CALL CLASSIFICATION INDICATION USING SONIC MEANS
First Claim
1. A sonic method of indicating the classification of a specific caller or category of caller that initiated a call over a communications network, such method comprising:
- a) a means for receiving and decoding identifying information from said communications network, where said identifying information is selected from the group consisting of the caller'"'"'s;
i) directory number, and ii) name, and iii) network address, and iv) location, and v) other information which can be generated as a result of said caller'"'"'s call or connection being initiated;
b) a means for producing a plurality of distinctive sounds audible at the called location, the distinctive sounds available to be assigned are selected to facilitate the person or people at the called location being able to quickly mentally associate the distinctive sound to the specific caller or category of caller, said plurality of distinctive sounds selected from the group consisting of those produced by animals, birds and other living things, and motorized vehicles, office equipment, musical instruments and other man-made devices, and other electronically-produced sound effects;
c) providing an assignment store to hold a plurality of assignments of identifying information to the corresponding distinctive sound to be produced when said identifying information is received, assignments can also be stored for the distinctive sound to be produced for other specific situations, including when identifying information is received for which an assignment has not been made, and when a call is initiated but the required identifying information is not available from said communications network;
d) providing a means for creating said assignments;
e) providing logic means for comparing received identifying information with that in the assignment store, and;
i) if said assignment store has an assignment for the received identifying information, then the corresponding distinctive sound will be produced, ii) if said assignment store does not have an assignment for the received identifying information, then the distinctive sound assigned for such unrecognized identifying information will be produced, and iii) if the received identifying information is not sufficient to uniquely identify a caller or their category, then the distinctive sound assigned for calls where identifying information is not available will be produced, whereby one or more people at a called location can simultaneously decide, without having to go to, or read a display, whether and in what manner to answer a call.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sonic method of classifying and screening incoming telephone, and other types of calls is disclosed. Based on information from the network provider, such as a caller ID message from a telephone company, distinctive sounds which are easy to mentally associate with specific callers or categories of callers are generated in place of, or in addition to, other call alerting methods, such as the standard ringing of telephones—so there is no need to go to, view, or to be able to read, the caller ID information on a visual display. The invention can be configured to not generate a distinctive sound for certain callers or categories of callers, so calls from certain callers or categories of callers will not disturb the called party. The invention can be connected to any telephone receptacle as a standard telephone or answering machine would be, so no special wiring or installation is required.
An important feature is the handling of calls where the caller ID message contains an unrecognized directory number, or no directory number, and the detection of calls from such repeat callers when they call back within a specific timing window. A distinctive sound can be assigned to such repeat callers. Therefore, categories of calls that do not cause the invention to generate a distinctive sound on the first call attempt, will generate a distinctive sound for repeat call attempts. This allows certain callers to “break through” this call screening. Also, the invention can copy its programming to other units, so a plurality of identically programmed units can be distributed throughout a household, to facilitate hearing them at any location.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A sonic method of indicating the classification of a specific caller or category of caller that initiated a call over a communications network, such method comprising:
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a) a means for receiving and decoding identifying information from said communications network, where said identifying information is selected from the group consisting of the caller'"'"'s;
i) directory number, and ii) name, and iii) network address, and iv) location, and v) other information which can be generated as a result of said caller'"'"'s call or connection being initiated;
b) a means for producing a plurality of distinctive sounds audible at the called location, the distinctive sounds available to be assigned are selected to facilitate the person or people at the called location being able to quickly mentally associate the distinctive sound to the specific caller or category of caller, said plurality of distinctive sounds selected from the group consisting of those produced by animals, birds and other living things, and motorized vehicles, office equipment, musical instruments and other man-made devices, and other electronically-produced sound effects;
c) providing an assignment store to hold a plurality of assignments of identifying information to the corresponding distinctive sound to be produced when said identifying information is received, assignments can also be stored for the distinctive sound to be produced for other specific situations, including when identifying information is received for which an assignment has not been made, and when a call is initiated but the required identifying information is not available from said communications network;
d) providing a means for creating said assignments;
e) providing logic means for comparing received identifying information with that in the assignment store, and;
i) if said assignment store has an assignment for the received identifying information, then the corresponding distinctive sound will be produced, ii) if said assignment store does not have an assignment for the received identifying information, then the distinctive sound assigned for such unrecognized identifying information will be produced, and iii) if the received identifying information is not sufficient to uniquely identify a caller or their category, then the distinctive sound assigned for calls where identifying information is not available will be produced, whereby one or more people at a called location can simultaneously decide, without having to go to, or read a display, whether and in what manner to answer a call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for audibly indicating the classification of a specific caller or category of caller that initiated a call over a communications network, comprising:
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a) a circuit for receiving and decoding identifying information from said communications network, where said identifying information is selected from the group consisting of the caller'"'"'s;
i) directory number, and ii) name, and iii) network address, and iv) location, and v) other information which can be generated as a result of said caller'"'"'s call or connection being initiated;
b) a circuit for generating a plurality of distinctive sounds audible at the called location, the distinctive sounds available to be assigned are selected to facilitate the person or people at the called location being able to quickly mentally associate the distinctive sound to the specific caller or category of caller, said plurality of distinctive sounds selected from the group consisting of those produced by animals, birds and other living things, and motorized vehicles, office equipment, musical instruments and other man-made devices, and other electronically-produced sound effects;
c) an assignment store to hold a plurality of assignments of identifying information to the corresponding distinctive sound to be produced when said identifying information is received, assignments can also be stored for the distinctive sound to be produced for other specific situations, including when identifying information is received for which an assignment has not been made, and when a call is initiated and the required identifying information is not available from said communications network;
d) means for creating said assignments;
e) logic means for comparing received identifying information with that in the assignment store, and;
i) if said assignment store has an assignment for the received identifying information, then the corresponding distinctive sound will be produced;
ii) if said assignment store does not have an assignment for the received identifying information, then the distinctive sound assigned for such unrecognized identifying information will be produced; and
iii) if the received identifying information is not sufficient to uniquely identify a caller or their category, then the distinctive sound assigned for calls where identifying information is not available will be produced, whereby one or more people at a called location can simultaneously decide, without having to go to, or read a display, whether and in what manner to answer a call. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification