Patent ID: 7360174

Claim:
In a computing system that is connected with a display device and that includes a user interface that is configured to display contact information at the display device, a method for displaying aggregate contact information from a plurality of separate and distinct contact information directories, the method comprising: an act of searching a plurality of separate and distinct contact information directories for contact information, wherein each of the separate and distinct contact information directories independently store contact information corresponding to one or more contacts; an act of mapping the contact information from the separate and distinct contact information directories according to a single unifying schema; an act of displaying, at the display device, a plurality of directory links, each directory link corresponding to a separate and distinct contact information directory, the directory links operably and correspondingly connecting the user interface with each of the plurality of separate and distinct contact information directories, the user interface being configured to display requested contact information for any contacts identified within a contact information directory corresponding to a selected directory link, the displayed contact information being organized in accordance with the single unifying schema used to map the contact information from the separate and distinct contact information directories for presentation at the user interface, and the contact information from the separate and distinct contact directories being aggregated for simultaneous presentation at the user interface and simultaneously made directly accessible from the separate and distinct contact information directories through the user-interface; and an act of providing a frame at the display device that is configured for simultaneously displaying the aggregated contact information from the separate and distinct contact information directories in one of a plurality of selectable views that each correspond to a different pattern that is identifiable within the displayed contact information, wherein at least one view of the selectable views graphically distinguishes different groupings of contacts within said at least one view.