Method and system for providing information for identifying callers based on partial number

• US 7,852,996 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lemke, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Quoc D
• Application Number:
  US11/696,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20070189478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.01, 379/142.04, 379/142.06, 379/142.09, 379/142.1, 379/142.17, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/93.23, 455/415
• US Class Current: 379/142.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a caller identification system and method for identifying a caller with a partial phone number look-up table. The caller identification system comprises a database that stores received calls and can be personalized to include information specific to partial phone numbers. In one embodiment, the caller identification system disclosed can be integrated into a cellular phone. In this embodiment, an incoming call initiates a search in a database to retrieve information about the caller. If a match is found, the identity of the caller is displayed. When an exact match is not found, a search for a partial match is executed with wild card values and information about the partial match is displayed. Information for a partial match can be personalized or pre-programmed into the caller ID system such as the city associated with a particular area code or prefix.

Claims

1. A caller identification system comprising:

a communication interface for receiving at least part of a partial phone number associated with an incoming telephone call from a telephone external to the communication interface;

a memory for storing a database comprising at least one partial phone number and a corresponding identifier;

a processor for determining if said phone number of said incoming telephone call matches at least one partial phone number in said database and, if so, for retrieving its associated identifier; and

a display for displaying the associated identifier,

wherein the communication interface is also for sending the associated identifier to the telephone external to the communication interface.

2. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the associated identifier is a geographic location determined by an area code.

3. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the associated identifier is a cellular carrier responsible for an area code and a prefix.

4. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the associated identifier is a city determined by an area code and a prefix.

5. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the associated identifier is a text string associated with an area code, a prefix and at least one subsequent numeric digit.

6. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the database is pre-programmed with generic data.

7. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the database is user customizable.

8. A system as described in claim 1, further comprising a ring-tone generator for generating one of a plurality of ring tones in accordance with the associated identifier.

9. A system as described in claim 1, further comprising a tone generator for generating a tone when a match is found between the incoming phone number and the database.

10. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the communication interface uses a wireless communication channel.

11. In an electronic system, a method for providing caller information comprising:

a) receiving a partial phone number of an incoming phone call from an external telephone;

b) indexing a database stored in a memory for a match with said at least part of said phone number, the database having a plurality of partial phone numbers each with an associated identifier;

c) accessing an identifier associated with said match of b);

d) displaying said identifier of c); and

e) sending the said identifier of c) to the external telephone.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the associated identifier is a geographic location determined by an area code.

13. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the associated identifier is a cellular carrier responsible for an area code and a prefix.

14. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the associated identifier is a city determined by an area code and a prefix.

15. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the associated identifier is a text string associated with an area code, a prefix and at least one subsequent numeric digit.

16. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the database is pre-programmed with generic data.

17. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the database is user customizable.

18. A method as described in claim 11, further comprising generating one of a plurality of ring tones in accordance with the associated identifier.

19. A method as described in claim 11, further comprising generating a tone when a match is found between the incoming phone number and the database.

20. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the at least part of a phone number is received using a wireless communication channel.