Ringing Signal (e.g. Having A Predetermined Cadence Or Distinctive Ring) Patents (Class 379/207.16)
  • Patent number: 11381679
    Abstract: A method may include receiving an indication of a call from a caller who is not a participant in a sender-controlled media (SCM) platform to a recipient who is a participant, using caller ID information to gather content pertaining to the caller (e.g., from data stores of the platform and public number search information), generating a SCM data structure based on the gathered content, and delivering the SCM data structure to a call-originating device. In another aspect, a method may include gathering call context for an active call, and developing an understanding of one or more of a call intent, a call participant, and a participant action based on content exchanged between the caller and recipient. Content suggesting algorithms may then determine candidate items of content relevant to the participants of the call for presentation to at least one of the caller and the recipient during the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: VYNG, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Kats, Jeffrey Chernick, Mark Randall Goldston, Sohrab Pirayesh
  • Patent number: 11039010
    Abstract: A system for ring suppression facilitates notification and handling of unwanted calls as desired by a recipient, and in particular without disturbing the recipient. A new social dimension of call presentation logic is now available to callers. A telephony device is configured to receive an incoming call. The incoming call includes a calling line identity (CLI). On the telephony device, individual contacts in an address book are searched for a match to the CLI. If a match is found, a first phone action is activated (such as ringing the phone). If a match is not found in the address book for the incoming CLI, a second phone action is activated (such as not ringing the phone, and displaying the CLI). In other words, a call that is not in the address book of the recipient (B party) is silenced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: STARLOGIK IP LLC
    Inventor: Ari Kahn
  • Patent number: 10965809
    Abstract: A method may include receiving an indication of a call from a caller who is not a participant in a sender-controlled media (SCM) platform to a recipient who is a participant, using caller ID information of the call to gather content pertaining to the caller (e.g., from data stores of the platform and public number search information), generating a recipient SCM data structure, delivering and presenting the recipient SCM data structure on a device of the recipient, generating a sender SCM data structure, and delivering the sender SCM data structure to a call-originating device of the caller. In another aspect, a method may include monitoring a call in-process status, and, upon detection that a call has terminated, activating a post-call application that causes a screen update for a device that includes at least one of a call to action by the call-participant and informational content pertinent to the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: VYNG, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Kats, Jeffrey Chernick, Mark Randall Goldston, Sohrab Pirayesh
  • Patent number: 10803843
    Abstract: A computer user interface (UI) is capable of generating a sound when a predetermined event occurs. The sound generated when the predetermined event occurs may possess at least some characteristics of a predominant natural language used by a user and/or a location of a computer implementing the UI. This enables the user to quickly assimilate the sound generated when the predetermined event occurs. Because the user quickly assimilates the sound generated when the predetermined event occurs, the user is able to rapidly respond to the predetermined event, at times using the computer UI, which reduces undesirable memory use, processor use and/or battery drain associated with a computing device that implements the computer UI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andrea Hsieh-Lin Chang, Matthew Lee Johnston, Joseph George Kelly
  • Patent number: 10728385
    Abstract: A system for ring suppression facilitates notification and handling of unwanted calls as desired by a recipient, and in particular without disturbing the recipient. A new social dimension of call presentation logic is now available to callers. A telephony device is configured to receive an incoming call. The incoming call includes a calling line identity (CLI). On the telephony device, individual contacts in an address book are searched for a match to the CLI. If a match is found, a first phone action is activated (such as ringing the phone). If a match is not found in the address book for the incoming CLI, a second phone action is activated (such as not ringing the phone, and displaying the CLI). In other words, a call that is not in the address book of the recipient (B party) is silenced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Starlogik IP LLC
    Inventor: Ari Kahn
  • Patent number: 10694022
    Abstract: In some examples, a computing device may receive sensor data from a plurality of sensors and determine a location of the computing device in three-dimensions. A calendar application executing on the computing device may be accessed to determine that a first event is currently scheduled. A setting may indicate that a ringer of the computing device is unmuted to enable the ringer to be heard when the computing device receives an incoming communication (e.g., a call, a text, or a message). If the sensor data, the first event, or both satisfy a particular rule of a set of decision rules, the computing device may automatically modify the setting to mute the ringer based on the particular rule. If a user of the computing device modifies the setting to unmute the ringer, the computing device may send modification data associated with the modification to a server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventor: Shubham Gupta
  • Patent number: 10616167
    Abstract: A method, computer system, and computer program product for cognitively adjusting a notification alert delivery time are provided. The embodiment may include receiving a message notification from a sender. The embodiment may also include determining an importance of the received message notification based on a plurality of notification attributes and a plurality of person attributes that are each associated with the received message notification. The embodiment may further include, in response to determining to alert a user of the received message notification based on the determined importance, identifying a current user sleep stage. The embodiment may also include, in response to determining the current user sleep stage will minimally impact the user, transmitting the received message notification to a user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bharath Ganesh, Dhandapani Shanmugam, Tuhin Sharma, Jothi Subramani
  • Patent number: 10616165
    Abstract: A method, computer system, and computer program product for cognitively adjusting a notification alert delivery time are provided. The embodiment may include receiving a message notification from a sender. The embodiment may also include determining an importance of the received message notification based on a plurality of notification attributes and a plurality of person attributes that are each associated with the received message notification. The embodiment may further include, in response to determining to alert a user of the received message notification based on the determined importance, identifying a current user sleep stage. The embodiment may also include, in response to determining the current user sleep stage will minimally impact the user, transmitting the received message notification to a user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bharath Ganesh, Dhandapani Shanmugam, Tuhin Sharma, Jothi Subramani
  • Patent number: 10586255
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for displaying advertisements on mobile telephone devices at the end of a call to a pre-designated number are disclosed. In aspect a computerized method comprises determining that a telephone call has been initiated between a mobile telephone device and a second telephone device, determining that the telephone number matches a campaign telephone number stored on the mobile telephone device, determining a media object to display based on the telephone number, downloading the media object on the mobile telephone device, determining that the telephone call has ended, and displaying the media object on the mobile telephone device after the telephone call has ended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: mAdme Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Gerard Carolan, Triona Mullane
  • Patent number: 10554808
    Abstract: Alerts are processed based on social networks. A person's contact information, as an example, may be associated with a social network. Each different social network may also have its own custom ringtone or other alert. Calls, texts, and other electronic messages may thus processed with the alert of the social network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven M. Belz, Larry B. Pearson
  • Patent number: 10231116
    Abstract: A communication access server may provide a client service for communication access services. The communication access server may authenticate a user having an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) and registering user credentials. The communication access server may activate a communication interception service at a communication service provider (CSP) system for the IMSI. The communication access server may receive an intercepted communication from the CSP system and send the intercepted communication to the client service for access by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sivananthan Perumal, Hisham E. Elshishiny
  • Patent number: 10181684
    Abstract: A power connector has a power input port, a power output port, a signal transmission port, a controller, and a bridging circuit. The power input port is configured to receive input power. The power output port is applicable for plugging into an external device so as to provide output power to the external device. The signal transmission port is applicable for plugging into the external device to receive an indication signal. The controller is electrically connected to the signal transmission port and configured to adjust a control signal based on the indication signal. The bridging circuit is respectively electrically connected to the power input port, the power output port, and the controller, and controlled by the control signal to selectively transfer part of the input power to the power output port as the output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignees: INVENTEC (PUDONG) TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, INVENTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hsiang-Chun Hu, Chun-Chieh Lu
  • Patent number: 10038780
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for switching and outputting a sender-controlled incoming ringtone, in which applications transmitting a message to be transmitted to each counterpart of a phone call or text message transmission and automatically setting and outputting the message as the ringtone when a receiver receives the message transmitted by the sender are installed in a sender terminal and a receiver terminal, respectively, such that the message set by the sender is output as the ringtone of the receiver terminal by the control of the sender when making a voice call or transmitting the text message, and a method therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Inventors: Se-yong Lee, Kyo-sik Hong
  • Patent number: 10021670
    Abstract: Modern mobile communication devices have a number of features that enable the users to stay connected with people in their contacts list. These mobile devices also keep the users informed about various events such as calls, text messages, emails, social media postings, etc. by providing various forms of notifications. The notifications may or may not be discreet. While the notifications of various events are useful, they may cause breach of privacy, may cause uncomfortable social situations, or may cause unsafe distraction under some conditions. These undesirable notifications in some scenarios may be controlled based on the awareness of the specific scenario in which the device user may be. A method and apparatus are disclosed that enable a user to control the notifications from a mobile communication device when used inside an automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: MBIT WIRELESS, INC.
    Inventors: Falguni Bhatt, Arumugam Govindswamy
  • Patent number: 10015305
    Abstract: Modern mobile communication devices have a number of features that enable the users to stay connected with people in their contacts list. These mobile devices also keep the users informed about various events such as calls, text messages, emails, social media postings, etc. by providing various forms of notifications. The notifications may or may not be discreet. While the notifications of various events are useful, they may cause breach of privacy, may cause uncomfortable social situations, or may cause unsafe distraction under some conditions. These undesirable notifications in some scenarios may be controlled based on the awareness of the specific scenario in which the device user may be. A method and apparatus are disclosed that enable a user to control the notifications from a mobile communication device when used inside an automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: MBIT WIRELESS, INC.
    Inventors: Falguni Bhatt, Arumugam Govindswamy
  • Patent number: 9912807
    Abstract: A method includes determining, at a communication device, a designation of a source communication device based on information related to a communication from the source communication device. The method further includes selecting, at the communication device and based on the designation, a prompt from multiple prompts. The prompt includes a first prompt in response to the designation being a first designation of multiple designations. The prompt includes a second prompt in response to the designation being a second designation of the multiple designations. The method includes sending the prompt from the communication device to the source communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sreenivasa Rao Gorti, Stephen Mark Mueller, Jeffrey Lewis Brandt, Huitao Liu
  • Patent number: 9875095
    Abstract: A method for grouping of software components may be provided. The method may comprise relating a trigger agent to a software component, identifying the trigger agent, and triggering a trigger message of the trigger agent to potential other trigger agents. The method may also comprise monitoring a response to the trigger message from at least one other trigger agent related to at least one other software component, grouping the software components with the at least one other software component based on responses to a group of software components, and relating the group of software components to the software product based on comparisons with a software catalog.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tomasz Hanusiak, Michal Klak, Konrad W. Komnata, Konrad K. Skibski
  • Patent number: 9661129
    Abstract: Ring tones and other alerts are processed based on social networks. A person's contact information, as an example, may be associated with a social network. Each different social network may also have its own custom ringtone or other alert. Calls, texts, and other electronic messages may thus processed with the alert of the social network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven M. Belz, Larry B. Pearson
  • Patent number: 9578168
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a destination communication device, information related to a communication from a source communication device. The method further includes determining, at the destination communication device, a designation of the source communication device based on the information. The method further includes selecting, based on the designation, a prompt from multiple prompts. The method further includes sending the prompt from the destination communication device to the source communication device. The prompt is a request for second information related to urgency of the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sreenivasa Rao Gorti, Stephen Mark Mueller, Jeffrey Lewis Brandt, Huitao Liu
  • Patent number: 9548883
    Abstract: Incident support routing is described. The Internet is utilized to distribute the received customer support calls among a plurality of customer support agents who may be remotely located and geographically distributed. Voice data to voice-over-IP (VOIP) data packet conversion and VOIP to voice conversion may be utilized to facilitate a customer support call between a customer's telephone and a customer support agent's computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Ayodele A Ijidakinro, Eamon O'Reilly, William G. Burton, Ashwin K Sarin
  • Patent number: 9462119
    Abstract: Ring backs are provided for calls. When a call is placed to a called address, a ring back may be provided to a calling address. However, the ring back may be personalized to appeal to the calling address and/or to the called address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Geoffrey Zampiello
  • Patent number: 9400634
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for communicating notifications and other textual data associated with applications installed on an electronic device. According to certain aspects, a user can interface with an input device to send (218) a wake up trigger to the electronic device. The electronic device retrieves (222) application notifications and converts (288) the application notifications to audio data. The electronic device also sends (230) the audio data to an audio output device for annunciation (232). The user may also use the input device to send (242) a request to the electronic device to activate the display screen. The electronic device identifies (248) an application corresponding to an annunciated notification, and activates (254) the display screen and initiates the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Long Peng, Hui Dai, Xin Guan
  • Patent number: 9374456
    Abstract: Ring tones and other alerts are processed based on social networks. A person's contact information, as an example, may be associated with a social network. Each different social network may also have its own custom ringtone or other alert. Calls, texts, and other electronic messages may thus processed with the alert of the social network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven M. Belz, Larry B. Pearson
  • Patent number: 9317662
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods, devices, and computer systems thereof for automated data collection from a subject. In certain embodiments, one or more characteristics of a subject are sensed, and the subject is given a queue status indicator based on a comparison of the subject's one or more sensed characteristics with corresponding sensed characteristics from other subjects. In one embodiment, the subject is a healthcare worker and the system, methods, and devices are utilized to evaluate the overall health of the worker as part of the check-in process for work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Mahalaxmi Gita Bangera, Michael H. Baym, Philip A. Eckhoff, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9280741
    Abstract: An improved technique involves a device monitoring system providing alerting rules for a particular computing environment automatically based on existing alerting rules sets for other computing environments. Along these lines, when an IT professional monitors a computing environment through the device monitoring system, the device monitoring system stores alerting rules sets for that computing environment in a database. In storing rules sets and other information about that and other computing environments, the device monitoring system acquires intelligence from a wealth of data concerning how other IT professionals react to configuration changes in their computing environments. In this way, the device monitoring system then suggests alerting rules for a particular computing environment whose alerting rules are found to be suboptimal based on performance data from the particular computing environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashish V. Thapliyal, Adam Torres
  • Patent number: 9237230
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, at an application server, information related to a call from a calling device to a called device. The method further includes determining, at the application server, a designation of the calling device. The method further includes sending a prompt to the calling device from the application server. The prompt is a request for information related to urgency of the call, where the prompt corresponds to a first prompt when the designation is a first designation and the prompt corresponds to a second prompt when the designation is a second designation. The method further includes receiving a response to the prompt at the application server and modifying a call setup message based on the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sreenivasa Rao Gorti, Stephen Mark Mueller, Jeffrey Lewis Brandt, Huitao Liu
  • Patent number: 9204093
    Abstract: A solution is provided to enhanced user experience in digital media content sharing by inactively combining call setup for a video call with a caller's game performance data. A first communication terminal is used by the caller to initiate a video call to a callee, who uses a second communication terminal to receive the call. The caller plays a computer game while waiting for the call setup. During the call setup, the first terminal periodically evaluates the caller's game performance and generates a ring tone adjustment instruction that modifies an original ring tone played by the callee's communication terminal. The adjusted ring tone indicates caller's emotions. Integrating a caller's game performance data with a video call setup makes the call setup more joyful for the parties and conveys valuable psychotherapeutic value in the video communication between the parties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Palmwin Information Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Huaichang Zhang, Huanan Ma, Liu Yang, Guoqiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 9203953
    Abstract: Ring backs are provided for calls. When a call is placed to a called address, a default ring back may be provided to a calling address. However, the ring back may also be personalized to appeal to the calling address and/or the called address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Geoffrey Zampiello
  • Patent number: 9137358
    Abstract: Ring tones and other alerts are processed based on social networks. A person's contact information, as an example, may be associated with a social network. Each different social network may also have its own custom ringtone or other alert. Calls, texts, and other electronic messages may thus processed with the alert of the social network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven M. Belz, Larry B. Pearson
  • Patent number: 9042537
    Abstract: System, method, and computer program product to provide targeted and variable information during a remote conference, by: responsive to a first person joining the remote conference, playing a first tone having a first acoustical characteristic indicating an arrival of the first person, responsive to a second person joining the remote conference, playing a second tone having a second acoustical characteristic indicating an arrival of the second person, the second acoustical characteristic different than the first, and responsive to one of the first person and the second person leaving the remote conference, playing a third tone having a third acoustical characteristic indicating a departure of one of the first person and the second person, the third acoustical characteristic different than the second, a type of the first, second, and third acoustical characteristics being the same, the first, second, and third tone audible to at least one person on the remote conference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Creamer, Kevin G. Paterson, Theodore J. L. Shrader, Nagarjuna R. Vemireddy
  • Patent number: 9042536
    Abstract: System, method, and computer program product to provide targeted and variable information during a remote conference, by: responsive to a first person joining the remote conference, playing a first tone having a first acoustical characteristic indicating an arrival of the first person, responsive to a second person joining the remote conference, playing a second tone having a second acoustical characteristic indicating an arrival of the second person, the second acoustical characteristic different than the first, and responsive to one of the first person and the second person leaving the remote conference, playing a third tone having a third acoustical characteristic indicating a departure of one of the first person and the second person, the third acoustical characteristic different than the second, a type of the first, second, and third acoustical characteristics being the same, the first, second, and third tone audible to at least one person on the remote conference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Creamer, Kevin G. Paterson, Theodore J. L. Shrader, Nagarjuna R. Vemireddy
  • Patent number: 8989362
    Abstract: Overriding a ring back signal involves receiving a ring back signal at a communications apparatus from a communication network in response to a user-initiated connection request. The ring back signal is rendered to a user of the communications apparatus, and a user input is received at the communications device to override the ring back signal. An alternate output is rendered to the user in place of the ring back signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Core Wireless Licensing, S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Jingxin Wang, Bing Li, Jian Yuan, Can Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 8982735
    Abstract: A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) service system includes a SIP-enabled soft switch at a telephony service provider, executing code from a coupled machine-readable medium, routing SIP transactions to remote destinations, a media server coupled to the SIP-enabled soft switch storing media including ring tones and music-on-hold for use in progressing transactions, and an interface to a wide-area-network (WAN) for transmitting transactions and media. The SIP-enabled soft switch determines for each transaction from stored data whether media services are to be provided or not provided for that destination, and in the event media services are not to be provided, alters packet data to indicate media services to be provided by a server local to the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Vyacheslav Zhakov, Vyacheslav Valentinovich Sayko
  • Patent number: 8977249
    Abstract: A method in one embodiment includes receiving, by a mobile client device, an incoming call sent by a caller, a caller ID being associated with the incoming call. A node connected to a packet-based network is accessed to obtain information about the caller. Information about the caller is then received from the node by the mobile client device. This information is applied to a set of client rules that selects a specific ring tone from a plurality of ring tones stored on the mobile client device. Finally, the specific ring tone is generated on the mobile client device to announce the incoming call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shantanu Sarkar, Joseph Brian Burton
  • Patent number: 8971515
    Abstract: A system and a method for streaming audio data to a plurality of callers in a telecommunication system have been disclosed. The system facilitates streaming of audio data to a plurality of callers by establishing a single connection with an audio data publisher. The system receives the audio data from the audio data publisher over the internet or a similar network and streams the audio data to a plurality of callers over a telecommunication network. The audio data can be streamed to a caller as a ring-back tone of a callee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Onmobile Global Limited
    Inventors: Harish Babu, Mouli Raman
  • Patent number: 8958537
    Abstract: Alerts are provided for calls, where the alerts are indicative of the relationship of a caller to a call recipient in a social networking platform. An identifier for a calling device is used to access social network data that is descriptive of a relationship of the caller to the call recipient in the social networking platform. An alert option for a call is selected, from among multiple, different alert options, based on the social network data that is descriptive of the relationship of the caller to the call recipient in the social networking platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: MicroStrategy Incorporated
    Inventor: Michael J. Saylor
  • Patent number: 8953769
    Abstract: A computer readable medium stores a program for a calling party controlled ringback tone service. The service enables a calling party to control ringback tones, even overriding called party selected ringback tones. The service can operate in a wireless or wireline network, such as a voice over IP (VoIP) network or time division multiplexed (TDM) network. The calling party can be periodically billed for the ringback tone control service, as well as the ringback tones. The subscriber can configure the service via the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Neil A. Jacobson
  • Publication number: 20150016598
    Abstract: Ring tones and other alerts are processed based on social networks. A person's contact information, as an example, may be associated with a social network. Each different social network may also have its own custom ringtone or other alert. Calls, texts, and other electronic messages may thus processed with the alert of the social network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven M. Belz, Larry B. Pearson
  • Patent number: 8923500
    Abstract: A communication network includes a switching system, an application server, and a softswitch that communicatively couples the application server to the switching system. The switching system is configured to detect a first call to a primary directory number associated with a phone line and to forward the first call to the application server. The application server is configured to instruct the softswitch to generate a second call to a RingMaster directory number associated with the phone line. And the softswitch is configured to bridge the first and second calls responsive to detection of a communication path completion to the phone line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: David Levine
  • Patent number: 8908845
    Abstract: A method, device and system for implementing a customized ring back tone service and a customized ring tone service are disclosed. The method includes: a second server receives a first early media response returned by a terminal comprising a first media negotiation result which is obtained by the terminal performing media negotiation with a first server according to a first early media request; the second server generates a second early media request according to the received first early media response comprising a second attribute identification for identifying the second early media request, and sends the first early media response and the second early media request; the first server completes the media negotiation with the calling terminal according to the first early media response and a called terminal completes the media negotiation with the second server according to the second early media request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Li Li, Ruinan Sun
  • Patent number: 8897748
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for monitoring message usage on a communication device. An audible message may be outputted on the communication device in replacement of a pre-determined telephone tone. A duration parameter of outputting the audible message in replacement of the pre-determined telephone tone may be determined, and provided to a billing system for determining a compensation parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Sorel Bosan, Janice Zima, Sherryl Lee Lorraine Scott
  • Patent number: 8897436
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling calling parties to request the VoIP network to provide a special ring tone to be signaled as the occurrence of an urgent call to called parties are disclosed. Alternatively, a high frequency intercept tone or call waiting tone is also provided when the called parties are already engaged in conversation when an urgent call is incoming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Patent number: 8879711
    Abstract: A method for network maintenance and supervision of an on-board controlled audio agent, the method constituted of: providing a plurality of audio portions, each of the provided audio portions being selected responsive to user descriptive data associated with a call initiator; providing a reimbursement rule associated with each of the audio portions; selecting, for each call instance, a particular one of the plurality of audio portions responsive to the determined reimbursement rules; and outputting the particular one of the plurality of audio portions at each call instance initiation such that at least a portion of the particular audio portion is heard by the call initiator prior to call connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sellaring, Ltd.
    Inventor: Zohar Halachmi
  • Patent number: 8879706
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing a ring back to a calling party's communications device. A first call is placed to a called number. An identification sequence is received during the first call. When the first call ends, a second call is placed to a server. The identification sequence is sent to the server during the second call, and the ring back associated with the identification sequence is received. The ring back is stored in memory of the calling party's communications device and retrieved when subsequent calls are made to the called number. The ring back is then presented on the calling party's communications device to indicate the called number is ringing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Geoffrey Zampiello
  • Patent number: 8873729
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for processing a ring tone. An electronic database is queried for a calling number, and contact information associated with the calling number is retrieved. A ring tone database is queried for the contact information, and the ring tone database stores an association between the contact information and a ring tone. The ring tone associated with the contact information is retrieved and processed to alert a called number to a communication from the calling number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven M. Belz, Jr., Larry Pearson
  • Patent number: 8867724
    Abstract: Devices, methods and systems for enhanced ringing features on communications terminals. Flexible user-established rules, customized in a subscriber profile database, enable the ring-tone to vary based on caller-id, caller priority, call-urgency (as determined by caller), call context and so forth. Call set-up logic applies the profile rules prior to completing the call set-up. “Buzz-tones” extend the basic distinctive ringing feature to the “silent” mode that is currently available on cell-phones, which is of particular utility to subscribers with hearing disabilities. Other kinds of alerts (audio/motion/visual) like flashing colors on a display, moving pictures and the like, and any combination of notification modes, are contemplated by alternative embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sreenivasa Rao Gorti, Stephen Mark Mueller, Jeffrey Lewis Brandt, Huitao Liu
  • Patent number: 8867725
    Abstract: A system and method for providing custom alerts including a processor configured to retrieve a custom alert from a custom alert provider, a receiver configured to receive, from a user, a request to initiate communication with a communications agent, and a transmitter configured to transmit one or more signals over a network to communicate with the communications agent, wherein transmitting the one or more signals includes transmitting the custom alert for output at the communication agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Opaluch, David C. Robbins
  • Patent number: 8855282
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for implementing a Multimedia Ring Back Tone (MRBT) service are provided. The method includes: receiving a call request originated by a calling terminal; parsing a tone playing policy specifying whether to play a caller tone or a callee tone or whether to filter a tone; performing caller tone media negotiation or callee tone media negotiation, or performing no tone negotiation according to the parsing result; and playing the caller tone or the callee tone to the caller, or playing no tone. With the technical solution of the present invention, the caller tone service can be implemented in the IMS domain. Whether a caller tone or a callee tone is played to the caller is determined according to a preset policy. Furthermore, the tone filtering service is also implemented. This gives a user freedom in experiencing the MRBT service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lingyan Wu, Yuan Bao, Guojun Xu, Haoyu Wang, Shanyang Ke
  • Patent number: 8849696
    Abstract: A platform service that is used by an application may be linked to an advertising service. A cost of using the platform service may be reduced based on the linking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ambar Pansari, Jessica R. Ewing
  • Patent number: 8824653
    Abstract: A call handling system receives an incoming call from a caller. In response to receiving the incoming call, the call handling system determines a call count for the caller. The call count for the caller is based on a number of calls in a sequence of calls received by the call handling system from the caller, including the incoming call. A maximum amount of time between any of the calls in the sequence of calls does not exceed an expiration period. Based on the call count for the caller, the call handling system identifies and performs an action to take with regard to the incoming call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Louis J. Cutajar