GB2393603A

GB2393603A - Ringtone player with ringtones downloaded via telephone line

Info

Publication number: GB2393603A
Application number: GB0224885A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Worsley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-25
Filing date: 2002-10-25
Publication date: 2004-03-31
Also published as: GB0224885D0

Abstract

A ringtone player is connected between the public switched telephone network (PSTN), via a connector 8, and associated apparatus (1, figure 1), typically a telephone, via a socket 5. An external interface 6 is present which may connect/disconnect the telephone from the telephone network upon detecting off/on-hook condition or may be passive, allowing the user to make and receive calls using the telephone as normal. A modem 10 is used to communicate with a remote ringtone storage facility to thereby download audio ringtone data into a memory device 12. The ringtones are played back via a speaker 13 and different ringtones may be associated with different incoming telephone numbers. The ringtone player may be connected to apparatus other than a telephone and may be used to reproduce the downloaded audio in response to a condition such as closure of a doorbell switch or expiry of a timer.

Description

( 1 Ringtone System The present invention relates to a ringtone system and

more particularly to a ringtone player for playing, for example, ringtones in response to an 5 incoming telephone call or other event or input, and a ringtone storage facility from which new ringtones can be downloaded to the ringtone player.

Background

10 It is already known that mobile telephones used in, amongst others, GSM networks can store multiple ringtones and in response to an incoming call can play a preselected one of the stored ringtones.

Additionally systems are known that allow a user to receive new ringtones by either dialling an automated service or accessing a website 15 service. In both cases the new ringtone is sent to the mobile phone as an RTTL or similar file.

Basic conventional telephones connected to public telephone networks such as a PSTN are unable to play ringtones because of the inherent differences in the technology they use compared with that of mobile telephones. The local 20 exchange in a PSTN generates the ring signal as a series of current pulses. It connects the ring signal through to a telephone when a call is made to the telephone and the bell or speaker in the telephone responds directly to this signal generating the familiar ring sound, which in the UK, is a simple ring-

ring pattern. Such conventional telephones therefore require no batteries as the 25 power to drive the speaker and/or sounder comes from the exchange. There are also available telephones suitable for connection to such a network which respond to the incoming ring signal from the exchange by playing a stored ringtone, melody or other recording not directly driven by the ring current from the exchange.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a system for downloading ringtones s from a ringtone storage facility to a ringtone player. The ringtone player can store one or multiple ringtones and will play a preselected one of the stored ringtones in response to a designated event. In a preferred embodiment, the ringtone player is connected between a conventional telephone and the public telephone network, and the designated event is an incoming call. New 10 ringtones can be downloaded to the ringtone player from the ringtone storage facility, preferably by arranging the storage facility also to be connected to the public telephone network and dialling its telephone number. The user of the player may be given options such as what ringtone to download and the ringtone will be downloaded to the ringtone player during the outgoing call to 15 the storage facility.

Brief description of the drawings

In order that the present invention be more readily understood 20 embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of the telephone ringtone system in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of the ringtone player which forms part of 25 the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of the ringtone player which forms part of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the preferred embodiments

Referring firstly to Figure I which shows a block of diagram of the ringtone system according to the preferred embodiment of the present 5 invention. A telephone 1 is connected to a ringtone player 2. Here the telephone I represents a conventional telephone used to undertake voice calls.

It will be appreciated that this is not meant as a limitation on the invention and that the telephone 1 could be any device connectable to the public telephone network and that rings in response to an incoming call. The ringtone player 2 10 will be described in more detail hereinafter. The ringtone player 2 is connected to a public telephone network 3, such as a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Also connected to the public telephone network 3 is a ringtone storage facility 4 which will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The operation of the ringtone system, will now be described. If a user of 15 the ringtone player 2 desires a new ringtone the telephone number of the ringtone storage facility 4 is dialled using the telephone 1. The ringtone storage facility will then detect the presence of an incoming call and answer the call. The ringtone storage facility will then attempt to connect with the ringtone player 2.

20 Once a connection is established between the ringtone storage facility and the ringtone player the ringtone storage facility will commence download of the ringtone. Once download is complete the ringtone storage facility will terminate the call. The user can then hang up and the ringtone player contains the new ringtone.

25 The ringtone will be in a predetermined format recognisable by the ringtone player. The ringtone storage facility connects with the modem using a known communication standard such as V.23 half-duplex Preferably the ringtone storage facility will contain more than one ringtone. When the ringtone storage facility answers the incoming call it may

prompt the user to enter the identification of the desired ringtone using a pre-

recorded voice. In this case the user will have obtained the number of the desired ringtone from an advertising source such as a magazine or internet website. Alternatively, when a user rings up the ringtone storage facility, the 5 user will be given the option to hear an audible list of the available ringtones.

In this case the user will be able to select a ringtone from the list to download to the ringtone player. In both cases once the ringtone has been selected, the ringtone storage facility downloads the ringtone of the ringtone player as described above.

10 Preferably the ringtone storage facility plays a pro recorded polite greeting when it answers the call so that the user is aware they have dialled the right number.

Preferably, once the ringtone has been downloaded a pre-recorded voice, stored in the ringtone storage facility, informs the user that the download is IS complete and that the user can hang up. Alternatively the ringtone storage facility sends a predefined signal to the ringtone player upon completion of the download. The ringtone player may then visually or audibly inform the ringtone player user that the download is complete and that they can hang up.

Alternatively once the ringtone has been downloaded a pre-recorded voice, 20 stored in the ringtone storage facility, asks the user whether they require further ringtones or whether they wish to hang up. If the user requires additional ringtones then they are returned to the beginning of the automated system.

Referring now to Fig. 2 which shows a block diagram of the ringtone 25 player 2 which forms part of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The ringtone player 2 is connectable to the public telephone network 3 with lead 7 which has a connector 8 which plugs into an appropriate wall socket. A telephone can be connected to the ringtone player via socket 5.

Socket 5 and lead 7 are both connected to external interface 6. In the preferred embodiment the external interface is a passive device allowing the user to make and receive calls using telephone 1 as normal. Additionally, the external interface 6 is connected to ring detection circuit 9. Ring detection 5 circuit 9 is adapted to detect the presence of an incoming call and when an incoming call is detected it sends a signal to processor 11. Processor 11 is connected to a memory 12 and a speaker 13. The memory 12 may be included within the processor 11. The memory 12 stores one ringtone in a predetermined format. When the ringtone player is first put into operation it 10 may contain no ringtone. When the processor 11 detects a signal from the ring detection circuit 9 it will play the ringtone stored in memory 12 through speaker 13. If no ringtone is stored in memory 12, no ringtone will be played.

Alternatively the processor may play a simple audible signal through speaker 12 to indicate the user that no ringtone is stored during the presence of an 15 incoming call. It will be appreciated that the ringer on telephone 1 must be switched off in order to hear only the ringtone player ringtone.

Modem 10 is connected to external interface 6 and processor 1 1.

Modem 10 remains idle during the normal operation of the ringtone player.

That is, when the user makes a conventional telephone call or receives a 20 telephone call.

While idle, the modem monitors the telephone line for a connection attempt by the ringtone storage facility during any call. Once the modem 10 detects the presence of the connection attempt by the ringtone storage facility communication is set up between the modem and the ringtone storage facility 25 and download of the ringtone is commenced. The ringtone is passed from the modem to the processor and in turn to the memory. Once download is complete the ringtone storage facility terminates communication with the modem 10 and the ringtone player becomes idle.

l Alternatively the external interface 6 can be an active device. In this case, when a user wishes to make a call they pick up the handset of the telephone I as usual. The external interface is adapted to detect the when the handset is picked up. This may be done by monitoring the hook switch in the 5 telephone. The socket 5 is then connected to the lead 7 by the external 1 device 6 and the user will hear the dialling tone and a call can be made. When the call is finished the user hangs up, the external interface detects this and disconnects the socket and lead. The ring detection circuit and modem are always connected through to the lead 6. When there is an incoming call the telephone 10 does not ring as the lead 6 is not connected to the socket 5. However the ringtone player plays the ringtone in the usual way.

When the user picks up the telephone handset the external interface detects this and connects the socket to the lead. This answers the call which stops the ring signal which stops the ringtone player playing the ringtone.

15 When the call is finished the user hangs up in the usual way.

Referring now to Fig. 3 which shows a block diagram of the ringtone player 2 which forms part of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Preferably the memory 12 is adapted to store a plurality of ringtones. When a new ringtone is received by the ringtone player from the 20 ringtone storage facility the ringtone is stored in an empty memory space. If there are no empty memory spaces the ringtone is stored over an existing ringtone. Also provided is a user interface 14. Preferably the user interface is adapted to allow user input and to provide indication of useful information to the user. Indication may be provided by a bank of LEDs or an LCD. The user 25 interface is adapted to allow the user to select which of the stored ringtones should be the active ringtone. The active ringtone is the ringtone which shall be played in response to an incoming call. Preferably, the user interface may be adapted to provide the user with useful information such as, which memory spaces are full and which of the stored ringtones is the active ringtone. In the

( 7 case when the ringtone storage facility sends a predefined signal to the ringtone player to indicate the end of the call, the user interface may be adapted to provide a visual indication that the call can be terminated. Alternatively the indication that the call is ended may be provided as a audible indication by 5 speaker 13.

Preferably the ringtone player is provided with a RAM 15. The RAM can be used by the processor 11 to temporarily store any downloaded ringtones.

Once the user has indicated where they wish the ringtone to be stored using user interface 14, the ringtone can be transferred to the memory means and 10 deleted from the RAM.

The user interface can be adapted to allow the user to assign stored ringtones to particular telephone numbers. Preferably the processor 11 is adapted to use the Caller Line Identification (CLI) information that is provided with an incoming call in modern PSTNs. When the CLI of an incoming call 15 matches that of a telephone number assigned to a particular ringtone, that ringtone is played. Otherwise the a default ringtone is played.

As is referred to above, other embodiments of the invention may include a ringtone player that is not responsive to an incoming telephone call, but may for instance be a doorbell, or other alerting device, which is responsive to a 20 predetermined input or inputs to play an audio signal, referred to above as a ringtone. Such input could simply be the current generated by the closure of the electrical contacts of a doorbell button, or the output of a timer device, for instance. In any event, the ringtone player is connectable to the telephone network for the purpose of downloading ringtones from the server.

Claims

! CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus adapted to be connected to a telephone line and to be responsive to a predetermined input to generate an audible signal, the device comprising a memory adapted to store data representing one or more audible signals, and receiving means adapted to receive, via said telephone line, data representing an audible signal.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising connection means to which a telephone apparatus may be connected for use with said telephone line.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, arranged to be responsive to a telephone apparatus connected to said connection means being in an "offhook" condition to connect said telephone apparatus to said telephone line.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising means arranged to cause said receiving means to receive said data via said telephone line during a call initiated by a user using telephone apparatus connected to said connection means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means arranged to initiate a call via said telephone line to enable said receiving means to receive said data via said telephone line.

6. Apparatus according to any of claims I to 5, comprising a user interface whereby a user may control operation of the apparatus.

( q

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said user interface ix configured to enable a riser to select which of a plurality of audible signals for which data is stored in said memory should be played in response to said predetermined input.

8. Apparatus according to any of claims I to 7, wherein said audible signals are telephone ring tones and said predetermined input is an incoming ring signal on said telephone line.

9. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein said predetermined input is a signal received from one of a pushbutton switch and a timer device.

10. A system comprising a server device arranged to store data representing audible signals, and one or more apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 9 arranged to communicate with said server via said telephone line to request data representative of one or more audible signals, said server being responsive to such request to supply said data via said telephone line.