Method and apparatus for providing a voiced call alert

• US 20040120505A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kotzin, Michael D., Womack, James E.
• Application Number:
  US10/324,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20040120505A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/373.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54

Abstract

A terminal 300 arranged to initiate a call or indicate an incoming call with a voiced alert and methods thereof, the terminal including a receiver 303 for receiving a signal corresponding to a call alert, a processor 309 for determining that the signal is a call alert signal corresponding to the voiced alert and for providing an alert signal corresponding to the voiced alert; and an audio transducer 317 coupled to the alert signal corresponding to the voiced alert for generating a user perceptible voiced alert. The terminal for initiating includes an audio transducer 321 for converting a caller party voiced signal to an alert signal and a processor 309 for generating a call alert signal corresponding to the alert signal; and a transmitter 305 for sending the call alert signal corresponding to the alert signal to a network and thereby to the called party.

Claims

1. A terminal arranged to indicate an incoming call with a voiced alert, the terminal comprising:

a receiver for receiving a signal corresponding to a call alert;

a processor, coupled to the receiver, for determining that the signal is a call alert signal corresponding to the voiced alert and for providing an alert signal corresponding to the voiced alert; and

an audio transducer coupled to the alert signal corresponding to the voiced alert for generating a user perceptible voiced alert.

2. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the receiver for receiving the signal is further for receiving a packet data signal.

3. The terminal of claim 2 wherein the receiver for receiving further receives the packet data signal comprising an encoded voiced alert and the processor comprises a vocoder for decoding the encoded voiced alert to provide the alert signal.

4. The terminal of claim 2 wherein the receiver for receiving the packet data signal is further for receiving a Session Initiation Protocol Invite message.

5. The terminal of claim 4 wherein the Session Initiation Protocol Invite message further comprises an encoded voiced alert and the processor comprises a vocoder for decoding the encoded voiced alert to provide the alert signal.

6. The terminal of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter for acknowledging the signal corresponding to a call alert.

7. The terminal of claim 6 wherein the receiver and the transmitter are a wireless receiver and a wireless transmitter.

8. The terminal of claim 7 wherein the wireless receiver and the wireless transmitter are suitable for supporting a packet data connection over one of a wide area radio access network and a local area radio access network.

9. A terminal arranged to initiate an outbound call with a voiced alert, the terminal comprising:

an audio transducer for converting a caller party voiced signal to an alert signal corresponding to the voiced alert;

a processor, coupled to the audio transducer, for generating a call alert signal comprising a portion corresponding to the alert signal, the call alert signal intended for a called party; and

a transmitter for sending the call alert signal comprising a portion corresponding to the alert signal to a network and thereby to the called party.

10. The terminal of claim 9 wherein the transmitter for sending the call alert signal is further for sending a packet data signal.

11. The terminal of claim 10 wherein the processor further comprises a vocoder for encoding the alert signal and the processor generates the call alert signal comprising an encoded alert signal.

12. The terminal of claim 10 wherein the processor for generating the call alert signal further comprises the processor generating a Session Initiation Protocol Invite message corresponding to the alert signal.

13. The terminal of claim 12 wherein the processor further comprises a vocoder for encoding the alert signal and the processor generates the Session Initiation Protocol Invite message comprising an encoded alert signal.

14. The terminal of claim 9 further comprising a receiver for receiving an acknowledgement of the call alert signal.

15. The terminal of claim 14 wherein the transmitter and the receiver are, respectively, a wireless receiver and a wireless transmitter.

16. The terminal of claim 9 wherein the wireless receiver and the wireless transmitter are suitable for supporting a packet data connection over one of a wide area radio access network and a local area radio access network.

17. A method, at a terminal, of indicating an incoming call with a voiced alert, the method comprising:

receiving a signal corresponding to a call alert;

determining that the signal is a call alert signal including a portion corresponding to the voiced alert;

providing an alert signal corresponding to the voiced alert; and

generating a user perceptible voiced alert.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving the signal further comprises receiving a packet data signal comprising an encoded alert signal, and wherein the providing the alert signal further comprises decoding the encoded alert signal to provide the alert signal.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the receiving the packet data signal further comprises receiving a Session Initiation Protocol Invite message including the encoded alert signal.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising acknowledging the signal corresponding to a call alert and wherein the receiving and the acknowledging use a wireless connection over one of one of a wide area radio access network and a local area radio access network.

21. A method, at a terminal, of initiating an outbound call with a voiced alert, the method comprising:

converting a caller party voiced signal to an alert signal corresponding to the voiced alert;

generating a call alert signal comprising a portion corresponding to the alert signal that is intended for a called party; and

sending the call alert signal comprising a portion corresponding to the alert signal to a network and thereby to the called party.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the generating a call alert signal further comprising encoding the alert signal and generating a packet data signal comprising an encoded alert signal and the sending the call alert signal further comprises sending the packet data signal comprising the encoded alert signal.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the generating the call alert signal further comprises generating a Session Initiation Protocol Invite message comprising the encoded alert signal.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising receiving an acknowledgement of the call alert signal and wherein the sending and the receiving use a wireless connection over one of a wide area radio access network and a local area radio access network.

25. A method in a system arranged to support a voiced alert at a called party for incoming calls, the method comprising:

receiving a call initiation message from a calling party, the call initiation message comprising a Session Initiation Protocol Invite message including an encoded alert signal that corresponds to a voiced signal from a calling terminal; and

forwarding the call initiation message to the called party, thereby providing the called party with an incoming call alert corresponding to the voiced alert.