Dynamic ringback services

• US 7,184,532 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Creamer, Thomas E., Moore, Victor S., Katz, Neil A., Jaiswal, Peeyush
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAQ, MOHAMMAD AAMIR
• Application Number:
  US10/324,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20040120493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.08, 379/114.13
• US Class Current: 379/207.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/129 Details of providing call progress tones or announcements

Abstract

A method for providing dynamic ringback services can include receiving a connection signal from an originating device and determining a receiving device specified by the connection signal. The method can access receiving device specific information and can dynamically generate a ringback transmission responsive to at least a portion of the receiving device specific information. The method can send this ringback transmission to the originating device before a connection is established between the originating device and the receiving device.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic ringback services comprising the steps of:

receiving a connection signal from an originating device;

determining a receiving device specified by said connection signal;

accessing pre-stored receiving device specific information, said receiving device specific information associating with different subsets of a plurality of originating devices different rules for performing ringback transmissions based upon which subset a particular one of the plurality of originating devices attempting to establish contact with the receiving device belongs to, the different subsets being pre-specified by a user of the receiving device;

correlating said receiving device specific information with said originating device based upon which subset said originating device belongs to;

dynamically constructing a ringback transmission responsive to at least a portion of said receiving device specific information; and

,

sending said ringback transmission to said originating device before a connection is established between said originating device and said receiving device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said constructing step further comprises the steps of:

determining a called person identification phone number associated with a transferred connection from said originating device to said receiving device; and

,

modifying at least a portion of said ringback transmission responsive to said called person identification phone number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

including within said ringback transmission a plurality of key shift modulation signals, wherein said plurality of key shift modulation signals comprises a ringback signal; and

,

utilizing said ringback signal to present an intermittent audio tone to an originating device, wherein said intermittent audio tone signifies to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said constructing step further comprises the steps of

including within said ringback transmission a key shift modulated ringback signal;

and

utilizing said key shift modulated ringback signal to present an intermittent audio tone to an originating device, wherein said intermittent audio tone signifies to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing, wherein said modifying step alters characteristics of said ringback signal, whereby a different tone may be played for specific callers.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

including within said ringback transmission a key shift modulated digital signal; and

,

utilizing said digital transmission to present information to said originating device, wherein said information comprises information other than an intermittent audio tone signifying to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said key shift modulated digital signal is modified based upon said receiving device specific information pertaining to said originating device, whereby a special message may be a conveyed to a predefined group of callers.

7. The method of claim 1, said constructing step further comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection across a public network;

sending a key shift modulated ringback transmission request to a network element; and

,

receiving said key shift modulated ringback transmission from said network element responsive to said ringback transmission request.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of authorizing said originating device to ring based upon said receiving device specific information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

querying a receiving device for connectivity information; and

,

utilizing said connectivity information within said constructing step.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending step utilizes a ringback channel for conveying said ringback transmission,

wherein said ringback channel is within the frequency range of 300–

2200 Hz.

11. A system for dynamic ringback messaging comprising:

a ringback processor communicatively linked to a telephony network configured to provide a ringback transmission to an originating device;

wherein said ringback processor is configured to access stored receiving device specific information that associates with different subsets of a plurality of originating devices different rules for performing ringback transmissions based upon which subset a particular one of a plurality of originating devices attempting to establish contact with the receiving device belongs to, said different subsets being pre-specified by a user of a receiving device called by said originating device;

said ringback processor being further configured to dynamically generate said ringback transmission to said originating device based upon said device specific information according to which subset said originating device belongs to.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said ringback transmission represents an intermittent audio tone signifying to said originating device that said particular receiving device is ringing.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said ringback transmission is a digital signal.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a ringback channel communicatively linking said originating device to said ringback processor, wherein said ringback channel is configured to transport said ringback transmission using one of a frequency shift keying (FSK) or phase shift keying (PSK) modulation.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said ringback channel supports key shifting modulation within the frequency range of 300–

2200 Hz.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said ringback processor is a network element within a telephony network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said ringback processor is a switch independent application.

18. A computer readable medium, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a computer for causing the computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a connection signal from an originating device;

determining a receiving device specified by said connection signal;

accessing pre-stored receiving device specific information, said receiving device specific information associating with different subsets of a plurality of originating devices different rules for performing ringback transmissions based upon which subset a particular one of the plurality of originating devices attempting to establish contact with the receiving device belongs to, the different subsets being pre-specified by a user of the receiving device;

correlating said receiving device specific information with said originating device based upon which subset said originating device belongs to;

dynamically constructing a ringback transmission responsive to at least a portion of said receiving device specific information; and

,

sending said ringback transmission to said originating device before a connection is established between said originating device and said receiving device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein said constructing step further comprises the steps of:

determining a called person identification phone number associated with a transferred connection from said originating device to said receiving device; and

,

modifying at least a portion of said ringback transmission responsive to said called person identification phone number.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

including within said ringback transmission a plurality of key shift modulation signals, wherein said plurality of key shift modulation signals comprises a ringback signal; and

,

utilizing said ringback signal to present an intermittent audio tone to an originating device, wherein said intermittent audio tone signifies to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein said constructing step further comprises the steps of

including within said ringback transmission a key shift modulated ringback signal;

and

utilizing said key shift modulated ringback signal to present an intermittent audio tone to an originating device, wherein said intermittent audio tone signifies to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing, wherein said modifying step alters characteristics of said ringback signal, whereby a different tone may be played for specific callers.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

including within said ringback transmission a key shift modulated digital signal; and

,

utilizing said digital transmission to present information to said originating device, wherein said information comprises information other than an intermittent audio tone signifying to said originating device that a receiving device is ringing.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein said key shift modulated digital signal is modified based upon said receiving device specific information pertaining to said originating device, whereby a special message may be a conveyed to a predefined group of callers.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 18, said constructing step further comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection across a public network;

sending a key shift modulated ringback transmission request to a network element; and

,

receiving said key shift modulated ringback transmission from said network element responsive to said key shift modulated ringback transmission request.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising the step of authorizing said originating device to ring based upon said receiving device specific information.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

querying a receiving device for connectivity information; and

,

utilizing said connectivity information within said constructing step.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein said sending step utilizes a ringback channel for conveying said ringback transmission, wherein said ringback channel is within the frequency range of 300–

2200 Hz.