Feature set based content communications systems and methods

• US 8,230,081 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Roberts, Brian, Relyea, Don, Stallings, Heath
• Primary Examiner(s): DONAGHUE, LARRY D
• Application Number:
  US11/931,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 709227-229
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

In an exemplary system, a plurality of access devices comprising at least a first access device and a second access device is selectively and communicatively coupled to a profile management subsystem. The profile management subsystem is configured to maintain profile data representing a feature set of at least one of the plurality of access devices, receive a profile request signal representing a request for profile data corresponding to the second access device from the first access device, and transmit the requested profile data to the first access device in response to the profile request signal. The first access device is configured to transmit content to the second access device in accordance with a feature set represented by the profile data corresponding to the second access device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an access device associated with an interactive voice response system; and

a profile management subsystem selectively and communicatively coupled to said access device, said profile management subsystem being configured to

receive a profile request signal from said access device, said profile request signal comprising a unique identifier specifically identifying a telephone that has called in to the interactive voice response system and representing a request for profile data corresponding to said telephone specifically identified by the unique identifier, and

access and transmit said requested profile data corresponding to the telephone to said access device in response to receiving said profile request signal;

wherein said access device is configured to

determine, based on the requested profile data, that the telephone is capable of displaying one or more interactive graphical menus that match one or more voice prompts provided by the interactive voice response system, and

transmit, by way of a communications channel established between the access device and the telephone, content representative of the one or more interactive graphical menus to said telephone.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said access device comprises a data store, and wherein said access device is further configured to store said profile data corresponding to said telephone within said data store in response to receiving the profile data from the profile management subsystem.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said access device is configured to use said stored profile data to communicate with said telephone subsequent to transmitting the content representative of the one or more interactive graphical menus to the telephone.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said profile management subsystem and said access device are a part of a provider-specific network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said telephone is a part of said provider-specific network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said access device is a part of a provider-specific network, and wherein said profile management subsystem is not included within said provider-specific network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said profile data is representative of a feature set corresponding to the telephone, wherein the feature set comprises at least one capability related to one or more of short message service messaging, multimedia message service messaging, video transmission, audio transmission, navigation services, interactive menu display, storage capacity, processing power, bandwidth, subscription plan, and codec support.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said access device is further configured to transmit additional content to the telephone in accordance with the profile data corresponding to the telephone, the additional content comprises at least one of a short message service message, a multimedia message service message, a symbol, a graphic, a photograph, video content, audio content, navigational data, and multimedia content.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said access device comprises a display configured to display information related to a feature set of said telephone as defined in the profile data corresponding to the telephone.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said profile management subsystem is configured to receive the profile data from the telephone prior to accessing the profile data.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to

transmit a profile request signal to a profile management subsystem over a network, the profile request signal comprising a unique identifier specifically identifying a telephone that has called in to an interactive voice response system and representative of a request for profile data corresponding to the telephone specifically identified by the unique identifier, and

receive the profile data from the profile management subsystem in accordance with the profile request signal;

a processor communicatively coupled to said communication interface and configured to

determine, based on the profile data, that the telephone is capable of displaying one or more interactive graphical menus that match one or more voice prompts provided by the interactive voice response system, and

direct said communication interface to transmit, by way of a communications channel established between the apparatus and the telephone, content representative of the one or more interactive graphical menus to said telephone.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a data store communicatively coupled to said processor and configured to store said profile data corresponding to said telephone in response to receiving the profile data from the profile management subsystem.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said processor is configured to use said stored profile data to direct said communication interface to transmit additional content to said telephone subsequent to transmitting the content representative of the one or more interactive graphical menus to the telephone.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said profile data is representative of a feature set corresponding to the telephone, wherein the feature set comprises at least one capability related to one or more of short message service messaging, multimedia message service messaging, video transmission, audio transmission, navigation services, interactive menu display, storage capacity, processing power, bandwidth, subscription plan, and codec support.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said processor is further configured to direct the communication interface to transmit additional content to the telephone in accordance with the profile data corresponding to the telephone, the additional content comprises at least one of a short message service message, a multimedia message service message, a symbol, a graphic, a photograph, video content, audio content, navigational data, and multimedia content.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a display communicatively coupled to said processor and configured to display information related to a feature set of said telephone as defined in the profile data corresponding to the telephone.

17. A method comprising:

transmitting, by an access device associated with an interactive voice response system, a profile request signal to a profile management subsystem over a network, the profile request signal comprising a unique identifier specifically identifying a telephone that has called in to the interactive voice response system and representative of a request for profile data corresponding to the telephone specifically identified by the unique identifier;

receiving, by the access device, the profile data from the profile management subsystem in accordance with the profile request signal;

determining, by the access device based on the profile data, that the telephone is capable of displaying one or more interactive graphical menus that match one or more voice prompts provided by the interactive voice response system; and

transmitting, by the access device by way of a communications channel established between the apparatus and the telephone, content representative of the one or more interactive graphical menus to the telephone.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the unique identifier comprises a telephone number associated with the telephone.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising displaying, by the access device, information related to a feature set of said telephone as defined in the profile data corresponding to the telephone.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing, by the access device, said profile data corresponding to said telephone in response to receiving the profile data from the profile management subsystem.