Voice over IP method of determining caller identification
First Claim
1. Apparatus for providing caller identification information associated with a calling communication station to a called party, the apparatus comprising:
- a caller identification server means for obtaining the caller identification information for the calling communication station;
means for determining whether the caller identification information associated with the calling communication station is blocked;
first prompting means for prompting a calling party associated with the calling communication station to record spoken caller identification information and to store data representative of the spoken caller identification information;
second prompting means for prompting the calling party to unblock the blocked caller identification information and to store data representative of the unblocked caller identification information;
packaging means for converting the data representative of the spoken caller identification information or the data representative of the unblocked caller identification information into data packets; and
a dispatch device to transmit the data packets to a device associated with an address via a network.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Before completing a call initiated at a calling telephony device for a called telephony device; caller identification information for the calling telephony device is obtained for the call. If standard caller identification information is not available, the caller is prompted to provide spoken caller identification information. The caller identification information is communicated to the called telephony device via a connectionless protocol such as VoIP where a continuing connection does not exist between communicating end points. The called party is given call disposition options. The process which controls this operation may be located anywhere in the network, including at switching equipment and at the called telephony device.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. Apparatus for providing caller identification information associated with a calling communication station to a called party, the apparatus comprising:
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a caller identification server means for obtaining the caller identification information for the calling communication station; means for determining whether the caller identification information associated with the calling communication station is blocked; first prompting means for prompting a calling party associated with the calling communication station to record spoken caller identification information and to store data representative of the spoken caller identification information; second prompting means for prompting the calling party to unblock the blocked caller identification information and to store data representative of the unblocked caller identification information; packaging means for converting the data representative of the spoken caller identification information or the data representative of the unblocked caller identification information into data packets; and a dispatch device to transmit the data packets to a device associated with an address via a network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for processing a call in a communications system, the method comprising:
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detecting a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station; determining if standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station; if standard caller identification information cannot be provided, formatting internet protocol packets bearing a request for spoken caller identification information and transmitting the packets to the calling communication station; storing data defining the spoken caller identification information when provided; if standard caller identification information can be provided, obtaining data defining the standard caller identification information; formatting the stored data defining the spoken caller identification information or the data defining the standard caller identification as packets; and providing the packets to the called communication station to be reassembled for playback to a called party of the called communication station. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A method for operating a telephony device, the method comprising:
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receiving call packet data for a call from a caller over a connectionless network; if the call packet data defines caller identification information for the call, sounding an incoming call alert; if the telephone call packet data does not define caller identification information, formatting packets for communication over the connectionless network to prompt a caller originating the call to provide spoken caller identification information; subsequently, receiving over the connectionless network packet data defining the spoken caller identification information over the connectionless network; providing the spoken caller identification information on the user interface of the telephony device; and providing information on the user interface of the telephony device to give the user of the called party options to accept the call, reject the call, forward the call to voice mail, present a no solicitation message to the calling party, and block future calls from the calling telephony device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification