Method for setting substitute ringback tone of calling party in mobile communications system

• US 20070123311A1
• Filed: 11/19/2003
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2003
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: RealNetworks Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. (RealNetworks, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RealNetworks Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. (RealNetworks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, Sok-Bom, Kwon, Seong-Yil
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/22 Synchronisation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber

Abstract

Method for setting substitute ringback tone of calling party to be identical with that of called party. A substitute ringback tone playing server 30 in the system checks whether there is a certain key input or key input stream from the calling party requesting of bringing substitute ringback tone of the called party. Responding to the request, a bringing server 70 sets the substitute ringback tone code of the calling party stored in a playing control server 40 as that of the called party. A user interface server 50 allows a user to select a substitute ringback tone among multiple tones stored in a database 62 to give to another person as a present.

Claims

1. In a system connected to a mobile switching center to provide a substitute ringback tone to a caller terminal when the mobile switching center suspends a call to a called terminal and requests a service by providing an identification code of the called terminal, a method of setting the substitute ringback tone comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a play control server for storing substitute ringback tone information set for each service subscriber, and a play server for storing various substitute ringback tones and reproducing and providing one of the various substitute ringback tones in response to the request of the mobile switching center and based on the setting information stored in the play control server;

(b) receiving a call including the identification code of the called terminal from the mobile switching center;

(c) identifying a tone code for the called terminal from the play control server, and reproducing the substitute ringback tone having an identified tone code to provide to the caller terminal;

(d) checking whether a predetermined key input is received from the caller terminal; and

(e) when the predetermined key input is received from the caller terminal, checking the identification code of the caller terminal and the tone code for the called terminal to store in the play control server,

whereby the substitute ringback tone of the caller terminal is set to be identical with the substitute ringback tone of the called terminal.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of:

(f) sending a short message to the caller terminal for notifying change of the substitute ringback tone.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step (e) comprises the steps of:

(e1) Upon receiving the predetermined key input, determining whether the caller terminal is subscribed to the substitute ringback tone service; and

(e2) when the caller terminal is not subscribed to the substitute ringback tone service, sending a short message to the caller terminal for advising the subscription of the service.

4. In a system connected to a mobile switching center to provide a substitute ringback tone to a caller terminal when the mobile switching center suspends a call to a called terminal and requests a service by providing an identification code of the called terminal, a method of setting the substitute ringback tone comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a play control server for storing substitute ringback tone information set for each service subscriber, and a play server for storing various substitute ringback tones and reproducing and providing one of the various substitute ringback tones in response to the request of the mobile switching center and based on the setting information stored in the play control server;

(b) receiving a call including the identification code of the called terminal from the mobile switching center;

(c) identifying a tone code for the called terminal from the play control server, and reproducing the substitute ringback tone having an identified tone code to provide to the caller terminal;

(d) checking whether a predetermined key input is received from caller terminal;

(e) when the predetermined key input is received from the caller terminal, sending a short message containing a callback information of the system to the caller terminal for inviting the caller terminal to connect to the system;

(f) when the caller terminal is connected to the system, receiving a confirmation for change of the substitute ringback tone; and

(g) storing the identification code of the caller terminal and the tone code for the called terminal in the play control server.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said step (e) comprises the steps of:

(e1) Upon receiving the predetermined key input, determining whether the caller terminal is subscribed to the substitute ringback tone service; and

(e2) when the caller terminal is not subscribed to the substitute ringback tone service, sending a short message to the caller terminal for advising the subscription of the service.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said step (f) comprises the step of:

receiving reproduction conditions including reproduction time and callers for reproducing the substitute ringback tone,

wherein the conditions are stored in said step (g).

11. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) determining whether the third party is subscribed to the substitute ringback tone service; and

(c2) sending a short message for advising the subscription of the service to the third party in case that the third party is not subscribed to the substitute ringback tone service, and sending a short message for inviting the third party to connect to the system when the third party is subscribed to the substitute ringback tone service.

7. In a system connected to a mobile switching center to provide a substitute ringback tone to a caller terminal when the mobile switching center suspends a call to a called terminal and requests a service by providing an identification code of the called terminal, a method of setting the substitute ringback tone comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a play control server for storing substitute ringback tone information set for each service subscriber, and a play server for storing various substitute ringback tones and reproducing and providing one of the various substitute ringback tones in response to the request of the mobile switching center and based on the setting information stored in the play control server;

(b) receiving a phone number of a third party from a user through a communications network;

(c) identifying the substitute ringback tone of the third party from the play control server;

(d) receiving, from the user, a confirmation for change of the substitute ringback tone of the user in such a way that the substitute ringback tone of the user is set to be identical with the substitute ringback tone of the third party; and

(e) storing the phone number of the user and the tone code for the third party in the play control server.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a step of:

determining whether the user is subscribed to the substitute ringback tone service,

wherein, a short message for advising the subscription of the service is sent to the user terminal when the user is not subscribed to the substitute ringback tone service, and said steps {circle around (C)}through (e) are performed only when the user is subscribed to the substitute ringback tone service.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the communications network is the Internet, the wireless Internet, or a voice communications network.

10. In a system connected to a mobile switching center to provide a substitute ringback tone to a caller terminal when the mobile switching center suspends a call to a called terminal and requests a service by providing an identification code of the called terminal, a method of setting the substitute ringback tone comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a play control server for storing substitute ringback tone information set for each service subscriber, and a play server for storing various substitute ringback tones and reproducing and providing one of the various substitute ringback tones in response to the request of the mobile switching center and based on the setting information stored in the play control server;

(b) receiving, from a user through a communications network, a phone number of a third party and information of selected substitute ringback tone to be presented to the third party;

(c) temporarily storing the identification code of the third party and sending a short message containing a callback information of the system to the third party for inviting the third party to connect to the system;

(d) when the third party is connected to the system, receiving a confirmation for change of the substitute ringback tone of the third party into the presented tone; and

(e) storing the identification code of the third party and the selected tone code in the play control server.