Programming multiple ringing tones of a terminal

• US 20040204146A1
• Filed: 05/23/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Deeds, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 7,020,497 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability

Abstract

A terminal adapted to communicate via a communications system includes a memory capable of storing a plurality of ringing tones, where the plurality of ringing tones includes at least one set of at least two ringing tones associated with at least one event. The terminal also includes a controller capable of choosing a ringing tone from the set(s) of ringing tones based upon a predefined selection criteria, such as based upon a random search criteria or a sequential search criteria. The controller is further capable of generating signals directed to an output reproduction device that is capable of generating the chosen ringing tone in response to the terminal receiving an event associated with the at least one set of ringing tones including the chosen ringing tone.

Claims

1. A terminal adapted to communicate via a communications system, wherein the terminal comprises:

a memory capable of storing a plurality of ringing tones, wherein the plurality of ringing tones includes at least one set of at least two ringing tones, and wherein the at least one set of ringing tones is associated with at least one event; and

a controller capable of choosing a ringing tone from the at least one set of ringing tones, wherein said controller chooses the ringing tone based upon a predefined selection criteria, and wherein said controller is capable of generating signals directed to an output reproduction device that is capable of generating the chosen ringing tone in response to the terminal receiving an event associated with the at least one set of ringing tones including the chosen ringing tone.

2. A terminal according to claim 1 further comprising a user interface capable of receiving at least one selection of at least two ringing tones from a plurality of ringing tones to thereby define the at least one set of ringing tones.

3. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein said controller is capable of choosing a ringing tone based upon a random selection criteria.

4. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein said controller is capable of choosing a ringing tone based upon a sequential selection criteria.

5. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein said controller is capable of choosing another ringing tone from the at least one set of ringing tones after the output reproduction device generates the ringing tone that was previously chosen by said controller.

6. A terminal according to claim 5, wherein the other ringing tone is different from the ringing tone that was previously chosen by said controller.

7. A terminal according to claim 5, wherein the terminal is capable of receiving another event, and wherein said controller is capable of generating signals directed to the output reproduction device in response to the terminal receiving the other event such that the output reproduction device is capable of generating the other ringing tone.

8. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein the at least one set of ringing tones is associated with an event originating with at least one identifiable source, wherein said controller is capable of determining information regarding the event, and wherein said controller is capable of generating signals directed to the output reproduction device that is capable of generating the chosen ringing tone in response to the terminal receiving the event originating with the at least one identifiable source as determined from information regarding the event.

9. A method of generating a ringing tone of a terminal adapted to communicate via a communications system, wherein the method comprises:

choosing a ringing tone from at least one set of ringing tones based upon a predefined selection criteria, wherein the at least one set of ringing tones includes at least two ringing tones, and wherein the at least one set of ringing tones is associated with at least one event; and

generating the chosen ringing tone in response to receiving an event associated with the at least one set of ringing tones including the chosen ringing tone.

10. A method according to claim 9 further comprising receiving at least one selection of at least two ringing tones from a plurality of ringing tones to thereby define the at least one set of ringing tones before choosing a ringing tone.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein choosing a ringing tone comprises choosing a ringing tone based upon a random selection criteria.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein choosing a ringing tone comprises choosing a ringing tone based upon a sequential selection criteria.

13. A method according to claim 9 further comprising choosing another ringing tone from the at least one set of ringing tones, wherein choosing another ringing tone occurs after generating the ringing tone that was previously chosen.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein choosing another ringing tone comprises choosing a ringing tone different from the ringing tone that was previously chosen.

15. A method according to claim 13 further comprising receiving another event and thereafter generating the other ringing tone in response to receiving the other event.

16. A method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one set of ringing tones is associated with an event originating with at least one identifiable source, and wherein generating the chosen ringing tone comprises generating the chosen ringing tone in response to receiving the event originating with the at least one identifiable source as determined from information regarding the event.

17. A terminal adapted to communicate via a communications system, wherein the terminal comprises:

a memory capable of storing a plurality of ringing tones, wherein the plurality of ringing tones includes at least one set of at least two ringing tones;

a controller capable of choosing a ringing tone from at least one set of ringing tones in response to the terminal receiving an event, wherein the ringing tone is chosen based upon a predefined selection criteria, and wherein said controller is capable of generating signals directed to an output reproduction device that is capable of generating the chosen ringing tone.

18. A terminal according to claim 17 further comprising a user interface capable of receiving at least one selection of at least two ringing tones from the plurality of ringing tones to thereby define the at least one set of ringing tones.

19. A terminal according to claim 17, wherein said controller is capable of choosing a ringing tone based upon a random selection criteria.

20. A terminal according to claim 17, wherein said controller is capable of choosing a ringing tone based upon a sequential selection criteria.

21. A terminal according to claim 17, wherein the terminal is capable of receiving another event, wherein said controller is capable of choosing another ringing tone from the at least one set of ringing tones in response to receiving the other event, and wherein said controller is capable of generating signals directed to the output reproduction device that is capable of generating the other ringing tone.

22. A terminal according to claim 21, wherein the other ringing tone is different from the ringing tone previously chosen by said controller.

23. A terminal according to claim 21, wherein the at least one set of ringing tones is associated with an event originating with at least one identifiable source, wherein said controller is capable of determining information regarding the event before choosing a ringing tone, wherein choosing a ringing tone comprises choosing a ringing tone from the at least one set of ringing tones in response to the terminal receiving the event originating with the at least one identifiable source as determined from the information regarding the event.

24. A method of generating a ringing tone of a terminal adapted to communicate via a communications system, wherein the method comprises:

choosing a ringing tone from at least one set of ringing tones based upon a predefined selection criteria, wherein the at least one set of ringing tones includes at least two ringing tones from a plurality of ringing tones, and wherein choosing a ringing tone comprises choosing a ringing tone in response to receiving an event; and

generating the chosen ringing tone.

25. A method according to claim 24 further comprising receiving at least one selection of at least two ringing tones from a plurality of ringing tones to thereby define the at least one set of ringing tones before choosing a ringing tone.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein choosing a ringing tone comprises choosing a ringing tone based upon a random selection criteria.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein choosing a ringing tone comprises choosing a ringing tone based upon a sequential selection criteria.

28. A method according to claim 26 further comprising receiving another event and thereafter choosing another ringing tone from the at least one set of ringing tones in response to receiving the other event, wherein generating the ringing tone comprises generating the other ringing tone.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein choosing another ringing tone comprises choosing a ringing tone different from the ringing tone that was previously chosen.

30. A method according to claim 24, wherein the at least one set of ringing tones is associated with an event originating with at least one identifiable source, and wherein choosing a ringing tone comprises choosing a ringing tone in response to receiving the event originating with the at least one identifiable source as determined from information regarding the event.