Picture caller ID systems, methods and apparatus

• US 8,433,305 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kaplan, Diego, Han, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Huy C
• Application Number:
  US13/623,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20130023238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 222 Days
• Field of Search: 455/415
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/252 where a voice mode is enhanced with visual information
• 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

Abstract

A communication system is provided that enables automated retrieval of caller ID picture information and association with contact information, while still allowing security control over information or images that are sent to the requesting device. The communication system has a wireless device communicating with a picture server. The wireless device receives an incoming call with caller ID information, and determines if a picture is locally stored for the caller. If no picture is locally stored for the caller, then a request is made to retrieve a picture from the picture server. If the picture server has the requested picture, and the wireless device is authorized to receive the picture, then the picture is downloaded to the wireless device, where the picture is associated with contact information for the caller. The picture of the caller will then be automatically displayed when the caller places future calls.

Claims

1. A method performed in a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call from a calling communication device;

receiving a caller identification (caller ID) message identifying the calling communication device;

associating the caller ID message with a locally stored contact file;

determining if a local picture is locally stored with the locally stored contact file within the wireless communication device;

requesting, from a remote server and in response to determining that no local picture is stored, a remote picture associated with the caller ID message identifying the calling communication device;

receiving an authorization request from the remote server in response to requesting the remote picture;

sending an authorization message to the remote server in response to the authorization request;

receiving the remote picture from the remote server; and

storing the remote picture with the locally stored contact file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting the remote picture comprises generating a Short Message System (SMS) message that includes information indicative of the caller ID message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the remote picture comprises receiving a Multimedia Message System (MMS) message that includes the remote picture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the authorization message includes obtaining a user input from an input device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to operate within a carrier network selected from the group consisting of:

CDMA, WCDMA, CDMA2000, GSM, EDGE, GPRS, and UMTS.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the remote picture if the incoming call is active.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the remote picture in response to receiving another incoming call from the calling device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller ID message comprises a telephone number of the calling device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the remote picture comprises receiving a Multimedia Message System (MMS) message that includes the remote picture.

9. A wireless communication device comprising:

a communication subsystem configured to receiving an incoming call from a calling communication device and a caller identification (caller ID) message identifying the calling communication device;

a memory configured to store a locally stored contact file; and

a processor configured to;

associate the caller ID message with the locally stored contact file;

determine if a local picture is locally stored with the locally stored contact file;

request, from a remote server and in response to determining that no local picture is stored with the locally stored contact file, a remote picture associated with the caller ID message identifying the calling communication device;

the communication subsystem further configured to;

receive an authorization request from the remote server in response to requesting the remote picture;

send an authorization message to the remote server in response to the authorization request; and

receive the remote picture from the remote server.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to store the remote picture with the locally stored contact file.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to request the remote picture by generating a Short Message System (SMS) message that includes information indicative of the caller ID message.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to receive the remote picture by receiving a Multimedia Message System (MMS) message that includes the remote picture.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 9, further comprising a user input device configured to obtain a user input for the authorization message.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to operate within a carrier network selected from the group consisting of:

CDMA, WCDMA, CDMA2000, GSM, EDGE, GPRS, and UMTS.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 9, further comprising a wireless device screen configured to display the remote picture if the incoming call is active.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 9, further comprising a wireless device screen configured to display the remote picture in response to receiving another incoming call from the calling device.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the caller ID message comprises a telephone number of the calling device.

18. A method performed in a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call from a calling communication device;

receiving a caller identification (caller ID) message identifying the calling communication device and comprising a telephone number of the calling device;

associating the caller ID message with a locally stored contact file;

determining whether a local picture is locally stored with the locally stored contact file within the wireless communication device;

requesting, from a remote server and in response to determining that no local picture is stored, a remote picture associated with the caller ID message identifying the calling communication device;

receiving an authorization request from the remote server in response to requesting the remote picture;

sending an authorization message to the remote server in response to the authorization request;

receiving the remote picture from the remote server;

storing the remote picture with the locally stored contact file;

displaying the remote picture if the incoming call is active; and

displaying the remote picture when another incoming call from the calling device is received.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the requesting the remote picture further comprises generating a Short Message System (SMS) message that includes information indicative of the caller ID message.