Method and devices for call identification

• US 6,970,543 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2001
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Weik, Hartmut, Lautenschlager, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Barry W
• Application Number:
  US09/985,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20020061096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.01, 379/142.04, 379/142.06, 379/142.17, 379/88.12, 379/88.11, 379/88.19, 379/88.21, 379/211.01, 379/221.09, 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 455/414, 455/415, 370/407
• US Class Current: 379/142.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1318 Ringing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13202 Network termination [NT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1325 Priority service
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for identifying the call of a subscriber calling, via a telecommunication network, a destination telecommunication device, in particular, a destination terminal of a called subscriber, a destination program module for it, a destination telecommunication device for it, a network device program module for it, a network device for it, a source program module for it and a source telecommunication device for it. According to the method, upon setup of a call connection, identification data for identification of the caller is transmitted to the destination telecommunication device. The destination telecommunication device outputs the identification data. It is proposed that the destination telecommunication device receives the identification data within a call setup signalling message and that the destination telecommunication device outputs the identification data, or output data generated from it, as acoustic and/or visual and/or mechanical call signals instead of an acoustic ringer tone selected by the destination telecommunication device.

Claims

1. A method for identifying an incoming call of a subscriber calling a destination terminal via a telecommunication network, said method comprising:

selecting identification data by the caller only upon setup of each call connection;

transmitting to the destination terminal said identification data identifying said caller;

receiving said identification data only within a call setup signaling message at said destination terminal;

replacing preprogrammed acoustic call tones of said destination terminal, with said identification data, or data generated from said identification data; and

outputting at said destination terminal only said identification data as acoustic call signals.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein a source telecommunication device, in particular, a source terminal, of the caller sends the identification data.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a network device of the telecommunication network, which is an integrated services digital network, a mobile radio telephony network or a data network, sends the identification data to the destination terminal.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that a source telecommunication device, assigned to the caller, sends a request to the network device to send the identification data.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the call signalling message or the identification data contains a quality identifier for the respective call connection, in particular, a priority identifier for the call connection and/or a type identifier of information to be sent in the course of the call connection.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the identification data is transmitted to the destination terminal in segmented form in the call setup signalling message and in at least one subsequent message.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the destination terminal commences the output of the identification data contained in the call setup signalling message when the identification data is still incomplete, before receiving the at least one subsequent message.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the destination terminal activates a ringer tone generator and/or a loudspeaker for the purpose of rendering the identification data.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the destination terminal deduces a call melody and/or a ringer sequence from the identification data.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the destination terminal filters the received identification data on the basis of at least one predefined criterion and, in dependence on the respective result, outputs the identification data as the acoustic call signals.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein a private branch exchange is used as the destination terminal, the destination terminal generates, from the identification data from another terminal connected to it, output data which can be output and containing a ringer tone sequence and/or a call melody, and the destination terminal sends the output data to the other terminal.

12. Destination program module for identifying the call of a subscriber calling, via a telecommunication network, a destination terminal of a called subscriber, which module contains program code which can be executed by a control means of the destination terminal, which module comprises receiving means for receiving identification data, for the identification of the caller, selected and sent by the caller upon each setup of a call connection, and which module comprises output means for output of the identification data, wherein the receiving means are designed to receive the identification data only within each call setup signalling message, and the output means are designed to output the identification data, or output data generated from it, to the destination terminal as acoustic and/or visual and/or mechanical call signals to replace a preprogrammed acoustic call tone of the destination terminal.

13. Memory means, in particular, diskette or CD-ROM, digital versatile disc, hard disk drive or the like, with a destination program module according to claim 12 stored on it.

14. A destination terminal, for identifying the call of a subscriber calling via a telecommunication network, which comprises receiving means for receiving identification data, for the identification of the caller, sent by the caller upon each setup of a call connection, and which comprises output means for output of the identification data, wherein the receiving means are designed to receive the identification data only within each call setup signalling message, and the output means are designed to output the identification data, or output data generated from it, to the terminal as acoustic and/or visual and/or mechanical call signals to replace a preprogrammed acoustic call tone of the destination terminal.

15. Network program module for a network device, in particular, for an exchange and/or for a service control point of an intelligent network and/or for a gateway to a data network, for identifying the call of a subscriber calling, via a telecommunication network, a destination terminal of a called subscriber, which

contains program code which can be executed by a control means of the network device,

comprises receiving means for receiving a request message, sent from a source telecommunication device of the caller, by which the network device is requested to transmit, to the destination terminal, identification data, selected by the caller, for identification of the caller, the destination terminal being able to output the identification data, or output data generated from it, as acoustic and/or visual and/or mechanical call signals to replace a preprogrammed acoustic call tone of the destination terminal, and

comprises transmitting means for sending the identification data only within a call setup signalling message directed to the destination terminal.

16. Memory means, in particular, diskette or CD-ROM, digital versatile disc, hard disk drive or the like, with a network program module according to claim 15 stored on it.

17. Network device, in particular, exchange, service control point, of an intelligent network or gateway to a data network, for identifying the call of a subscriber calling, via a telecommunication network, a destination telecommunication device of a called subscriber, which

comprises receiving means for receiving a request message, sent from a source telecommunication device of the caller, by which the network device is requested to transmit to, at least one destination telecommunication device of a called subscriber, identification data, selected by the caller, for identification of the caller, the destination telecommunication device being able to output the identification data, or output data generated from it, as acoustic and/or visual and/or mechanical call signals to replace a preprogrammed acoustic call tone of the destination telecommunication terminal, and

comprises transmitting means for sending the identification data only within a call setup signalling message directed to the destination terminal.

18. Source program module for identifying the call of a subscriber calling, via a telecommunication network, a destination terminal of a called subscriber, which

contains program code which can be executed by a control means of a source telecommunication device, in particular, of a source terminal,

comprises recording means for recording identification data, for identifying the call of the caller, which is selected and entered by the caller on the source telecommunication device for each call, and

comprises transmitting means for sending the identification data, selected by the caller, only within each call setup signalling message directed to the destination terminal, the destination terminal being able to output the identification data, or output data generated from it, as acoustic and/or visual and/or mechanical call signals to replace a preprogrammed acoustic call tone of the destination telecommunication device.

19. Memory means, in particular, diskette or CD-ROM, digital versatile disc, hard disk drive or the like, with a source program module according to claim 18 stored on it.

20. Source telecommunication device for identifying the call of a subscriber calling, via a telecommunication network, a destination terminal of a called subscriber, which

comprises recording means for recording identification data, for identifying the call of the caller, selected and entered by the caller, and

comprises transmitting means for sending the identification data, selected by the caller, only within each call setup signalling message directed to the destination terminal, the destination terminal being able to output the identification data, or output data generated from it, as acoustic and/or visual and/or mechanical call signals to replace a preprogrammed acoustic call tone of the destination terminal.