Methods, Systems and Computer Program Products for Dynamic Caller ID Messaging

• US 20070297587A1
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Forsberg, Kevin, Sawyer, Charles, Urban, Blake, Dickens, James, White, Isaac
• Granted Patent: US 7,564,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2038 Call context notifications
• 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: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for caller identification messaging are disclosed. A calling party uses a Caller ID Messaging Device that supplants the incoming calling line identification (ICLID) signal with a Caller ID Messaging Signal and transmits the Caller ID Messaging Signal to a destination communications address. An alternate embodiment provides that the calling party may use a conventional telephone to access a communications network, activate Caller ID Messaging Services, compose or retrieve a stored Caller ID Message of the Caller ID Messaging Signal, and transmit the Caller ID Messaging Signal to the destination communications address. The Caller ID Message and Caller ID Messaging Signal may include text, video, voice, and/or digital data.

Claims

1. A caller identification messaging device for use in a communications network having a communications link, the communications link allowing a calling party communications device and a receiving party communications device to transmit and receive communications signals, the caller identification device comprising:

a database for storing caller identification messaging profiles;

means for receiving real time data;

means for transmitting a caller identification messaging signal via the communications link of the communications network, the caller identification messaging signal comprising a caller identification message, the caller identification message including at least one of a user specified text message, a user specified visual message, a user specified visual doodle, pre-selected user specified data stored in the database of caller identification messaging profiles, and the real time data,

means for communicating at least one of the caller identification message and the caller identification messaging signal to at least one of the communications address of the calling party communications device and the communications address of the receiving party communications device;

the means for transmitting transmits a response caller identification message signal, the response caller identification messaging signal comprising a response caller identification message, the response caller identification message including at least one of the user specified text message, the user specified visual message, the user specified visual doodle, pre-selected user specified data stored in the database of caller identification messaging profiles, and the real time data.

2. The caller identification messaging device of claim 1, wherein the communications link further allows a third party communications device, the calling party communications device, and the receiving party communications device to transmit and receive communication signals.

3. The caller identification messaging device of claim 2, wherein the means for communicating further communicates at least one of the caller identification message and the caller identification messaging signal to the third party communications device.

4. The caller identification messaging device of claim 2, wherein the means for communicating is operable to simultaneously transmit a communications signal to establish a voice connection between the calling party communications device and the receiving party communications device and to transmit at least one of the caller identification messaging signal and caller identification message to at least one of the calling party communications device, the receiving party communications device, and the third party communications device.

5. The caller identification messaging device of claim 2, wherein the means for transmitting transmits the calling identification messaging signal via the communications link to at least one of the calling party communications device, the receiving party communications device, and the third party communications device after a voice connection is established between the calling party communications device and the receiving party communications device and wherein the means for communicating is operable to transmit the calling identification messaging signal during the voice connection.

6. The caller identification messaging device of claim 1, the calling party communications device comprises at least one of the following:

the means for transmitting, a caller identification device, a wireless communications device, a mobile phone, a wireless phone, a WAP phone, a satellite phone a computer, a modem, a pager, a digital music device, a digital recording device, a personal digital assistant, an interactive television, a digital signal processor, and a Global Positioning System device.

7. The caller identification messaging device of claim 1, the receiving party communications device comprises at least one of the following:

a caller identification device, the means for transmitting, a wireless communications device, a mobile phone, a wireless phone, a WAP phone, a satellite phone a computer, a modem, a pager, a digital music device, a digital recording device, a personal digital assistant, an interactive television, a digital signal processor, and a Global Positioning System device.

8. The caller identification messaging device of claim 1, the third party communications device comprises at least one of the following:

the means for transmitting, a wireless communications device, a mobile phone, a wireless phone, a WAP phone, a satellite phone a computer, a modem, a pager, a digital music device, a digital recording device, a personal digital assistant, an interactive television, a digital signal processor, and a Global Positioning System device.

9. The caller identification messaging device of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating further comprises a world wide electronic data communications network having a caller identification messaging interface via at least one of an internet, an intranet, or an extranet, the caller identification messaging interface accessible via at least one of a caller identification messaging program of the means for transmitting and a caller identification messaging program interface residing in memory of the calling party communications device.

10. The caller identification messaging device of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating further comprises a world wide electronic data communications network having a caller identification messaging interface via at least one of an internet, an intranet, or an extranet, the caller identification messaging interface accessible via at least one of a caller identification messaging program of the means for transmitting and a caller identification messaging program interface residing in memory of the receiving party communications device.

11. The caller identification messaging device of claim 2, wherein the communications network further comprises a world wide electronic data communications network having a caller identification messaging interface via at least one of an internet, an intranet, or an extranet, the caller identification messaging interface accessible via at least one of a caller identification messaging program of the means for transmitting and a caller identification messaging program interface residing in memory of at least one of the calling party communications device and the third party communications device.

12. A method for caller identification messaging over a communications link in a communications network with at least two of a calling party communications device, a receiving party communications device, and a third party communications device, the method comprising:

processing a caller identification messaging signal, the caller identification messaging signal comprising a caller identification message, the caller identification message including at least one of a user specified text message, a user specified visual message, a user specified visual doodle, pre-selected user specified data stored in a database of caller identification messaging profiles of the caller identification messaging device, and real time data input into the caller identification messaging device;

using the caller identification messaging signal to route the caller identification messaging signal to a destinations communications address, wherein the destination communications addresses comprises the communications address of at least one of the calling party communications device, the receiving party communications device, and the third party communications device; and

processing the caller identification messaging signal to the destinations communications address.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the caller identification message comprises at least one of text, voice, video, and electronic data.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

if the calling party communications device displays conventional incoming line identification signals, then substituting the caller identification message for the incoming line identification signal and transmitting the caller identification message to the destinations communications address; and

if the calling party communications device comprises a caller identification messaging device to enhance display, then transmitting the caller identification messaging signal to the destinations communications address.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

if the receiving party communications device displays conventional incoming line identification signals, then substituting the caller identification message for the incoming line identification signal and transmitting the caller identification message to the destinations communications address,

if the receiving party communications device comprises a caller identification messaging device to enhance display, then transmitting the caller identification messaging signal to the destinations communications address.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

processing a response caller identification messaging signal, the response caller identification messaging signal comprising a response caller identification message, wherein the response caller identification message comprises at least one of text, voice, video, and electronic data; and

routing the response caller identification messaging signal to an origination communications address, the origination communications address comprising at least one of the calling party communications device, the receiving party communications device, and the third party communications device and the origination communications address associated with originating the caller identification messaging signal; and

processing the caller identification messaging signal to the origination communications address.

17. The method of claim 12, the caller identification messaging services providing instructions for at least one of (i) billing for caller identification messaging signals, (ii) a parameter that enables caller identification messaging, (iii) a parameter that disables caller identification messaging, (iv) a parameter to block caller identification messaging, (v) identification and authentication parameter, (vi) a parameter to bypass the disable parameter, (vii) memory services for data stored with caller identification messaging signals, and (viii) configuration and formatting preferences for at least one of the calling party communications device, the receiving party communications device, and the third party communications device.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

billing the third party for the communications link, the communications link comprising at least one of a voice connection between the calling party communications device and the receiving party communications device and a caller identification messaging connection for transmitting the caller identification message.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the communications link comprises at least one of a voice connection and a data connection.

20. A computer program product for caller identification messaging:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

accessing a communications link in a communications network with at least two of a calling party communications device, a receiving party communications device, and a third party communications device;

processing a caller identification messaging signal, the caller identification messaging signal comprising a caller identification message, the caller identification message including at least one of a user specified text message, a user specified visual message, a user specified visual doodle, pre-selected user specified data stored in a database of caller identification messaging profiles of the caller identification messaging device, and real time data input into the caller identification messaging device;

using the caller identification messaging signal to route the caller identification messaging signal to a destinations communications address, wherein the destination communications addresses comprises the communications address of at least one of the calling party communications device, the receiving party communications device, and the third party communications device; and

processing the caller identification messaging signal to the destinations communications address.