Methods, systems, and products for providing ring backs

• US 8,712,027 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sutcliffe, Geoff
• Primary Examiner(s): GAY, SONIA L
• Application Number:
  US12/984,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20110103569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.16, 379/373.01, 379/373.02
• US Class Current: 379/207.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products provide a ring back to a calling party during a wait time. Weather, sports scores, and financial data may be associated to ring backs. When a communication request is received, a ring back may be chosen by a called party for presentation to a calling party.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for a call between a calling address and a called address;

processing the call;

retrieving sports data;

querying a database that stores ring backs selected by a called party for presentation to a calling party;

retrieving one of the ring backs associated with the sports data, with the called party, and with the calling party; and

routing an indication of the one of the ring backs to the calling address during a wait time occurring before the call is established with the called party.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein retrieving the sports data comprises retrieving a score of a game.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising associating a number of the called party to the one of the ring backs.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising associating an email address to the one of the ring backs.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forwarding a name of the one of the ring backs to the calling address.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising playing the one of the ring backs to the calling party.

7. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing code that when executed causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

requesting a call between a calling address and a called address;

placing the call between the calling address and the called address;

retrieving financial data;

querying a database that stores ring backs selected by the called address for presentation to the calling address;

retrieving an indication of one of the ring backs that is associated with the financial data, with the called address, and with the calling address; and

routing the indication of the one of the ring backs to the calling address during a wait time occurring before the call is established with the called address.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to retrieve a stock price.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to query a third party for the financial data.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to formulate a program of ring backs from which a called party may select.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to randomly select the indication of the one of the ring backs.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to associate a telephone number of a called party to the one of the ring backs.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to associate an email address to the indication of the one of the ring backs.

14. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to send a name of the one of the ring backs to the calling address.

15. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to receive a selection of the one of the ring backs.

16. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to play the one of the ring backs to the calling address.

17. A computer readable memory storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

placing requesting a call between a calling address and a called address;

querying for weather data associated with the called address;

querying a database that stores ring backs selected by a called party for presentation to a calling party;

retrieving an identifier of one of the ring backs that is associated with the weather data, with the called address, and with the calling address;

retrieving the one of the ring backs from a calling device; and

playing the one of the ring backs by the calling device during a wait time occurring before the call is established with the called address.

18. The computer readable memory according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for retrieving current weather conditions associated with the called address.

19. The computer readable memory according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for querying a third party for the weather data.

20. The computer readable memory according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for retrieving a weather program of ring backs.