Photo caller ID

• US 20030012353A1
• Filed: 07/09/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tang, Ji, Fujimori, Takahiro
• Application Number:
  US09/901,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20030012353A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier

Abstract

A system and method for providing a photo enhanced caller ID service. A photo image is associated with a subscriber telephone line and stored at a local office or central office. When the subscriber places a telephone call, caller ID information along with the photographic image is transmitted to the called party. At the called party premises, the photo image is displayed either on a telephone set equipped with a suitable display or on a television set via a TV set-top box or other similar hardware to permit display of the telephone called on a monitor.

Claims

1. A method of providing a photo caller identification function, comprising:

detecting that a calling telephone line has gone off hook;

mapping the calling telephone line to an image file containing an image;

determining a destination for a telephone call; and

sending the image file to the destination.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image file is stored in a database at a telephone office.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image file contains a photographic image associated with a calling party.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image file contains a graphic image associated with a calling party.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the graphic image represents a company logo.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending caller ID information to the destination.

7. A method of providing a photo caller identification function, comprising:

receiving an indication of an incoming voice telephone call;

receiving an image file containing an image associated with a calling party; and

displaying the image file.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the image file is stored in a database at a telephone office.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the image file contains a photographic image associated with a calling party.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the image file contains a graphic image associated with a calling party.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the graphic image represents a company logo.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the image is displayed on a display forming a part of a telephone set.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the image is displayed on a display forming a part of a television set.

14. The method according to claim 7, further comprising converting the image file to a form suitable for display on the display.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the converting is carried out in a television Set-Top Box.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the image file is displayed as a window that overlays a currently displayed image.

17. The method according to claim 7, further comprising receiving caller ID information, displaying the caller ID information on the display.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the image file is stored in a database at a telephone office.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the image file contains a photographic image associated with a calling party.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the image file contains a graphic image associated with a calling party.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the graphic image represents a company logo.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein the image file is displayed as a window that overlays a currently displayed image.

24. The method according to claim 27, receiving caller ID information, converting the caller ID information into a form suitable for display on the display, and displaying the caller ID information on the display.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the image file contains a photographic image associated with a calling party.

27. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the image file contains a graphic image associated with a calling party.

28. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the graphic image represents a company logo.

29. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the display interface sends the image file to the display as a window that overlays a currently displayed image.

30. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the telephone interface further receives caller ID information, and wherein the processor converts the caller ID information into a form suitable for display on the display and wherein the display interface sends the caller ID information to the display.

18. A method of providing a photo caller identification function, comprising:

receiving an indication of an incoming voice telephone call;

receiving an image file containing an image associated with a calling party;

in a television Set-Top Box, converting the image file to a form suitable for display on a display; and

displaying the image file on the display, the display forming a part of a television set.

25. A television Set-Top Box providing a photo caller identification function, comprising:

a telephone interface that receives an indication of an incoming voice telephone call and an image file containing an image associated with a calling party;

a processor that converts the image file to a form suitable for display on a display; and

a display interface that sends the image file to the display, the display forming a part of a television set.

31. A telephone that provides a photo caller identification function, comprising:

a telephone interface that receives an indication of an incoming voice telephone call and an image file containing an image associated with a calling party;

a display;

a processor that converts the image file to a form suitable for display on the display; and

a display interface that sends the image file to the display.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the image file contains a photographic image associated with a calling party.

33. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the image file contains a graphic image associated with a calling party.

34. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the graphic image represents a company logo.

35. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the display interface sends the image file to the display as a window that overlays a currently displayed image.

36. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the telephone interface further receives caller ID information, and wherein the processor converts the caller ID information into a form suitable for display on the display and wherein the display interface sends the caller ID information to the display.

37. An electronic storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a method of providing a photo caller identification function, comprising:

detecting that a calling telephone line has gone off hook;

mapping the calling telephone line to an image file containing an image;

detecting a destination for a telephone call; and

sending the image file to the destination.

38. An electronic storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a method of providing a photo caller identification function, comprising:

receiving an indication of an incoming voice telephone call;

receiving an image file containing an image associated with a calling party; and

displaying the image file.

39. An electronic storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a method of providing a photo caller identification function, comprising:

receiving an indication of an incoming voice telephone call;

receiving an image file containing an image associated with a calling party;

in a television Set-Top Box, converting the image file to a form suitable for display on a display; and

displaying the image file on the display, the display forming a part of a television set.