Ringbacks based on extrinsic information

• US 20060147017A1
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Seligmann, Doree Duncan, Moody, Taryn
• Granted Patent: US 8,027,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/911 Distinctive ringing

Abstract

An apparatus and methods are disclosed that enable a first user of a telecommunications terminal to receive, upon placing a call to a second user, a ringback signal that is based on information that is extrinsic to the telecommunications system that handles the call (i.e., information that is independent of the state of the telecommunications system). Such extrinsic information might include: entries in a user schedule (e.g., from a groupware application such as Lotus Notes® that is hosted on a server, from a personal digital assistant [PDA] calendar, etc.); environmental parameters at the first and/or second user'"'"'s terminal (e.g., temperature, ambient sound pressure, ambient luminosity, etc.); physiological parameters of the first and/or second users (e.g., heart rate, respiration rate, body temperature, brain activity, etc.); stock ticker information; weather forecasts; sports scores; updated election results; and so forth.

Claims

1. A method comprising generating at a data-processing system a ringback signal that is based on the contents of a schedule for one or more persons.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting from said data-processing system a call-setup signal; and

receiving at said data-processing system an acknowledgment of said call-setup signal;

wherein generating said ringback signal occurs after receiving said acknowledgment.

3. A method comprising:

(a) receiving at a data-processing system a call-setup signal for a call that is directed to a telecommunications terminal; and

(b) transmitting from said data-processing system a ringback signal that is independent of the state of the telecommunications system that handles said call.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said ringback signal is based on the identity of the user of said telecommunications terminal.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said ringback signal is based on the identity of the user who placed said call.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said ringback signal is based on the contents of a schedule that has an entry for the user of said telecommunications terminal.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said ringback signal is based on an environmental parameter.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein said ringback signal is based on at least one of:

a physiological parameter of the user of said telecommunications terminal, and a physiological parameter of the user who places said call.

9. A method comprising:

(a) transmitting from a data-processing system a call-setup signal for a call that is directed to a telecommunications terminal;

(b) receiving at said data-processing system an acknowledgment of said call-setup signal; and

(c) generating at said data-processing system a ringback signal after receiving said acknowledgment, wherein said ringback signal is independent of the state of the telecommunications system that handles said call.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said ringback signal is based on the identity of the user of said telecommunications terminal.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said ringback signal is based on the identity of the user who places said call.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said ringback signal is based on the contents of a schedule that has an entry for the user of said telecommunications terminal.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said ringback signal is based on an environmental parameter.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said ringback signal is based on at least one of:

a physiological parameter of the user of said telecommunications terminal, and a physiological parameter of the user who places said call.

15. A method comprising:

(a) receiving at a data-processing system a call-setup signal for a call that is placed by a first user and is directed to a second user; and

(b) transmitting from said data-processing system a ringback signal that is based on the identity of said second user.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said ringback signal is also based on the contents of a schedule that has an entry for said second user.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said ringback signal is also based on an environmental parameter.

18. A method comprising:

(a) receiving at a data-processing system a call-setup signal for a call that is placed by a first user and is directed to a second user; and

(b) transmitting from said data-processing system a ringback signal that is based on the identity of said first user.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said ringback signal is also based on the contents of a schedule that has an entry for said first user.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said ringback signal is also based on at least one of:

a physiological parameter of said first user, and a physiological parameter of said second user.