System and method for providing custom caller-ID messages

• US 20040120477A1
• Filed: 12/18/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meadows, Vernon, Nguyen, Hong Thi, Silver, Edward Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,215,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.19
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• 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 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a message in Caller-ID information are described. In one embodiment of the present invention, an applications server, such as service control point (SCP), substitutes a message for Caller-ID information when a switch serving the called party'"'"'s line requests the Caller-ID information. An embodiment may also include an application that provides a user interface, for example, a web-enabled interface, to allow the subscriber to add or change the message.

Claims

1. A method for providing a message to a telephone user, comprising:

receiving a request for calling number identification information associated with a telephone number;

substituting a message for said calling number identification information; and

providing said message in response to said request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said message comprises an advertisement.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying said message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating said message with said telephone number.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein associating said message comprises receiving said message in a user interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said user interface comprises a web-enabled user interface.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said user interface comprises a telephone-enabled user interface.

8. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded computer program code for providing for providing a message to a telephone user comprising:

program code for receiving a request for calling number identification information associated with a telephone number;

program code for substituting a message for said calling number identification information; and

program code for providing said message in response to said request.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein said message comprises an advertisement.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising program code for displaying said message.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising program code for associating said message with said telephone number.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said program code for associating said message comprises program code for receiving said message in a user interface.

13. A system for providing a message to a telephone user, comprising:

a telecommunications network;

a calling number identification database in communication with said telecommunications network; and

an application server in communication with said calling number identification database and configured to provide a message in response to a request for calling number identification data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said calling number identification database comprises a message data store.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said message data store comprises a message attribute.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a calling number identification display device in communication with said telecommunications network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said calling number identification display device comprises a telephone.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a web server in communication with said calling number identification database; and

a user interface executing on said web server.