US 12,407,784 B2
Techniques for implementing phone number-based user accounts with permissions to access varying levels of services utilizing visible and hidden contact addresses
Xudong Liu, Campbell, CA (US); Guozhi Huang, San Mateo, CA (US); and Jonathon Sodos, Los Gatos, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/355,855.
Application 18/355,855 is a continuation of application No. 17/017,560, filed on Sep. 10, 2020, granted, now 11,716,426.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/041,912, filed on Jun. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0129411 A1, Apr. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. H04M 15/00 (2024.01); H04M 1/27457 (2020.01); H04M 3/42 (2006.01)
CPC H04M 15/7556 (2013.01) [H04M 1/27457 (2020.01); H04M 3/42382 (2013.01); H04M 2203/6081 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for managing phone number-based user accounts, the method comprising, by a server computing device:
receiving a request to create a user account based on a phone number;
authenticating an ownership of the phone number;
creating hidden and visible contact addresses based on the phone number, wherein the hidden contact address permits access to a first subset of services that omits at least a second subset of services that are otherwise accessible using the visible contact address;
assigning the hidden contact address to the user account and a first client computing device to permit the first client computing device to access the first subset of services; and
assigning the visible contact address to the user account and a second client computing device to permit the second client computing device to access the first and second subsets of services.