IP Library Granted Patent US 8,036,355
Granted Patent B2
US 8,036,355 · App. 12/625,064 · Granted Oct 11, 2011

Methods and systems for visual voice calls

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,036,355
App. No.
12/625,064
Granted
Oct 11, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an exemplary method, at least one telephony attribute associated with a voice call directed from a client communication subsystem to a voice network identifier is detected. Visual content that has been predefined as being associated with the at least one telephony attribute is identified. A request for the visual content is initiated in response to the detecting step. The visual content is received, in response to the initiating step, for display at the client communication subsystem.

Claims (42)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a client communication device, an index descriptive of a predefined association between visual content and a telephone number;

detecting, by the client communication device, an initiation of a voice call from the client communication device to the telephone number;

querying, by the client communication device, the index to identify the visual content as being associated with the telephone number;

sending, by the client communication device, a request for the visual content to a content server subsystem;

receiving, by the client communication device, the visual content from the content server subsystem in response to the request; and

displaying, by the client communication device, the visual content.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client communication device comprises a cellular telephone.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client communication device comprises a set-top box in communication with a television.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual content comprises at least one of static visual content, dynamic visual content, and interactive visual content.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the client communication device, an update of the index in response to a change in the predefined association between the visual content and the telephone number.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing, by the client communication device, an introductory visual content page that is predefined as being associated with the telephone number; and

displaying, by the client communication device, the introductory visual content page in response to the detecting of the initiation of the voice call.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the index is further descriptive of an association between the visual content and a predetermined geographic location, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, by the client communication device, a geographic identifier descriptive of a geographic location of the client communication device; and

requesting the visual content if the geographic identifier indicates that the geographic location of the client communication device matches the predetermined geographic location.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the geographic identifier comprises at least one of an area code and a zip code.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual content comprises a menu.

10. A method comprising:

maintaining, by a content server subsystem, an index descriptive of an association between a telephone number, a telephony attribute, and visual content;

providing, by content server subsystem, the index to a client communication device;

receiving, by the content server subsystem, a request for the visual content from the client communication device and based on the index, the request being received in response to a detection of the telephony attribute that occurs when a voice call is directed from the client communication device to the telephone number; and

delivering, by the content server subsystem in response to the receiving of the request, the visual content to the client communication device for display by the client communication device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the client communication device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone and a set-top box.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the visual content comprises at least one of static visual content, dynamic visual content, and interactive visual content.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the maintaining of the index comprises generating the index.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the maintaining of the index comprises updating the index in response to a change in the association between the telephone number, the telephony attribute, and the visual content.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising providing, by the content server subsystem, an updated index to the client communication device in response to the updating of the index.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the telephony attribute comprises at least one of a portion of a voice network identifier, an initiation of the voice call, a connection of the voice call, a disconnection of the voice call, a telephony signal, and information associated with a user associated with the client communication device.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the telephony attribute comprises a geographic identifier indicative of a geographic location of the client communication device, and wherein the delivering of the visual content comprises delivering visual content associated with the geographic location of the client communication device.

18. A method comprising:

detecting, by a client communication subsystem, an occurrence of a telephony attribute associated with a voice call;

displaying, by the client communication subsystem, introductory visual content associated with the detected telephony attribute and in response to the detection of the occurrence of the telephony attribute;

identifying, by the client communication subsystem, additional visual content predefined as being associated with the detected telephony attribute;

retrieving, by the client communication subsystem, the additional visual content while the introductory visual content is displayed; and

displaying, by the client communication subsystem, the additional visual content after the additional visual content is retrieved.

19. A system comprising:

a detection module configured to detect an initiation of a voice call to a telephone number and identify visual content predefined as being associated with the telephone number;

an application server interface communicatively coupled to the detection module and configured to send a request for the identified visual content to a content server subsystem and receive the identified visual content from the content server subsystem in response to the request; and

a display module communicatively coupled to the application server interface and configured to display the identified visual content.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the detection module, the application server interface, and the display module are implemented by a cellular telephone.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2014
From: VERIZON DATA SERVICES LLC
To: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
Reel/Frame 033428/0643 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 14, 2011
From: VERIZON DATA SERVICES INC.
To: VERIZON DATA SERVICES LLC
Reel/Frame 026902/0038 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 025488 FRAME 0931. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 12, 2011
From: VELARDE, JIMENA; ELBERG, EDWIN; BLANDO, LUIS; VALDEZ, JOHN; NAGGAR, MICHAEL J.; GOLDSTEIN, MONA A.; SHARMA, SUDHANSHU; ALDREY, RAUL
To: VERIZON DATA SERVICES INC.
Reel/Frame 026889/0973 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2010
From: VELARDE, JIMENA; ELBERG, EDWIN; BLANDO, LUIS; VALDEZ, JOHN; NAGGAR, MICHAEL J.; GOLDSTEIN, MONA A.; SHARMA, SUDHANSHU; ALDREY, RAUL
To: VERIZON DATA SERVICES, LLC
Reel/Frame 025488/0931 →