Method, communication device and computer-readable media for conveying an audio stream to a user of a communication device during an outgoing call

• US 8,594,317 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: Clark, David William, Murray, Sean MacLean
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US12/983,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20110164734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 379/373.01, 379/373.02, 379/374.01, 379/374.02, 379/276.01, 379/376.01
• US Class Current: 379/373.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1225 Details of core network interconnection arrangements

Abstract

The present invention discloses numerous implementations for conveying an audio element to a source device initiating an outgoing call while a user of the source device is waiting for a user of a destination device to answer the call. A call processing system receives a call request message from the source device, determines an audio element from a plurality of audio elements to convey to the source device and initiates conveyance of the audio element to the source device in response to receiving the call request message. The system then causes establishment of a media connection between the source and destination devices and terminates conveyance of the audio element to the source device prior to or substantially simultaneous with the establishment of the media connection between the source and destination devices. In various implementations, the source device may be implemented within the PSTN and/or an IP network. The audio element may comprise an audio file, an audio stream, scheduling information or other audio content. A subscriber associated with the source device may pre-configure the selection of the audio element to be conveyed in replace of the traditional ring tone. A communication device may also implement a method to convey an audio element to a user of the communication device during establishment of an outgoing call.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an end-user communication device operable to originate telephonic calls comprising:

receiving a selection of an audio stream of a plurality of audio streams that are broadcast on a data network by an audio stream source from a user of the communication device prior to initiation of an outgoing call from the communication device to a destination device;

initiating a media connection via the data network with the audio stream source that broadcasts the audio stream in response to detecting the initiation of the outgoing call to the destination device; and

terminating the media connection with the audio stream source prior to or substantially simultaneous with the establishment of the call between the communication device and the destination device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the selection of the audio stream from the user of the communication device comprises offering a plurality of potential audio streams to the user and receiving selection information from the user, the selection information comprising an indication of at least one of the plurality of potential audio streams.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the selection of the audio stream comprises receiving a selection of an audio stream broadcast continuously on the data network by the audio stream source.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the selection of the audio stream comprises receiving an indication of a location on the data network of the audio stream source;

and wherein the initiating the media connection with the audio stream source comprises transmitting a request to the audio stream source to transmit the audio stream over a media connection between the audio stream source and the communication device.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the audio stream comprises at least one of a radio broadcast, an audio portion of a television broadcast, a playlist of songs, a service announcement broadcast, a set of one or more advertisement messages and a reading of information.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the selection of the audio stream from the user of the communication device comprises receiving a selection of a plurality of audio streams that are broadcast on the data network by one or more audio stream sources and an indication to use a random algorithm to select the audio stream.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the selection of the audio stream from the user of the communication device comprises receiving a selection of a plurality of audio streams that are broadcast on the data network by one or more audio stream sources and an indication to use a predetermined order to select the audio stream.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the selection of the audio stream from the user of the communication device comprises receiving a selection of a plurality of audio streams that are broadcast on the data network by one or more audio stream sources and an indication to at least partially use temporal information to select the audio stream.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the initiating the media connection with the audio stream source that broadcasts the audio stream replaces a traditional conveyance of a tone to the user of the communication device during initiation of the outgoing call, the tone being received from a network component.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising causing establishment of a media connection between the communication device and the destination device in response to detecting the initiation of the call to the destination device by the user of the communication device.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the causing establishment of a media connection between the communication device and the destination device comprises transmitting Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) tones to a Service Switching Point (SSP).

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the causing establishment of the media connection between the communication device and the destination device comprises transmitting a call request message to a call processing system via the data network.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the causing establishment of the media connection between the communication device and the destination device comprises causing initiation of a media connection with the destination device and detecting acceptance from the destination device of the outgoing call.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the terminating the media connection with the audio stream source is in response to detecting the acceptance from the destination device of the outgoing call.

15. A method according to claim 13 further comprising determining a minimum time period to convey the audio stream;

and wherein the causing initiation of the media connection with the destination device is in response to the minimum time period expiring.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the terminating the media connection with the audio stream source is in response to detecting the acceptance from the destination device of the outgoing call.

17. A method according to claim 1 further comprising determining a time period to convey the audio stream;

and wherein the terminating the media connection with the audio stream source is in response to the time period expiring.

18. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a selection of a media element from the user of the communication device to convey to a display within the communication device;

wherein the media element is to be conveyed to the display during establishment of the outgoing call; and

initiating conveyance of the media element to the display within the communication device in response to detecting the initiation of the outgoing call to the destination device.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the media element comprises at least one of a video element, an image element and a text element.

20. An end-user communication device operable to originate telephonic calls comprising:

a network interface operable to be coupled to a network over which the communication device may initiate an outgoing call to a destination device and the communication device may connect to an audio stream source;

a processing entity operable to receive a selection of an audio stream of a plurality of audio streams that are broadcast on a data network by an audio stream source from a user of the communication device prior to initiation of an outgoing call from the communication device to a destination device to initiate a media connection via the data network with the audio stream source that broadcasts the audio stream in response to detecting the initiation of the outgoing call to the destination device; and

to terminate the media connection with the audio stream source prior to or substantially simultaneous with the establishment of the call between the communication device and the destination device.

21. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein, to receive the selection of the audio stream from the user of the communication device, the processing entity is operable to offer a plurality of potential audio streams to the user and to receive selection information from the user, the selection information comprising an indication of at least one of the plurality of potential audio streams.

22. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein, to receive the selection of the audio stream, the processing entity is operable to receive a selection of an audio stream broadcast continuously on the data network by the audio stream source.

23. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein, to receive the selection of the audio stream, the processing entity is operable to receive an indication of a location on the data network of the audio stream source;

and wherein, to initiate the media connection with the audio stream source, the processing entity is operable to transmit a request to the audio stream source to transmit the audio stream over a media connection between the audio stream source and the communication device.

24. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein the audio stream comprises at least one of a radio broadcast, an audio portion of a television broadcast, a playlist of songs, a service announcement broadcast, a set of one or more advertisement messages and a reading of information.

25. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein, to receive the selection of the audio stream from the user of the communication device, the processing entity is operable to receive a selection of a plurality of audio streams that are broadcast on the data network by one or more audio stream sources and an indication to use a random algorithm to select, the audio stream.

26. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein, to receive the selection of the audio stream from the user of the communication device, the processing entity is operable to receive a selection of a plurality of audio streams that are broadcast on the data network by one or more audio stream sources and an indication to use a predetermined order to select the audio stream.

27. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein, to receive the selection of the audio stream from the user of the communication device, the processing entity is operable to receive a selection of a plurality of audio streams that are broadcast on the data network by one or more audio stream sources and an indication to at least partially use temporal information to select the audio stream.

28. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein the processing entity is operable to initiate the media connection with the audio stream source that broadcasts the audio stream to replace a traditional conveyance of a tone to the user of the communication device during initiation of the outgoing call, the tone being received from a network component.

29. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein the network interface is operable to cause establishment of a media connection between the communication device and the destination device in response to detecting the initiation of the call to the destination device by the user of the communication device.

30. A communication device according to claim 29, wherein, to cause establishment of the media connection between the communication device and the destination device, the network interface is operable to transmit Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) tones to a Service Switching Point (SSP).

31. A communication device according to claim 30, wherein the network interface comprises a first network interface operable to be coupled to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and a second network interface operable to be coupled to an Internet Protocol (IP) network, the first network interface being operable to cause the establishment of the media connection between the communication device and the destination device and the second network interface being operable to cause establishment of the media connection between the audio stream source and the communication device.

32. A communication device according to claim 29, wherein, to cause establishment of the media connection between the communication device and the destination device, the network interface is operable to transmit a call request message to a call processing system via the data network.

33. A communication device according to claim 29, wherein, to cause establishment of the media connection between the communication device and the destination device, the processing entity is operable to cause initiation of a media connection with the destination device and to detect acceptance from the destination device of the outgoing call.

34. A communication device according to claim 33, wherein the processing entity is operable to terminate the media connection with the audio stream source in response to detecting the acceptance from the destination device of the outgoing call.

35. A communication device according to claim 33, wherein the processing entity is further operable to determine a minimum time period to convey the audio stream;

and wherein the processing entity is operable to cause initiation of the media connection with the destination device in response to the minimum time period expiring.

36. A communication device according to claim 35, wherein the processing entity is operable to terminate the media connection with the audio stream source in response to detecting the acceptance from the destination device of the outgoing call.

37. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein the processing entity is further operable to determine a time period to convey the audio stream;

and wherein the processing entity is operable to terminate the media connection with the audio stream source in response to the time period expiring.

38. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein the network over which the communication device may initiate the outgoing call to the destination device comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

39. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein the network over which the communication device may initiate the outgoing call to the destination device comprises a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

40. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein the network over which the communication device may initiate the outgoing call to the destination device comprises a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and the network over which the communication device may connect with the audio stream source comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network;

and wherein the network interface comprises a first network interface operable to be coupled to the PSTN and a second network interface operable to be coupled to the IP network.

41. A communication device according to claim 20 further comprising a display;

and wherein the processing entity is further operable to receive a selection of a media element from the user of the communication device to convey to the display, the media element to be conveyed to the display during establishment of the outgoing call; and

to initiate conveyance of the media element to the display in response to detecting the initiation of the outgoing call to the destination device.

42. A communication device according to claim 41, wherein the media element comprises at least one of a video element, an image element and a text element.

43. Non-transitory computer-readable media containing a program element executable by an end-user communication device operable to originate telephonic calls, the program element comprising:

first program code for receiving a selection of an audio stream of a plurality of audio streams that are broadcast on a data network by an audio stream source from a user of the communication device prior to initiation of an outgoing call from the communication device to a destination device;

second program code for initiating a media connection via the data network with the audio stream source that broadcasts the audio stream in response to detecting the initiation of the outgoing call to the destination device; and

third program code for terminating the media connection with the audio stream source prior to or substantially simultaneous with the establishment of the call between the communication device and the destination device.