Recipient control of source audio identifiers for digital communications

• US 20040236836A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Appelman, Barry, Murphy, Stephen Vaughan
• Granted Patent: US 7,693,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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

Enabling a recipient to control presentation of an audio identifier informing the recipient of an arrival of a digital communication from a sender in a communication session includes receiving a digital communication from a sender directed to a recipient. A sender-designated first audio identifier or sender-related information that identifies the sender to the recipient is accessed upon arrival of the digital communication. The first audio identifier or sender-related information is presented to the recipient contemporaneous with receipt of the digital communication. The recipient is able to specify, upon presentation of the first audio identifier or sender-related information, whether to enable subsequent presentation of the first audio identifier prior to or concurrent with receipt of a future digital communication from the sender.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a recipient to control presentation of an audio identifier informing the recipient of an arrival of a digital communication from a sender in a communication session, the method comprising:

receiving a digital communication from a sender directed to a recipient;

accessing a sender-designated first audio identifier or sender-related information that identifies the sender to the recipient upon arrival of the digital communication from the sender to the recipient;

presenting the first audio identifier or sender-related information to the recipient contemporaneous with receipt of the digital communication; and

enabling the recipient to specify, upon presentation of the first audio identifier or sender-related information, whether to enable subsequent presentation of the first audio identifier prior to or concurrent with receipt of a future digital communication from the sender.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the recipient to specify that a second audio identifier that differs from the first audio identifier be presented prior to or concurrent with receipt of each future digital communication from the sender.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second audio identifier is designated by the sender.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second audio identifier is designated by the recipient.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the second audio identifier is presented instead of the first audio identifier.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the second audio identifier is presented in addition to the first audio identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the recipient to specify whether to enable presentation of the first audio identifier includes enabling the recipient to specify upon receipt of a first digital communication from the sender in a communication session between the recipient and the sender.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein enabling the recipient to specify whether to enable presentation of the first audio identifier includes enabling the recipient to specify each time a digital communication is received from the sender.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising enabling the recipient to specify how the first audio identifier will be presented upon receipt of each future digital communication from the sender.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the recipient is made able to specify how the first audio identifier will be presented upon receipt of each future digital communication from the sender in the communication session between the recipient and the sender.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the recipient to once again specify whether to enable presentation of the first audio identifier conditioned on whether the first audio identifier is changed by the sender.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the recipient to once again specify whether to enable presentation of the first audio identifier irrespective of receipt of future digital communications from the sender.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first audio identifier is associated with the digital communication.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the first audio identifier or sender-related information comprises presenting the first audio identifier or sender-related information in response to receipt of the digital communication.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the first audio identifier comprises receiving the first audio identifier with the digital communication.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the first audio identifier comprises receiving a pointer to a data store storing the first audio identifier and accessing the data store using the pointer to retrieve the first audio identifier.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the pointer is a Universal Resource Locator.

18. A method for controlling the presentation of an audio identifier informing a recipient of an arrival of a digital communication from a sender in a communication session, the method comprising:

receiving a digital communication from a sender directed to a recipient, the digital communication being associated with a first audio identifier;

upon receipt of the digital communication by the recipient, accessing a sender-designated first audio identifier or sender-related information that identifies the sender to the recipient; and

enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier prior to or concurrent with presentation of the digital communication to the recipient.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising enabling the recipient to specify that a second audio identifier that differs from the first audio identifier be presented prior to or concurrent with receipt of each future digital communication from the sender.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second audio identifier is designated by the sender.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the second audio identifier is designated by the recipient.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the second audio identifier is presented instead of the first audio identifier.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the second audio identifier is presented in addition to the first audio identifier.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier includes enabling the recipient to specify whether to enable presentation of the first audio identifier upon receipt of a first digital communication from the sender in a communication session between the recipient and the sender.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier includes enabling the recipient to specify whether to enable presentation of the first audio identifier each time a digital communication is received from the sender.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising enabling the recipient to specify how the first audio identifier will be presented upon receipt of each future digital communication from the sender.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the recipient is made able to specify how the first audio identifier will be presented upon receipt of each future digital communication from the sender in the communication session between the recipient and the sender.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising enabling the recipient to specify that presentation of the first audio identifier will be conditioned on whether the first audio identifier is changed by the sender.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising enabling the recipient to specify that presentation of the first audio identifier will occur irrespective of receipt of future digital communications from the sender.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the first audio identifier is associated with the digital communication.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier includes presenting the first audio identifier or sender-related information in response to receipt of the digital communication.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein accessing the first audio identifier comprises receiving the first audio identifier with the digital communication.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein accessing the first audio identifier comprises receiving a pointer to a data store storing the first audio identifier and accessing the data store using the pointer to retrieve the first audio identifier.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the pointer is a Universal Resource Locator.

35. The method of claim 18, wherein enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier includes enabling the recipient to choose that no audio identifier be presented.

36. The method of claim 18, wherein enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier includes enabling the recipient to choose to perceive at least a portion of the first audio identifier prior to enabling the recipient to choose whether the first audio identifier will be presented.

37. The method of claim 18, further including enabling the recipient to control disposition of the digital communication.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier and enabling the recipient to control disposition of the digital communication comprises enabling the recipient to select from among one or more options to react to the received digital communication.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the options are presented to the recipient in a user interface upon receipt of the digital communication.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the options include an option selectable to perceive the digital communication and the first audio identifier.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the options include an option selectable to perceive the digital communication and perceive a second audio identifier.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the second audio identifier is different than the first audio identifier and is designated by the sender.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the second audio identifier is different than the first audio identifier and is designated by the recipient.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the options include an option selectable to not perceive any audio identifier.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein the options include an option selectable to not perceive the digital communication.

46. The method of claim 18, wherein the digital communication is an instant message.

47. The method of claim 18, wherein the digital communication is an e-mail.

48. The method of claim 18, wherein the digital communication is a voice mail.

49. The method of claim 18, wherein the audio identifier is a spoken version of a user identifier of the sender.

50. The method of claim 18, wherein the sender comprises a caller and the digital communication comprises a phone call and wherein:

receiving a digital communication comprises receiving the phone call directed to the recipient; and

enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier comprises enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier in addition to or as a replacement of a ring tone for the phone call.

51. A computer system for controlling the presentation of an audio identifier informing a recipient of an arrival of a digital communication from a sender in a communication session, the computer system comprising:

a data store configured to store a sender-designated first audio identifier;

a digital communication processor configured to;

receive a digital communication from the sender directed to a recipient, upon receipt of the digital communication by the recipient, access the first audio identifier from the data store; and

enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier prior to or concurrent with presentation of the digital communication to the recipient.

52. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication processor is further configured to enable the recipient to specify that a second audio identifier that differs from the first audio identifier be presented prior to or concurrent with receipt of each future digital communication from the sender.

53. The computer system of claim 52, wherein the second audio identifier is designated by the sender.

54. The computer system of claim 52, wherein the second audio identifier is designated by the recipient.

55. The computer system of claim 52, wherein the second audio identifier is presented instead of the first audio identifier.

56. The computer system of claim 52, wherein the second audio identifier is presented in addition to the first audio identifier.

57. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication processor is configured to enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier by enabling the recipient to specify whether to enable presentation of the first audio identifier upon receipt of a first digital communication from the sender in a communication session between the recipient and the sender.

58. The computer system of claim 57, wherein the digital communication processor is configured to enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier by enabling the recipient to specify whether to enable presentation of the first audio identifier each time a digital communication is received from the sender.

59. The computer system of claim 57, wherein the digital communication processor is further configured to enable the recipient to specify how the first audio identifier will be presented upon receipt of each future digital communication from the sender.

60. The computer system of claim 59, wherein the digital communication processor is configured to enable the recipient to specify how the first audio identifier will be presented upon receipt of each future digital communication from the sender in the communication session between the recipient and the sender.

61. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication processor is further configured to enable the recipient to specify whether to enable presentation of the first audio identifier conditioned on whether the first audio identifier is changed by the sender.

62. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication processor is further configured to enable the recipient to specify whether to enable presentation of the first audio identifier irrespective of receipt of future digital communications from the sender.

63. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the first audio identifier is associated with the digital communication.

64. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication processor is configured to enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier by presenting the first audio identifier or sender-related information in response to receipt of the digital communication.

65. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication is configured to access the first audio identifier by receiving the first audio identifier with the digital communication.

66. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication processor is configured to access the first audio identifier by receiving a pointer to a data store storing the first audio identifier and accessing the data store using the pointer to retrieve the first audio identifier.

67. The computer system of claim 66, wherein the pointer is a Universal Resource Locator.

68. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication processor is configured to enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier by enabling the recipient to choose that no audio identifier be presented.

69. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication processor is configured to enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier by enabling the recipient to choose to perceive at least a portion of the first audio identifier prior to enabling the recipient to choose whether the first audio identifier will be presented.

70. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication processor is further configured to enable the recipient to control disposition of the digital communication.

71. The computer system of claim 70, wherein the digital communication processor is further configured to enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier and presentation of the digital communication by enabling the recipient to select from among one or more options to react to the received digital communication.

72. The computer system of claim 71, wherein the options are presented to the recipient in a user interface upon receipt of the digital communication.

73. The computer system of claim 71, wherein the options include an option selectable to perceive the digital communication and the first audio identifier.

74. The computer system of claim 71, wherein the options include an option selectable to perceive the digital communication and perceive a second audio identifier.

75. The computer system of claim 74, wherein the second audio identifier is different than the first audio identifier and is designated by the sender.

76. The computer system of claim 74, wherein the second audio identifier is different than the first audio identifier and is designated by the recipient.

77. The computer system of claim 71, wherein the options include an option selectable to not perceive any audio identifier.

78. The computer system of claim 71, wherein the options include an option selectable to not perceive the digital communication.

79. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication is an instant message.

80. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication is an e-mail.

81. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the digital communication is a voice mail.

82. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the audio identifier is a spoken version of a user identifier of the sender.

83. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the sender comprises a caller and the digital communication comprises a phone call and wherein:

the digital communication processor is configured to;

receive a digital communication by receiving the phone call directed to the recipient; and

enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier by enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier in addition to or as a replacement of a ring tone for the phone call.

84. An apparatus for controlling the presentation of an audio identifier informing a recipient of an arrival of a digital communication from a sender in a communication session, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a digital communication from a sender directed to a recipient, the digital communication being associated with a first audio identifier;

means for accessing a sender-designated first audio identifier or sender-related information that identifies the sender to recipient upon arrival of the digital communication from the sender to the recipient; and

means for enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier prior to or concurrent with presentation of the digital communication to the recipient.

85. A user interface for enabling a recipient of a digital communication from a sender to control the presentation of a first audio identifier informing the recipient of receipt of the digital communication, the user interface comprising:

a first interface element structured and arranged to provide notification of a digital communication that has been received;

a second interface element structured and arranged to enable notification of a first audio identifier that identifies the sender of the digital communication and that is designated by the sender of the digital communication; and

a third interface element structured and arranged to enable the recipient of the digital communication to control presentation of the first audio identifier prior to or concurrent with presentation of the digital communication to the recipient.

86. The user interface of claim 85, wherein the first interface element displays sender profile information.

87. The user interface of claim 85, wherein the third interface is structured and arranged to enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier by enabling the recipient to choose that the first audio identifier be presented prior to or concurrent with receipt of the digital communication when the digital communication is the first digital communication received from the sender in the communication session between the sender and the recipient.

88. The user interface of claim 85, wherein the third interface element is further structured and arranged to enable the recipient to control disposition of the digital communication.

89. The user interface of claim 88, wherein the third interface element is structured and arranged to enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier and enable the recipient to control disposition of the digital communication by enabling the recipient to select from among one or more options to react to the received digital communication.

90. The user interface of claim 89, wherein the options include an option selectable to perceive the digital communication and the first audio identifier.

91. The user interface of claim 89, wherein the options include an option selectable to perceive the digital communication and perceive a second audio identifier.

92. The user interface of claim 91, wherein the second audio identifier is different than the first audio identifier and is designated by the sender.

93. The user interface of claim 91, wherein the second audio identifier is different than the first audio identifier and is designated by the recipient.

94. The user interface of claim 89, wherein the options include an option selectable to not perceive any audio identifier.

95. The user interface of claim 89, wherein the options include an option selectable to not perceive the digital communication.

96. The user interface of claim 85, wherein the digital communication is an instant message.

97. The user interface of claim 85, wherein the digital communication is an e-mail.

98. The user interface of claim 85, wherein the digital communication is a voice mail.

99. The user interface of claim 85, wherein the audio identifier is a spoken version of a user identifier of the sender. 100. The user interface of claim 85, wherein the sender comprises a caller and the digital communication comprises a phone call. and wherein:

the first interface element is structured and arranged to provide notification of the phone call directed to the recipient; and

the third interface element is structured and arranged to enable the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier by enabling the recipient to control presentation of the first audio identifier as a ring tone for the phone call.