Concatenated audio messages

• US 7,924,996 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Appelman, Barry, Murphy, Stephen Vaughan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Harry S
• Application Number:
  US12/713,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20100219971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/207.16, 379/252, 379/373.01, 379/373.02, 379/374.01, 379/374.02, 455/466
• US Class Current: 379/207.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings

Abstract

Audibly identifying an event includes enabling selection of a first sound based upon an identifier. The identifier enables identification of an entity related to the event. A notification of an occurrence of the event is received. The notification includes the identifier. An intended recipient is alerted of the event by playing, in response to the notification, at least a portion of the first sound and at least a portion of a second sound that is related to the event.

Claims

1. A method for audibly identifying an event using a system including at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving a notification of an occurrence of the event, the notification including an identifier that enables identification of a first user related to the event;

using the at least one processor to enable selection of a first sound based upon the identifier, the first sound being specified by the first user and the first sound audibly identifying the first user or audibly identifying a first group to which the first user belongs;

enabling selection of a second sound based upon the identifier, the second sound being specified by a second user different from the first user and the second sound audibly identifying the first user or audibly identifying a second group to which the first user belongs; and

alerting the second user of the event by playing, in response to the notification, at least a portion of the first sound and at least a portion of the second sound.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sound audibly identifies the first group, the second sound audibly identifies the second group, and the first group is different from the second group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sound audibly identifies the first group, the second sound audibly identifies the second group, and the first group and the second group are the same group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sound audibly identifies the first user and the second sound audibly identifies the first user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sound audibly identifies the first user and the second sound audibly identifies the second group to which the first user belongs.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sound audibly identifies the first group to which the first user belongs and the second sound audibly identifies the first user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the notification comprises receiving notification of receipt of an instant message addressed to the second user from the first user, and

using the at least one processor to enable selection of the first sound based upon the identifier comprises using the at least one processor to enable selection of the first sound based upon an instant messaging identity of the first user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

receiving the notification comprises receiving notification of receipt of an e-mail addressed to the second user from the first user, and

using the at least one processor to enable selection of the first sound based upon the identifier comprises using the at least one processor to enable selection of the first sound based upon an e-mail identity of the first user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the second user of the event comprises alerting the second user of the event by blending at least a portion of the first sound and at least a portion of the second sound to form a blended sound and playing the blended sound.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the second user of the event comprises alerting the second user of the event by concatenating at least a portion of the first sound with at least a portion of the second sound to form a concatenated sound and playing the concatenated sound.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first or second sound is a spoken version of a user identity corresponding to the first user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sound identifies that the first user is a member of a contacts list of the second user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sound identifies that the first user is a member of a buddy group in a buddy list of the second user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the second user of the event comprises playing, in response to the notification, at least a portion of the first sound, at least a portion of the second sound, and at least a portion of a third sound, the third sound being different from the first and second sounds.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the third sound identifies an urgency or importance of the event.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the third sound is specified by the first user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the third sound is specified by the second user.

18. A method for alerting a call recipient of an incoming call using a system including at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving a notification of an incoming call to a call recipient from a caller, the notification including an identifier that enables identification of the caller;

using the at least one processor to enable selection of a first sound based upon the identifier, the first sound being specified by the caller and the first sound audibly identifying the caller or audibly identifying a first group to which the caller belongs;

enabling selection of a second sound based upon the identifier, the second sound being specified by the call recipient and the second sound audibly identifying the caller or audibly identifying a second group to which the caller belongs; and

playing, in response to the notification, at least a portion of the first sound and at least a portion of the second sound multiple times in succession as a ring tone for the incoming call.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first sound audibly identifies the first group, the second sound audibly identifies the second group, and the first group is different from the second group.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first sound audibly identifies the first group, the second sound audibly identifies the second group, and the first group and the second group are the same group.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the first sound audibly identifies the first user and the second sound audibly identifies the first user.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the first sound audibly identifies the first user and the second sound audibly identifies the second group to which the first user belongs.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the first sound audibly identifies the first group to which the first user belongs and the second sound audibly identifies the first user.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the second sound identifies that the first user is a member of a contacts list of the second user.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the second sound identifies that the first user is a member of a buddy group in a buddy list of the second user.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein playing at least a portion of the first sound and at least a portion of the second sound multiple times in succession comprises blending at least a portion of the first sound and at least a portion of the second sound to form a blended sound and playing the blended sound multiple times in succession as a ring tone for the incoming call.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein playing at least a portion of the first sound and at least a portion of the second sound multiple times in succession comprises concatenating at least a portion of the first sound with at least a portion of the second sound to form a concatenated sound and playing the concatenated sound multiple times in succession as a ring tone for the incoming call.

28. A method for alerting a recipient of an incoming digital communication using a system including at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving a notification of an incoming digital communication to a recipient from a sender, the notification including an identifier that enables identification of the sender;

using the at least one processor to enable selection of a first sound based upon the identifier, the first sound audibly identifying the sender; and

alerting the recipient of the incoming digital communication by playing, in response to the notification, at least a portion of the first sound and at least a portion of a second sound that identifies a type of communication device used by the sender to send the incoming digital communication, the type of communication device identified by the second sound being a desktop personal computer, a pager, a personal digital assistant, or a mobile phone.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first sound is a spoken version of a user identity corresponding to the first user.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein:

receiving the notification comprises receiving notification of receipt of an instant message addressed to the second user from the first user, and

using the at least one processor to enable selection of the first sound based upon the identifier comprises using the at least one processor to enable selection of the first sound based upon an instant messaging identity of the first user.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein

receiving the notification comprises receiving notification of receipt of an e-mail addressed to the second user from the first user, and

using the at least one processor to enable selection of the first sound based upon the identifier comprises using the at least one processor to enable selection of the first sound based upon an e-mail identity of the first user.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein alerting the recipient of the incoming digital communication comprises playing, in response to the notification, at least a portion of the first sound, at least a portion of the second sound, and at least a portion of a third sound, the third sound being different from the first and second sounds.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the third sound identifies an urgency or importance of the incoming digital communication.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the third sound is specified by the first user.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the third sound is specified by the second user.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein alerting the recipient of the incoming communication comprises alerting the recipient of the incoming communication by concatenating at least a portion of the first sound with at least a portion of the second sound to form a concatenated sound and playing the concatenated sound.