System and method for providing particularized audible alerts

• US 20050243996A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Somatek, Co.
• Original Assignee: Somatek, Co.
• Inventors: Fitchmun, Mark I.
• Granted Patent: US 7,869,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/418
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/021 Mobile ringtone, i.e. generation, transmission, conversion or downloading of ringing tones or other sounds for mobile telephony; Special musical data formats or protocols therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

A system and method of generating at least two distinctive auditory alerts upon receiving a transmission or telephone call at a device is described. Data indicative of a first plurality of sounds corresponding to a user of a device configured to receive the transmission or telephone call is accessed, such as from a memory. The first plurality of sounds is played at the device so as to identify a received transmission or telephone call being directed to the user. A telephone number, subscriber name or identifier associated with a transmitting or calling party of the transmission or telephone call is accessed. Data indicative of a second plurality of sounds designating the transmitting or calling party based on the subscriber name, telephone number or identifier is retrieved, such as from a data structure, and the second plurality of sounds is played at the device so as to identify the transmitting or calling party.

Claims

1. A method of generating at least two distinctive auditory alerts upon receiving a telephone call at a device, the method comprising:

accessing data indicative of a first plurality of sounds corresponding to a user of a device, the device configured to receive a telephone call;

playing the first plurality of sounds at the device so as to identify a received telephone call being directed to the user;

accessing a telephone number or a subscriber name associated with a calling party of the telephone call;

retrieving data indicative of a second plurality of sounds designating the calling party based on the telephone number or subscriber name; and

playing the second plurality of sounds at the device so as to identify the calling party.

2. The method of claim 1, prior to the accessing, additionally comprising assigning data indicative of the first plurality of sounds corresponding to the user of the device, wherein the data corresponds to a sequence of phonemes associated with the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving comprises applying a transformation based on the telephone number or subscriber name.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transformation comprises rules assigning phonic symbols based on the subscriber name.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the assigned phonic symbols correspond to phonemes of the subscriber name.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each sound lacks spectral and temporal complexity and variability of natural phonemes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein playing the first plurality of sounds comprises playing a portion of the first plurality of sounds concurrently.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein playing the second plurality of sounds comprises playing a portion of the second plurality of sounds concurrently.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein playing the first plurality of sounds is repeated, after a time interval, for a first predetermined number of times.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein playing the second plurality of sounds is repeated, after a time interval, for a second predetermined number of times.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein playing the first plurality of sounds is followed by a predetermined period of silence and playing the second plurality of sounds, and wherein the first plurality of sounds, the predetermined period of silence and the second plurality of sounds is repeated, after a time interval, for a predetermined number of times.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein playing the second plurality of sounds is followed by a predetermined period of silence and playing the first plurality of sounds, and wherein the first plurality of sounds, the predetermined period of silence and the second plurality of sounds is repeated, after a time interval, for a predetermined number of times.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of sounds in the first and second plurality of sounds is selected from a group of less than seven unique sounds.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the sounds in the first and second plurality of sounds are played individually or in combinations, having up to 63 combinations or composite sounds.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of sounds in the first and second plurality of sounds is selected from a group of less than ten unique sounds.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first or second plurality of sounds is either six or nine sounds.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the sounds in the first plurality of sounds correspond to a first set of selected notes.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the sounds in the second plurality of sounds-correspond to a second set of selected notes.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the sounds in the first plurality of sounds and the second plurality of sounds correspond to a predetermined set of notes or chords.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the sounds in the first plurality of sounds and the second plurality of sounds correspond to a set of outputs from a speech engine.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mobile telephone, a wireless telephone, a pager, or a two-way radio.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a computing device with a telephone call capability.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the telephone number comprises automatically retrieving the telephone number associated with the calling party of the telephone call at the device.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone number comprises a caller number identification (CNID).

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone number comprises an automatic number identification (ANI).

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone number comprises a calling party'"'"'s number (CPN).

27. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving comprises indexing a data structure based on the telephone number or subscriber name.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the data structure is a list, array or table.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the data structure is a database.

30. The method of claim 3, wherein the transformation comprises rules for arranging and/or parsing the telephone number.

31. The method of claim 30, additionally comprising assigning phonic symbols to the arranged and/or parsed telephone number.

32. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising assigning default sounds for the second plurality of sounds.

33. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising assigning default sounds for the first and second plurality of sounds.

34. The method of claim 27, additionally comprising automatically assigning a particular second plurality of sounds to the telephone number of the calling party.

35. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising automatically assigning a particular second plurality of sounds corresponding to the calling party.

36. The method of claim 34, additionally comprising storing the assigned particular second plurality of sounds and the corresponding telephone number of the calling party in the data structure.

37. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising assigning default sounds for the first plurality of sounds.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selects the sounds of the first plurality of sounds.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selects a type of sound via a user interface.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of sounds corresponds to one instrument and the second plurality of sounds corresponds to a second instrument.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of sounds and the second plurality of sounds corresponds to the same instrument.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of sounds corresponds to multiple instruments and the second plurality of sounds corresponds to one instrument.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of sounds corresponds to one instrument and the second plurality of sounds corresponds to multiple instruments.

44. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising selecting the first plurality of sounds corresponding to a user prior to accessing the data indicative of the first plurality of sounds.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the selecting comprises randomly generating the first plurality of sounds.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the selecting comprises receiving a user input.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the selecting further comprises applying transformations based on the user input.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the selecting comprises obtaining a user identifier based on a dialed number identification service (DNIS) corresponding to the telephone call.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the selecting further comprises applying transformations based on the user identifier.

50. The method of claim 44, additionally comprising storing the selected first plurality of sounds in a memory.

51. A method of generating at least two distinctive auditory alerts upon receiving a telephone call at a device, the method comprising:

playing a first plurality of sounds at a device so as to identify a received telephone call being directed to a user of the device;

accessing a telephone number or subscriber name associated with a calling party of the telephone call;

retrieving data indicative of a second plurality of sounds corresponding to the calling party based on the telephone number or subscriber name; and

playing the second plurality of sounds at the device so as to identify the calling party.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein retrieving comprises applying a transformation based on the telephone number or subscriber name.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the transformation comprises rules for arranging and/or parsing the telephone number, or rules assigning phonic symbols based on the subscriber name.

54. The method of claim 53, additionally comprising assigning phonic symbols to the arranged and/or parsed telephone number, wherein the assigned phonic symbols correspond to phonemes of the arranged and/or parsed telephone number or the subscriber name.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein playing the first plurality of sounds is followed by a predetermined period of silence and playing the second plurality of sounds, and wherein the first plurality of sounds, the predetermined period of silence and the second plurality of sounds is repeated, after a time interval, for a predetermined number of times.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein playing the second plurality of sounds is followed by a predetermined period of silence and playing the first plurality of sounds, and wherein the first plurality of sounds, the predetermined period of silence and the second plurality of sounds is repeated, after a time interval, for a predetermined number of times.

57. The method of claim 51, wherein retrieving comprises indexing a data structure based on the telephone number or subscriber name.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the data structure is a list, array, table, or database.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein the first plurality of sounds corresponds to one instrument and the second plurality of sounds corresponds to a second instrument.

60. The method of claim 51, wherein the first plurality of sounds corresponds to multiple instruments and the second plurality of sounds corresponds to one instrument, or the first plurality of sounds corresponds to one instrument and the second plurality of sounds corresponds to multiple instruments, or both the first and second plurality of sounds correspond to multiple instruments.

61. A method of generating at least two distinctive auditory alerts upon receiving a telephone call at a device, the method comprising:

accessing data indicative of a first plurality of sounds corresponding to a user of a device, the device configured to receive a telephone call;

playing the first plurality of sounds at the device so as to identify a received telephone call being directed to the user;

accessing an identifier associated with a calling party of the telephone call;

retrieving data indicative of a second plurality of sounds designating the calling party based on the identifier; and

playing the second plurality of sounds at the device so as to identify the calling party.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein accessing the identifier comprises automatically retrieving the identifier associated with the calling party from a signaling portion of the telephone call.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein retrieving comprises indexing a data structure based on the identifier.

64. The method of claim 63, additionally comprising automatically assigning a particular second plurality of sounds to the identifier of the calling party.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the particular second plurality of sounds is randomly generated.

66. The method of claim 64, additionally comprising storing the assigned particular second plurality of sounds and the corresponding identifier of the calling party in the data structure.

67. The method of claim 61, wherein retrieving comprises applying a transformation based on the identifier.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the transformation comprises rules for arranging and/or parsing the identifier, or rules assigning phonic symbols based on the identifier.

69. The method of claim 67, wherein the transformation comprises rules for randomly arranging and/or parsing the identifier, or rules assigning random phonic symbols based on the identifier.

70. The method of claim 61, additionally comprising selecting the first plurality of sounds corresponding to a user prior to accessing the data indicative of the first plurality of sounds.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the selecting comprises randomly generating the first plurality of sounds.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein the selecting comprises receiving a user input.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the selecting further comprises applying transformations based on the user input.

74. The method of claim 70, additionally comprising storing the selected first plurality of sounds in a memory.

75. A method of generating at least two distinctive auditory alerts upon receiving a transmission at a communication device, the method comprising:

accessing data indicative of a first plurality of sounds corresponding to a user of a communication device, the communication device configured to receive a transmission;

playing the first plurality of sounds at the communication device so as to identify a received transmission being directed to the user;

accessing an identifier associated with a transmitting party of the transmission;

retrieving data indicative of a second plurality of sounds designating the transmitting party based on the identifier; and

playing the second plurality of sounds at the device so as to identify the transmitting party.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein the transmission is an electronic mail.

77. The method of claim 75, wherein the transmission is a telephone call.

78. The method of claim 75, wherein the transmission is a short messaging service or a multi-media messaging service transmission.

79. The method of claim 75, wherein the transmission is a paging transmission.

80. The method of claim 75, wherein the transmission comprises text.

81. The method of claim 75, wherein the transmission comprises a picture.

82. The method of claim 75, wherein the transmission comprises a signaling portion including the identifier associated with the transmitting party of the transmission.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the identifier comprises a name of the transmitting party.

84. The method of claim 82, wherein the identifier comprises a caller number identification, automatic number identification, or calling party'"'"'s number of the transmitting party.

85. The method of claim 82, wherein the identifier comprises an Internet protocol address of the transmitting party.

86. The method of claim 82, wherein the identifier comprises an electronic-mail address of the transmitting party.

87. A method of generating a distinctive auditory alert upon receiving a telephone call at a device, the method comprising:

accessing a telephone number or subscriber name associated with a calling party of a telephone call;

retrieving data indicative of a plurality of sounds designating the calling party based on the telephone number or subscriber name; and

playing the plurality of sounds at the device so as to identify the calling party.

88. The method of claim 87, wherein a user of the device does not select the sounds of the plurality of sounds.

89. The method of claim 87, wherein retrieving comprises indexing a data structure based on the telephone number or subscriber name.

90. The method of claim 89, wherein the data structure is a list, array, table, or database.

91. The method of claim 87, wherein retrieving comprises applying a transformation based on the telephone number or subscriber name.

92. The method of claim 91, wherein the transformation comprises rules for arranging and/or parsing the telephone number, or rules assigning phonic symbols based on the subscriber name.

93. The method of claim 92, additionally comprising assigning phonic symbols to the arranged and/or parsed telephone number, wherein the assigned phonic symbols correspond to phonemes of the arranged and/or parsed telephone number or the subscriber name.

94. The method of claim 89, additionally comprising automatically assigning a particular plurality of sounds to the telephone number of the calling party.

95. The method of claim 87, additionally comprising automatically assigning a particular plurality of sounds corresponding to the calling party.

96. The method of claim 94, additionally comprising storing the assigned particular plurality of sounds and the corresponding telephone number of the calling party in the data structure.

97. The method of claim 87, wherein the plurality of sounds for each calling party is played in a sequence.

98. The method of claim 97, wherein two or more sounds overlap at one or more predetermined times in the sequence.

99. The method of claim 98, wherein the sequence of the plurality of sounds is unique for each calling party.

100. The method of claim 98, wherein the plurality of sounds corresponds to one instrument.

101. The method of claim 98, wherein the plurality of sounds corresponds to multiple instruments, and wherein the sounds of the multiple instruments overlap at times.

102. A method of generating a distinctive auditory alert upon receiving a telephone call at a device, the method comprising:

accessing a telephone number or subscriber name associated with a calling party of a telephone call;

automatically assigning a particular plurality of sounds to correspond to the telephone number or subscriber name of the calling party; and

playing the plurality of sounds at the device so as to identify the calling party.

103. The method of claim 102, wherein a user of the device does not select the sounds of the plurality of sounds.

104. The method of claim 102, wherein automatically assigning comprises applying transformations based on the telephone number or subscriber name.

105. The method of claim 104, wherein the transformations comprise arranging and/or parsing the telephone number.

106. The method of claim 105, additionally comprising assigning phonic symbols to the arranged and/or parsed telephone number.

107. The method of claim 104, wherein the transformations comprise assigning phonic symbols based on the subscriber name.

108. The method of claim 107, wherein the assigned phonic symbols correspond to phonemes of the subscriber name.

109. The method of claim 102, additionally comprising assigning each calling party a unique plurality of sounds to be played in a sequence.

110. The method of claim 109, wherein two or more sounds overlap at one or more predetermined times in the sequence.

111. The method of claim 102, additionally comprising storing the assigned particular plurality of sounds and the corresponding telephone number or subscriber name of the calling party in a data structure associated with the device.

112. The method of claim 111, wherein the data structure is a list, array, table, or database.

113. The method of claim 111, in a subsequent telephone call to the device from a calling party that has previously called the device, additionally comprising:

indexing the data structure based on the telephone number or subscriber name of the calling party to retrieve the assigned plurality of sounds designating the calling party; and

playing the plurality of sounds in a sequence at the device so as to identify the calling party.

114. A method of generating a distinctive auditory alert upon receiving a transmission at a communication device, the method comprising:

accessing an identifier associated with a transmitting party of a transmission;

automatically assigning a particular plurality of sounds to correspond to the identifier of the transmitting party; and

playing the plurality of sounds at the device so as to identify the transmitting party.

115. The method of claim 114, wherein the transmission comprises a signaling portion including the identifier associated with the transmitting party of the transmission.

116. The method of claim 115, wherein the identifier comprises a name of the transmitting party.

117. The method of claim 115, wherein the identifier comprises a caller number identification, automatic number identification, or calling party'"'"'s number of the transmitting party.

118. The method of claim 115, wherein the identifier comprises an Internet protocol address of the transmitting party.

119. The method of claim 115, wherein the identifier comprises an electronic-mail address of the transmitting party.

120. A system for generating at least two distinctive auditory alerts upon receiving a telephone call, the system comprising:

data indicative of a first plurality of sounds designating a user of a device, the device configured to receive a telephone call;

a sound generator at the device configured to play the first plurality of sounds in a sequence so as to identify a received telephone call being directed to the user;

a telephone number module configured to access a telephone number or subscriber name associated with a calling party of the telephone call; and

a calling party module configured to provide data indicative of a second plurality of sounds designating the calling party based on the accessed telephone number or subscriber name, wherein the sound generator is further configured to play the second plurality of sounds in a sequence so as to identify the calling party.

121. The system of claim 120, wherein the calling party module comprises a data structure indexed by the accessed telephone number or subscriber name.

122. The system of claim 120, wherein the telephone number module accesses a caller number identification (CNID), an automatic number identification (ANI), or a calling party'"'"'s number (CPN).

123. The system of claim 121, wherein the data structure is a list, array, table, or database.

124. The system of claim 120, wherein the calling party module comprises a transformation process based on the accessed telephone number or subscriber name.

125. The system of claim 124, wherein the transformation process comprises rules for arranging and/or parsing the telephone number, or rules assigning phonic symbols based on the subscriber name.

126. The system of claim 120, wherein the first plurality of sounds corresponds to one instrument and the second plurality of sounds corresponds to a second instrument.

127. The system of claim 120, wherein the first plurality of sounds corresponds to multiple instruments and the second plurality of sounds corresponds to one instrument, or the first plurality of sounds corresponds to one instrument and the second plurality of sounds corresponds to multiple instruments.

128. The system of claim 120, wherein two or more sounds of the second plurality of sounds overlap at one or more predetermined times in the sequence.

129. A system for generating at least two distinctive auditory alerts upon receiving a telephone call, the system comprising:

a first plurality of sounds indicative of a user of a device, the device configured to receive a telephone call; and

a second plurality of sounds indicative of a calling party of the received telephone call,

wherein the device is configured to

play the first plurality of sounds in a sequence so as to identify the received telephone call being directed to the user,

access a telephone number or subscriber name associated with the calling party of the received telephone call, and

play the second plurality of sounds in a sequence so as to identify the calling party.

130. The system of claim 129, wherein the device comprises a data structure indexed by the accessed telephone number or subscriber name.

131. The system of claim 129, wherein the device comprises a module configured to apply transformations based on the accessed telephone number or subscriber name.

132. The system of claim 129, wherein the device comprises a memory configured to store the first plurality of sounds indicative of the user of the device.

133. A telephonic device comprising means for producing an acoustic representation of a message, the acoustic representation comprising acoustic symbols, the acoustic symbols representing phonemes of a language, wherein the acoustic symbols comprise combinations of sounds, single sounds, and/or silence, and wherein the acoustic symbols are produced in a temporal order consistent with the language.

134. The telephonic device defined in claim 133, additionally comprising an audible alert/ringer, wherein the alert/ringer is configured to generate an acoustic representation of a message.

135. The telephonic device defined in claim 134, wherein the message comprises information regarding an incoming call.

136. The telephonic device defined in claim 135, wherein the information comprises a caller ID of the incoming call.

137. The telephonic device defined in claim 134, wherein the message comprises the name of an owner of the telephonic device.

138. The telephonic device defined in claim 134, wherein the message comprises the name of the telephonic device.

139. The telephonic device defined in claim 133, additionally comprising means for assigning the combinations of sounds or the single sounds to the acoustic symbols.

140. The telephonic device defined in claim 139, wherein the means for assigning the combinations of sounds or the single sounds to the acoustic symbols comprises means for randomly assigning the combinations of sounds or the single sounds to the acoustic symbols.

141. The telephonic device defined in claim 139, wherein the means for assigning the combinations of sounds or the single sounds to the acoustic symbols further comprises means for a user to assign the combinations of sounds or the single sounds to the acoustic symbols.

142. The telephonic device defined in claim 133, additionally comprising a transmitter of the acoustic representation of a message and a receiver of the acoustic representation of a message.

143. The telephonic device defined in claim 133, wherein the telephonic device comprises a mobile telephone, a wireless telephone, a pager, or a two-way radio.

144. A method of generating a distinctive auditory alert upon receiving a telephone call at a device, the method comprising:

accessing data indicative of a plurality of sounds in a sequence corresponding to a user of a device, the device configured to receive a telephone call; and

playing the plurality of sounds in the sequence at the device so as to identify a received telephone call being directed to the user.

145. The method of claim 144, prior to the accessing, additionally comprising assigning data indicative of the plurality of sounds in the sequence corresponding to the user of the device, wherein the data corresponds to a sequence of phonemes associated with the user.

146. The method of claim 144, wherein the plurality of sounds comprises combinations of notes.

147. The method of claim 146, wherein the combinations of notes at least partially overlap in time.

148. The method of claim 144, prior to the accessing, additionally comprising assigning data indicative of a plurality of sounds in the sequence corresponding to the user of the device, wherein the plurality of sounds in the sequence correspond to a phone number of the device.

149. The method of claim 144, prior to the accessing, additionally comprising assigning data indicative of a plurality of sounds in the sequence corresponding to the user of the device, wherein the plurality of sounds in the sequence correspond to a name of the user.

150. The method of claim 144, prior to the accessing, additionally comprising assigning data indicative of a plurality of sounds in the sequence corresponding to the user of the device, wherein the plurality of sounds in the sequence correspond to one or more words selected by the user.

151. The method of claim 144, wherein the plurality of sounds in the sequence corresponding to the user is unique to the user.

152. A method of generating a distinctive auditory alert upon receiving a transmission at a communication device, the method comprising:

accessing data indicative of a plurality of sounds in a sequence corresponding to a user of a communication device, the communication device configured to receive a transmission, wherein the plurality of sounds comprises combinations of notes, and wherein the combinations of notes at least partially overlap in time; and

playing the plurality of sounds in the sequence at the device so as to identify a received transmission being directed to the user.

153. The method of claim 152, wherein the transmission is an electronic mail.

154. The method of claim 152, wherein the transmission is a telephone call.

155. The method of claim 152, wherein the transmission is a short messaging service or a multi-media messaging service transmission.

156. The method of claim 152, wherein the transmission is a paging transmission.

157. The method of claim 152, wherein the transmission comprises text.

158. The method of claim 152, wherein the transmission comprises a picture.

159. The method of claim 152, wherein the transmission comprises a signaling portion including an identification of an originator of the transmission.

160. The method of claim 159, wherein the identification comprises a name of the originator of the transmission.

161. The method of claim 159, wherein the identification comprises a caller number identification, automatic number identification, or calling party'"'"'s number of the originator of the transmission.

162. The method of claim 159, wherein the identification comprises an Internet protocol address of the originator of the transmission.

163. The method of claim 159, wherein the identification comprises an electronic-mail address of the originator of the transmission.

164. The method of claim 152, wherein the communication device comprises a mobile telephone, a wireless telephone, a pager, or a two-way radio.

165. The method of claim 152, wherein the communication device comprises a personal computer, a portable computer, a hand-held computing device, or a wearable computing device.