Call progress tone generation in a communication system

• US 7,050,564 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Boldt, Dean C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AGDEPPA, HECTOR A
• Application Number:
  US10/103,576
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 379/165, 379/201.01, 379/350, 379/257
• US Class Current: 379/257
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/82 Line monitoring circuits for call progress or status discrimination for detecting caller identity H04M1/573
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones

Abstract

A communication system is disclosed that generates call progress tones for a call. The communication system is comprised of a calling device and an originating system. Examples of the calling device include a telephone, a cellular phone, a computer, and a fax machine. To place a call, the calling device transmits set up messages to the originating system. The originating system transmits set up messages to a terminating system to set up the call. The originating system receives acknowledgment message from the terminating system in response to the set up messages. The originating system generates a call progress message and transmits the call progress message to the calling device. The calling device generates a call progress tone based on the call progress message and plays audible sounds that represent the call progress tone. By having the calling device generate the call progress tones, the originating system is advantageously available for other communications.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication system comprising an originating system configured to communicate a call from a calling device to a terminating system, the method comprising:

in the originating system,

receiving an SS7 acknowledgment message from the terminating system,

determining if the calling device is configured to generate call progress tones,

processing the SS7 acknowledgment message to generate a call progress message and transmitting the call progress message to the calling device responsive to determining that the calling device is configured to generate call progress tones,

processing the SS7 acknowledgment message to generate a call progress tone and transmitting the call progress tone responsive to determining that the calling device is not configured to generate call progress tones; and

in the calling device, performing a table look-up in a call progress tone table based on the call progress message, generating the call progress tone, and playing audible sounds that represent the call progress tone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if the calling device is configured to generate call progress tones comprises searching a calling device database for the calling device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the originating system, transmitting a configuration query to the calling device to determine if the calling device is configured to generate call progress tones, and receiving a configuration response from the calling device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the originating system comprises a class-5 switch.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the calling device comprises a telephone.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the calling device comprises a computer.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the calling device, receiving new call progress tone data and storing the new call progress tone data in the call progress tone table.

8. A communication system, comprising:

an originating system configured to receive an SS7 acknowledgment message from a terminating system, determine if the calling device is configured to generate call progress tones, process the SS7 acknowledgment message to generate a call progress message and transmit the call progress message to the calling device responsive to determining that the calling device is configured to generate call progress tones, process the SS7 acknowledgment message to generate a call progress tone and transmit the call progress tone responsive to determining that the calling device is not configured to generate call progress tones; and

a calling device configured to receive the call progress message, perform a table look-up in a call progress tone table based on the call progress message to determine the call progress tone, generate the call progress tone, and play audible sounds that represent the call progress tone.

9. The communication system of claim 8 wherein the originating system is further configured to search a calling device database for the calling device to determine if the calling device is configured to generate call progress tones.

10. The communication system of claim 8 wherein the originating system is further configured to transmit a configuration query to the calling device to determine if the calling device is configured to generate call progress tones, and receive a configuration response from the calling device.

11. The communication system of claim 8 wherein the originating system comprises a class-5 switch.

12. The communication system of claim 8 wherein the calling device comprises a telephone.

13. The communication system of claim 8 wherein the calling device comprises a computer.

14. The communication system of claim 8 wherein the calling device is further configured to receive new call progress tone data and store the new call progress tone data in the call progress tone table.

15. A software product for a communication system, comprising:

a first set of instructions operational when executed by a first processor to direct the first processor to receive an SS7 acknowledgment message from a terminating system, determine if a calling device is configured to generate call progress tones, process the SS7 acknowledgment message to generate a call progress message and transmit the call progress message to the calling device responsive to determining that the calling device is configured to generate call progress tones, process the SS7 acknowledgment message to generate a call progress tone and transmit the call progress tone responsive to determining that the calling device is not configured to generate call progress tones;

a second set of instructions for the calling device operational when executed by a second processor to direct the second processor to receive the call progress message, perform a table look-up in a call progress tone table based on the call progress message to determine the call progress tone, generate the call progress tone, and play audible sounds that represent the call progress tone; and

a software storage medium configured to store the first set of instructions and the second set of instructions.

16. The software product of claim 15 wherein the first set of instructions is further operational to direct the first processor to search a database to determine if the second processor is configured to generate call progress tones.

17. The software product of claim 15 wherein the first set of instructions is further operational to direct the first processor to transmit a configuration query to the second processor to determine if the second processor is configured to generate call progress tones, and receive a configuration response from the second processor.

18. The software product of claim 15 wherein the first processor comprises a class-5 switch.

19. The software product of claim 15 wherein the second processor comprises a telephone.

20. The software product of claim 15 wherein the second processor comprises a computer.

21. The software product of claim 15 wherein the second set of instructions is further operational to direct the second processor to receive new call progress tone data and store the new call progress tone data in the call progress tone table.