A method and system for facilitating collaboration between two groups without impairing or affecting the structure of the two groups is provided.

A method for text capture with matter association is provided. The method includes, responsive to a user entering telephone numbers of mobile text-enabled devices of other users to engage in a message exchange there among, receiving as a participating telephone number an additional message capturing phone number for a machine attended message capture dedicated smart phone used to perform non-participant message capture that has a message synchronizing control ID common with a remote message capture device. The method further includes receiving a matter number, wherein the message synchronizing control ID enables a message synchronization process to occur in correspondence with message capture between the smart phone and the remote device using the matter number. The method also includes capturing, by the remote device using the message synchronization process applied to the additional message capturing phone number of the smart phone, message content and metadata for messages of the message exchange.

A method of forming unique, private, personal, virtual social networks on a social network system that includes a database storing data relating to corresponding user entities. The method includes: a first user entity sending an invitation to a second user entity, recording in the database the second user entity as a direct contact of the first user entity and determining that third user entities, directly connected to the second user entity, are indirect contacts. A unique, personal, social network formed from direct and indirect contacts is thereby created for each user entity. Each user entity is able to control privacy of its data with respect to other user entities depending on the connection factor to that other entity and/or that other entity's attributes. Each user entity is able to take the role of provider or participant in applications where the provider provides an item or service to the participant.

A new and useful additive improvement process to telephone voicemail products, of which empowers one or more users the ability to remotely retrieve the contact information of others with one or more telephone-service-enabled devices and one or more associated voicemail service products.

A communications system according to certain embodiments includes a mobile device and a second type of communications system, such as a landline telephone system, that share usage information. The shared information can include call logs of in-coming and out-going calls, missed calls, text messages, address book information, GPS data, internet browsing data, and the like.

An apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium are provided for accessing data on a phone that is inaccessible. The apparatus includes a memory configured to store a plurality of contact profiles in a contact list corresponding to an inaccessible device, and a processor coupled to the memory. The apparatus receives, from an unknown device over a voice connection, an access identifier corresponding to the inaccessible device and a contact identifier associated with a contact profile of the plurality of contact profiles; identifies the contact list based on matching the access identifier with the inaccessible device; determines a contact device of the contact profile in the contact list corresponding to the contact identifier; and connects, over the voice connection, the unknown device to the contact device corresponding to the contact profile.

A method for text capture with matter association is provided. The method includes, responsive to a user entering telephone numbers of one or more mobile text-enabled devices of other users to engage in a message exchange therebetween, receiving as a participating telephone number an additional message capturing phone number for a message capture dedicated phone used for message capture that has a message synchronizing control ID common with a remote message capture device. The method further includes receiving a matter number dynamically specified for the message exchange. The ID enables a message synchronization process between the message capture dedicated phone and the remote message capture device using the matter number. The method also includes capturing, by the remote message capture device using the message synchronization process applied to the additional message capturing phone number of the message capture dedicated phone, message content and metadata for messages of the message exchange.

Techniques are described for managing the generation, style, and/or distribution of digital contact cards. An organization may access a card management platform and upload style information for digital contact card(s). Style information may include an arrangement and/or layout of the card(s), an organization name and/or logo to be included on the card(s), the font, color, size, or other characteristics of the text on the card(s), and so forth. A user may access the platform to request the distribution of a digital contact card to recipient(s). In response to the request, the platform may generate a digital contact card for the user based on the previously specified style information, and distribute card(s) to the specified recipient(s). Techniques are also described for determining positions of various mobile devices (and associated users) in a room or other area, and presenting received contact card information in a user interface according to the determined positions.

A method of forming unique, private, personal, virtual social networks on a social network system that includes a database storing data relating to corresponding user entities. The method includes: a first user entity sending an invitation to a second user entity, recording in the database the second user entity as a direct contact of the first user entity and determining that third user entities, directly connected to the second user entity, are indirect contacts. A unique, personal, social network formed from direct and indirect contacts is thereby created for each user entity. Each user entity is able to control privacy of its data with respect to other user entities depending on the connection factor to that other entity and/or that other entity's attributes. Each user entity is able to take the role of provider or participant in applications where the provider provides an item or service to the participant.

A communications system according to certain embodiments includes a mobile device and a second type of communications system, such as a landline telephone system, that share usage information. The shared information can include call logs of in-coming and out-going calls, missed calls, text messages, address book information, GPS data, internet browsing data, and the like.