Ad ringer

• US 7,136,470 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Taylor, William Scott, Massengill, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US10/253,838
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 379/76, 379/114.1, 379/114.12, 379/114.13, 379/207.02, 379/207.03, 379/221.01, 379/213.01, 379/221.09, 379/201.02, 379/207.11, 379/207.14, 379/221.11
• US Class Current: 379/114.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A method and system are provided for playing an advertisement to a telephone subscriber prior to call completion in a telecommunications network. A subscriber telephone line is provisioned to provide an advertisement. A switch in the telecommunications network detects an off-hook condition at the subscriber'"'"'s telephone and interprets the digits of the telephone number of a called party dialed by the subscriber. The switch then retrieves an advertisement and plays the advertisement to the subscriber instead of generating a ringing tone prior to call completion. The switch may also play the advertisement instead of a dial tone. The advertisement may be stored in an advertisement module in the switch or in a network component in the telecommunications network. The period for playing the advertisement may be extended by delaying call processing at the network component. Once the advertisement begins playing, the subscriber may terminate the advertisement by depressing a key on a telephone keypad. The switches and network components in the telecommunications network may be advanced intelligent network (AIN) components.

Claims

1. A method for providing an advertisement to a subscriber prior to call completion in a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

detecting an off-hook condition for the subscriber in the network prior to calling a party;

after detecting the off-hook condition, interpreting digits of a telephone number entered by the subscriber for calling the party;

after interpreting the digits of a telephone number, sending a message including an advertisement tag from an originating switch in the telecommunications network, wherein the advertisement tag is assigned to a telephone number associated with the subscriber and indicates that the subscriber is authorized to receive advertisements;

retrieving a stored advertisement in response to receiving the message including the advertisement tag; and

providing the advertisement to the subscriber in lieu of generating a ringing tone while waiting to complete a call to the party.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delaying call processing for a predetermined period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the advertisement comprises retrieving the advertisement from a network component in the telecommunications network.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

receiving a message containing the advertisement from the network component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the network component is a service control point (SCP).

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the network component is a service node (SN).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein completing a call to the party comprises detecting until an off-hook condition for the called party in the network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising terminating the advertisement by depressing a predetermined key on a telephone keypad.

9. A system for providing an advertisement to a subscriber prior to call completion in an intelligent telecommunications network, the system comprising:

means for detecting an off-hook condition for the subscriber in the network;

means for sending a message including an advertisement tag to an intelligent network component after interpreting digits of a telephone number entered by the subscriber for calling a party, wherein the advertisement tag is assigned to a telephone number associated with the subscriber and indicates that the subscriber is authorized to receive advertisements;

means for receiving a message including an advertisement from the intelligent network component; and

means for forwarding the advertisement to the subscriber in lieu of generating a ringing tone until call completion.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for:

sending a message to the first intelligent network component to begin call processing.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for delaying sending the message to the first intelligent network component to begin call processing for a predetermined period.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the message is an SS7 message.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for detecting an off-hook condition, sending a message including an advertisement tag to an intelligent network component, receiving a message including an advertisement from the intelligent network component, and forwarding the advertisement to the subscriber in lieu of generating a ringing tone until call completion, is a switching service point (SSP).

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for detecting an off-hook condition, sending a message including an advertisement tag to an intelligent network component, receiving a message including an advertisement from the intelligent network component, and forwarding the advertisement to the subscriber in lieu of generating a ringing tone until call completion, is a mobile switching center (MSC).

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the intelligent network component is a service control point (SCP).

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the intelligent network component is a service node (SN).

17. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for forwarding the advertisement until an off-hook condition is detected by a terminating switch.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the forwarding of the advertisement is canceled by depressing a predetermined key on a telephone keypad.