Method and system for presenting customized call alerts in a service for internet caller identification

• US 20040161083A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tiliks, Dianna Inara, Blumenshein, Gordon Lynn, Crockett, Suzanne Marie, McBlain, Thomas Joseph, Kovarik, James Daniel, Watry, Scott Ryan, Trost, William R., Stroud, Kenneth Robert, Vlasek, Paul H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,450,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

An advanced intelligent network (AIN) based system and method that allows a subscriber connected to the Internet to receive customized call alerts and caller identification information concerning an incoming telephone call. Using client software, the subscriber associates telephone numbers to sound files. Then, when an incoming call with caller identification information is received, the client software determines whether the incoming telephone number points to a sound file. If so, the client software directs the sound file to play.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a subscriber connected to the Internet to receive a customized call alert associated with an incoming call from a calling party to the subscriber, comprising:

determining that the subscriber is actively connected to the Internet via an always on connection;

sending a message including identification information associated with the calling party, via the Internet, to software on the subscriber'"'"'s computer; and

initiating a sound file associated with the received identification information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of a name of the calling party and a telephone number of the calling party.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the initiating comprises determining whether the at least one of the name of the calling party and the telephone number of the calling party is associated with a unique sound file.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises an indication that a name of the calling party and a telephone number of the calling party are not available.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the initiating comprises determining whether the indication is associated with a unique sound file.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises a notification that the incoming call has been screened with a privacy manager feature on the subscriber'"'"'s line.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the initiating comprises determining whether the notification is associated with a unique sound file.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection via the Internet.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising processing the call in response to the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the always on connection comprises an xDSL connection.

11. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program that allows a subscriber connected to the Internet to receive a customized call alert associated with an incoming call from a calling party to the subscriber, said medium comprising:

a sound file determining source code segment that determines whether identification information associated with the calling party is associated with a unique sound file, the determination being made when the subscriber is actively connected to the Internet via an always on connection; and

a launching source code segment that launches a unique sound file based on identification information associated with the calling party.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of a name of the calling party and a telephone number of the calling party.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 12, further comprising an associating source code segment that associates the unique sound file with the at least one of the name of the calling party and the telephone number of the calling party.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the identification information comprises an indication that a name of the calling party and a telephone number of the calling party are not available.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 14, further comprising an associating source code segment that associates the unique sound file with the indication.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the identification information comprises a notification that the incoming call has been screened with a privacy manager feature on the subscriber'"'"'s line.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising an associating source code segment that associates the unique sound file with the notification.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, further comprising a presenting source code segment that presents the identification information to the subscriber.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, further comprising a presenting source code segment that presents call disposition options to the subscriber.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising an accepting source code segment that accepts a subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection.

21. The computer readable medium according to claim 20, further comprising a sending source code segment that sends the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection to an Internet caller identification server via the Internet.

22. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the always on connection comprises an xDSL connection.