Method and apparatus for managing business and social contacts

摘要

A handheld electronic device includes one or more networking applications that enables the handheld electronic devices to be used as a networking device. The networking application monitors the types of contact that the user has with individuals, the frequency of contact, and type of contact, to infer the closeness of the relationships between the user and the contact. The networking application may monitor not only network based contact, but also physical contact between the two individuals. Knowledge of the closeness level may enable the handheld electronic device to classify contacts, so that different contacts may be handled differently by the handheld electronic device. The closeness level may also be used to alert the user to the presence of people that are close contacts. An anonymizing service may be provided to enable communications between people without requiring them to exchange sensitive personal information until the closeness level reaches a particular threshold.

主权项

1. A method of enabling anonymous communication between handheld electronic devices, the method comprising the steps of:
upon request of a first handheld electronic device, assigning an anonymous channel ID to an anonymous communication channel; providing the anonymous channel ID to the first handheld electronic device; associating contact information associated with a user of the first handheld electronic device with the anonymous channel ID; receiving the anonymous channel ID from a second handheld electronic device, the anonymous channel ID having been provided by the first handheld electronic device to the second user handheld electronic device; associating contact information associated with a user of the second handheld electronic device with the anonymous channel ID; enabling the first handheld electronic device and the second handheld electronic device to communicate with each other over the anonymous channel using the anonymous channel ID without exchanging contact information.