Forked-call ringback replacement system

• US 8,121,267 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2010
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eclips LLC
• Original Assignee: Eclips LLC
• Inventors: Radziewicz, Clifford J., Gregorek, Mark R., Dillow, Jeffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): HONG, HARRY S
• Application Number:
  US12/705,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20100278324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.12, 379/88.21, 379/88.25, 379/93.12, 379/201.06, 379/207.12, 379/373.02, 379/373.03, 379/912, 379/913, 455/415, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/567
• US Class Current: 379/88.25
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/129 Details of providing call progress tones or announcements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/912 Geographically adaptive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/913 Person locator or person-specific

Abstract

A ringback replacement system for modifying or replacing certain communications network signals and tones in a roaming, forked-call, forwarded-call, or mobility environment is disclosed. Communications devices activate and interact with the ringback replacement system to allow for modification of the network service.

Claims

1. A system for customizing a communications network, said system comprising:

a first communications station associated with a calling party;

a second communications station associated with a called party;

a storage device containing at least one announcement;

a ringback system for receiving information regarding a first proximity location of said first communications station and for receiving information regarding a second proximity location of said second communications station; and

a communications device for initiating a forked or forwarded call to locate said called party at said second communications station;

wherein said forked or forwarded call is initiated by said calling party,

wherein said system determines whether said first proximity location is associated with at least one announcement of said plurality of announcements, and

wherein said system replaces at least a portion of a call signal with at least a portion of said at least one announcement upon a positive determination that said at least one announcement is associated with said first proximity location,

wherein said at least one announcement is played to said calling party after said initiation of said forked or forwarded call,

wherein said ringback system determines that said at least one announcement is associated with said first proximity location,

wherein said at least one announcement is chosen by said called party and is associated with a telephone number of said calling party,

wherein said portion of said call signal is replaced after said initiation of said forked or forwarded call but prior to active communication with said called party, and

wherein said call signal is selected from a group consisting of ringback signals, busy signals, network redirect signals, call progress signals, network announcement signals, and dial tone signals.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one announcement is prerecorded.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one announcement is live.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one announcement comprises audio.

5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one announcement comprises video.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one announcement comprises data.

7. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one announcement comprises an interactive game.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one announcement comprises an album of related announcements.

9. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one announcement comprises advertising.

10. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one announcement comprises programming material.

11. A system for customizing a communications network, said system comprising:

a first communications station associated with a calling party;

a second communications station associated with a called party;

a ringback system for receiving information regarding a first proximity location of said first communications station and for receiving information regarding a second proximity location of said second communications station;

a storage device containing at least one announcement; and

a communications device for initiating a forked or forwarded call to locate said called party at said second communications station;

wherein said forked or forwarded call is initiated by said calling party, and

further wherein at least a portion of a call signal is replaced with at least a portion of said at least one announcement, and

further wherein said at least one announcement is played to said calling party after said initiation of said forked or forwarded call,

wherein said ringback system determines that said at least one announcement is associated with said first proximity location,

wherein said at least one announcement is chosen by said called party and is associated with a telephone number of said calling party, and

further wherein said portion of said call signal is replaced after said initiation of said forked or forwarded call but prior to active communication with said called party,

wherein said information regarding a second proximity location is transmitted to said first communications station prior to said active communication with said called party,

wherein said second communications station is selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a wireless telephone, a cellular telephone, a video telephone, a mobile computer, a personal digital assistant, and a multimedia handset.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein said first and said second communications station is part of a communications network.

13. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein said communications device comprises a communications station.

14. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein said communications device comprises a communications network.

15. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein said communications device comprises a gateway.

16. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein said communications device comprises a proxy server.

17. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein said second communications station comprises an integrated display unit featuring a menu system.

18. The system as defined in claim 17, wherein said menu system displays announcements available from said communications network.

19. The system as defined in claim 17, wherein said menu system displays announcements available from said communications device.

20. The system as defined in claim 17, wherein said menu system displays stored network addresses.

21. A system for customizing a communications network, said system comprising:

a first communications station associated with a calling party;

a second communications station associated with a called party;

a storage device containing a plurality of announcements; and

a communications device for initiating a forked or forwarded call to locate said called party at said second communications station;

wherein said forked or forwarded call is initiated by said calling party,

wherein said system receives information regarding a first proximity location of said first communications station and receives information regarding a second proximity location of said second communications station,

wherein said system determines whether said first proximity location is associated with at least one announcement of said plurality of announcements, and

wherein said system replaces at least a portion of a call signal with at least a portion of said at least one announcement upon a positive determination that said at least one announcement is associated with said first proximity location,

further wherein said at least a portion of said at least one announcement is played to said calling party after said initiation of said forked or forwarded call,

wherein said at least one announcement is chosen by said calling party and is associated with a telephone number of said calling party,

wherein said at least a portion of said call signal is replaced after said initiation of said forked or forwarded call but prior to active communication with said called party, and

wherein said communications network is selected from the group consisting of a circuit-switched network, a packet-based network, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, a virtual private network, a metropolitan area network, a broadcast network, a wireless network, and a cellular network.

22. The system as defined in claim 21, wherein said second communications station accesses said system via soft keys on said second communications station.

23. The system as defined in claim 21, wherein said second communications station accesses said system via hard keys on said second communications station.

24. The system as defined in claim 21, wherein said second communications station accesses said system via an attachable input device.

25. The system as defined in claim 21, wherein said second communications station accesses said system via a voice recognition module.

26. A method for replacing at least a portion of a call signal with at least a portion of an announcement, comprising:

placing a call by a calling party from a first communications device;

locating a second communications device via a forked or forwarded call;

accessing a storage device containing at least one announcement of a plurality of announcements;

playing at least a portion of said at least one announcement to said first communications device as a call signal; and

terminating the playing of said at least a portion of said at least one announcement to said first communications device;

receiving, via a communication device, information regarding a first proximity location of said first communications device and receiving information regarding a second proximity location of said second communications device,

wherein said communication device determines whether said first proximity location is associated with at least one announcement of said plurality of announcements, and

wherein said communication device replaces at least a portion of a call signal with at least a portion of said at least one announcement upon a positive determination that said at least one announcement is associated with said first proximity location,

wherein said at least one announcement is chosen by said called party and is associated with a telephone number of said calling party,

wherein said at least a portion of said at least one announcement is played after the placing of the call but prior to active communication with the second communications device, and

wherein said call signal is selected from the group consisting of ringback signals, busy signals, network redirect signals, call progress signals, network announcement signals, and dial tone signals.

27. The method as defined in claim 26, wherein said at least one announcement is prerecorded.

28. The method as defined in claim 26, wherein said at least one announcement is live.

29. A method for customizing a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with a system capable of replacing at least a portion of a call signal with at least one announcement, wherein said at least one announcement is selected from the group consisting of audio, video, data, and a combination of audio, video, or data;

accessing a storage device containing said at least one announcement;

associating a first geographical location with said at least one announcement;

determining a second geographical location of a communications device;

delivering at least a portion of said at least one announcement as a call signal while a communications device is located via a forked or forwarded call,

wherein said at least a portion of said at least one announcement is delivered if said first geographical location matches said second geographical location;

wherein said at least one announcement is chosen by said called party and is associated with a telephone number of said calling party; and

wherein said at least a portion of said at least one announcement is delivered after establishing the communication with said system but prior to active communication with the communications device.

30. The method as defined in claim 29, wherein the call signal is selected from the group consisting of ringback signals, busy signals, network redirect signals, call progress signals, network announcement signals, and dial tone signals.

31. The method as defined in claim 29, wherein said at least one announcement is prerecorded.

32. The method as defined in claim 29, wherein said at least one announcement is live.

33. The method as defined in claim 29, wherein said system is accessed after successful completion of an authorization routine.

34. The method as defined in claim 33, wherein said authorization routine verifies a subscription status of a user.

35. The method as defined in claim 34, wherein said authorization routine allows said user to subscribe to a network service.