System and method for providing a local time of far end on telephone systems

• US 7,474,744 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2004
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Janssen, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US10/771,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20050175172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 379/210.07, 379/201.08, 455/566, 455/564
• US Class Current: 379/201.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for providing local time of a potential called party to a user of a telephone system (i.e., calling party). In the preferred embodiment, the local time of the potential called party is displayed on a display or announced by a speaker of the telephone system when the name or the telephone number of the potential called party is selected. The local time of the potential called party is provided prior to or while initiating a call so that the user of the telephone system can determine whether it is appropriate time to call the potential called party.

Claims

1. A telephone system for providing local time of a potential called party to a user of the telephone system comprising:

a memory for storing in advance of attempting to dial the potential called party at least one entry associated with the potential called party, each at least one entry including a time difference between the local time of the potential called party and local time of the user;

a processor configured to compute local time of the potential called party,

wherein the processor accounts for switching between daylight saving time and daylight standard time; and

a display in communication with the processor, wherein the display displays phonebook information that lists the potential called party and wherein the display displays the local time of the potential called party while the user is browsing the phonebook information.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a speaker that announces the local time of the potential called party.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the display outputs the local time of the potential called party prior to when the user initiates a call to the potential called party.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory includes a plurality of entries, wherein at least one of the entries includes a telephone number and a name associated with the potential called party.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor computes the local time of the potential called party by adding the time difference to the local time of the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor computes the local time of the potential called party by utilizing an area code and/or a country code of a telephone number associated with the potential called party.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor receives a telephone number associated with the potential called party from one of re-dialing, CID dialing, dialing from an incoming call log, dialing from an outgoing call log, and dialing from a missed call log, and wherein the processor computes the local time of the potential called party based on the received telephone number.

8. A method for providing local time of a potential called party to a user of a telephone system, comprising:

retrieving an entry associated with a potential called party selected by the user from a plurality of entries of a phonebook of the telephone system, one or more of the entries including a time difference between local time of the user and the local time of the potential called party;

computing local time of the potential called party, wherein computing local time of the potential called party includes accounting for switching between daylight saving time and daylight standard time; and

providing the local time of the potential called party to the user, wherein the local time of the potential called party is displayed to the user while the user is browsing the phonebook.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of entries includes a name and telephone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein computing the local time of the potential called party comprises adding the time difference to local time of the user.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of entries includes a telephone number, and wherein computing the local time of the potential called party utilizes at least one of an area code and a country code of the telephone number.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein computing local time of the potential called party further includes utilizing an internal database.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein computing local time of the potential called party further includes utilizing an external database.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining the time difference between the local time of the potential called party and local time of the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the time difference is computed and stored before the entry associated with the potential called party is selected.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the local time of the potential called party is computed immediately after the user has pre-selected the phone number of the potential called party.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the local time of the potential called party is announced.

18. A method for providing local times of potential called parties, comprising:

displaying phonebook information of a phonebook of a telephone system to a user, wherein the phonebook information includes a browsable list of items, in which each item contains one or more of a name and telephone number associated with a respective potential called party, wherein the phonebook further includes a time difference between a local time of the user and a local time of the respective potential called party for at least one item of the browsable list of items;

allowing the user to select the at least one item of the browsable list of items;

retrieving the time difference associated with the selected item from the phonebook;

determining local time of the telephone system;

computing local time of the selected potential called party by adding the retrieved time difference to the local time of the telephone system, wherein computing local time of the potential called party includes accounting for switching between daylight saving time and daylight standard time; and

displaying the local time of the selected potential called party to the user while the user is browsing the browsable list of items.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the local time of the selected potential called party is announced.