Audio caller identification
First Claim
1. A method of providing audio caller identification, comprising:
- receiving a call, the call being associated with a directory number;
querying a database for caller identification information associated with the call;
sending the caller identification information to a caller identification device; and
synthesizing and playing to the called party an audio message related to the caller identification information associated with the call, and displaying the caller identification information associated with the call;
wherein synthesizing includes determining if the caller identification information associated with the call matches the caller identification information associated with a pre-recorded audio message;
if the caller identification information associated with the call matches the caller identification information associated with the pre-recorded audio message, then sending the pre-recorded audio message to the called party identification device causing the called party identification device to play the pre-recorded audio message and contemporaneously display the caller identification information associated with the call; and
if the caller identification information associated with the call does not match the caller identification information associated with the pre-recorded audio message, then synthesizing an audio message to the caller identification information associated with the call and causing the called party caller identification device to play the audio message and contemporaneously display the caller identification information associated with the call.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An audio caller identification system and method are provided. A caller identification device of a called party'"'"'s telephone, whether integrated with the telephone or stand-alone, includes a speaker for audibly alerting the called party to the nature of an incoming call. A speech synthesizer in concert with an audio caller ID program may audibly identify a name and/or number of the calling party displayed on the called party'"'"'s caller ID device, including descriptive terms for calling parties such as “private,” “unlisted,” or “out of the area.” When the called party'"'"'s telephone begins to ring, the called party may listen to the audio identification of the calling party for a quick screening without having to go to the telephone to read the caller ID.
495 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of providing audio caller identification, comprising:
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receiving a call, the call being associated with a directory number; querying a database for caller identification information associated with the call; sending the caller identification information to a caller identification device; and synthesizing and playing to the called party an audio message related to the caller identification information associated with the call, and displaying the caller identification information associated with the call; wherein synthesizing includes determining if the caller identification information associated with the call matches the caller identification information associated with a pre-recorded audio message; if the caller identification information associated with the call matches the caller identification information associated with the pre-recorded audio message, then sending the pre-recorded audio message to the called party identification device causing the called party identification device to play the pre-recorded audio message and contemporaneously display the caller identification information associated with the call; and if the caller identification information associated with the call does not match the caller identification information associated with the pre-recorded audio message, then synthesizing an audio message to the caller identification information associated with the call and causing the called party caller identification device to play the audio message and contemporaneously display the caller identification information associated with the call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A software product comprising control logic stored therein for causing a audio caller identification system to provide audio caller identification, the control logic comprising software program code for causing the audio caller identification system to:
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receive a call from a calling party at a calling party switch directed to a called party at a called party switch; send call information associated with the call, the call information including the directory number of the calling party; query a the database of caller identification information for caller identification information associated with the call; synthesize and send an audio message related to the caller identification information associated with the call to a called party caller identification device via the called party switch; wherein synthesizing includes determining if the caller identification information associated with the call matches the caller identification information associated with a pre-recorded audio message; if the caller identification information associated with the call matches the caller identification information associated with a pre-recorded audio message, then sending the pre-recorded audio message to the called party identification device causing the called party identification device to play the pre-recorded audio message and contemporaneously display the caller identification information associated with the call; and if the caller identification information associated with the call does not match the caller identification information associated with the pre-recorded audio message, then synthesizing an audio message related to the caller identification information associated with the call and causing the called party caller identification device to play the audio message and contemporaneously display the caller identification associated with the call. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A system for providing audio caller identification, comprising:
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means for querying a database for caller identification information associated with a call from a calling party to a called party, the call being associated with a directory number; and means for sending the caller identification information to a caller identification device; the caller identification device, operative to; receive the caller identification information; synthesize and play to the called party an audio message related to the caller identification information associated with the call, wherein synthesizing includes determining if the caller identification information associated with the call matches the caller identification information associated with a pre-recorded audio message; if the caller identification information associated with the call matches the caller identification information associated with a pre-recorded audio message, then sending the pre-recorded audio message to the called party identification device causing the called party identification device to play the pre-recorded audio message and contemporaneously display the caller identification information associated with the call; and if the caller identification information associated with the call does not match the caller identification information associated with the pre-recorded audio message, then synthesizing an audio message related to the caller identification information associated with the call and causing the called party caller identification device to play the audio message and contemporaneously display the caller identification information associated with the call. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method of providing audio caller identification, comprising:
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saving a recorded audio message associated with a directory number; receiving a call, the call being associated with the directory number; querying a database for caller identification information associated with the call; sending the caller identification information to a caller identification device; comparing the directory number associated with the call with the directory number associated with the recorded audio message; if the directory number associated with the call matches the directory number associated with the recorded message, playing the recorded audio message and displaying the caller identification information associated with the call; and if the directory number associated with the call does not match the directory number associated with the recorded message, synthesizing and playing to a called party an audio message related to the caller identification information associated with the call, and displaying the caller identification information associated with the call.
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Specification