Method and system for providing information for identifying callers

• US 8,406,397 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lemke, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US12/961,013
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.01, 379/142.06, 379/142.09, 379/142.17, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 455/415
• US Class Current: 379/142.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a caller identification system and method for identifying a caller with a partial phone number look-up table. The caller identification system comprises a database that stores received calls and can be personalized to include information specific to partial phone numbers. In one embodiment, the caller identification system disclosed can be integrated into a cellular phone. In this embodiment, an incoming call initiates a search in a database to retrieve information about the caller. If a match is found, the identity of the caller is displayed. When an exact match is not found, a search for a partial match is executed with wild card values and information about the partial match is displayed. Information for a partial match can be personalized or pre-programmed into the caller ID system such as the city associated with a particular area code or prefix.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, at least a portion of a phone number of an incoming call;

retrieving an entry from a user customizable database stored in the computing device, wherein the entry is identified by at least the portion of the phone number, wherein the entry includes at least a partial phone number and a geographic location, and wherein the partial phone number is associated with the geographic location; and

displaying the geographic location on a display of the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry is one entry of a plurality of entries of the database, and wherein each of the plurality of entries includes at least one of a geographic location, a name, and user customized information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry further includes at least one of a name and user customized information, the method further comprising:

displaying the at least one of the name and the user customized information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location comprises one of a city and state pair, or a state and country pair.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of ring tones based on the phone number; and

outputting, by the computing device, the selected ring tone in response to the incoming call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the phone number is received using a wireless communication channel.

7. A system comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium configured to store a user customizable database comprising an entry that includes at least a at least a partial phone number and a geographic location, wherein the partial phone number is associated with the geographic location;

a caller identification circuit configured to receive at least a portion of a phone number of an incoming call;

a processor configured to retrieve the entry from the user customizable database, wherein the entry is identified by at least the portion of the phone number; and

a display configured to display the geographic location.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the entry is one entry of a plurality of entries of the database, and wherein each of the plurality of entries includes at least one of a geographic location, a name, and user customized information.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the entry further includes at least one of a name and user customized information, and wherein the display is configured to display the at least one of the name and the user customized information.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the geographic location comprises one of a city and state pair, or a state and country pair.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is configured to store a plurality of ring tones, wherein the processor is configured to select a ring tone of the plurality of ring tones based on the phone number, the system further comprising:

an audio output device configured to output the selected ring tone.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the phone number is received using a wireless communication channel.

13. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for causing a processor of a computing device to:

receive at least a portion of a phone number of an incoming call;

retrieve an entry from a user customizable database, wherein the entry is identified by at least the portion of the phone number, wherein the entry includes at least a partial phone number and a geographic location, and wherein the partial phone number is associated with the geographic location; and

cause a display of the computing device to display the geographic location.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the entry is one entry of a plurality of entries of the database, and wherein each of the plurality of entries includes at least one of a geographic location, a name, and user customized information.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the entry further includes at least one of a name and user customized information, and wherein the computer-readable storage medium is further encoded with instructions that cause the programmable processor to:

cause the display of the computing device to display the at least one of the name and the user customized information on the display.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the geographic location comprises one of a city and state pair, or a state and country pair.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, further encoded with instructions for causing the programmable processor to:

select one of a plurality of ring tones based on the phone number; and

cause an audio output element of the computing device to output the selected ring tone in response to the incoming call.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the phone number is received using a wireless communication channel.