Systems and methods for wireline ring tone service

• US 6,778,648 B1
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Benhov GmbH, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Simpson, Anita Hogans, Alston, Douglas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, WING F
• Application Number:
  US10/153,210
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.01, 379/93.08, 379/93.09, 379/93.14, 379/93.17, 379/93.18, 379/93-3-, 379/93.35, 379/142.01, 379/215.01, 379/221.08, 379/230, 379/229, 379/373.01, 379/373.03, 379/372, 379/374.01, 379/375.01, 455/567, 455/419, 455/418, 455/466
• US Class Current: 379/93.27
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• 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 3/5322 for recording text messages

Abstract

A system configured to deliver wireline messages to terminating stations, such as telephones, using a conventional public switched telephone network (PSTN). The wireline messages may be composed of text, ring tones, or other items. The wireline messages may be created using modified conventional telephones, mobile telephones, personal computers and the like. The wireline messages are stored within a wireline message database associated with a conventional service control point (SCP) contained in an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). The wireline messages are delivered to a terminating station, such as a wireline telephone, after a trigger has been actuated. Wireline messages composed of text are displayed on a display screen incorporated within the terminating station or electrically coupled to the terminating station. Wireline messages composed of ring tones are played to alert a called party that an incoming call has been placed from a particular directory number.

Claims

1. A system for providing wireline ring tone service to a terminating station, comprising:

a service switching point for sending a first data message associated with a directory number to a service control point and for receiving a second data message that includes a wireline ring tone message from the service control point; and

the service control point for receiving the first data message from the service switching point, accessing a wireline message database to determine whether the wireline ring tone message stored in the wireline message database is associated with the directory number, creating the second data message including the wireline ring tone message, and sending the second data message to the service switching point.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the wireline message database associated with the service control point and adapted to store the wireline ring tone message associated with the directory number.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the wireline message database comprises a first field for storing wireline ring tone messages associated with calling directory numbers and a second field for storing calling directory numbers associated with subscribers.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a terminating station adapted to receive the wireline ring tone message associated with the second data message and sent from the service switching point.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the terminating station is adapted to produce a ring tone comprising the wireline ring tone message associated with the second data message.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the service switching point further comprises a trigger for actuating a process for sending the first data message to the service control point.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the trigger is adapted to be actuated upon receiving an incoming call placed to a directory number.

17. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the service switching point further comprises a trigger for actuating a process for sending the first data message to the service control point, if a called directory number is a subscriber of the wireline ring tone service.

8. A method for providing wireline messaging service at a terminating station, comprising:

associating a ring tone with a calling directory number;

receiving a telephone call from the calling directory number and placed to a called directory number;

actuating a trigger;

creating a first data message at a service switching point;

sending the first data message to a service control point to access a wireline ring tone message associated with the called directory number and stored in a wireline message database associated with the service control point;

extracting the wireline ring tone message from the wireline message database;

creating a second data message comprising the wireline ring tone message;

sending the second data message to the service switching point; and

sending the wireline ring tone message to the terminating station.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein actuating the trigger comprises receiving the telephone call placed to the called directory number.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein sending the wireline ring tone message to a terminating station comprises sending a first ring signal indicating an incoming call to the terminating station and sending the wireline ring tone message to the terminating station during a silent interval following the first ring signal.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising generating a ring tone from the wireline ring tone message.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein generating a ring tone from the wireline ring tone message comprises generating a ring tone chosen by a calling party.

13. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein associating a ring tone with a calling number comprises receiving a ring tone that has been chosen by a subscriber and storing the ring tone in the wireline ring tone message database.

14. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein associating a ring tone with a calling directory number comprises providing access to a website enabling a subscriber to choose a ring tone and pay a fee for the ring tone.

15. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein extracting the wireline ring tone message from the wireline message database comprises:

determining whether the wireline message database includes a wireline ring tone message associated with the calling directory number; and

if the wireline message database includes the wireline ring tone message associated with the calling directory number, then creating the second data message including the wireline ring tone message associated with the calling directory number;

if the wireline message database does not include the wireline ring tone message associated with the calling directory number, then creating the second data message instructing the service switching point to terminate the telephone call in a conventional manner.

16. A system for providing wireline ring tone messaging service to a terminating station, comprising:

a service control point for receiving a wireline ring tone message, storing the wireline ring tone message in a wireline message database, associating the wireline ring tone message with a calling directory number; and

sending the wireline ring tone message to the terminating station; and

a wireline database coupled to the service control point for receiving the wireline ring tone message, the wireline database being adapted to store wireline ring tone messages associated with calling directory numbers.