Method for sending telephone message tag from calling party to recipient

• US 20060072713A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vallabhaneni, Vasu, Jain, Vinit, Fernandes, Lilian Sylvia
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/654 Pre, in or post-call message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for enabling a telephone caller to generate a brief message for transmission to an intended call recipient, as part of the initial procedure of setting up a phone call between the caller and recipient. The message is sent and displayed or otherwise made available to the recipient before the recipient is required to answer the call. The message could comprise a sequence of alphanumeric characters that conveyed an abbreviated message, or otherwise indicates the purpose to the call to the recipient or provides other information. Respective characters could be transmitted as corresponding sequences of binary tones sent to the call recipient between telephone rings.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a telephone caller to send a message to a recipient having a specified phone number, said message being defined by a specified group of ASCII characters and said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal from a caller'"'"'s phone wherein the signal comprises first and second signal components, said first signal component representing a message generated by said caller at said caller'"'"'s phone, and said second signal component representing said specified phone number;

transmitting said signal to an intermediate site located between said caller and said recipient;

processing said signal at said intermediate site to determine whether or not said recipient is authorized to receive said message represented by said first signal component; and

routing said signal to said recipient upon determining that said recipient is authorized to receive said first signal component, whereupon said first signal component is decoded at the location of said recipient to present said message to said recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said characters comprise alphanumeric characters that are sequentially entered by said caller to generate said first signal component, said character sequence collectively comprising a message tag.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said processing step includes determining whether or not said recipient has subscribed to a message service enabling said recipient to receive said message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

said signal is directed to a tag handling device if it is determined that said recipient has subscribed to said message service, and otherwise said first signal component is disregarded and said second signal component is routed to said recipient to establish a connection between said caller and said recipient.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

said tag handling device notifies said caller that said caller may submit an alphanumeric character sequence that is different from the alphanumeric character sequence initially entered by said caller.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

said tag handling device contains a list of tags, each of said tags defining a different message pre-specified by said recipient; and

said caller is notified by said tag handling device that said caller may select and enter any tag from said list.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein:

said tag handling device does not contain a list of tags, and said caller is notified by said tag handling device that said caller may enter any sequence of alphanumeric characters that meets specified criteria.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

said caller is enabled to enter any sequence of alphanumeric characters, up to a specified maximum number of characters.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said caller'"'"'s phone is operated by said caller to sequentially enter a sequence of alphanumeric characters defining said message, and thereafter said caller'"'"'s phone is operated by said caller to enter said specified phone number.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

said first signal component is decoded to provide said sequence of alphanumeric characters for display proximate to said recipient'"'"'s phone.

11. A system for enabling a telephone caller to send a message defined by a specified sequence of alphanumeric characters to a recipient having a specified phone number, said system comprising:

a telephone proximate to said caller having means for enabling said caller to sequentially enter said alphanumeric characters to generate a first signal component encoding said sequence, and to generate a second signal component encoding said specified phone number;

a telephone network connected to selectively transmit signals from said caller'"'"'s telephone to said recipient, and also to an intermediate site located between said caller and said recipient;

a tag handling device at said intermediate site disposed to receive and process said first and second signal components, in order to determine whether or not said recipient is authorized to receive said message encoded by said first signal component and if so, to route said first signal and second signal components to said recipient; and

a telephone proximate to said recipient for receiving and decoding said first signal component to present said message to said recipient.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

said network is disposed to determine whether or not said recipient has subscribed to a message service enabling said recipient to receive said message.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

said signal is directed to said tag handling device if it is determined that said recipient has subscribed to said message service, and otherwise said first signal component is disregarded and said second signal component is routed to said recipient to establish a connection between said caller and said recipient.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

said tag handling device notifies said caller that said caller may submit an alphanumeric character sequence that is different from the alphanumeric character sequence initially entered by said caller.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

said tag handling device contains a list of tags, each of said tags defining a different message pre-specified by said recipient; and

said caller is notified by said tag handling device that said caller may select and enter any tag from said list.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

said tag handling device does not contain a list of tags, and said caller is notified by said tag handling device that said caller may enter any sequence of alphanumeric characters that meets specified criteria.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

said caller is enabled to enter any sequence of alphanumeric characters, up to a specified maximum number of characters.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein:

said recipient'"'"'s phone is provided with a display device for enabling said recipient to view said decoded message.