Personal ringback tone content selection and activation

• US 7,995,728 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Kindred, Jonathan R., Martin, Geoff S., Harmon, Jay S., Zhang, Baoquan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Harry S
• Application Number:
  US11/591,195
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/207.16, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.11, 379/87, 379/201.02, 379/201.08, 379/207.02, 379/373.03, 379/373.04, 455/414.1, 455/566, 455/567
• US Class Current: 379/201.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones

Abstract

After a call with a called party ends, a caller is provided with prompts or messages which allow the caller to control ringback media content which is to be rendered when the caller calls the called party in the future. For example, the caller is provided with prompts by which they can select ringback content from content they already have purchased and apply it to the called party number. Alternatively, the caller is linked to a content provider where they can purchase additional content and have it applied to the called party number. Thus, the caller is able to exert control over ringback media.

Claims

1. A method of personalizing ringback media played to a caller'"'"'s phone when they call a called party'"'"'s phone, comprising the steps of:

using a call tones server, transmitting ringback media to the caller'"'"'s phone while the called party phone is being called and ceasing transmitting of ringback media when the called party answers the call; and

providing a user interface feature on the caller'"'"'s telephone, at or after the conclusion of a telephone call between the caller'"'"'s phone and the called party phone, wherein the user interface feature provides a facility enabling the caller to control ringback media transmitted to the caller phone when the caller calls the called party phone in the future.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the facility is in the form of one or more messages displayed on the caller'"'"'s phone, the one or more messages further providing a facility whereby the caller may purchase the ringback media.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the facility is in the form of one or more messages displayed on the caller'"'"'s phone, the one or more messages further providing a facility whereby the caller may assign previously purchased ringback media to the called party phone number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the facility is in the form of one or more messages displayed on the caller'"'"'s phone, the one or more messages providing a link to a ringback media content provider whereby the caller may purchase ringback media for assignment to the called party phone number.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the caller phone transmitting an assignment of ringback media content to the called party phone number to a ringback media provisioning system having a database storing a user profile for the caller.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of the ringback media content provider transmitting an assignment of ringback media content to the called party phone number to a ringback media provisioning system having a database storing a user profile for the caller.

7. A wireless telephone, the wireless telephone comprising a user interface having a display, a processing unit and a memory storing program instructions for execution by the processing unit,

wherein the memory storing program instructions stores a set of instructions for causing the display of the user interface to display one or more messages at the conclusion of a telephone call to a called party phone number, the one or more messages providing a facility enabling the user of the telephone to operate the user interface to control ringback media transmitted to the wireless telephone when the wireless telephone calls the called party phone number in the future.

8. The improvement of claim 7, wherein the instructions provide a facility whereby the user may use the user interface to assign ringback media previously purchased to the called party phone number.

9. The improvement of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause the display of the telephone to display a link to a ringback media content provider.