System and Method for Facilitating a Custom Ring in Connection with a Call

• US 20100020957A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brandt, Jeffrey Lewis, Reynolds, Douglas F., Bangor, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 8,265,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/207.160
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for facilitating a custom ring in connection with a call. A ring tone delivery system may include an interface operable to receive a calling signal that indicates a request to place a call from a calling party to a communication device of a called party. The system may also include a network node communicatively coupled to the interface. The network node may be operable to determine whether the calling party is able to use a calling party selected ring tone. The network node may also be operable to determine whether the communication device will accept the calling party selected ring tone. The network node sends the calling party selected ring tone to the communication device when the calling party is able to use the calling party selected ring tone and when the communication device will accept the calling party selected ring tone.

Claims

i. i. A call indication method comprising:

receiving, at a communication system, a request from a calling party to complete a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) call to a communication device of a called party;

receiving custom ring information at the communication system, the custom ring information representing a selected ring tone to be played by the communication device;

determining at the communication system whether the communication device is configured to output the selected ring tone; and

delivering the selected ring tone to the communication device from the communication system when the communication device is configured to output the selected ring tone.

ii. ii. The method of claim i, further comprising delivering a non-custom ring tone to the communication device when the communication device is not configured to output the selected ring tone to be played.

iii. iii. The method of claim ii, wherein the communication device is not configured to output the selected ring tone when the communication device is not capable of playing the selected ring tone.

iv. iv. The method of claim ii, wherein the communication device is not configured to output the selected ring tone when the selected ring tone is blocked from reaching the communication device.

v. v. The method of claim i, further comprising:

determining whether the VoIP call was answered at the communication device; and

recording a calling party message for the called party when the VoIP call is not answered, wherein the calling party message includes a representation of at least a portion of the selected ring tone.

vi. vi. The method of claim i, wherein the selected ring tone comprises a spoken message.

vii. vii. The method of claim i, wherein the selected ring tone comprises a branded ring tone that refers to an entity.

viii. viii. A ring tone delivery system, comprising:

an interface operable to receive a calling signal that indicates a request to place a call from a calling party to a first communication device of a called party; and

a network node communicatively coupled to the interface, the network node operable to determine whether the calling party is able to use a calling party selected ring tone and to determine whether the first communication device will accept the calling party selected ring tone;

wherein the network node sends the calling party selected ring tone to the first communication device when the calling party is able to use the calling party selected ring tone and when the first communication device will accept the calling party selected ring tone.

ix. ix. The system of claim viii, further comprising a memory accessible to the network node that contains a list of devices associated with the calling party that are capable of using the calling party selected ring tone to facilitate determination of whether the calling party is able to use the calling party selected ring tone.

x. x. The system of claim viii, further comprising a memory accessible to the network node that contains a list of destination addresses that block the calling party selected ring tone to facilitate determination of whether the first communication device will accept the calling party selected ring tone.

xi. xi. The system of claim viii, further comprising a message system configured to be activated when the called party does not answer the call, wherein the message system records a calling party message that includes a representation of at least a portion of the calling party selected ring tone when the called party does not answer the call.

xii. xii. The system of claim viii, wherein the network node comprises a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) switch.

xiii. xiii. The system of claim viii, wherein the calling party is not able to use the calling party selected ring tone when using a particular communication device of a plurality of communication devices associated with the calling party, wherein at least one of the plurality of communication devices associated with the calling party is able to use the calling party selected ring tone, and wherein the network node sends a non-custom ring tone when the calling party is not able to use the calling party selected ring tone because the calling party is using the particular communication device.

xiv. xiv. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising:

operational instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to determine whether a calling party is able to use a selected ring tone for a call;

operational instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to determine whether a first communication device associated with a party called by the calling party allows the selected ring tone; and

operational instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to send the selected ring tone to the first communication device when the calling party is able to use the selected ring tone and when the first communication device allows the selected ring tone.

xv. xv. The computer-readable medium of claim xiv, further comprising:

operational instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to identify a particular communication device used by the calling party to place the call;

operational instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to compare the particular communication device to a list of communication devices associated with the calling party that are capable of sending the selected ring tone; and

operational instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to send a non-custom ring tone to the first communication device when the particular communication device is not in the list of communication devices associated with the calling party that are capable of sending the selected ring tone.

xvi. xvi. The computer-readable medium of claim xiv, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to send a non-custom ring tone to the first communication device when the first communication device is not capable of playing the selected ring tone.

xvii. xvii. The computer-readable medium of claim xiv, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to send a non-custom ring tone to the first communication device when the party called by the calling party blocks the selected ring tone.

xviii. xviii. The computer-readable medium of claim xiv, wherein the selected ring tone is delivered to the computer by a second communication device used by the calling party to place the call, wherein the second communication device is selected from a computer, a telephone communicatively coupled to a twisted pair network, a cordless telephone, a voice over internet protocol telephone, a cellular telephone, a fixed wireless telephone, and a 802.11 (x) telephone.

xix. xix. The computer-readable medium of claim xiv, wherein a memory accessible by the computer stores a list of device addresses to which delivery of the selected ring tone is blocked.

xx. xx. The computer-readable medium of claim xiv, wherein a memory accessible by the computer stores a list of devices associated with the calling party that are capable of sending the selected ring tone.