Method and apparatus for providing images for caller identification over a mobile network

• US 7,174,163 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mavenir Systems Incorporated (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Comverse Incorporated (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Melaku, Makonnen, Aksu, Arda, Brockenbrough, Allan, Riaz, Shahzad
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US09/907,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20030032413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,030 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.04, 379/142.06, 379/142.17, 379/201.01, 379/88.01, 379/93.23, 379/93.25
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

Picture Caller Line Identification (PCLI) systems and methods are provided for enabling present and future mobile telephony systems to provide PCLI information to a called party. A PCLI system that interacts with a mobile telephony system includes a storage unit for storing PCLI information and a processor that is programmed to detect a request for a call from a caller to a called party, to retrieve PCLI information for the caller from the storage unit, and to forward the PCLI information to the called party. The processor may be further programmed to suspend completion of the call until verification of receipt of the call by the called handset to ensure that the PCLI information is available at the called party'"'"'s handset prior to completion of the call. Mobile handsets that may be used with the PCLI system discussed above are also provided. A mobile handset for operating with a PCLI system includes an input to receive an image associated with a caller and to receive notification of the call from the caller, and a display that displays the images. The handset also includes a processor that is programmed to receive the image, to receive the notification of the call from the caller, and to respond to the caller. The processor may be programmed to send the image to the display after receiving the notification of the call from the caller.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing interactive access to an image associated with a caller, such that the image can be entered and edited via the Internet;

receiving a request for a call from the caller to a called party over a first communication system;

receiving a voice command from the caller;

in response to receiving the request and the voice command, retrieving the image associated with the caller, wherein the image includes header information;

forwarding the image to the called party over a second communication system;

after forwarding the image to the called party, inhibiting the call until a verification of receipt is received over the second communication system;

comparing caller ID information received over the first communication system with the header information received over the second communication system;

displaying the image to the called party if the header information matches the caller ID information; and

after receiving the verification of receipt of the image by the called party, completing the call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communications system is a short message system implemented using a short message transport protocol.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving a request for a call includes receiving a request for a call to a mobile handset.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving a request for a call includes receiving a request for a call from a mobile handset.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving a request for a call includes receiving a request for a call from a landline handset.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein retrieving an image includes retrieving the image from a database, and wherein the method further includes providing access by a user to the database, receiving an image from the user, and storing the image in the database.

7. A method comprising:

providing interactive access to an image associated with a caller, such that the image can be entered and edited via the Internet;

receiving a request for a call from the caller to a called party over a first communications system;

receiving a voice command from the caller;

in response to receiving the request and the voice command, retrieving the image associated with the caller, wherein the image includes header information;

suspending completion of the call over the first communication system;

forwarding the image to the called party over a second communication system;

comparing caller ID information received over the first communication system

with the header information received over the second communication system;

displaying the image to the called party if the header information matches the caller ID information;

after receiving a verification of receipt of the image by the called party on the second communication system, sending a ringing tone to the called party; and

establishing a connection for conversation between the caller and the called party.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second communications system is a short message system implemented using a short message transport protocol.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a request for a call includes receiving a request for a call to a mobile handset.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving a request for a call includes receiving a request for a call from a mobile handset.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving a request for a call includes receiving a request for a call from a landline handset.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein retrieving an image includes retrieving the image from a database, and wherein the method further includes providing access by a user to the database, receiving an image from the user, and storing the image in the database.

13. A method comprising:

providing interactive access to an image associated with a caller, such that the image can be entered and edited via the Internet;

receiving a request for a call from a caller to a called party over a first communications system;

sending an a caller identification inquiry to the caller;

receiving an audio signature from the caller;

in response to receiving the audio signature, retrieving an image associated with the caller, wherein the image includes header information;

forwarding the image to the called party using a second communications system;

comparing caller ID information received over the first communication system with the image header information received over the second communication system;

displaying the image to the called party if the caller ID information matches the image header information; and

sending a ringing tone over the first communications system to the called party after a verification is received from the called party over the second communications system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second communications network is a short message system implemented using a short message transport protocol.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving a request for a call includes receiving a request for a call to a mobile handset.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving a request for a call includes receiving a request for a call from a mobile handset.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving a request for a call includes receiving a request for a call from a landline handset.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising completing the call.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein retrieving an image includes retrieving the image from a database, and wherein the method further includes providing access by a user to the database, receiving an image from the user, and storing the image in the database.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising completing the call.

21. A system for providing picture caller line identification (PCLI) information in a mobile telephony system, the system comprising:

a least one storage unit to store picture caller line identification information for a plurality of users of the telephony system; and

at least one processor coupled to the storage unit and to the telephony system, the processor being programmed to connect to a computer network, to provide the plurality of users secured interactive access to the storage unit, to enable the plurality of users to enter and edit the picture caller line identification information via the Internet, detect a request for a call from a caller to a called party, to interpret a voice command received from the caller, to retrieve PCLI information for the caller from the storage unit, to forward the PCLI information to the called party, to compare the PCLI information with caller ID information, to display the PCLI information to the called party based on the comparing of the PCLI information with the caller ID information, to receive a verification signal from a handset after receipt of the PCLI information by the handset, and to send a signal to the telephony system to send a ringing tone to the called party after receipt of the verification signal.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the telephony system connects the call over a first communications system, and wherein the processor is further programmed to forward the PCLI information to the called party over a second communications system.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the system is coupled to a third communications system, and wherein the system is further programmed to receive PCLI information from a user over the third communications system and to store the PCLI information received in the at least one storage unit.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the system is coupled to a third communications system, and wherein the system is further programmed to receive PCLI information from a user over the third communications system and to store the PCLI information received in the at least one storage unit.

25. A system for providing picture caller line identification (PCLI) information in a mobile telephony system, the system comprising:

at least one storage unit to store picture caller line identification information for a plurality of users of the telephony system;

means for connecting to a computer network, for providing the plurality of users secured interactive access to the storage unit, and for enabling the plurality of users to enter and edit the picture caller line identification information via the Internet;

means for detecting a request for a call from a caller to a called party, and for receiving an audio signature from the caller;

means for selecting PCLI information in the storage unit based on the audio signature, and for forwarding PCLI information to the called party;

means for comparing caller ID information with the PCLI information, and for displaying the PCLI information to the called party based on a comparison result;

means for receiving a verification from the called party when the PCLI information for the caller has been received by the called party; and

means for sending the called party a ringing tone after the verification is received.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the telephony system connects the call over a first communications system, further comprising means for forwarding the PCLI information to the called party over a second communications system.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising means for receiving PCLI information from a user and for storing the PCLI information received in the at least one storage unit.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the telephony system connects the call over a first communications system, further comprising means for forwarding the PCLI information to the called party over a second communications system.

29. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for receiving PCLI information from a user and for storing the PCLI information received in the at least one storage unit.

30. A computer readable medium storing at least one program for controlling a mobile telephony system to:

provide interactive access to an image associated with a caller, such that the image can be entered and edited via the Internet;

receive a request for a call from the caller to a called party, wherein the request for a call includes caller ID information;

receive a voice command from the caller;

in response to receiving the voice command, retrieve the image associated with the caller, wherein the image includes header information associated with the caller;

suspend completion of the call;

forward the image to the called party;

compare the header information with the caller ID information;

display the image to the called party if the header information and the caller ID information match;

receive a verification of receipt of the image by the called party;

send the called party a ringing tone after receiving the verification; and

premove the suspension of the completion of the call.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the program controls the system to complete the call over a first communications system and to forward the image to the called party over a second communications system.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the second communications system is a short message system implemented using a short message transport protocol.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the program controls the system to retrieve the image from a database, and to provide access by a user to the database to receive an image from the user and to store the image in the database.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the program controls the system to complete the call over a first communications system and to forward the image to the called party over a second communications system.