Patent ID: 6944668

Claim:
A system operable to identify and access information about a user ( 109 ) of a distributed communication system in real time without the users intervention, wherein the system comprises at least one service device ( 108 ) operable to provide services to said user ( 109 ), at least one access device ( 105 a ) operable to provide access to said distributed communication system, wherein said system also comprises: at least one control means ( 101 ; 103 ) is connected to said at least one access device ( 105 a ) and to said at least one service device ( 108 ) via the Internet, wherein said at least one access device ( 105 a ) is connected to an identification device ( 113 ) operable to identify an address of a specific user; at least one storage device ( 102 ; 104 ) connected to said at least one control means ( 101 ; 103 ), wherein said at least one control means ( 101 ; 103 ) is connected to a cache means ( 111 ) operable to store mappings of said address and identifications of said users ( 109 ), wherein said service device ( 108 ) sends a request for information about the user requesting a service from said service device ( 108 ) to said control means ( 101 ; 103 ), such that the control means ( 101 ; 103 ) checks if said cache means contains an up to date identification; whereby if said check gives an affirmative answer, said control means ( 101 ; 103 ) fetches said information from said storage device ( 102 ; 104 ) and sends a reply comprising said information to said service device ( 108 ); and if said check gives a negative answer, said control means ( 101 ; 103 ) sends a request for a real time identification of said address to said, access device ( 105 a ), wherein said access device ( 105 a ) identifies said address with the aid of said identification device ( 113 ) and sends said identification to said control means ( 101 ; 103 )—such that said control means ( 101 ; 103 ) fetches said information from said storage device ( 102 ; 104 ) and sends a reply comprising said information to said service device ( 108 ) that identifies the user, wherein said information about the user is obtained without explicit intervention from the user or from stored data on the user's computer.