Method and apparatus for content presentation in association with a telephone call

• US 9,060,048 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vusura Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Wendell Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Wendell D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US14/327,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20140321630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.13, 379/142.17
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8353 during the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8355 after the end of the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/846 optical, e.g. icon
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/848 Tone, e.g. beeper
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7231 by SIM, e.g. smart card account in SCP, SDP or SN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4365 : based on information specified by the calling party, e.g. priority or subject
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 : Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 : where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0051 : where the data service is a multimedia messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/23 : for mobile advertising

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for presenting multimedia content to a caller and/or a called party in association with a telephone call. Content may be presented pre-ring (before the called party'"'"'s telephone rings), in-call, and/or post-call. Content presented to a party may be related to another party participating in the call or may be related to a third party (e.g., an advertiser that paid for the ability to have its content presented). Presented content may be actuable, to allow a caller to change the destination of a call, take advantage of an offer presented to him or her, redeem a coupon, schedule or queue a subsequent call, etc. To find a desired destination party, a caller may initiate a manual or automatic search of his or her local contacts (on his telephone) and/or a central or global directory or contact list.

Claims

1. A method of controlling presentation of content on a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving electronic notification of initiation of a call from a first communication device to a second communication device;

transmitting a first signal to the first communication device to delay dialing the call, without soliciting action by an operator of the first communication device;

transmitting to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device pre-ring content to be displayed after receiving the electronic notification and before the call rings at the second communication device; and

receiving from the first communication device a second signal indicating the operator activated a control for terminating the delay.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the second signal:

transmitting a third signal to the first communication device to terminate the delay.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to expiration of the delay, lengthening or shortening a duration of the delay.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-ring content is transmitted to the first communication device and comprises the control.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the pre-ring content based on identities associated with one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identities are telephone numbers.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device in-call content to be displayed during the call.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device post-call content to be displayed after the call.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-ring content is transmitted to the second communication device and comprises a notification of the call.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the notification includes one or more of:

a purpose of the call;

an identity of the first communication device;

an identity of the operator; and

one or more details of a previous transaction with the operator.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device in-call content to be displayed during the call; and

transmitting to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device post-call content to be displayed after the call;

wherein one or more of the pre-ring content, the in-call content, and the post-call content comprise a commercial offer.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device in-call content to be displayed during the call; and

transmitting to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device post-call content to be displayed after the call;

wherein one or more of the pre-ring content, the in-call content, and the post-call content comprise information regarding a previous transaction involving the operator.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the electronic notification, receiving from the first communication device a custom set of content; and

transmitting the custom set of content to the second communication device for presentation to an operator of the second communication device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the electronic notification, receiving from the second communication device a custom set of content; and

transmitting the custom set of content to the first communication device for presentation to the operator.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising, for each of the first communication device and the second communication device to which pre-ring content is transmitted:

receiving identification of the pre-ring content from the other of the first communication device and the second communication device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of controlling presentation of content on a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving electronic notification of initiation of a call from a first communication device to a second communication device;

transmitting a first signal to the first communication device to delay dialing the call, without soliciting action by an operator of the first communication device;

transmitting to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device pre-ring content to be displayed after receiving the electronic notification and before the call rings at the second communication device; and

receiving from the first communication device a second signal indicating the operator activated a control for terminating the delay.

17. Apparatus for controlling presentation of content on a communication device external to the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to;

receive electronic notification of initiation of a call from a first communication device to a second communication device;

transmit a first signal to the first communication device to delay dialing the call, without soliciting action by an operator of the first communication device;

transmit to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device pre-ring content to be displayed after receiving the electronic notification and before the call rings at the second communication device; and

receive from the first communication device a second signal indicating the operator activated a control for terminating the delay.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to, in response to the second signal:

transmit a third signal to the first communication device to terminate the delay.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

prior to expiration of the delay, lengthen or shorten a duration of the delay.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the pre-ring content is transmitted to the first communication device and comprises the control.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

identify the pre-ring content based on identities associated with one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the identities are telephone numbers.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

transmit to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device in-call content to be displayed during the call.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

transmit to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device post-call content to be displayed after the call.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the pre-ring content is transmitted to the second communication device and comprises a notification of the call.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the notification includes one or more of:

a purpose of the call;

an identity of the first communication device;

an identity of the operator; and

one or more details of a previous transaction with the operator.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

transmit to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device in-call content to be displayed during the call; and

transmit to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device post-call content to be displayed after the call;

wherein one or more of the pre-ring content, the in-call content, and the post-call content comprise a commercial offer.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

transmit to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device in-call content to be displayed during the call; and

transmit to one or both of the first communication device and the second communication device post-call content to be displayed after the call;

wherein one or more of the pre-ring content, the in-call content, and the post-call content comprise information regarding a previous transaction involving the operator.

29. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

prior to receiving the electronic notification, receive from the first communication device a custom set of content; and

transmit the custom set of content to the second communication device for presentation to an operator of the second communication device.

30. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

prior to receiving the electronic notification, receive from the second communication device a custom set of content; and

transmit the custom set of content to the first communication device for presentation to the operator.

31. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to, for each of the first communication device and the second communication device to which pre-ring content is transmitted:

receive identification of the pre-ring content from the other of the first communication device and the second communication device.