User interface for selecting audio identifiers for digital communications

• US 9,178,992 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Appelman, Barry, Murphy, Stephen Vaughan
• Primary Examiner(s): ZENATI, AMAL S
• Application Number:
  US13/620,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20130070916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• 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: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings

Abstract

Audibly informing a recipient of an arrival of a digital communication from a sender includes receiving a digital communication from a sender directed to a recipient and determining whether the digital communication is associated with an audio identifier that identifies the sender of the digital communication and that is designated by the sender of the digital communication. Perception by the recipient of the audio identifier is conditioned on whether the digital communication is determined to be associated with the audio identifier. The audio identifier is perceived prior to or concurrent with perception of the digital communication by the recipient.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first communication directed to a first user from a second user;

identifying an audio identifier associated with the first communication;

providing, in conjunction with the first communication, a user interface to the first user, the user interface comprising profile information of the second user;

providing, by way of the user interface, one or more options comprising an option to associate a different audio identifier with communications from the second user;

receiving, from the first user, a selection of the option to associate a different audio identifier with communications from the second user;

receiving a second communication from the second user directed to the first user;

and

rendering, in conjunction with the second communication and based on the selection of the option to associate the different audio identifier with communications from the second user, the different audio identifier so as to be made perceivable as a ring tone for the second communication.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling, by way of the user interface, the first user to sample one or more example audio identifiers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein enabling the first user to sample the one or more example audio identifiers comprises enabling perception of at least a portion of the one or more example audio identifiers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio identifier is a default audio identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing, by way of the user interface, the one or more options comprises presenting an option to associate a group audio identifier that identifies a group of users, the group of users comprising the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing, by way of the user interface, the one or more options comprises presenting an option to associate the different audio identifier with a type of communication received from the second user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the type of communication comprises a phone call, a text message or an instant message.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising associating phone calls from the second user with a first audio identifier and associating text messages from the second user with a second audio identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing, by way of the user interface, the one or more options comprises presenting a selectable check box to the first user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving, from the first user, a selection of the option to associate a different audio identifier with communications from the first user comprises detecting the selection of the selectable check box.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing, by way of the user interface, one or more options further comprises providing an option to associate each of a plurality of types of communications received from the second user with different audio identifiers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein providing, by way of the user interface, one or more options further comprises providing an option to specify that the different audio identifier be perceived only once at the beginning of a communication session.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein providing an option to associate each of the plurality of types of communications comprises presenting a selectable check box to the first user.

13. A mobile device comprising:

at least one processor, and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

receive a first communication directed to a first user from a second user;

identify an audio identifier associated with the first communication;

provide, in conjunction with the first communication, a user interface to the first user, the user interface comprising profile information of the second user;

provide, by way of the user interface, one or more options comprising an option to associate a different audio identifier with communications from the second user;

receive, from the first user, a selection of the option to associate a different audio identifier with communications from the second user;

receive a second communication from the second user;

and

render, in conjunction with the second communication and based on the selection of the option to associate the different audio identifier with communications from the second user, the different audio identifier so as to be made perceivable as a ring tone for the second communication.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the profile information of the second user comprises a name of the second user, an instant message handle of the second user, an email address of the second user, or a direct number of the second user.

15. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the profile information is locally stored on the mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the profile information is remotely stored and accessed across a data network.

17. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein providing, by way of the user interface, one or more options comprises presenting an option button to a pre-defined user list audio identifier that identifies a group of users.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein providing, by way of the user interface, one or more options comprises presenting a selectable check box to the first user.