Registration Of Alerting Signal In Association With Incoming Signal Patents (Class 379/373.03)
  • Patent number: 10293878
    Abstract: A brake assist system for a cyclist on a bicycle by a haptic feedback includes: a first sensor for measuring the angular speed of a first bicycle wheel, suitable for generating a signal representing the first wheel angular speed; a second sensor for measuring the angular speed of a second bicycle wheel, suitable for generating a signal representing the second wheel angular speed; an actuator applicable to a bicycle portion, suitable for producing vibrations; and a control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: BLUBRAKE S.R.L.
    Inventors: Matteo Corno, Giulio Panzani, Sergio Matteo Savaresi, Fabio Todeschini
  • Patent number: 8989371
    Abstract: A community telephony brokerage system (“CTBS”) and techniques for facilitating telephony communications (including but not limited to text messages, audible messages, multimedia messages, commands, and voice communications) between members of a virtual or real-life community are described. The CTBS operates in conjunction with any known or later developed communication application or service, such as an email application, a social networking application, a gaming application, a discussion forum application, a blogging application, or a subscription/publication application, to provide intra-community telephonic communications via community members' own electronic devices, in a manner that keeps community members' unique telephone numbers secret from other members, and preserves other desired levels of privacy and/or security established by the community and/or communication application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Amit Kaufman
  • 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: 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
  • Patent number: 8682397
    Abstract: The caller's device which displays a list of multiple sound data and the sound data selected from the list is output from the caller's device as ringback tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Inventor: Iwao Fujisaki
  • Patent number: 8638920
    Abstract: Management of call center call routing is provided. Service calls directed to a call center may be monitored according to a variety of parameters such as associated line of business, date, time, and call volume. Calls directed to an internal call center may be routed to an alternate call center for processing as required or needed by the provider of the internal call center. For each type of incoming service call, a maximum call count or percentage-based call count may be established to facilitate efficient routing of service calls to the internal call center or to an alternate call center to ensure that no more than a specified number of calls are routed to a given call center. Real time and summary reporting may be generated to allow call center management personnel to monitor and manage service call routing to one or more internal and/or alternate call centers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Louis Cutajar
  • Patent number: 8625774
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a subliminal alert at a computing device is provided. A first audio file comprising a subliminal alert is selected, the first audio file enabled for processing by a processing unit to control a speaker at the computing device. The first audio file is at least one of: a subliminally audible length; a subliminally audible volume; and chosen based on previous conditioning of a user to the first audio file. The first audio file is associated with at least one alert condition, such that when the alert condition is met, the processing unit controls the speaker to play the first audio file thereby providing the subliminal alert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Norman Miner Ladouceur, Jason Tyler Griffin
  • Patent number: 8594318
    Abstract: When a number of users share one telephone number, the present invention indicates who the callee (the person the caller wants to talk to) is, with personalized rings and information shown on a display, so as to allow each user to quickly identify calls directed to him/her. A mobile phone user could inform the callee his/her intent and/or the urgency level of the call by selecting from options provided by the callee reflecting the callee's preferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Inventors: Bessy Wen-Han Liang, Alice Wen-Chi Liang, Anna P. Liang, Barry C. Liang
  • Patent number: 8548158
    Abstract: After a communications device receives an incoming communication and an alert is activated to produce an initial incoming communications alert, the alert of the communications device may selectively be deactivated for subsequent alerts until the initiating party terminates the incoming communication or until the incoming communication is further processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L. P.
    Inventor: Edward Michael Silver
  • Patent number: 8548154
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a ringtone uploading service method and system used in color ring back tone (CRBT) service. The present invention is that when a ringtone system successfully uploads a ringtone to at least one but not all ringtone servers, it records ringtone uploading information, sends a message about the successful uploading of the ringtone to an uploading terminal, and re-uploads the ringtone to the ringtone servers to which the ringtone has not been successfully uploaded. The ringtone uploading solution proposed in the present invention will greatly improve the success rate of ringtone uploading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Meixia Liu, Xiaopeng Wei
  • Patent number: 8537995
    Abstract: An incoming call is detected from a calling entity. If the incoming call is associated with a subscription to presence information media data associated with the subscription can be output through an output unit in the telephone terminal. If the incoming call is determined to be associated with a subscription to presence information, it is determined whether the media data is present in the terminal, and if the media data is present in the terminal, the media data is output through an output unit in the telephone terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Antti A Koskela
  • Patent number: 8498397
    Abstract: Provided is a method for handling telephone calls directed to a telephony connection associated with a plurality of telephone numbers, wherein incoming calls made to the plurality of telephone numbers are announced by different ring tones. The method comprises receiving over the telephony connection a signal carrying ring tone information indicative of an incoming call. The method further comprises processing the ring tone information to differentiate the ring tone currently conveyed in the telephony connection from other possible ring tones that the telephony connection can carry. The method still further comprises handling the incoming call on the basis of the differentiated ring tone. Also provided are a telephone system and a computer readable storage medium holding a program element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: BCE Inc.
    Inventors: Karen Freeman, David Robert MacPhie, Nasahn Adam Sheppard, Jason Edward Short, Stephan Georgiev
  • Patent number: 8451995
    Abstract: A mechanism for indicating a specific response message to be played to a caller is provided. A call that comprises an identification of a caller is received in a recipient device. If the recipient device is operating in the phone management mode, a recipient notification of the call is blocked on the recipient device. If the caller is identified as a known caller based on the identification of the caller, a caller specific response message is sent to the known caller. The caller specific response message is at least one of an interactive or a non-interactive caller specific response message. The interactive response message includes a code with which to respond. If the response message is the interactive response message and the caller enters the code associated with the interactive response message, then the recipient notification of the call is activated on the recipient device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marco Canu, Barbara Febonio, Rosario Gangemi, Sandro Piccinini
  • Patent number: 8401168
    Abstract: A system and method for ring delay on a user agent. A destination user agent may receive a request from an origination user agent to establish a session between the two user agents. The destination user agent may delay ringing according to a ring delay parameter. If the request has not been terminated by the time the ring delay parameter is met, the destination user agent may ring and a session may occur between the origination user agent and destination user agent. If the request is terminated before the ring delay parameter is met, the destination user agent may never ring. The ring delay parameter may be a ring delay time period. The ring delay parameter may be received as part of the request from the origination user agent, set by the destination user agent, or set by a service provider for the destination user agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Priyanka G. Sriraghavan, Lakshmi Nrusimhan N. V.
  • Patent number: 8391454
    Abstract: A mechanism for indicating a specific response message to be played to a caller is provided. A call that comprises an identification of a caller is received in a recipient device. If the recipient device is operating in the phone management mode, a recipient notification of the call is blocked on the recipient device. If the caller is identified as a known caller based on the identification of the caller, a caller specific response message is sent to the known caller. The caller specific response message is at least one of an interactive or a non-interactive caller specific response message. The interactive response message includes a code with which to respond. If the response message is the interactive response message and the caller enters the code associated with the interactive response message, then the recipient notification of the call is activated, on the recipient device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marco Canu, Barbara Febonio, Rosario Gangemi, Sandro Piccinini
  • Patent number: 8335543
    Abstract: A method of managing media content such as games, ring tones, screen savers and other media content stored in a wireless device, e.g. cellular phone, is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of storing media content in a memory in the wireless device in a content file, separately storing settings for the media content in the memory in a settings file, and deleting the content file while simultaneously preserving storage of the settings file. The content file may be deleted in response to user action or in response to a timer expiring. If the user attempts to access deleted content, they are prompted to repurchase the content. If the content is repurchased, the saved content settings may be re-applied automatically to the repurchased content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Balaji S. Thenthiruperai, Kevin Hunter, Brian Landers
  • Patent number: 8300778
    Abstract: An information processing terminal device includes a state monitoring unit that monitors whether or not there exits an unread e-mail or a missed call, a light order control unit that makes an emitting unit emit a color corresponding to each sender in a given order when the unread e-mail or the missed call is detected, where a light order control unit determines a light order of the colors according to a receiving order of the unread e-mail or an incoming order of the missed call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kei Shibuya, Kiyotoshi Hariu, Takeshi Kojima, Rikiya Maeda, Masahiko Konno, Hayato Sasaki, Ken Sato, Tomoki Iwabuchi
  • Patent number: 8300800
    Abstract: A communication terminal apparatus capable of registering sender's e-mail addresses upon receiving e-mails including the e-mail address registration instruction information in the subject. The communication terminal apparatus relieves users from the cumbersome task of manually inputting the recipient's e-mail address to the e-mail address storage unit 17 and achieves simple e-mail address registration process in a shorter time. The communication terminal apparatus includes the subject determination unit 16 for detecting the e-mail address registration instruction information from a received e-mail, the e-mail parser 13 for acquiring the sender's e-mail address from the received e-mail, and the sender's e-mail address registration unit 18 for registering the sender's e-mail address of the received e-mail with the e-mail address storage unit 17 where the subject determination unit 16 detects the e-mail address registration instruction information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Noriyuki Eda
  • Patent number: 8295887
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for adjusting a ring tone volume in a mobile communication terminal. The method implements a function by which a user can directly adjust the ring tone volume in a mobile communication terminal in consideration of circumstances. To this end, the present invention includes a user interface screen by which a user can adjust the output volume level of the ring tone which rings according to the passage of time. Thus, the present invention provides a user interface screen by which a user can adjust the output volume level of a ring tone which rings according to the passage of time, and enables the user to set the output level of the ring tone and the output time of the ring tone at a corresponding level according to predetermined intervals through the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jae-Chan Koh, In-Kwon Kang, Lae-Kyoung Kim, Hyun-Soo Kim, Yun-Chul Yi, Young-Shik Shin
  • Patent number: 8270596
    Abstract: An incoming call prompting method is provided. The method includes the step of: providing a data storage for storing a note table, a melodic companion table, and an audio clip database; receiving an incoming call and sending the incoming call to a decoder to phone number of the incoming call; storing the phone number in the data storage; obtaining a predetermined digit set from the incoming call phone number stored in the data storage; obtaining the assigned note of each digit of the digit set, and piecing together a melodious sequence of note based upon a pre-determined algorithm guiding selection and sequencing of a combination of the primary notes and/or companion notes of the melodic companion table to edit a melody; and obtaining and outputting audio clip of each note of the edited melody in turn to generate a music.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chuan-Hong Wang, Li-Zhang Huang, Hsiao-Chung Chou, Xiao-Guang Li, Kuan-Hong Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8229512
    Abstract: The method to output from the caller's device the ringback tone selected by the caller's device after the dialing process is implemented and prior to the call being answered by the callee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Iwao Fujisaki
  • Patent number: 8223957
    Abstract: A device may receive a telephone call, automatically create a ring tone in response to receiving the telephone call, and cause the ring tone to be audibly provided to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Sudeep Dasgupta
  • Patent number: 8155705
    Abstract: A display screen comprises a receiving module, a control module electronically connected to the receiving module, a backlight drive module, and a backlight module. The receiving module is configured for receiving incoming calls and transmitting the incoming calls to the control module. The control module is configured for converting incoming calls to control signals and transmitting the control signals to the backlight drive module. The backlight module has different operation modes according to the incoming calls. One end of the backlight drive module is electronically connected to the control module, the other end of the backlight drive module is electronically connected to the backlight module. The backlight drive module is configured for driving the backlight module. A method of shining the display screen is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Po-Yen Liu
  • Patent number: 8155301
    Abstract: A dialing prompt system and method may include a monitoring unit, and a dialing prompt information processing unit. The monitoring unit is adapted to monitor whether it is necessary to send dialing prompt information to a user, and if necessary, trigger the dialing prompt information processing unit. The dialing prompt information processing unit determines dialing prompt information for the user, and sends the information to the user. After the embodiment of the present invention is applied to a communication system, if the user sends a call request (by going off-hook, for example), the dialing prompt system generates voice information, text information, picture information, or video image information (namely, at least one of such items) as an indication that allows the user to make the call. That is, at least one item of “voice information, text information, picture information, and video image information” may form diversified information to replace the existing unitary dialing prompt audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Feng Wang
  • Patent number: 8139758
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for audibly annunciating at a device information transmitted over a telephone network. The information is transmitted in the form of a modulated signal to the device wherein the modulated signal is representative of the information. The apparatus includes a receiver for capturing a ring signal and a modulated signal representative of information transmitted over a telephone network during an interval between the ring signal and a subsequent ring signal; a converter in communication with the receiver for converting the modulated signal into a stream of audible signals; and a speaker in communication with the converter for producing audible sounds corresponding to the stream of audible signals representative of the information received over the telephone network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert T. Moton, Mark J. Enzmann, Samuel N. Zellner
  • Patent number: 8126125
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing announcements at a called number. A call is processed to the called number, and a database is queried for a name of an announcement for the call and an Internet Protocol address associated with the called number. A data message is sent to the Internet Protocol address that identifies the name of the announcement to be retrieved from memory of a device at the Internet Protocol address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Robert A. Koch
  • Patent number: 8031854
    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: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Geoffrey Zampiello
  • Patent number: 8027460
    Abstract: A controller ensures that ring-tones of a relatively-small pool of distinct ring-tones are individually assigned to telephones of a group of telephones in such a way as to maximize the physical separation of telephones with the same or similar ring-tones. One telephone after another generates an audio signal, such as a chirp or a ring-tone, while the other telephones listen for the audio signal and report results of their listening to the controller. The controller uses the results to assign ring-tones to the telephones. A graph-coloring algorithm may be used to make the assignments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Marc William Joseph Coughlan, Alexander Quentin Forbes, Ciaran Gannon, Peter Donald Runcie, Alexander Martin Scholte
  • Patent number: 8014513
    Abstract: Caller identification information is conveyed to the called party in manners other than through the display of textual information on a display screen. The caller ID information may be provided as musical tones where the characters of the caller ID information are mapped to the musical tones being output, such as various musical notes and length of the note. The caller ID information may be provided as a light pattern where the characters of the caller ID information are mapped to the elements of the light pattern being output, such as colors, period of light, and flashes. The caller ID information may be provided as tactile patterns where the characters of the caller ID information are mapped to the elements of the tactile pattern being output, such as producing vibration patterns or Braille characters. The called party may then recognize the caller from the conveyed caller ID information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen LaPierre, Jim Reed
  • Patent number: 7995728
    Abstract: After a call with a called party ends, a caller is provided with prompts or messages which allow the caller to control ringback media content which is to be rendered when the caller calls the called party in the future. For example, the caller is provided with prompts by which they can select ringback content from content they already have purchased and apply it to the called party number. Alternatively, the caller is linked to a content provider where they can purchase additional content and have it applied to the called party number. Thus, the caller is able to exert control over ringback media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Geoff S. Martin, Jay S. Harmon, Baoquan Zhang, Jonathan R. Kindred
  • Patent number: 7941183
    Abstract: A telephone and an incoming call notification method for the telephone in which telephone book data can be used to sound an incoming call sound of a specified date such as a birthday for a specific caller. When an incoming call to the mobile telephone of the present invention arrives from another telephone (s21), a control part of the mobile telephone determines whether or not a notification of the caller's telephone number has been made (s22). The birthday or the like of the caller can be quickly relayed before the telephone is taken off-hook, and an entertainment function can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Miyuki Yomoda
  • Patent number: 7929687
    Abstract: A facsimile apparatus can notify a user of the fact that facsimile data being received is sent from a specific party. A communication control part receives facsimile data and party information from a remote facsimile apparatus, the party information identifying the remote facsimile apparatus. A melody output part stores and outputs a call-notification-melody so as to output the reproduced call-notification-melody through a speaker. A specific party discrimination part stores specific party information regarding a specific party for which the call-notification-melody is output. A system control part cases the melody output part to reproduce and output the call-notification-melody stored when the party information which the communication control part acquired matches the specific party information stored in the specific party discrimination part at a time of reception of a call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 7903808
    Abstract: A facsimile apparatus can notify a user of the fact that facsimile data being received is sent from a specific party. A communication control part receives facsimile data and party information from a remote facsimile apparatus, the party information identifying the remote facsimile apparatus. A melody output part stores and outputs a call-notification-melody so as to output the reproduced call-notification-melody through a speaker. A specific party discrimination part stores specific party information regarding a specific party for which the call-notification-melody is output. A system control part cases the melody output part to reproduce and output the call-notification-melody stored when the party information which the communication control part acquired matches the specific party information stored in the specific party discrimination part at a time of reception of a call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 7796743
    Abstract: A method for implementing a ring back tone, including: receiving, by a first Service Control Point, an intelligent service request triggered by a Service Switching Point, based on a call of a calling party; obtaining personal ring back tone information of a called party and/or group ring back tone information of a group which the called party belongs to; acquiring first ring back tone information according to the personal ring back tone information and/or the group ring back tone information delivering a connect message containing the first ring back tone information to the Service Switching Point the connect message being used to instruct the Service Switching Point to connect the call to an Advanced Intelligent Peripheral for playing the ring back tone to the calling party according to the first ring back tone information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Song, Qian Yu, Junsong Yi, Bing Zhang
  • Patent number: 7792260
    Abstract: A method for protecting incoming calls in coloring ring back tone service, wherein comprising: the service switching point device sends a message for triggering intelligent networks service to the service control point device; the service control point device instructs the service switching point device to connect the call to the intelligent peripheral; the service control point device reports the connect result and reason to the service control point device; the service control point device analyzes the connect result as well as its reason, if there is a need to protect the call, the service control point device will instruct the service switching point device to connect the called number directly; again, the service switching point device sends a message for triggering intelligent network service to the service control point device; the service control point device sends down the continue message, and the service switching point device will connect the called number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Haijun Liu, Jin Sun
  • Patent number: 7742583
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for alerting of a call. A message is received that notifies of a call to a called number having an established connection to a data network. A customer-selected style and a customer-selected location of a control is retrieved that responds to the customer's action. The message and the control are processed to alert of the call to the called number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Anita Hogans Simpson, John L. Bradberry, Linda A. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7738651
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for customizing an audio file, such as a ring tone stored in a mobile device is described herein. In particular, a mobile device according to the present invention includes an audio utility and an audio processor. The audio utility stores one or more pointers associated with a stored audio file. Each pointer identifies a specific user-selected start position for the audio file. Whenever the audio processor plays the audio file, the audio processor plays the audio file from the start position identified by one of the user-selected pointers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventor: Douglas Miller
  • Patent number: 7715549
    Abstract: A control block recognizes the other party of the telephone call when both calling and called case. When the user operates the reservation melody key of the key input block while talking over the telephone and the telephone call reservation is directed, the control block retrieves telephone/E-mail memory and judges for the calling melody number whether to be registered. Because calling melody number 1 is registered, music data 1 is read, and the mute is placed “on” so that the voice from mike is not transmitted. When the control block outputs music data 1 to melody generation block, the melody generation block generates the calling melody signal based on music data 1, and transmits it to the other party of the telephone call via modem, sending and receiving block and antenna. Moreover, the control block always observes the control channel specified by the base station while waiting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Helios Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Hayakawa, Shungo Kiyota
  • Patent number: 7675907
    Abstract: An IP telephone system includes a source IP telephone apparatus, a destination telephone apparatus, a Web server and an ENUM server. The IP telephone apparatuses function as base stations for multi-handset telephone systems and are connected to an IP network. The Web server stores ring tone information corresponding to a telephone number assigned to the source or destination IP telephone apparatus. The ENUM server stores a NAPTR resource record in which a URI specifies link data related to the ring tone information stored in the Web server. In the IP telephone system, the IP telephone apparatus that has received a call transmits, to the ENUM server, a query for a NAPTR record corresponding to an intended recipient's telephone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiko Nishida, Kiyoshi Toyoda
  • Patent number: 7644166
    Abstract: Audibly informing a recipient of an arrival of a digital communication from a sender includes receiving a digital communication from a sender directed to a recipient and determining whether the digital communication is associated with an audio identifier that identifies the sender of the digital communication and that is designated by the sender of the digital communication. Perception by the recipient of the audio identifier is conditioned on whether the digital communication is determined to be associated with the audio identifier. The audio identifier is perceived prior to or concurrent with perception of the digital communication by the recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: AOL LLC
    Inventors: Barry Appelman, Stephen Vaughan Murphy
  • Publication number: 20090022298
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for load balancing in communication networks are disclosed. An example method to perform load balancing in a communication network disclosed herein comprises routing a registration request received for a user device in an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem network to a first call processor when the user device is registered with the first call processor and in an active call session with the first call processor, and querying a load balancer to determine whether to assign the user device to at least one of the first call processor or a second call processor when the user device is registered with the first call processor but not in any active call sessions with the first call processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Chaoxin Charles Qiu, William R J Chorley, Robert F. Dailey
  • Patent number: 7474743
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for selecting the content of Internet Call-Waiting messages. An Internet Call-Waiting message is generated when an incoming call is received while having an established connection to a data network. Content is retrieved to accompany the Internet Call-Waiting message. A customer-selected style and a customer-selected location of a control is retrieved that accompanies the Internet Call-Waiting message. The Internet Call-Waiting message is presented to alert of the incoming call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Anita Hogans Simpson, John L. Bradberry, Linda A. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7447496
    Abstract: In a method for providing an arbitrary sound, chosen by a called subscriber, as a ringback tone to a calling subscriber through a call-originating exchanger, the call-originating exchanger requests a trunk connection to a sound database server based on first information on whether or not to replace an RBT (RingBack Tone) and second information on a route to the sound database server that are received from a home location register (HLR), and provides a called subscriber identification for the sound database server. Then, the sound database server searches its database for a sound specified by the called, and provides the found sound for the caller instead of a conventional RBT via the originating exchanger connected through the requested trunk connection. The caller can hear a sound specified by the called instead of the conventional RBT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee Hyeok Hahm, Ki Mun Kim, Sang Yun Lee, Yeong Tae No
  • Patent number: 7440444
    Abstract: An IP telephone system includes a source IP telephone apparatus, a destination telephone apparatus, a Web server and an ENUM server. The IP telephone apparatuses are connected to an IP network. The Web server stores ring tone information corresponding to a telephone number assigned to the source or destination IP telephone apparatus. The ENUM server stores a NAPTR resource record in which a URI specifies link data related to the ring tone information stored in the Web server. In the IP telephone system, the IP telephone apparatus that has received a call transmits, to the ENUM server, a query for a NAPTR record corresponding to an intended recipient's telephone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiko Nishida, Kiyoshi Toyoda
  • Patent number: 7412041
    Abstract: In a telephone terminal an incoming call is detected from a calling entity followed by determining a caller identity of the calling entity. Then it is determined whether the caller identity is associated with a subscription to presence information associated with the calling entity, where the presence information includes media data for output through an output unit in the telephone terminal. If the caller identity was determined to be associated with a subscription to presence information, it is determined whether the media data is present in the terminal, and if the media data is present in the terminal, the media data is output through an output unit in the telephone terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Antti A. Koskela
  • Patent number: 7400882
    Abstract: In a method of providing a caller with a pre-stored sound chosen by a called subscriber instead of a standard RBT (RingBack Tone), an HLR (Home Location Register), when a location request message is received from a call-originating exchanger, furnishes either the call-originating exchanger or a call-terminating exchanger with information on whether or not an RBT is to be replaced for the called terminal. The call-originating exchanger or the call-terminating exchanger then searches, while a trunk connection is established between the exchangers, for a sound code assigned to the called terminal based on the information furnished by the HLR, and provides the caller with a pre-stored RBT-replacing sound associated with the found sound code as an RBT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee Hyeok Hahm, Ki Mun Kim, Sang Yun Lee, Yeong Tae No, Jae Young Park
  • Patent number: 7397908
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically changing the operation of signaling features in a telephone are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a method is disclosed to provide automatic reduction in the sound volume associated with the signaling features of a telephone system, during a selected portion of a day. A user is provided with a programmable menu in communication with one or more devices associated with a telephone system. From the menu provided, the user may enter a the beginning and ending time for the “quiet mode” operation of the telephone system. In addition, the user may select the signaling features to be quieted, as well as the sound volume associated with quiet mode operation for a given signaling feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited
    Inventor: Holger Janssen
  • Patent number: 7376395
    Abstract: A telecommunications device comprises a communication alert system arranged to inform the user that a telecommunications signal has been received. The communication alert system uses one of a number of different indicators. The controller is arranged to control the selection of the one of a plurality of indicators such that the selection is affected by a user selectable component of the received telecommunications signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Harper, Julian Gebhardt, Stephen E. Hodges
  • Patent number: 7315618
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for audibly annunciating at a device information transmitted over a telephone network. The information is transmitted in the form of a modulated signal to the device wherein the modulated signal is representative of the information. The apparatus includes a receiver for capturing a ring signal and a modulated signal representative of information transmitted over a telephone network during an interval between the ring signal and a subsequent ring signal; a converter in communication with the receiver for converting the modulated signal into a stream of audible signals; and a speaker in communication with the converter for producing audible sounds corresponding to the stream of audible signals representative of the information received over the telephone network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T BLS Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Moton, Mark J. Enzmann, Samuel N. Zellner
  • Patent number: 7239693
    Abstract: Systems and methods for timed ring suppression are disclosed. After a communications device receives an incoming call and the ringer is activated to produce an initial audible alert, the ringer of the communications device may be silenced for subsequent audible alerts until the calling party hangs up or until the call is further processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventor: Edward Michael Silver