METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INDICATING A CALLER'S INTENT

• US 20070121860A1
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alice Liang, Anna Liang, Barry Liang, Bessy Liang
• Original Assignee: Alice Liang, Anna Liang, Barry Liang, Bessy Liang
• Inventors: LIANG, Barry, LIANG, Bessy, LIANG, Alice, LIANG, Anna
• Granted Patent: US 8,594,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/158
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

When a number of users share one telephone number, the present invention indicates who the callee (the person the caller wants to talk to) is, with personalized rings and information shown on a display, so as to allow each user to quickly identify calls directed to him/her. A mobile phone user could inform the callee his/her intent and/or the urgency level of the call by selecting from options provided by the callee reflecting the callee'"'"'s preferences.

Claims

1. A method for communicating a caller'"'"'s intent to a plurality of users sharing a phone number, the method comprising:

providing each user with an ID code;

associating a ring setting and a display setting with each ID code, and storing each ID code with its associated ring setting and display setting; and

responsive to information from the caller as to which of the plurality of users is being called, playing a ring tone according to the ring setting of the called user, and providing a display according to the display setting of the called user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

imitating an OFF HOOK signal when the caller calls one of the plurality of users.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a greeting with each said ID code, and storing the greeting.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

playing the greeting of the called user, asking the caller to leave a message to the called user;

receiving a message from the caller; and

storing the message with identification of the called user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ring setting is selected from the group consisting of ring tones, music, vibrations at different frequencies, and voice.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the display setting is selected from the group consisting of code, picture, icon, image and text.

7. An apparatus for communicating a caller'"'"'s intent to a plurality of users sharing a phone number, the apparatus comprising:

computer apparatus storing ring settings and displaying settings for each of the plurality of users, said ring settings and display settings corresponding to an ID code associated with each of the plurality of users,

wherein, responsive to a call from the caller, the computer apparatus plays a ring signal according to the ring setting of a called user, and displays the identification of the called user according to the display setting of the called user.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the computer apparatus further comprises:

apparatus that plays stored instructions-to-callers to find out from the caller which of the plurality of users is being called.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising apparatus that stores a greeting associated with each of said plurality of users.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the computer apparatus plays the greeting-to-caller of the called user, enabling the caller to leave a message, and storing the message.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the ring settings are selected from the group consisting of ring tones, music, vibrations at different frequencies, and voice.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the display settings are selected from the group consisting of code, picture, icon, image and text.

13. A method for communicating a caller'"'"'s intent to a phone user, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of alarm settings to a corresponding plurality of different urgency levels; and

responsive to input from the caller indicating an urgency level, playing an alarm in accordance with the indicated urgency level.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

imitating an OFF HOOK signal when the caller calls the user.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the alarm is selected from the group consisting of a ring and a flash of LED.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the ring is selected from the group consisting of ring tone, music, vibrations at different frequencies, and voice.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a first color of LED flash is associated with the first urgency level, and a second color of LED flash is associated with the second urgency level.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein a first alarm setting indicates that the caller desires the user to answer the call immediately.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein a second alarm setting indicates that the user can answer the call later.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein a third alarm setting indicates that the caller is leaving a message.

21. A computer program containing program code for performing the method of claim 13.

22. A mobile phone, comprising:

an RF unit for transmitting and receiving RF signals;

a voice frequency unit for receiving and processing voice frequency signals; and

a logic unit for controlling the RF unit and the voice frequency unit, the logic unit comprising;

a CPU; and

a flash memory for storing the computer program of claim 21.