Method and apparatus for selectively providing messages in telecommunications systems

• US 7,860,225 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2009
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callertone Innovations, LLC (Patrick J. Curry)
• Original Assignee: Network Directory Sciences, LLC (Innovation Management Sciences, LLC)
• Inventors: Strietzel, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US12/364,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20090136010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.12, 379/114.05, 379/114.13
• US Class Current: 379/93.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A telecommunications advertising means is disclosed. The telecommunication advertising means includes an advertisement database coupled to a processing means. The advertisement database stores subscriber specific or third party advertisements that are selectively associated with communications in a telecommunications network. The selective association is carried out by the processing means. In one embodiment, a router is coupled to the advertisement database. The router routes communications from source to destination within the telecommunications network. The router also routes advertisements that have been associated with the communications to the sources and destinations of the communications. A telecommunications system is also disclosed. The telecommunications system comprises a network subsystem, which includes a telecommunications advertising means. The telecommunications advertising means comprises an advertisement database and a processing means.

Claims

1. A telecommunications message system, comprising:

a message database that stores subscriber specific or third party messages; and

a processor coupled with the message database, the processor configured to;

classify the source of an incoming communication to identify a class associated with the source, wherein classification of the incoming communication is based at least in part on at least one of a telephone number associated with the incoming communication and an area code associated with the incoming communication;

selectively associate a message in the message database with the source based on an association between the class and the selected message, the association established by a user associated with a destination of the incoming communication,

cause the message associated with the source to be applied to the source so as to replace a ringback signal that would normally be routed to the source, and

cause the message associated with the source to be applied to the source until the destination goes off hook, at which time the source and destination are connected.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured selectively associate a message in the message database with the destination, based on an association between the class and the selected message that is established by a user associated with the destination of the incoming communication, and cause the message associated with the destination to be applied to the destination when the ringback signal would normally be routed to the source.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein the message associated with the source is an audio message.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein the message associated with the destination is an audio message.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein the classification is based on an identity of the caller associated with the source.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein the classification is based on an identifier associated with the source.

7. The telecommunications system of claims 1, wherein the classification is based on one or more factors selected from the group consisting of user preferences, language, communication source, communication type, time of day, communication destination, and geography, at least one advertisement in the advertisement database with a source of the incoming communication and with a destination of the incoming communication.

15. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein the message is an advertisement.

8. A method for providing messages in a telecommunications system implemented by a processor, the methods comprising:

classifying the source of an incoming communication to identify a class associated with the source, wherein classification of the incoming communication is based at least in part on at least one of a telephone number associated with the incoming communication and an area code associated with the incoming communication;

selectively associating a message in the message database with the source based on an association between the class and the selected message established by a user associated with a destination of the incoming communication,

causing the message associated with the source to be applied to the source so as to replace a ringback signal that would normally be routed to the source, and

causing the message associated with the source to be applied to the source until the destination goes off hook, at which time the source and destination are connected.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising selectively associating a message in the message database with the destination, based on an association between the source and the selected message that is established by a user associated with the destination of the incoming communication, and cause the message associated with the destination to be applied to the destination when the ringback signal would normally be routed to the source.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the message associated with the source is an audio message.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the message associated with the destination is an audio message.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the classification is based on an identity of the caller associated with the source.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the classification is based on an identifier associated with the source.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the classification is based on one or more factors selected from the group consisting of user preferences, language, communication source, communication type, time of day, communication destination.

16. The telecommunication system of claim 8, wherein the message is an advertisement.