METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING MANAGED CALLER IDENTIFICATION SERVICES

• US 20090310766A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Ye, Baoqing
• Granted Patent: US 8,515,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.170
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• 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 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72

Abstract

An approach provides managed caller identification services. An image is retrieved from a repository maintained by a service provider in response to initiation of a communication session by the user with another user. The image is associated with a directory address for a user. The image is transmitted along with the directory address for presentation to the other user during establishment of the communication session.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

retrieving, from a repository maintained by a service provider, an image associated with a directory address for a user in response to initiation of a communication session by the user with another user; and

transmitting the image along with the directory address for presentation to the other user during establishment of the communication session.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communication session is a voice call that is established over a circuit-switched network or a packet-switched network.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communication session is initiated from a telephony capable device including a wireless phone or an Internet Protocol (IP) phone.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

modifying resolution of the image based on storage requirement.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the image is retrieved from a website based on a user profile of the user, the user profile including a uniform resource identifier of the image.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the uniform resource identifier is associated with the directory address by the user via a web-based portal.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the image has been stored to the repository by the user via a web-based portal.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein a buddy list associates the image with the directory address.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the repository includes an image for the other user for presentation to the user during establishment of the communication session.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the image is stored or partially cached to non-volatile local storage in a user device.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to retrieve, from a repository maintained by a service provider, an image associated with a directory address for a user in response to initiation of a communication session by the user with another user; and

a communication interface configured to transmit the image along with the directory address for presentation to the other user during establishment of the communication session.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the communication session is a voice call that is established over a circuit-switched network or a packet-switched network.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the communication session is initiated from a telephony capable device including a wireless phone or an Internet Protocol (IP) phone.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to modify resolution of the image based on storage requirement.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the image is retrieved from a website based on a user profile of the user, the information relating to a uniform resource identifier of the image.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the uniform resource identifier is associated with the directory address by the user via a web-based portal.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the image has been stored to the repository by the user via a web-based portal.

18. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a buddy list associates the image with the directory address.

19. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the repository includes an image for the other user for presentation to the user during establishment of the communication session.

20. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the image is stored or partially cached to non-volatile local storage in a user device.

21. A system comprising:

a portal configured to enable a caller to associate an image with a directory address as part of a managed caller identification service,

wherein the image along with the directory address is presented to a called party during establishment of a call.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the image is stored or partially cached to non-volatile memory of a user device associated with the called party or a calling party, wherein the user device is configured to retrieved the image from the memory for presentation to the called party or the calling party.

23. A system according to claim 21, further comprising:

a server configured to receive the image from the caller, and to adjust resolution of the image for either storage or presentation.

24. A system according to claim 21, wherein the call includes packetized voice packets.

25. A system according to claim 21, wherein the portal interfaces with a social network site to obtain the image of the caller.