System and method for facilitating a custom ring in connection with a call

• US 8,265,237 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Douglas F., Bangor, Aaron, Brandt, Jeffrey Lewis
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/570,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20100020957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/419, 379/88.17, 379/207.16, 379/373.02, 379/374.01, 379/88.21, 379/93.23, 379/142.06, 379/142.09, 379/88.16, 379/88.24, 379/93.27, 379/101.01, 379/114.13, 379/201.01, 379/211.02, 379/215.01, 379/252, 379/265.11, 379/373.01, 455/466, 455/412.2, 455/567, 455/414.1, 455/563, 705/40, 705/51, 704/275, 725/25
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• 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 3/42153 by subscriber

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for facilitating a custom ring in connection with a call. A ring tone delivery system may include an interface operable to receive a calling signal that indicates a request to place a call from a calling party to a communication device of a called party. The system may also include a network node communicatively coupled to the interface. The network node may be operable to determine whether the calling party is able to use a calling party selected ring tone. The network node may also be operable to determine whether the communication device will accept the calling party selected ring tone. The network node sends the calling party selected ring tone to the communication device when the calling party is able to use the calling party selected ring tone and when the communication device will accept the calling party selected ring tone.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a communication system, a request from a calling party to complete a voice over internet protocol call to a called party communication device; and

in response to the request, delivering a customized ring tone to the called party communication device from the communication system conditioned upon a determination that the called party communication device is operable to output the customized ring tone.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a non-custom ring tone to the called party communication device conditioned upon the called party communication device not being operable to output the customized ring tone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording a calling party message that includes a representation of at least a portion of the customized ring tone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized ring tone comprises a spoken message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized ring tone comprises a branded ring tone.

6. The method of claim 1, in response to receiving the request, determining, at the communication system, whether the called party communication device is configured to output the customized ring tone.

7. A system comprising:

an interface operable to receive a calling signal that indicates a request to place a call from a calling party to a first communication device of a called party; and

a network node communicatively coupled to the interface, the network node operable, in response to receipt by the interface of the calling signal, to;

determine whether the first communication device is operable to accept a customized ring tone; and

send the customized ring tone to the first communication device conditioned upon a determination that the first communication device is operable to accept the customized ring tone.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a memory accessible to the network node, the memory storing a list of devices associated with the calling party, each of the devices operable to provide the customized ring tone.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a memory accessible to the network node that includes a list of destination addresses that are operable to block the customized ring tone.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a message system configured to be activated in response to a determination that the called party does not answer the call, wherein the message system is operable to record a calling party message that includes a representation of at least a portion of the customized ring tone.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the network node comprises a voice over internet protocol switch coupled to the interface.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the network node is further operable to send a non-custom ring tone in response to a determination that the calling party is not configurable to provide the customized ring tone.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the network node is further operable, in response to receipt by the interface of the calling signal, to:

determine whether the calling party is configured to provide the customized ring tone; and

retrieve the customized ring tone from the calling party in response to a determination that the calling party is configured to provide the customized ring tone and prior to sending the customized ring tone to the first communication device.

14. A computer-readable storage medium comprising operational instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

determine whether a calling party is operable to provide a customized ring tone associated with a call;

determine whether a first communication device associated with a party called by the calling party is configured to accept the customized ring tone; and

in response to a determination that the calling party is operable to provide the customized ring tone and conditioned upon a determination that the first communication device is configured to accept the customized ring tone;

retrieve the customized ring tone from the calling party; and

send the customized ring tone to the first communication device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

identify a particular communication device used by the calling party to place the call;

compare the particular communication device to entries within a list of communication devices that are associated with the calling party and that are capable of providing the customized ring tone; and

send a non-custom ring tone to the first communication device conditioned upon the particular communication device not corresponding to one of the entries within the list.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to send a non-custom ring tone to the first communication device in response to the first communication device not being operable to play the customized ring tone.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to send a non-custom ring tone to the first communication device in response to the party called by the calling party blocking reception of the customized ring tone.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the customized ring tone is received at the computer via a second communication device that is used by the calling party to place the call, wherein the second communication device is selected from a computing device, a telephone communicatively coupled to a twisted pair network, a cordless telephone, a voice over internet protocol telephone, a cellular telephone, a fixed wireless telephone, and a 802.11 (x) telephone.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein a memory accessible by the computer stores a list of device addresses to which delivery of the customized ring tone is blocked.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein a memory accessible by the computer stores a list of devices that are associated with the calling party and that are capable of providing the customized ring tone.