Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for providing multimedia content to a calling party device. Specifically, the method comprises receiving a multimedia ringback service request in response to a connection request for establishing a connection between the calling party device and a called party device, determining an address associated with the calling party device in response to the multimedia ringback service request, identifying the multimedia content associated with the multimedia ringback service request, and establishing at least one multimedia session with the calling party device using the address where the at least one multimedia session is operable for providing the multimedia content towards the calling party device contemporaneously with establishing the connection.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method, one method example has the steps of: placing a call from a calling terminal to a called terminal in a cable telecommunication network, and communicating with a ring back application; initiating a new call by the ring back application to the called terminal via a call management server; ringing the called terminal by the call management server and providing an indication of the ringing to the ring back application; and sending, by the ring back application, a predetermined ring back signal to the calling terminal. Upon answer by the called party, the ring back application informs the calling party end device of the called party's address, and upon receiving the acknowledgement from the calling party's end-device it stops the predetermined ring back signal and informs the called party end device to cut thru the bearer path to the calling party's device.

Abstract: A method of providing ringback in a telecommunications network (100) includes: receiving a call at a service switching point (114) for a called party (112) served by the service switching point (114), the call being from a calling party (122); encountering a trigger detection point (116) while engaging in a call setup for the call, the trigger detection point (116) being provisioned for the called party (112) at the service switching point (114); in response to encountering the trigger detection point (116), extending a first leg of the call to a service node (130) that provides ringback to the calling party (122); setting-up a second leg of the call between the service node (130) and the called party (112); bridging together the first and second legs of the call at the service switching point (114); and, removing the service node (130) from participation in the call after the first and second legs have been bridged together at the service switching point (114).

Abstract: An exemplary method provides ringback information to a calling party device. A call establishment request is received in an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network from the calling party device by a session initiation protocol, SIP, application server, SIP-AS. Ringback information associated with the called party, which may require condition evaluation such as time-of-day, day-of-week or may be unconditionally determined, is identified in response to the call establishment request. A push transmission technique is used by the SIP-AS to transmit the ringback information via one or more bearer packets sent from the SIP-AS to the calling party device.

Abstract: Ringback tone preference information, input by a user of a communication device, is presented to a ringback tone service subscriber or a proxy for the ringback tone service subscriber to assist the ringback tone service subscriber or the proxy select a ringback tone to be played to the user of the communication device on a call to the ringback tone service subscriber

Abstract: A ringback tone is played to a calling party on a call to a called party. Identification information of the ringback tone is stored, upon receipt of a bookmark request from the calling party, for later access by the calling party to the ringback tone and/or information related to the ringback tone.

Abstract: A software platform in one example comprises a plurality of software applications. The plurality of software applications comprise a first software application that performs a determination of a load level associated with the first software application. The first software application employs the determination of the load level to manage a quality of service level associated with the first software application.

Abstract: An incoming call screening treatment is selected for a call to a called communication device based on an emotional state criterion input by a user of the called communication device.

Abstract: A control server of an apparatus in one example receives an offer message from a resource server. The offer message indicates an availability of the resource server to handle one or more tasks for the control server. The control server employs the offer message to determine whether to add an indication of the resource server to a resource server mapping table that comprises indications of a plurality of available resource servers. The resource server mapping table is employable to determine a selected resource server of the plurality of available resource servers to use for a task of the one or more tasks.

Abstract: An opt-out request in one example is received from a calling party to avoid employment of a specialized ringback tone on one or more subsequent calls from the calling party to a called party. A ringback tone call controller determines, based on the opt-out request, to provide a substitute tone to the calling party in place of the specialized ringback tone on the one or more subsequent calls from the calling party to the called party. After receiving the opt-out request on a call, the specialized ringback tone in a further example is stopped for a remainder of a ringing phase of the call. If a ringback tone service state associated with the calling party is an opt-out state, then in one example the calling party makes an opt-in request to allow use of the specialized ringback tone on one or more subsequent calls to the called party.

Abstract: A playback characteristic of a ringback tone, played to a calling communication device employed by a user for a call to a called communication device, is changed based on input from the user of the calling communication device.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for providing multimedia content to a calling party device. Specifically, the method comprises receiving a connection establishment request from a calling party device where the connection establishment request is operable for establishing a connection between the calling party device and a called party device in an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, obtaining multimedia content information in response to the connection establishment request where the multimedia content information is operable for establishing at least one multimedia session with the calling party device, and transmitting at least a portion of the multimedia content information towards the calling party device contemporaneously with establishment of the connection.

Abstract: A ringback tone, indicative of an emotional state that is input by a user of a called communication device, is selected to play to a calling communication device during a call to the called communication device.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for providing multimedia content to a calling party device. Specifically, the method comprises receiving a multimedia ringback service request in response to a connection request for establishing a connection between the calling party device and a called party device, determining an address associated with the calling party device in response to the multimedia ringback service request, identifying the multimedia content associated with the multimedia ringback service request, and establishing at least one multimedia session with the calling party device using the address where the at least one multimedia session is operable for providing the multimedia content towards the calling party device contemporaneously with establishing the connection.

Abstract: A control server of an apparatus in one example manages a plurality of resource servers that are allocated to handle a load. The control server receives from a first resource server, of the plurality of resource servers, a first status message that comprises a first indicator of a relative availability of the first resource server. The control server receives from a second resource server, of the plurality of resource servers, a second status message that comprises a second indicator of a relative availability of the second resource server. The control server employs a comparison of the first indicator of the relative availability of the first resource server with the second indicator of the relative availability of the second resource server to promote a selected balance of the load between two or more of the plurality of resource servers.

Abstract: A network controller of a wireless and/or wireline telecommunications network of an apparatus in one embodiment makes a scheduled determination of an availability of a network resource, of the wireless and/or wireline telecommunications network, based on a determination of success or failure in timely arrival of a message from the network resource.

Abstract: An originating mobile switching center of an apparatus in one example handles one or more calls. A serving mobile switching center for a communication device on a call of the one or more calls passes control of the call to the originating mobile switching center. The originating mobile switching center triggers the call to a service node. The service node sends an initial trigger response to the originating mobile switching center that instructs the originating mobile switching center to redirect the call. The initial trigger response arms one or more triggers that support one or more services for the communication device. The one or more triggers comprise one or more of one or more switch based triggers and one or more subscriber based triggers exclusive of Calling_Routing_Addresss_Available, OAnswer, and ODisconnect triggers.

Abstract: A mobile switching center of an apparatus in one example generates one or more triggered operations to a prepaid service node based on a connection with an intelligent peripheral component.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises one or more intelligent network platforms that serve to provide feedback to be played to a calling communication device during a call from the calling communication device for a called communication device. One or more of the one or more intelligent network platforms allow a user of the called communication device to preselect one or more portions of the feedback. One or more of the one or more intelligent network platforms employ signaling to connect the call from the calling communication device to an intelligent network platform of the one or more intelligent network platforms.