number for the second user against the unique identifier associated with the second user. Upon determining that the unique identifier is the same, the enhanced call switching center (100) connects the call from first communications device (101) to second communications device (102), as shown in step (214).
[0026] In certain scenarios, the database management system (106) determines that the unique identifier associated with contact information of the second user stored in the first communications device (101) is different from the unique identifier associated with the available contact information stored in the network database (108). In such scenarios, the database management system (106) retrieves contact information associated with the unique identifier from the network database (108), as depicted in step (209). The database management system (106) parses the network database (108) for available contact number for the second user against the unique identifier associated with the second user in the digital phonebook stored in the first communications device (101).
[0027] At step (209), the database management system (106) retrieves the updated contact information from the network database (108). At step (210), the database management system (106) generates call connect message (109) to connect call from first communications device (101) to second communications device (102) using the retrieved contact information. Further, at step (211), the database management system (106) updates the message (107) with the retrieved contact information and transmits the updated message (107) to the enhanced call switching center (100). At step (212), the enhanced call switching center (100) connects the call to the second user having the second communications device (102) from a first user having a first communications device (101) using the retrieved contact information. Additionally, at step (213), the digital phonebook stored in the first communications device (101) is automatically updated with the retrieved contact information of the second user.
[0028] The enhanced call switching center (100), thus, aids in automatic update of contact information of other users in the digital phonebook stored in a communications device of a user without the other users having to explicitly share their updated contact information. For instance, embodiments of the present method may be employed by security personnel for tracing anti-social elements despite their changing contact information. The method also allows contact information of a user to be automatically updated in digital phonebooks of other users without having to individually intimate the other users. Such a method is especially beneficial if the contact information of a user has changed due to loss of communications device as the user may not have stored details of his/her contacts to share updated contact information.
[0029] In certain embodiments, the automatic update of the contact information in other users’ phonebooks may be provided as an optional service to ensure that a user’s private information is only shared with the user’s consent. Specifically, the method may allow a particular user to selectively opt-in to the service to allow other users’ phonebooks to be automatically updated upon change in contact information of the particular user. Additionally, the service may allow the particular user to select a subset of users whose phonebooks may be automatically updated instead of allowing the automatic update for all users. To that end, consent from the user may be sought during registration, or via a message generated by the enhanced switching center (100) per caller, or only once for all subsequent callers. Embodiments of the present method, thus, provide a convenient option to users to keep track of changing contact information of their friends, family, and acquaintances.
[0030] Although specific features of various embodiments of the present systems and methods may be shown in and/or described with respect to some drawings and not in others, this is only for convenience. It is to be understood that the described features, structures, and/or characteristics may be combined and/or used interchangeably in any suitable manner in the various embodiments.
[0031] While only certain features of the present systems and methods have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the claimed invention.