Method, apparatus and program for providing user-selected alerting signals in telecommunications devices
First Claim
1. A method for operating a user communication device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a digital representation of an audible signal in each of a plurality of memory locations of a memory of the user communication device;
receiving a call signal at the user communication device;
in response to receiving the call signal at the user communication device, selecting one of the plurality of memory locations; and
generating the audible signal represented by the digital representation provided in the memory location selected in the selecting step.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for operating a user communication device (18a, 18b, 19a, 19b), and a program and user communication device that operate in accordance with that method. An interface (2d, 2b, 23, 22) of the communication device (18a, 18b, 19a, 19b) is operated to enter identifiers identifying respective calling sources (18a, 18b, 19a, 19b) from which call signals may be received. The interface also is operated for entering into the device (18a, 18b, 19a, 19b) electrical signals representing corresponding audible signals that are to be individually generated in response to calls being received from the respective calling sources (18a, 18b, 19a, 19b). The identifiers are stored in a memory (2c, 24) in association with respective ones of the electrical signals. Accordingly, when a call signal is later received from one of the calling sources, an identifier included in the signal is correlated to a corresponding stored identifier and to a corresponding stored electrical signal, and the audible signal represented by that electrical signal is then generated to indicate the receipt of the call from the calling source.
59 Citations
88 Claims
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1. A method for operating a user communication device, comprising the steps of:
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providing a digital representation of an audible signal in each of a plurality of memory locations of a memory of the user communication device;
receiving a call signal at the user communication device;
in response to receiving the call signal at the user communication device, selecting one of the plurality of memory locations; and
generating the audible signal represented by the digital representation provided in the memory location selected in the selecting step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for operating a user communication device, comprising the steps of:
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providing a digital representation of an audible signal, in a memory of the user communication device;
entering information through an interface of the user communication device, specifying that a call be placed from the user communication device to a destination communication device; and
in response to the entering step, forwarding a call signal that includes the digital representation of the audible signal, towards the destination communication device, through an external interface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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14. A user communication device, comprising:
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a memory including a plurality of memory locations, each storing a digital representation of a corresponding audible signal;
a communication interface, coupled to an external interface, for receiving a call signal forwarded from a source communication device through the external interface;
an output-user interface having an input, said output-user interface for outputting an audible signal in response to an analog signal being applied to that input;
a converter having an input and an output, the output being coupled to the input of said output-user interface, said converter for converting digital information applied to the input thereof to a corresponding analog signal; and
a controller coupled to said memory, said communication interface, and the input of said converter, said controller being responsive to receiving the call signal from the communication interface for selecting one of the plurality of memory locations, and for applying the digital representation stored in the selected memory location to the input of said converter, to cause said converter to output a corresponding analog signal to the input of said output-user interface, and thereby cause the output-user interface to output the corresponding audible signal.
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24. A user communication device, comprising:
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a memory storing a digital representation of an audible signal;
a communication interface coupled to an external interface;
an input-user interface; and
a controller coupled to said memory, said communication interface, and said input-user interface, said controller being responsive to receiving from said input-user interface information specifying that a call be placed to a destination communication device for retrieving the digital representation from said memory and forwarding a call signal that includes the retrieved digital representation through said communication interface towards the destination communication device.
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27. A program product which comprises program code for executing a method for operating a user communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a digital representation of an audible signal in each of a plurality of memory locations of a memory of the user communication device;
receiving a call signal at the user communication device;
in response to receiving the call signal at the user communication device, selecting one of the plurality of memory locations; and
generating the audible signal represented by the digital representation provided in the memory location selected in the selecting step.
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36. A program product comprising program code for executing a method for operating a user communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a digital representation of an audible signal, in a memory of the user communication device;
entering information through an interface of the user communication device, specifying that a call be placed from the user communication device to a destination communication device; and
in response to the entering step, forwarding a call signal that includes the digital representation towards the destination communication device, through an external interface.
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38. A method for operating a communication system that comprises a plurality of user communication devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a digital representation of an audible signal in each of a plurality of memory locations of a memory of a first one of the plurality of user communication devices;
forwarding a call signal from a second one of the user communication devices towards the first user communication device; and
in response to the call signal being received at the first user communication device, selecting one of the plurality of memory locations; and
generating the audible signal represented by the digital representation provided in the memory location selected in the selecting step.
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53. A method for operating a communication system comprising a plurality of user communication devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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initiating a call at a first one of the user communication devices, for being placed to a second one of the user communication devices;
inserting a digital representation of an audible signal into a call signal used for placing the call;
forwarding the call signal towards the second user communication device; and
in response to receiving the call signal at the second user communication device, generating the audible signal based on the digital representation included in the call signal. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A communication system, comprising:
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a first user communication device comprising a first communication interface coupled to an external interface, and a controller coupled to the first communication interface, the controller being operable for forwarding a call signal through the first communication interface; and
a second user communication device comprising a memory, a second communication interface coupled to the external interface, and an audible signal generator portion coupled to the memory and the second communication interface, wherein the memory has a plurality of memory locations, each of which stores a digital representation of a corresponding audible signal, and the audible signal generator portion is responsive to the call signal being received from the first user communication device through the second communication interface for selecting one of the memory locations and for generating the audible signal represented by the digital representation stored in the selected memory location. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70)
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68. A communication system, comprising:
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a first user communication device comprising a first communication interface, a memory, an input user interface, and a controller coupled to the first communication interface, the memory, and the input user interface, the memory storing a digital version of an audible signal, the controller being responsive to receiving from the input user interface information specifying that a call be placed from the first user communication device for forwarding a call signal that includes the digital representation from the memory through an external interface coupled to the first communication interface; and
a second user communication device comprising a second communication interface coupled to the external interface, and an audible signal generator portion coupled to the second communication interface, wherein the audible signal generator portion is responsive to receiving the call signal from the second communication interface for generating the audible signal based on the digital representation included in the call signal.
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71. A communication system, comprising:
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a first user communication device, comprising a first communication interface, an input user interface, and a controller coupled to the first communication interface and the input user interface, the controller being responsive to receiving from the input user interface information specifying that a call be placed from the first user communication device, for forwarding a call signal through the first communication interface;
at least one communication network, having a second communication interface coupled to the first communication interface of said first user communication device, and also having a third communication interface, said at least one communication network comprising a message station and a storage device coupled to the message station, wherein the storage device stores a digital representation of at least one audible signal, and the message station is responsive to receiving the call signal for (a) retrieving the digital representation from the storage device, (b) inserting the retrieved digital representation in the call signal, and (c) forwarding the call signal through the third communication interface; and
a second user communication device comprising a fourth communication interface coupled to the third communication interface of the at least one communication network, and also comprising an audible signal generator portion coupled to the fourth communication interface, wherein the audible signal generator portion is response to receiving the call signal for generating the audible signal based on the digital representation included in the call signal. - View Dependent Claims (72)
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73. A method for operating a user communication device, comprising the steps of:
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operating an interface of the communication device to enter into the device at least one identifier identifying at least one respective calling source from which a call signal may be received;
operating the interface to enter into the user communication device at least one signal representing at least one corresponding user-perceptible alerting signal that is to be generated in response to a call being received from the at least one respective calling source; and
storing in a memory of the user communication device, the at least one identifier in association with the at least one signal. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76)
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77. A method for operating a user communication device, comprising the steps of:
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at the user communication device, receiving an incoming call signal from a calling source, the call signal including both an identifier which identifies the calling source, and information representing a user-perceptible alerting signal;
comparing the identifier included in the call signal with a plurality of identifiers stored in a memory of the user communication device to determine whether any of the compared identifiers correspond with one another; and
if it is determined that the identifier included in the call signal corresponds to any of the identifiers stored in the memory, generating the user-perceptible alerting signal represented by the information included in the call signal. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79)
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80. A user communication device, comprising:
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a memory;
an interface; and
a controller coupled to said memory and said interface, said controller being responsive to receiving from said interface (a) at least one identifier identifying at least one respective calling source from which a call signal may be received, and (b) at least one signal representing at least one respective user-perceptible alerting signal that is to be generated in response to a call signal being received from the at least one respective calling source, for storing the entered at least one signal in association with the at least one identifier in said memory.
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81. A user communication device, comprising:
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a communication interface for receiving an incoming call signal from a calling source, the call signal including both an identifier which identifies the calling source and information representing a user-perceptible alerting signal;
an output user-interface;
a memory storing a plurality of identifiers identifying calling sources from which call signals may be received; and
a controller coupled to said communication interface, said output user-interface, and said memory, said controller being responsive to receiving the call signal from said communication interface for comparing the identifier included in the call signal with the plurality of identifiers stored in said memory to determine whether any of the compared identifiers correspond to one another, and, if it is determined that the identifier included in the call signal corresponds to any of the identifiers stored in the memory, for controlling said output user-interface for causing that output user-interface to generate the user-perceptible alerting signal represented by the information included in the call signal. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83)
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84. A communication system, comprising:
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a first user communication device comprising first communication interface means coupled to an external interface, and control means operable for forwarding a call signal through the first communication interface means; and
a second user communication device comprising storage means, second communication interface means coupled to the external interface, and alerting signal generator means coupled to the storage means and the second communication interface means, wherein the storage means includes a plurality of memory locations, each of which store a digital representation of a corresponding user-perceptible signal, and the alerting signal generator means is responsive to the call signal being received through the second communication interface means for selecting one of the memory locations and for generating the user-perceptible alerting signal represented by the digital representation stored in the selected one of the memory locations.
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85. A user communication device, comprising:
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storage means;
input means for inputting (a) identifiers identifying respective ones of a plurality of calling sources from which call signals may be received, and (b) signals representing respective ones of a plurality of user-perceptible alerting signals that are to be individually generated in response to calls being received from respective ones of the calling sources; and
control means coupled to said storage means and said input means, said controller being responsive to receiving from said input means at least one of the identifiers and at least one corresponding signal for storing the at least one signal in association with the at least one identifier in said storage means.
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86. A user communication device, comprising:
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communication interface means for receiving an incoming call signal from a calling source, the call signal including both an identifier which identifies the calling source and information representing a user-perceptible alerting signal;
output user-interface means;
a storage means storing a plurality of identifiers identifying calling sources from which call signals may be received; and
control means coupled to said communication interface means, said output user-interface means, and said storage means, said control means being responsive to receiving the call signal from said communication interface means for comparing the identifier included in the call signal with the plurality of identifiers stored in said storage means to determine whether any of the compared identifiers correspond to one another, and, if it is determined that the identifier included in the call signal corresponds to any of the identifiers stored in the storage means, for controlling said output user-interface means to cause that output user-interface means to generate the user-perceptible alerting signal represented by the information included in the call signal. - View Dependent Claims (87)
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88. A method for operating a user communication device, comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of categories of identifiers in a memory of the user communication device, each identifier identifying a calling source from which a call may be received;
providing a plurality of digital representations of corresponding user-perceptible alerting signals, in the memory of the user communication device, each digital representation corresponding to a particular one of the categories of identifiers;
receiving a call signal from one of the calling sources, the call signal including an identifier from one of the categories of identifiers; and
in response to receiving the call signal, generating the user-perceptible alerting signal represented by the digital representation corresponding to that category of identifiers.
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Specification