Method and apparatus for presenting multimedia content
A method and apparatus are provided for presenting multimedia content to a caller and/or a called party in association with a telephone call. Content may be presented pre-ring (before the called party's telephone rings), in-call, and/or post-call. Content presented to a party may be related to another party participating in the call or may be related to a third party (e.g., an advertiser that paid for the ability to have its content presented). Presented content may be actuable, to allow a caller to change the destination of a call, take advantage of an offer presented to him or her, redeem a coupon, schedule or queue a subsequent call, etc. To find a desired destination party, a caller may initiate a manual or automatic search of his or her local contacts (on his telephone) and/or a central or global directory or contact list.
1. A communication device for presenting multimedia content to a called party, the communication device comprising:
a screen, wherein the screen is operable to display content;
a storage component for storing one or more of contacts, user preferences, and multimedia content;
a browser for presenting and navigating multimedia content;
an application programming interface (“API”), wherein the API is operable to facilitate presentation of content to the called party;
a call processor for processing an incoming call, the call processor being operable to receive a predetermined content to be presented to the called party;
wherein the predetermined content is presented to the called party before a voice communication is established between a caller and the called party,
wherein the predetermined content is selected by the caller;
wherein the communication device is capable of supporting data communication and voice communication;
wherein the communication device is configured to provide one or more controls to the called party for taking an action before establishing the voice communication between the caller and the called party; and
wherein the action comprises re-routing the call.
2. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined content is stored in the storage component after being presented to the called party.
3. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the communication device has access to a block list and wherein the block list is used to screen calls from predetermined telephone numbers.
4. The communication device of claim 3 , wherein the block list is stored locally on the communication device.
5. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the action further comprises at least one of seeing more content, navigating to a particular web page, navigating to a particular web site, downloading content, ordering a good or service, and adding another party to the call.
6. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is configured to present multimedia content to the called party during the call between the caller and the called party.
7. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is configured to provide one or more controls to the called party for taking an action after establishing the voice communication between the caller and the called party.
8. An apparatus operable by a caller to present multimedia content to a called party, the apparatus comprising:
a screen, wherein the screen is operable to display content;
a storage component for storing contacts, user preferences, and multimedia content;
a browser for presenting and navigating multimedia content;
an application programming interface (“API”), wherein the API is operable to facilitate presentation of content to the caller;
a call processor for processing an outgoing call, the call processor being operable to submit data to a call server;
wherein a predetermined content is presented to the called party before a voice communication is established between the caller and the called party,
wherein the predetermined content is selected by the caller;
wherein the communication device is capable of supporting parallel data and voice communication; and
wherein the apparatus comprises logic for performing key-word based lookup, said key-word based look up comprising the apparatus receiving at least one of a part of a name and a part of a phone telephone number as a user input and searching for matching contacts in response to said user input.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the apparatus has access to a block list and wherein the block list is used to screen calls from predetermined telephone numbers.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the communication device is configured to provide one or more controls to the caller for taking an action before establishing the voice communication between the caller and the called party.
11. An apparatus operable by a caller to present multimedia content to a called party, the apparatus comprising:
a screen, wherein the screen is operable to display content;
a storage component for storing contacts, user preferences, and multimedia content;
a browser for presenting and navigating multimedia content;
an application programming interface (“API”), wherein the API is operable to facilitate presentation of content to the caller;
a call processor for processing an outgoing call, the call processor being operable to submit data to a call server;
wherein a predetermined content is presented to the called party before a voice communication is established between the caller and the called party,
wherein the predetermined content is selected by the caller;
wherein the communication device is configured to provide one or more controls to the caller for taking an action before establishing the voice communication between the caller and the called party; and
wherein the action comprises at least one of seeing more content, navigating to a particular web page, navigating to a particular web site, downloading content, ordering a good or service, adding another party to the call, and re-routing the call.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the communication device is configured to present multimedia content to the called party during the call between the caller and the called party.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the communication device is configured to provide one or more controls to the caller for taking an action after establishing the voice communication between the caller and the called party.
14. A method of presenting multimedia content to a called party by a caller, the caller having a communication device, the method comprising:
storing one or more of contacts, user preferences, and multimedia content on the communication device;
displaying content to the caller on a screen of the communication device;
providing an application programming interface (“API”) on the communication device, wherein the API is operable to facilitate presentation of content to the called party;
providing a call processor for processing an outgoing call, wherein the call processor submits a predetermined content to be presented to the called party;
wherein the predetermined content is selected by the caller;
presenting the predetermined content to the called party before a voice communication is established between the caller and the called party;
establishing a voice communication between the caller and the called party after the predetermined content is displayed to the called party; and
providing one or more controls to the caller for taking an action after establishing the voice communication between the caller and the called party;
wherein the action comprises re-routing the call.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising providing one or more controls to the called party for taking an action before establishing the voice communication between the caller and the called party.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises at least one of seeing more content, navigating to a particular web page, navigating to a particular web site, downloading content, ordering a good or service, adding another party to the call, and re-routing the call.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising providing one or more controls to the called party for taking an action after establishing the voice communication between the caller and the called party.
18. A method of presenting multimedia content to a called party by a caller, the caller having a communication device, the method comprising:
storing one or more of contacts, user preferences, and multimedia content on the communication device;
displaying content to the caller on a screen of the communication device;
providing an application programming interface (“API”) on the communication device, wherein the API is operable to facilitate presentation of content to the called party;
providing a call processor for processing an outgoing call, wherein the call processor submits a predetermined content to be presented to the called party;
wherein the predetermined content is selected by the caller;
presenting the predetermined content to the called party before a voice communication is established between the caller and the called party;
establishing a voice communication between the caller and the called party after the predetermined content is displayed to the called party; and
the caller performing a key-word based lookup, said key-word based look up comprising the communication device receiving at least one of a part of a name and a part of a phone telephone number as a user input and searching for matching contacts in response to said user input.
19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising providing a block list, wherein the block list is used to screen calls from predetermined telephone numbers.
20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising establishing parallel data communication and voice communication between the caller and the called party.
21. The method of claim 14 , further comprising presenting multimedia content to the called party during the call between the caller and the called party.
22. A method of presenting multimedia content to a called party by a caller, the caller having a communication device, the method comprising:
storing one or more of contacts, user preferences, and multimedia content on the communication device;
displaying content to the caller on a screen of the communication device;
providing an application programming interface (“API”) on the communication device, wherein the API is operable to facilitate presentation of content to the called party;
providing a call processor for processing an outgoing call, wherein the call processor submits a predetermined content to be presented to the called party;
wherein the predetermined content is selected by the caller;
presenting the predetermined content to the called party before a voice communication is established between the caller and the called party;
establishing a voice communication between the caller and the called party after the predetermined content is displayed to the called party; and
providing one or more controls to the called party for taking an action after establishing the voice communication between the caller and the called party;
wherein the action comprises at least one of seeing more content, navigating to a particular web page, navigating to a particular web site, downloading content, ordering a good or service, adding another party to the call, and re-routing the call.