USOO8068604B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,068,604 B2 Leeds et al. (45) Date of Patent: Nov. 29, 2011 (54) METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EVENT 2004, OO67751 A1 4/2004 Vandermeijden et al. NOTIFICATIONS 2004/O120505 A1 6/2004 Kotzin et al. 2004/0235520 A1 11/2004 Cadiz et al. 2006,0003814 A1 1/2006 Moody et al. (75) Inventors: Richard Leeds, Bellevue, WA (US); 2006/0111085 A1 5, 2006 Lee Elon Gasper, Bellevue, WA (US) 2006/0148459 A1 7/2006 Wolfman et al. 2006/01995.75 A1 9, 2006 Moore et al. (73) Assignee: Computer Product Introductions 2006/0215827 A1 9/2006 Pleging et al. 2007, OO64921 A1 3/2007 Albukerk et al. Corporation, Bellevue, WA (US) 2007/0117554 A1 5/2007 Armos (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 2007/0264978 A1 1 1/2007 Stoops patent is extended or adjusted under 35 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS U.S.C. 154(b) by 257 days. EP O 802 661 A2 10, 1997 EP 1098 SO3 A2 5, 2001 (21) Appl. No.: 12/339,429 EP 1814, 296 A1 8, 2007 * cited by examiner (22) Filed: Dec. 19, 2008 Primary Examiner — Md S. Elahee (65) Prior Publication Data (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — LaRiviere, Grubman & US 2010/O161683 A1 Jun. 24, 2010 Payne, LLP (51) Int. Cl. (57) ABSTRACT H04M 3/00 (2006.01) (52) U.S. Cl. ................ 379/373.04; 379/76; 379/167.08; A method for generating a ring tone for a given caller based on 455/567 a prior conversation with that caller. A portion of a conversa (58) Field of Classification Search ............. 379/142.04, tion with a given caller is recorded and stored in memory as a 379/374.02, 67.1, 68, 71, 72, 76, 164, 16708, ring tone. When a Subsequent call is received from the same 379/179, 180, 252,263,373.01373.04, caller, identified by caller ID, the ring tone is played, alerting 379/37403,375.01; 455/567 the user to the incoming call as well as the context of their See application file for complete search history. prior communication. In alternative embodiments of the invention, a prior textual or video conversation is used as the (56) References Cited basis for a ring tone, and/or the ring tone is delivered by other than audio means. The invention is capable of imple U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS mentation in telecommunications systems such as cellular, 6,400,808 B1 6/2002 Burg local exchange, and VOIP, and in combination with other 7,127.238 B2 10/2006 Vandermeijden et al. forms of internet-based telecommunication. 7,310,416 B1* 12/2007 Henderson ............... 379,142.04 2003/0026416 A1 2/2003 Fusco 19 Claims, 15 Drawing Sheets 400 Y 41 incoming Call No Caller Yes ecognized 420 PlayStandard Ringtone and Play Ringtone andlor Display 430 Display Standard Text for Text Based on Notification Unrecognized Caller Setting 440 record Conversation Sample Set as Display? 45 discard Conversation Convert Conversation 460 Sample Sample to Text Save and Set Text as Notification Text U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2011 Sheet 1 of 15 US 8,068,604 B2 Terminal/Handset 110 Local Exchange Carrier, Cell or VOIP Platform 120 Local Exchange Carrier, Cell or VOIP Platform 140 Terminal/Handset 150 Figure 1 U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2011 Sheet 2 of 15 US 8,068,604 B2 200 \, PSTN, PBX, LEC, Cellular, Internet, etc. ' 240 *. Interface: i Caller ID & Ring detect apparatus, Call placement apparatus : 230 Processor U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2011 Sheet 3 of 15 US 8,068,604 B2 300 310 Incoming Call Caller D Yes Recognized? Play Standard Ringtone For Play Ringtone Based On 330 Unrecognized Caller Notification Setting 340 Record Conversation Sample Set as Yes Ringtone? Discard Conversation Save Conversation Sample 360 Sample Set as Ringtone Figure 3 U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2011 Sheet 4 of 15 US 8,068,604 B2 400 410 Incoming Call NO Caller ID Yes Recognized? Play Standard Ringtone and Play Ringtone and/or Display 430 Display Standard Text for Text Based on Notification Unrecognized Caller Setting 440 Record Conversation Sample No Set as Display? Yes 450 Discard Conversation Convert Conversation 460 Sample 470 Sample to Text 480 Save and Set Text as Notification Text Figure 4 U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2011 Sheet 5 of 15 US 8,068,604 B2 500 Incoming Text or No Caller D Yes Recognized? Play Ringtone Based on 530 Play Standard Ringtone Notification Setting 540 Record Text or Chat NO Set as Yes Ringtone? 550 Discard Conversation Convert Text to Audio 560 Sample 570 Speech 580 Save and Set Audio Speech as Ringtone Figure 5 U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2011 Sheet 6 of 15 US 8,068,604 B2 600 S10 Incoming Call Caller ID Yes Recognized? Play Ringtone Based on 630 Play Standard Ringtone Notification Setting Record Caller Memo 650 Set as Ringtone Figure 6 U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2011 Sheet 7 Of 15 US 8,068,604 B2 700 N Operating System (e.g., Linux) and file storage 710 Overall application shell for plug-ins (e.g., FireFox browser) Sound Flash-like AP A Softphone plug Handler module module for in With user (e.g., SDL) (e.g., NetStream interface 760 Gnash) based 730 750 phone platform (e.g., Ribbit) 740 Netstream-style telecommunications Internet (and phone platform, e.g., Ribbit, with 'digital switch' integration With PSTN Figure 7 U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2011 Sheet 8 of 15 US 8,068,604 B2 800 N Operating System (e.g., Windows) with standard file storage, I/O, etc. Standard P.C. application, e.g., WXCommunicator 820 Module for SIP Module for User telecomm and other Interface features, I/O, e.g., SipXTapi e.g., wxWidgets 830 840 SIP-style telecommunications Stream Internet, with SIP phone platform providers and PSTN gateways Figure 8 U.S. Patent US 8,068,604 B2 U.S. Patent US 8,068,604 B2 OLeun61 U.S. Patent US 8,068,604 B2 - |azpušonas —)joapunos --~~~~~--~~~~~~~~~~--------- U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2011 Sheet 15 of 15 US 8,068,604 B2 Event Occurs 190 Phone Internet Etc. call GetAudioReminderfro textext message mEvent or equivalent Get Sender Get IP address Get corresponding Get Caller ID from Private ID email address or other indicator of originator database designator Unknown person. Exit Yes 6rigination indicator have a No indicating that and no ls there more than 1? ReminderRing to be used R key ID (i.e., an associated to announce this event, person?) 192 Disambiguate andlor replace using mechanism specified s there a single reminde Yes Get that rr filename by U options! sing set for that Key ID fg configuration files 196 this event? (Not shown: In all exit cases, besides returning Resolve to 1 194 an rr filename rr filename using ls there more than 12 mechanism(s) designating the specified by Ul ReminderRing to be used options/configuration to announce this call, or files an indication of its absence, ToneMapper may also return a Did the UUI options separate rr filename as the designation for a new configuration files indicate reminderRing file to be Qne should be Created formed, presumably from Exit the contents of this call, indicating and potentially used to that aro Ce SOme rr filename Known person, no subsequent calls for reminderRing. Exit other events.) indicating that and no ls an This applies to any kind ReminderRing to be used alternative of "call" event, not just to announce this event phone. Figure 15. ToneMapper response to telecommunications event US 8,068,604 B2 1. 2 METHOD AND SYSTEM FOREVENT Customizable ring tones have gained in popularity, as they NOTIFICATIONS allow users to set a specific ring tone to be played when receiving a call from a specific person recognized by their CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED caller ID. Many carriers offer services whereby users may DOCUMENTS download specialized ring tones such as songs or other Sound effects directly to a device. In the alternative, digital audio This non-provisional application is based on and claims files may be uploaded to a telecommunications device and priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/039,596, filed used as a ring tone. Utilities exist which enable users to create on Feb. 28, 2008. their own ring tones based on pre-recorded sounds, allowing 10 mixing of multiple Sounds and other forms of audio manipu TECHNICAL FIELD lation. However, though a diversity of customization options The present invention relates to the field of telecommuni exists for the creation of ring tones, these technologies only cations. More specifically, the present invention relates to a facilitate the singular function of identifying the calling party system and method for integrating one or more modes of 15 to the user. Existing ring tone technologies do not provide the communication systems with an advances event communica user with any additional information relating to the caller or tion notification system. the probable context of their call. Therefore, additional utility COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGAPPENDIX would be derived if a ring tone not only aided in identification ON COMPACT DISC of the caller, but also provided information as to the probable intent of the caller. The present invention solves this problem A computer program listing appendix on compact disc is through the creation of a ring tone which incorporates the included as part of this application and the contents of the content of previous correspondence with the caller. compact discs are incorporated herein by reference in their Hardly any attempt to help a user associate a call request entirety for all purposes.