Method and system for presenting customized call alerts in a service for internet caller identification

• US 7,450,701 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tiliks, Dianna Inara, McBlain, Thomas Joseph, Kovarik, James Daniel, Blumenschein, Gordon Lynn, Crockett, Susanne Marie, Watry, Scott Ryan, Trost, William R., Stroud, Kenneth Robert, Vlasek, Paul H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo; Stella L
• Application Number:
  US10/778,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20040161083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.23, 379/90.01, 379/93.35, 379/93.17, 379/93.01, 379/142.01, 379/142.02, 37914206-14208, 379/142.15, 379/373.02, 379/373.04, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/93.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

An advanced intelligent network (AIN) based system and method that allows a subscriber connected to the Internet to receive customized call alerts and caller identification information concerning an incoming telephone call. Using client software, the subscriber associates telephone numbers to sound files. Then, when an incoming call with caller identification information is received, the client software determines whether the incoming telephone number points to a sound file. If so, the client software directs the sound file to play.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a user connected to the Internet to receive a customized call alert associated with an incoming call from a calling party to the user, comprising:

providing software on a device of the user for;

determining that the user is actively connected to the Internet via an always on connection;

receiving a message including identification information associated with the calling party, via the Internet;

initiating a user selectable sound file associated with the identification information sent with the message;

presenting the user with a plurality of selectable call disposition options associated with the calling party; and

sending the user'"'"'s selected option to an Internet caller identification (ICID) server.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of a name of the calling party and a telephone number of the calling party.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the initiating comprises determining whether the at least one of the name of the calling party and the telephone number of the calling party is associated with a unique sound file.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises an indication that a name of the calling party and a telephone number of the calling party are not available.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the initiating comprises determining whether the indication is associated with a unique sound file.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises a notification that the incoming call has been screened with a privacy manager feature.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the initiating comprises determining whether the notification is associated with a unique sound file.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising processing the incoming call in response to the call disposition option selected by the user.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the always on connection comprises an xDSL connection.

10. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program on the device of a user that allows the user connected to the Internet to receive a customized call alert associated with an incoming call from a calling party to the user, said medium comprising:

a sound file determining code segment that determines whether the identification information associated with the calling party is associated with a unique sound file selected by the user, the determination being made when the user is actively connected to the Internet via an always on connection;

a launching code segment that launches the unique sound file based on identification information associated with the calling party;

a presenting code segment that presents the user with a plurality of call disposition options associated with the calling party; and

a sending code segment that sends the user'"'"'s selected option to an Internet caller identification (ICID) server.

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of a name of the calling party and a telephone number of the calling party.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, further comprising an associating code segment that associates the unique sound file with the at least one of the name of the calling party and the telephone number of the calling party.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the identification information comprises an indication that a name of the calling party and a telephone number of the calling party are not available.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, further comprising an associating code segment that associates the unique sound file with the indication.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the identification information comprises a notification that the incoming call has been screened with a privacy manager feature.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, further comprising an associating code segment that associates the unique sound file with the notification.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, further comprising a presenting code segment that presents the identification information to the user.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 10 further comprising an accepting code segment that accepts a disposition option selected by the user.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the always on connection comprises an xDSL connection.