Additional information on a caller
To provide a called one with information on the caller, a reference to a resource containing real-time or near-real-time information relating to the caller, or information deduced using the real-time or near-real-time information, or the real-time or near-real-time information, or the information deduced using the real-time or near-real-time information, is transmitted with a connection establishment request, and the information in the resource or the received information is displayed to the called one before the requested connection is established so that the called one can make a decision whether or not to answer the call.
1. A method for a called party apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving in the called party apparatus, both a message indicating a connection establishment request for a two-way connection from a calling party apparatus and caller information, the caller information comprising a real-time continuous video stream of a user of the calling party apparatus;
outputting the received real-time continuous video stream via a user interface of the called party apparatus, for at least as long as the connection establishment request is pending, and providing an indication of the connection establishment request via the user interface of the called party apparatus; and
in response to receiving a user input indicating a connection establishment acceptance, establishing the two-way connection.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the message and caller information are received in the called party apparatus over a one-way connection.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , the method further comprising rejecting the connection establishment request if:
no caller information is received;
if the user of the calling party apparatus is in a blocked caller list of the called party apparatus; or
if the user of the calling party apparatus is not in a contact list of the called party apparatus and no caller information is received.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , the method further comprising rejecting the connection establishment request, wherein rejecting the connection establishment request is a soft rejection in which a connection establishment rejection is not forwarded to the calling party apparatus and the connection establishment request is indicated as pending to the calling party apparatus until the calling party apparatus terminates the connection establishment request.
5. A computer program product comprising computer program code configured to perform a method as claimed in claim 1 when executed on an apparatus.
6. An apparatus comprising means for implementing a method as claimed in claim 1 .
7. A telecommunications system comprising:
a network; and
two or more user apparatuses comprising means for implementing a method as claimed in claim 1 .
8. The telecommunications system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the network comprises a server configured to provide the caller information.
9. The telecommunications system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the system is further configured to cause a called party apparatus of the two or more user apparatuses to reject the connection establishment request as a soft rejection in which the connection establishment rejection is not forwarded to a calling party apparatus of the two or more user apparatuses from the called party apparatus and the connection establishment request is indicated as pending to the calling party apparatus until the calling party apparatus terminates the connection establishment request.
10. A method for a calling party apparatus, the method comprising:
detecting in the calling party apparatus a user input indicating a connection establishment request to establish a two-way connection with a called party apparatus;
the calling party apparatus being configured to start capturing, in a continuous manner, a real-time continuous video of a user of the calling party apparatus, and send the captured video in real-time in a video stream to the called party apparatus with the connection establishment request; and
continuing the capturing of the real-time continuous video and sending of the real-time continuous video stream to the called party apparatus at least as long as the connection establishment request is pending.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , the method further comprising, after detecting the user input indicating the connection establishment request:
sending the connection establishment request to the called party apparatus in a first message; and
sending the caller information in one or more second messages before the requested connection is established.
12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising:
sending the connection establishment request and the caller information consecutively without any specific request for the caller information so that the one or more second messages are sent after the first message, or sending the one or more second messages in response to a specific request on the caller information.
13. A called party apparatus comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute non-transitory machine-readable instructions, which when executed, cause the called party apparatus to:
receive both a message indicating a connection establishment request for a two-way connection from a calling party apparatus and caller information, the caller information comprising a real-time continuous video stream of a user of the calling party apparatus;
output the received real-time continuous video stream via a user interface of the called party apparatus, for at least as long as the connection establishment request is pending;
provide an indication of the connection establishment request via the user interface; and
in response to receiving a user input via the user interface indicating a connection establishment acceptance, establishing the two-way connection.
14. A calling party apparatus comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute non-transitory machine readable instructions, which when executed cause the calling party apparatus to:
detect a user input indicating a connection establishment request to establish a two-way connection with a called party apparatus;
start capturing, in a continuous manner, a real-time continuous video of a user of the calling party apparatus;
send the captured real-time continuous video in a real-time continuous video stream to the called party apparatus with the connection establishment request; and
continue the capturing and sending of the real-time continuous video stream to the called party apparatus at least as long as the connection establishment request is pending.
15. A method for a called party apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving in the called party apparatus, over a one-way connection, a connection establishment request for a two-way connection from a calling party apparatus, the connection establishment request comprising caller information, the caller information comprising a real-time continuous video stream of a user of the calling party apparatus;
outputting the received real-time continuous video stream for at least as long as the connection establishment request is pending, and providing an indication of the connection establishment request via a user interface of the called party apparatus; and
in response to receiving a user input indicating an acceptance of the connection establishment request, establishing the two-way connection.
16. A method for a calling party apparatus, the method comprising:
detecting in the calling party apparatus a user input for sending, over a one-way connection, a connection establishment request to establish a two-way connection with a called party apparatus;
starting capturing, in a continuous manner, a real-time continuous video stream of a user of the calling party apparatus;
sending, with the connection establishment request, caller information to the called party apparatus, the caller information being the real-time continuous video stream;
continuing the capturing of the real-time continuous video stream and sending of the real-time continuous video stream, in real-time, to the called party apparatus for at least as long as the connection establishment request is pending.
17. A method for a called party apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving in the called party apparatus, over a one-way connection, both a message indicating a connection establishment request for a two-way connection from a calling party apparatus and caller information, the caller information comprising a real-time continuous video stream of a user of the calling party apparatus, received in real-time in a continuous manner by the called party apparatus, at least as long as the connection establishment request is pending;
outputting the received real-time continuous video stream and providing an indication of the connection establishment request via a user interface of the called party apparatus; and
in response to receiving a user input indicating an acceptance of the connection establishment request, establishing the two-way connection.
18. A server configured to provide real-time caller information to a called party, wherein the server is configured to:
receive a message requesting a connection for delivering caller information, the caller information comprising a real-time continuous video stream of a user of a calling party apparatus;
send a message accepting the connection request;
indicate an address where to send the caller information;
receive the real-time continuous video stream of the caller information;
send a call establishment message; and
send the caller information to the called party apparatus.
19. The server according to claim 18 , wherein the server is further configured to:
detect a message indicating call answered message; and
deliver one or more messages with actual call content.