Dynamic ringback services

• US 20040120493A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Creamer, Thomas E., Moore, Victor S., Katz, Neil A., Jaiswal, Peeyush
• Granted Patent: US 7,184,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/207.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/129 Details of providing call progress tones or announcements

Abstract

A method for providing dynamic ringback services can include receiving a connection signal from an originating device and determining a receiving device specified by the connection signal. The method can access receiving device specific information and can dynamically generate a ringback transmission responsive to at least a portion of the receiving device specific information. The method can send this ringback transmission to the originating device before a connection is established between the originating device and the receiving device.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic ringback services comprising the steps of:

receiving a connection signal from an originating device;

determining a receiving device specified by said connection signal;

accessing receiving device specific information;

dynamically constructing a ringback transmission responsive to at least a portion of said receiving device specific information; and

,

sending said ringback transmission to said originating device before a connection is established between said originating device and said receiving device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said constructing step further comprises the steps of:

determining a phone number associated with said originating device; and

,

modifying at least a portion of said ringback transmission responsive to said phone number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

including within said ringback transmission a plurality of signals, wherein said plurality of signals comprises a ringback signal; and

,

utilizing said ringback signal to present an intermittent audio tone to an originating device, wherein said intermittent audio tone signifies to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said constructing step further comprises the steps of

including within said ringback transmission a ringback signal;

and

utilizing said ringback signal to present an intermittent audio tone to an originating device, wherein said intermittent audio tone signifies to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing, wherein said modifying step alters characteristics of said ringback signal, whereby a different tone may be played for specific callers.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

including within said ringback transmission a digital signal; and

,

utilizing said digital transmission to present information to said originating device, wherein said information comprises information other than an intermittent audio tone signifying to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said digital signal is modified based upon said receiving device specific information pertaining to said originating device, whereby a special message may be a conveyed to a predefined group of callers.

7. The method of claim 1, said constructing step further comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection across a public network;

sending a ringback transmission request to a network element; and

,

receiving said ringback transmission from said network element responsive to said ringback transmission request.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of preventing said originating device from causing said receiving device to ring based upon said receiving device specific information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

querying a receiving device for connectivity information; and

,

utilizing said connectivity information within said constructing step.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending step utilizes a ringback channel for conveying said ringback transmission,

wherein said ringback channel is within the frequency range of 300-2200 Hz.

11. A system for dynamic ringback messaging comprising:

a ringback processor communicatively linked to a telephony network configured to provide a ringback transmission to an originating device, said ringback transmission comprising information other than an intermittent audio tone signifying to said originating device that a particular receiving device is ringing, wherein said ringback transmission can be dynamically generated according to receiving device specific data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said ringback transmission comprises an intermittent audio tone signifying to said originating device that said particular receiving device is ringing.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said ringback transmission comprises a digital signal.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a ringback channel communicatively linking said originating device to said ringback processor, wherein said ringback channel is configured to transport said ringback transmission.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said ringback channel is within the frequency range of 300-2200 Hz.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said ringback processor is a network element within a telephony network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said ringback processor is a switch independent application.

18. A machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

receiving a connection signal from an originating device;

determining a receiving device specified by said connection signal;

accessing receiving device specific information;

dynamically constructing a ringback transmission responsive to at least a portion of said receiving device specific information; and

,

sending said ringback transmission to said originating device before a connection is established between said originating device and said receiving device.

19. The machine readable storage of claim 18, wherein said constructing step further comprises the steps of:

determining a phone number associated with said originating device; and

,

modifying at least a portion of said ringback transmission responsive to said phone number.

20. The machine readable storage of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

including within said ringback transmission a plurality of signals, wherein said plurality of signals comprises a ringback signal; and

,

utilizing said ringback signal to present an intermittent audio tone to an originating device, wherein said intermittent audio tone signifies to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing.

21. The machine readable storage of claim 19, wherein said constructing step further comprises the steps of

including within said ringback transmission a ringback signal;

and

utilizing said ringback signal to present an intermittent audio tone to an originating device, wherein said intermittent audio tone signifies to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing, wherein said modifying step alters characteristics of said ringback signal, whereby a different tone may be played for specific callers.

22. The machine readable storage of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

including within said ringback transmission a digital signal; and

,

utilizing said digital transmission to present information to said originating device, wherein said information comprises information other than an intermittent audio tone signifying to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing.

23. The machine readable storage of claim 22, wherein said digital signal is modified based upon said receiving device specific information pertaining to said originating device, whereby a special message may be a conveyed to a predefined group of callers.

24. The machine readable storage of claim 18, said constructing step further comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection across a public network;

sending a ringback transmission request to a network element; and

,

receiving said ringback transmission from said network element responsive to said ringback transmission request.

25. The machine readable storage of claim 18, further comprising the step of preventing said originating device from causing said receiving device to ring based upon said receiving device specific information.

26. The machine readable storage of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

querying a receiving device for connectivity information; and

,

utilizing said connectivity information within said constructing step.

27. The machine readable storage of claim 18, wherein said sending step utilizes a ringback channel for conveying said ringback transmission, wherein said ringback channel is within the frequency range of 300-2200 Hz.