Network-based timed ring suppression
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A communications system for providing timed ring suppression, the system comprising:
- a communications dataserver communicating with a communications network, the communications dataserver storing a timed ring suppression profile comprising at least one of (i) an identifier of timed ring suppression reference data and (ii) a timing parameter for suppressing a ringer of a receiving party'"'"'s communications device after the receiving party'"'"'s communications device activates the ringer to produce an initial audible alert of the incoming communications signal; and
a timed ring suppression application communicating with at least one of the communications network, the communications dataserver, and the receiving party'"'"'s communications device, the timed ring suppression application generating a timed ring suppression signal, the timed ring suppression signal for silencing subsequent audible alerts of the incoming communications signal according to the timed ring suppression profile wherein the timing parameter ranges from approximately one second to approximately two minutes.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for timed ring suppression are disclosed. After a communications device receives an incoming call and the ringer is activated to produce an initial audible alert, the ringer of the communications device may be silenced for subsequent audible alerts until the calling party hangs up or until the call is further processed.
126 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A communications system for providing timed ring suppression, the system comprising:
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a communications dataserver communicating with a communications network, the communications dataserver storing a timed ring suppression profile comprising at least one of (i) an identifier of timed ring suppression reference data and (ii) a timing parameter for suppressing a ringer of a receiving party'"'"'s communications device after the receiving party'"'"'s communications device activates the ringer to produce an initial audible alert of the incoming communications signal; and
a timed ring suppression application communicating with at least one of the communications network, the communications dataserver, and the receiving party'"'"'s communications device, the timed ring suppression application generating a timed ring suppression signal, the timed ring suppression signal for silencing subsequent audible alerts of the incoming communications signal according to the timed ring suppression profile wherein the timing parameter ranges from approximately one second to approximately two minutes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A timed ring suppression system, comprising:
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a first switch communicating with a calling party communications device, the calling party communications device transmitting an incoming communications signal to a communications network, the communications network operable to process an incoming line identification (ICLID) signal of the incoming communications signal to generate a timed ring suppression signal and operable to transmit the incoming communications signal and the timed ring suppression signal to a second switch; and
a second switch communicating at least one of the incoming communications signal and the timed ring suppression signal to a receiving party communications device, the second switch processing the timed ring suppression signal to suppress a ringer of the receiving party communications device after the receiving party communications device activates the ringer to produce an initial audible alert of the incoming communications signal such that subsequent audible alerts of the incoming communications signal are silenced according to a timing parameter.
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10. A timed ring suppression system, comprising:
a telecommunications server for processing an incoming communication, the incoming communication from a calling telephone number to a called telephone number associated with a receiving party'"'"'s communications device, the incoming communication comprising an incoming line identification (ICLID) signal, the telecommunications server also processing a timed ring suppression signal for the called telephone number, the timed ring suppression signal for suppressing a ringer of the receiving party'"'"'s communications device after the receiving party'"'"'s communications device activates the ringer to produce an initial audible alert of the telephone call such that subsequent audible alerts are silenced according to a timing parameter. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for timed ring suppression, comprising the steps of:
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processing a communications signal, the communications signal from a calling party communications device to a receiving party communications device;
associating an incoming line identification (ICLID) signal with the communications signal;
associating a timed ring suppression profile with the ICLID signal, the timed ring suppression profile comprising at least one of (i) an identifier of a calling party, (ii) a communications address, (iii) an identifier of a calling party'"'"'s communications device, (iv) a timing parameter for suppressing a ringer of a communications device after the communications device receives the incoming communications signal and after the communications device activates the ringer to produce an initial audible alert; and
generating a timed ring suppression signal, the timed ring suppression signal operable to silence subsequent audible alerts of the incoming communication according to the timing parameter, the timed ring suppression signal further operable to reactivate the ringer to produce subsequent unsuppressed audible alerts according to the timing parameter. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A communications method, comprising the steps of:
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receiving an incoming communications signal from a calling party'"'"'s communications device to a communications network, the communications network comprising a database of one or more timed ring suppression profiles; and
using the incoming communications signal and a timed ring suppression profile to generate a timed ring suppression signal, the timed ring suppression signal comprising (i) an identifier of timed ring suppression reference data and (ii) a timing parameter for suppressing an incoming communications indicator of the receiving party communications device after the receiving party communications device activates the incoming communications indicator to produce an alert of the incoming communications signal, wherein the identifier of timed ring suppression reference data comprises at least one of (i) a telephone number, (ii) a directory name, (iii) a date/time identifier, (iv) a geographical identifier, and (v) a caller control signal and wherein the incoming communications indicator comprises at least one of (i) an audible indicator, (ii) a vibrator, (iii) a visual indicator, and (iv) a sensory indicator. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification