System and Method for Modifying or Disabling the Ringtone for an Incoming Call Based on the Existence or Nonexistence of Previous Calls from the Same Caller

• US 20140219440A1
• Filed: 03/19/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mute First Ring Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Boaz Apt
• Inventors: APT, Boaz
• Granted Patent: US 9,008,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/373.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• 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 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/042 with variable loudness of the ringing tone, e.g. variable envelope or amplitude of ring signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/045 Call privacy arrangements, e.g. timely inhibiting the ring signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• 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: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for managing and disabling phone ring tone profiles, the system comprising: a. a storage system comprising (a) a plurality of ringtones adapted to be activated when an incoming call is made; and, (b) at least one list of identified callers; b. processor to execute at least one data processing system, said at least one data processing system comprising: i. an acquiring module operable to read an identifier of said incoming call or an incoming message; ii. a detecting module operable to detect if the identifier exists in said at least one list in the system, to determine the caller from said list, and to detect how many incoming calls have been made within a predetermined period of time; and iii. a disabling module adapted to either activate or disable said ringtones.

Claims

1-92. -92. (canceled)

93. A system for managing and disabling phone ring tone profiles, the system comprising:

a. a storage system comprising (a) a plurality of ringtones adapted to be activated when an incoming call is made; and

, (b) at least one list of identified callers;

b. at least one processor to execute at least one data processing system, said at least one data processing system comprising;

i. an acquiring module operable to read an identifier of said incoming call or an incoming message;

ii. a detecting module operable to detect if the identifier exists in said at least one list in the system, to determine the caller from said list, and to detect how many incoming calls have been made within a predetermined period of time having at least one selected from a group consisting of (a) being made from the same identifier, (b) being made by the same caller; and

iii. a disabling module adapted to either activate or disable said ringtones according to at least one selected from a group consisting of (a) the number of calls by the same caller within said predetermined period of time;

(b) the number of calls having the same identifier within said predetermined period of time; and

any combination thereof;

wherein said disabling module of said system disables said ringtones if said number of calls having said same identifier or being made by said same caller within said predetermined period of time is no more than a predetermined amount;

further wherein said disabling module of said system activates said ringtones if said number of calls having said same identifier or being made by said same caller within said predetermined period of time is no less than a predetermined amount.

94. The system according to claim 93, wherein at least one of the following is being held true (a) said identifier is the caller number;

said identifier is selected from a group consisting of;

a cell phone number, a landline number, an e-mail address, a Skype number, an sms number, a what'"'"'s up number, Viber, FaceTime, incoming communication, apple vidio call, google talk, Facebook messenger, msn messenger, yahoo messenger, AOL messenger, icq, MobileVOIP, scydo, VoipBuster, Tango Video Calls, GersenKaKaoTalk, TalkingTomCat, Messenger With You, any communication software that uses internet, and any combination thereof;

(b) said system further comprising a setting module operable to provide a user interface for the system;

(c) said ringtone is selected from a group consisting of;

no signal, a vibration, a fixed pitch audible signal, a varied pitch audible signal, a fixed volume audible signal, a variable volume audible signal, a vocal signal, a fixed color visual signal, a variable color visual signal, a fixed brightness visual signal, a variable brightness visual signal, and any combination thereof;

(d) said disabling module is adapted to select said ringtone based on at least one selected from a group consisting of;

the frequency of said incoming calls, the number of said incoming calls, the number of said incoming calls within a given time, the time since the last incoming call, and any combination thereof; and

any combination thereof.

95. The system according to claim 93, wherein at least one of the following is being held true (a) the first at least one call, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second at least one call is signaled by a vibratory signal, and the third and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by a ringtone, with the volume of the ringtone increasing with each call;

(b) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second at least one call is signaled by a vibratory signal, and the third and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by ringtones, with the ringtones differing for each call in the series;

(c) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second at least one call is signaled by a vibratory signal, and the third and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by the same ringtone;

(d) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by a ringtone, with the volume of the ringtone increasing with each call;

(e) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by ringtones, with the ringtones differing for each call in the series;

(f) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by the same ringtone; and

any combination thereof.

96. The system according to claim 93, wherein at least one of the following is being held true (a) presence of the system in a device is shown by an icon;

(b) said system is activated and deactivated via said icon;

(c) parameters of the system are set via said icon;

(c) said system additionally comprising a private log wherein at least one of callers and call identifiers are stored for a predetermined time;

wherein said ringtone is determined from the number of calls from said caller or said identifier in said private log.

97. A system for managing phone ring tone profiles, the system comprising:

a. a storage system comprising (a) a plurality of ringtones;

at least one of which is a mute ring tone profile of the system and at least one second ring tone profile of the system;

said at least one second ring tone profile of the system is substantially different from said mute ring tone profile; and

, (b) at least one list of identified callers;

b. at least one processor to execute at least one data processing system, said at least one data processing system comprising;

i. an acquiring module operable to read an identifier of an incoming call or an incoming message;

ii. a detecting module operable to detect if the identifier exists in said at least one list in the system, to determine the caller from said list, and to detect how many incoming calls have been made within a predetermined period of time having at least one selected from a group consisting of (a) being made from the same identifier, (b) being made by the same caller; and

iii. a switching module operable to select the current ring tone from said plurality of stored ringtones according to at least one selected from a group consisting of (a) the number of calls by the same caller within said predetermined period of time;

(b) the number of calls having the same identifier within said predetermined period of time; and

any combination thereof;

wherein said ring tone profile of said system is set to be said mute ring tone profile if said number of calls having said same identifier within said predetermined period of time is less than a predetermined amount;

further wherein said ring tone profile of said system is set to be said mute ring tone profile if said number of calls being made by said same caller within said predetermined period of time is less than a predetermined amount;

further wherein said ring tone profile of said system is set to be said at least one second ring tone profile if said number of calls having said same identifier within said predetermined period of time is more than a predetermined amount;

further wherein said ring tone profile of said system is set to be said at least one second ring tone profile if said number of calls being made by said same caller within said predetermined period of time is more than a predetermined amount.

98. The system according to claim 97, wherein at least one of the following is being true (a) said identifier is the caller number;

said identifier is selected from a group consisting of;

a cell phone number, a landline number, an e-mail address, a Skype number, an sms number, a what'"'"'s up number, Viber, FaceTime, incoming communication, apple vidio call, google talk, Facebook messenger, msn messenger, yahoo messenger, AOL messenger, icq, MobileVOIP, scydo, VoipBuster, Tango Video Calls, GersenKaKaoTalk, TalkingTomCat, Messenger With You, any communication software that uses internet, and any combination thereof;

(b) said ringtone is selected from a group consisting of;

no signal, a vibration, a fixed pitch audible signal, a varied pitch audible signal, a fixed volume audible signal, a variable volume audible signal, a vocal signal, a fixed color visual signal, a variable color visual signal, a fixed brightness visual signal, a variable brightness visual signal, and any combination thereof;

(c) said switching module is adapted to select said ringtone based on at least one selected from a group consisting of;

the frequency of said incoming calls, the number of said incoming calls, the number of said incoming calls within a given time, the time since the last incoming call, and any combination thereof; and

any combination thereof.

99. The system according to claim 97, wherein at least one of the following is being held true (a) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second at least one call is signaled by a vibratory signal, and the third and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by a ringtone, with the volume of the ringtone increasing with each call;

(b) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second at least one call is signaled by a vibratory signal, and the third and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by ringtones, with the ringtones differing for each call in the series;

(c) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second at least one call is signaled by a vibratory signal, and the third and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by the same ringtone;

(d) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by a ringtone, with the volume of the ringtone increasing with each call;

(e) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by ringtones, with the ringtones differing for each call in the series;

(f) the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier is mute, the second and subsequent at least one calls are signaled by the same ringtone; and

any combination thereof.

100. The system according to claim 97, wherein at least one of the following is being held true (a) presence of the system in a device is shown by an icon;

(b) said system is activated and deactivated via said icon;

(c) there are at least two screens of alterable parameters, a simple screen and an advanced screen;

wherein the parameters alterable via the simple screen are selected from a group consisting of;

the predetermined time, the number of calls for each step in the graded series, and any combination thereof;

(d) there are at least two screens of alterable parameters, a simple screen and an advanced screen;

wherein the parameters alterable via the advanced screen are selected from a group consisting of;

progression in the series depends on the maximum time for which a call is counted as part of a series;

progression in the series depends on the frequency of the calls;

whether calls are checked by caller whether calls are checked by identifier;

whether calls from callers not on any list of callers are always mute (default);

whether calls from identifiers not on any list of identifiers are always mute;

the number of steps in the graduated series;

a time at which the applications starts automatically; and

a time at which it the application shuts down automatically; and

any combination thereof.

101. The system according to claim 97, additionally comprising a private log wherein at least one of callers and call identifiers are stored for a predetermined time;

further wherein said ringtone is determined from the number of calls from said caller or said identifier in said private log.

102. A method for enabling a communication device to vary an incoming call notification signal comprising steps of:

a. providing a system comprising;

i. a storage system comprising (a) a plurality of ringtones;

at least one of which is a mute ring tone profile of the system and at least one second ring tone profile of the system;

said at least one second ring tone profile of the system is substantially different from said mute ring tone profile; and

, (b) at least one list of identified callers;

ii. at least one processor to execute at least one data processing system, said at least one data processing system comprising;

1. an acquiring module operable to read an identifier of an incoming call or an incoming message;

2. a detecting module operable to detect if the identifier exists in said at least one list in the system, to determine the caller from said list, and to detect how many incoming calls have been made within a predetermined period of time having at least one selected from a group consisting of (a) being made from the same identifier;

(b) being made by the same caller; and

3. a switching module operable to select the current ring tone from said plurality of stored ringtones according to at least one selected from a group consisting of (a) the number of calls by the same caller within said predetermined period of time;

(b) the number of calls having the same identifier within said predetermined period of time; and

any combination thereof

b. receiving an incoming call;

c. identifying said identifier for said incoming call;

d. counting at least one selected from a group consisting of (a) calls from the same identifier;

(b) calls made by the same caller;

e. setting the current ringtone based on said number of calls, said current ringtone being said mute ringtone profile if said number of calls having either said same identifier or being made by said same caller, within said predetermined period of time, is less than a predetermined number;

setting said current ringtone to be said second ring tone profile if said number of calls having either said same identifier or being made by said same caller, within said predetermined period of time, is greater than a predetermined number.

103. The method according to claim 102, additionally comprising at least one step selected from a group consisting of (a) selecting said identifier to be the caller number;

said identifier is selected from a group consisting of;

a cell phone number, a landline number, an e-mail address, a Skype number, an sms number, a what'"'"'s up number, Viber, FaceTime, incoming communication, apple vidio call, google talk, Facebook messenger, msn messenger, yahoo messenger, AOL messenger, icq, MobileVOIP, scydo, VoipBuster, Tango Video Calls, GersenKaKaoTalk, TalkingTomCat, Messenger With You, any communication software that uses internet, and any combination thereof;

(b) providing a setting module operable to provide a user interface for the system;

(c) selecting said ringtone from a group consisting of;

no signal, a vibration, a fixed pitch audible signal, a varied pitch audible signal, a fixed volume audible signal, a variable volume audible signal, a vocal signal, a fixed color visual signal, a variable color visual signal, a fixed brightness visual signal, a variable brightness visual signal, and any combination thereof; and

any combination thereof.

104. The method according to claim 102, additionally comprising at least one step selected from a group consisting of (a) basing selection of said ringtone by said switching module on at least one selected from a group consisting of:

the frequency of said incoming calls, the number of said incoming calls, the number of said incoming calls within a given time, the time since the last incoming call, and any combination thereof;

(b) specifying said predetermined period of time to be more than about 1 minute and less than about 12 hours;

(c) specifying said predetermined period of time to be about 5 minutes;

(d) setting the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier to be mute, the second at least one call to be signaled by a vibratory signal, and the third and subsequent at least one calls to be signaled by a ringtone, with the volume of the ringtone increasing with each call; and

any combination thereof.

105. The method according to claim 102, additionally comprising at least one step selected from a group consisting of (a) setting the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier to be mute, the second at least one call to be signaled by a vibratory signal, and the third and subsequent at least one calls to be signaled by ringtones, with the ringtones differing for each call in the series;

(b) setting the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier to be mute, the second at least one call to be signaled by a vibratory signal, and the third and subsequent at least one calls to be signaled by the same ringtone;

(c) setting the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier to be mute, the second and subsequent at least one calls to be signaled by a ringtone, with the volume of the ringtone increasing with each call;

(d) setting the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier to be mute, the second and subsequent at least one calls to be signaled by ringtones, with the ringtones differing for each call in the series;

(e) setting the first at least one call, in a predetermined period of time, from a given caller or identifier to be mute, the second and subsequent at least one calls to be signaled by the same ringtone; and

any combination thereof.

106. The method according to claim 102, additionally comprising at least one step selected from a group consisting of (a) displaying an icon to symbolize presence of the system in a device;

(b) activating and deactivating the system via the icon;

(c) setting parameters of the system via the icon; and

any combination thereof.

107. The method according to claim 102, comprising an additional step of providing at least two screens of alterable parameters, a simple screen and an advanced screen.

108. The method according to claim 105, wherein the parameters alterable via the simple screen are selected from a group consisting of:

the predetermined time, the number of calls for each step in the graded series, and any combination thereof.

109. The method according to claim 105, wherein the parameters alterable via the advanced screen are selected from a group consisting of:

progression in the series depends on the maximum time for which a call is counted as part of a series;

progression in the series depends on the frequency of the calls;

whether calls are checked by caller whether calls are checked by identifier;

whether calls from callers not on any list of callers are always mute (default);

whether calls from identifiers not on any list of identifiers are always mute;

the number of steps in the graduated series;

a time at which the applications starts automatically; and

a time at which it the application shuts down automatically.

110. The method according to claim 102, additionally comprising a step of providing a private log wherein at least one of callers and call identifiers are stored for a predetermined time.

111. The method according to claim 110, additionally comprising a step of determining said ringtone from the number of calls from said caller in said private log.

112. The method according to claim 110, additionally comprising a step of determining said ringtone from the number of calls from said identifier in said private log.