Method and system for transmitting background audio during a telephone call

• US 6,683,938 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henderson, Donnie
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/942,423
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/88.13, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.24, 379/101.01, 379/102.02, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/114.03, 379/114.05, 379/114.13, 455/412, 455/413, 455/414, 455/415
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/352 In-call/conference information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements

Abstract

A voice processing system provides background audio during a telephone call between a caller and a callee telephony device. A storage system contains digital audio data and a database includes a plurality of subscriber data elements associated with the caller and callee devices. A processing device provides the digital audio data during the telephone call based on the subscriber data elements linked to the caller or callee devices such that background audio is provided during a telephone call.

Claims

1. A system for providing a background audio signal during a telephone connection between a caller and a callee, the system comprising

a storage device containing a plurality of predetermined audio data files;

a billing information database having at least one network subscriber data element associated with the caller or callee;

a background audio subscriber attribute database having at least one background audio subscriber data element associated with the caller or callee, at least a portion of the background audio subscriber data element being extracted from the billing information database; and

a processing device for providing the predetermined audio data files in a background audio signal into the telephone connection responsive to the at least one background audio subscriber data element.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined ausdio data files are embodied in a computer readable code.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined audio data files are music files.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network for communicating between the storage device, the database, and the processing device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the network is a telecommunications network.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the telecommunications network is a public switched telephone network.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the telecommunications network is the Internet.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the telecommunications network is wireless.

9. A method of providing a background audio signal during a telephone call between a caller telephony device and a callee telephony device, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a database containing telecommunications subscriber billing information and background audio subscriber profile information associated with an account of the caller telephony device or callee telephony device;

connecting a telephone call between the caller telephony device and the callee telephony device;

accessing an audio selection associated with the profile information of the caller telephony device or callee telephony device; and

transmitting the background audio signal during the telephone call to at least one of the caller telephony device and the callee telephony device based on the audio selection.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of transmitting the background audio signal in the form of music.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein audio selection includes at least a day of the week.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio signal is logically mapped to the caller telephony device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the audio signal is logically mapped to the callee telephony device.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of determining a subscriber data element associated with the caller telephony device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of determining a terminating identifier data element associated with the callee telephony device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of determining a service code data element associated with the terminating data.

17. A method of providing a background music to a called party during a telephony connection, comprising the steps of:

connecting the calling party to an intermediary service node having an interactive voice response system;

determining an audio selection code for playing background music associated with the calling party, by accessing a telecommunications subscriber billing database;

establishing a telephone connection between the calling party to a desired called party; and

transmitting the background music to the calling party and called party during the telephone connection based on the audio selection associated with the calling party.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of accessing the background music from a database.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the audio selection code is logically mapped to the calling party.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the audio selection code is logically mapped to the called part including transmitting the background music based on a day of the week.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of determining a subscriber data element associated with the calling party.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of determining a terminating identifier data element associated with the called party.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of determining a service code data element associated with the terminating identifier data element.

24. A method of providing an audio selection for a system transmitting background audio during a telephone call between a calling part and a called party, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal for accessing a destination server in a telecommunications network;

obtaining a calling party identification; and

establishing an audio selection by retrieving at least one preference option from a telecommunications network subscriber billing database.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of receiving a signal further comprises connecting to a uniform resource locator associated with the destination server.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the uniform resource locator includes a web page on the World Wide Web.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of receiving a signal further comprises connecting to a telephone number associated with the destination server.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the destination servier includes interactive voice response.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the destination server includes an operator.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of generating a subscriber profile record for the database.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the subscriber profile record further comprises a subscriber identifier record.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the subscriber profile record further comprises a third part record identifier.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the subscriber profile record further comprises a service code record.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the subscriber profile record further comprises an audio selection record.