WO2005088990A1

WO2005088990A1 - Apparatus and method of providing voice ring back tone

Info

Publication number: WO2005088990A1
Application number: PCT/KR2004/001906
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kwangsoo Ko
Original assignee: Tn Co. Ltd
Priority date: 2004-03-16
Filing date: 2004-07-29
Publication date: 2005-09-22

Abstract

Provided is a n apparatus for providing a voice ring back tone including an input unit receiving a call receiver's message from a user terminal, a ring back tone generating unit generating a voice ring back tone based on the input information, a ring back tone storing unit storing a generated voice ring back tone, and a ring back tone providing unit, in response to a call connection request from a caller to the call receiver, extracting the generated voice ring back tone from the ring back tone storing unit and transmitting the extracted voice ring back tone.

Description

Description APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PROVIDING VOICE RING BACK TONE Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of providing a voice ring back tone to a caller, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method of providing a call receiver's message input in various ways as a voice ring back tone. Background Art

[2] In general, a ring back tone refers to a sound provided by a switching telephone network during a call standby state. Recently, a service to provide a ring back tone as a background sound that a user prefers is widely used.

[3] FIG. 1 shows a conventional apparatus for providing a ring back tone. Referring to FIG. 1, when a caller's terminal 110 requests a call connection from a call receiver's terminal 120 via a mobile communication network 100, a ring back tone providing server 130 detects a call signal by means of an exchange of the mobile communication network 100. Then, the ring back tone providing server 130 accesses a sound source DB 140 where different background sounds are stored according to the tastes of the callers and extracts a call receiver's background sound and then transmits the extracted background sound to the caller's terminal 110 until the call receiver's terminal 120 responds to the call. Thus, through the above process, the caller can hear the background sound that the call receiver selects during the call standby state, instead of a monotonous ring back tone.

[4] However, since the ring back tone providing service provides only the background sound according to the taste of the call receiver, a message that the call receiver wishes to deliver cannot be transmitted. If a call receiver's message can be provided as a voice ring back tone, the caller can accurately identify the call receiver while the call receiver can more actively use the ring back tone. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[5] To solve the above and/or other problems, the present invention provides an apparatus and method of providing a voice ring back tone which can convey a call receiver's message during the call standby state of a caller by converting an input call receiver's message to a voice ring back tone.

[6] The present invention provides an apparatus and method of providing a voice ring back tone which can provide a present state of a call receiver as a ring back tone in real time by using a short message service (SMS) as a call receiver's message input means.

[7] The other objects and advantages of the present invention will be described below and presented in the following embodiments of the present invention. Also, the other objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the elements defined by the claims of the present invention and a combination thereof. Technical Solution

[8] According to an aspect of the present invention, a n apparatus for providing a voice ring back tone comprises an input unit receiving a call receiver's message from a user terminal, a ring back tone generating unit generating a voice ring back tone based on the input information, a ring back tone storing unit storing a generated voice ring back tone, and a ring back tone providing unit, in response to a call connection request from a caller to the call receiver, extracting the generated voice ring back tone from the ring back tone storing unit and transmitting the extracted voice ring back tone.

[9] According to another aspect of the present invention, a n apparatus of providing a voice ring back tone in engagement with a ring back tone providing apparatus which provides a call receiver's ring back tone stored in a database according to a call connection request by a caller, comprises an input unit receiving a call receiver's message and a generating unit generating a ring back tone based on input information, wherein the input unit comprises an SMS MO gateway receiving a call receiver's message using an SMS, a WAP server receiving the call receiver's message using a WAP protocol, a WEB server receiving the call receiver's message using a WEB protocol, and an ARS server recording voice of the call receiver using an automatic response function, wherein the generating unit comprises a text receiving portion receiving a text of the input call receiver's message, a TTS portion converting the text to voice, a voice receiving portion receiving the voice of the call receiver recorded in the ARS server, and a ring back tone recording portion storing the converted voice or the voice of the call receiver in the database as a call receiver's ring back tone.

[10] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of providing a voice ring back tone comprises receiving a message by a call receiver through an SMS MO gateway, converting the call receiver's message to voice, storing a converted voice in a database, and extracting voice stored in the database in response to a call request from a caller to the call receiver and transmitting the extracted voice as a ring back tone.

[11] The following descriptions merely show the principle of the present invention. Thus, those skilled in the art can embody the principle of the present invention and invent various apparatuses included in the concept and range of the present invention, although they are not described or illustrated in the present specification. Also, all optional terms and embodiments mentioned in the present specification must be obviously intended as an object to make the concept of the present invention understood and understood as not being limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and states. Also, not only the principle, view, and embodiments of the present invention, but also all detailed descriptions referring to a particular embodiment must be understood to intend to include structural and iinctional equivalents of the same. Also, these equivalents must be understood to include not only the presently well known equivalents but also equivalents to be developed in the future, that is, all devices that will be invented to perform the same function regardless of its structure. Thus, for example, the block diagram of the present specification must be understood to indicate a conceptual viewpoint of an exemplary circuit detailing the principle of the present invention. Similarly, all flow charts, status conversion diagrams, and pseudocodes must be understood to indicate various processes performed by a computer or a processor, regardless of whether they can be actually conveyed on a computer readable medium and the computer and the processor are clearly illustrated.

[12] The functions of the various devices illustrated in the drawings including function blocks indicated as a processor or a similar concept thereto can be provided by using not only exclusive hardware but also hardware capable of performing software related to appropriate software. When the function is provided by a processor, it can be provided by a single exclusive processor, a single common processor, or a plurality of individual processors and some of them can be used commonly. Also, the clear use of terms suggested as a processor, control, or a similar concept thereto must not be exclusively interpreted as hardware capable of performing software, but be understood to implicitly include digital signal processor (DSP) hardware and a ROM, a RAM, and a non- volatile memory for storing software, without a limit. Other well known hardware can be included. Similarly, a switch shown in the drawings may be one conceptually suggested. The operation of the switch must be understood to be capable of performing program control through a program logic or an exclusive logic, the interactive operation of the exαisive logic, or manually. A particular technology can be selected by a designer through detailed understanding of the present specification.

[13] In the claims of the present specification, constituent elements presented as a means to perform a function described in the detailed description are intended to include all methods performing a function including all types of software including a combination of circuit devices performing the function or firmware/micro code, and are combined to an appropriate circuit to execute the software to perform the function. Since the present invention defined by the claims are combined with functions provided by the variously listed means and a method required by the claims, any means to provide the function can be understood to be equivalent to one understood from the present specification.

[14] The above-mentioned objects, characteristics, and merits will be clearer through the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. Also, in the description of the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted when the detailed description about a related well known technology will unnecessarily make the gist of the present invention vague. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention is described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Advantageous Effects

[15] According to the present invention, by providing a call receiver's message as a voice ring back tone, a message that a call receiver wishes to convey can be delivered to a caller. Also, by using an SMS of the call receiver's message, information of the call receiver can be provided in real time. Further, by transmitting a voice ring back tone with a background sound, communication added services meeting various demands by users can be provided. Description of Drawings

[16] FIG. 1 is a view for explaining a conventional apparatus for providing a ring back tone;

[17] FIG. 2 is a view showing the structure of an overall system according to en embodiment of the present invention;

[18] FIG. 3 is a view showing the structure of a ring back tone generating server of FIG. 2;

[19] FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the process of setting a voice ring back tone according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[20] FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the process of changing a voice ring back tone using an SMS according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[21] FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a data structure of a ring back tone DB of FIG. 2; and

[22] FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the process of providing a voice ring back tone according to an embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode

[23] Referring to FIG. 2, in an overall system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a ring back tone providing server 210, a ring back tone control server 230, and a ring back tone generating server 240 connected to a mobile communication network 200.

[24] The mobile communication network 200 includes a home location register (HLR) 202, a call receiving mobile switching center (MSQ204 that communicates with the HLR 202 via a signaling transfer protocol (STP) based No. 7 network, and a calling MSC 206.

[25] Although the mobile communication network is described as an example in the present embodiment, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the technical concept of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[26] The HLR 202 according to the present embodiment stores service setting information on a voice ring back tone and routing information for routing to the ring back tone providing server 210 as information on a profile of a call receiver.

[27] The call receiving MSC 204 and the calling MSC 206 according to the present embodiment receives and stores the service setting information and the routing information from the HLR 202. Thus, where there is a call connection request from the caller, the ring back tone providing server 210 can provide a voice ring back tone to the caller based on the service setting information and the routing information.

[28] The ring back tone providing server 210 includes a ring back tone DB 220 containing a voice ring back tone generated by converting a message of the caller and a background sound selected according to the taste of the caller, and provides an appropriate ring back tone in connection with the call receiving MSC and the calling MSC 206.

[29] The ring back tone control server 230 in connection with the ring back tone providing server 210 controls provision of the voice ring back tone that the ring back tone providing server 210 provides to the call receiving MSC 204 and the calling MSC 206.

[30] In the present embodiment, the ring back tone control server 230 provides a ring back tone code which is used for the ring back tone providing server 210 to search the ring back tone DB 220 for a ring back tone corresponding to the call receiver.

[31] In particular, in order to provide different ring back tones according to an identification number of a caller and/or a call connection request time, the ring back tone control server 230 can provide different codes by a predetermined condition.

[32] For example, the ring back tone control server 230 allots different codes to various voice ring back tones and background sounds stored in the ring back tone DB 220 and can provide the ring back tone providing server 210 with codes appropriate to conditions such as a particular caller, a caller group, and a calling time that the call receiver specified, when subscribing the service.

[33] The ring back tone generating server 240 converts a call receiver's message input through a short message service mobile originated (SMS MO) gateway 250, a wireless application protocol (WAP) server 252, an ARS server 254, and a WEB server 256, to a voice ring back tone. The operation of the ring back tone generating server 240 will be described in detail later.

[34] The SMS MO gateway 250 receives a text message from a call receiver's mobile terminal 270 through the SMS and transmits the received text message to the ring back tone generating server 240. Since an SMS MO service is a well known technology in the field to which the present invention pertains, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[35] The mobile terminal 270 includes a mobile cellular phone and a personal digital assistant (PDA) phone which can transmit an SMS text message.

[36] The WAP server 252 connects the call receiver's mobile terminal 270 based on a WAP protocol. The mobile terminal 270 requires a WAP browser that code-interprets and displays a site created using a wireless markup language (WML).

[37] The mobile terminal 270 code-interprets and displays a WAP page that the WAP server 252 transmits, and receives a call receiver's message and background sound input by the call receiver and transmits the received data to the WAP server 252. The call receiver's message is transmitted to the ring back tone generating server 240 and converted to a voice ring back tone.

[38] The ARS server 256 in connection with the call receiver's mobile terminal 270 or wired telephone (not shown) records voice of the call receiver as a call receiver's message using an automatic response function. The recorded voice is transmitted to the ring back tone generating server 240 and generated as a voice ring back tone.

[39] The WEB server 256 makes a connection to a call receiver's PC 280 using a world wide web (WWW) Internet protocol. The WEB server 256 transmits a plurality of web pages to the PC 280 and receives call receiver's message and background sound from the PC 280. The input call receiver's message is transmitted to the ring back tone generating server 240 and converted to a voice ring back tone. [40] The PC 280 includes a notebook computer or a hand held PC which transmits or receives data through the Internet. The PC 280 includes, as a typical system constituent elements, a web browser program which accesses a web page based on a uniform resource locator (URL), hyper- text markup language (HTML) code-interprets the web page, and displays the code-interpreted web page on a monitor, and an operating system (OS) which manages and controls the overall computer system.

[41] In the present embodiment, although the respective servers can be embodied as individual computer systems, they can be incorporated into a single large computer and operated.

[42] FIG. 3 shows a detailed structure of a ring back tone generating server according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the ring back tone generating server 240 includes a server engine 310, a text receiving portion 320, a background sound receiving portion 330, a text- to- speech (TTS) portion 340, a mixing portion 350, a voice receiving portion 360, and a ring back tone recording portion 370.

[43] The server engine 310 provides a platform for a server-side program.

[44] The text receiving portion 320 receives a text of a call receiver's message input to the SMS MO gateway 250, the WAP server 252, and the WEB server 256.

[45] The background sound receiving portion 330 receives a background sound selected by the call receiver using the WAP server 252, the WEB server 256, and the ARS server 254. Thus, the ring back tone generating server 240 may further include a background sound database storing a variety of background sounds.

[46] The TTS portion 340 converts the text output from the text receiving portion 320 to voice. The TTS portion 340 analyzes the text structure of a message input by the call receiver and outputs sound similar to voice of a human. Since a TTS conversion solution is a well known technology in the field to which the present invention pertains, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[47] The mixing portion 350 mixes the converted voice and a background sound to generate a ring back tone. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the voice converted by the TTS portion 340 and the background sound selected by the call receiver are mixed to generate a ring back tone.

[48] The voice receiving portion 360 receives the call receiver's voice recorded in the ARS server 254 and performs a function to generate a voice ring back tone.

[49] The ring back tone recording portion 370 receives the voice ring back tone, the background sound, or the voice mixed with the background sound from the TTS portion 340, the background sound receiving portion 330, the mixing portion 350, or the voice receiving portion 360 and records and stores the received data on the ring back tone DB 220.

[50] In the present embodiment, different codes are allotted to the call receivers when the ring back tones are stored and the ring back tone control server 230 transmits a ring back tone code appropriate to the call receiver to the ring back tone providing server 210.

[51] FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the process of registering a voice ring back tone service according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, a call receiver who wishes to use a voice ring back tone service according to the present invention requests the service from a communication service provider through a variety of routes such as making a phone call to an adviser, submitting a request form through the Internet, and requesting through an automatic response system (S402).

[52] When the service request is complete, subscription information of the call receiver is delivered to the HLR 202 and registered in a profile of the call receiver's telephone number as added service registration information (S404).

[53] When there is a position registration requesting message with respect to the call receiver's mobile terminal from the call receiving MSC 204, the HLR 202 checks whether the request is a position registration request from the call receiver subscribing the voice ring back tone service according to the present invention (S406, S407).

[54] If the request is not a position registration request from the call receiver subscribing the voice ring back tone service according to the present invention, a typical HLR registration response is provided (S408). If the request is a position registration request from the call receiver subscribing the voice ring back tone service according to the present invention, the HLR 202 transmits the routing information of the ring back tone providing server 210 to provide the call receiver's service setting information and the ring back tone together with a typical registration response, to the call receiving MSC 204 (S410).

[55] Thus, when the call receiving MSC 204 receives a call connection request from the caller to the call receiver, the call connection request is routed to the ring back tone providing server 210 based on the routing information so that a ring back tone can be output during a call standby state.

[56] When the call receiver sibscribes the voice ring back tone service according to the present invention, the call receiver's message input during the service registration is converted to a voice ring back tone and stored in the ring back tone DB 220.

[57] FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the process of changing a voice ring back tone using an SMS according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, when the call receiver transmits a call receiver's message to the SMS MO gateway 250 using the SMS (S502), the SMS MO gateway 250 requests the ring back tone generating server 240 to generate the ring back tone (S504). When a voice ring back tone is generated by the operation of the text receiving portion 320 and the TTS portion 340 of the ring back tone generating server 240 (S506), the ring back tone recording portion 270 requests the ring back tone providing server 210 to record and store the generated voice ring back tone (S508).

[58] The ring back tone providing server 210 records and stores the generated voice ring back tone in the ring back tone DB 220 (S510) and requests the ring back tone control server 230 to change a code (S512). The ring back tone control server 230 changes the code of the call receiver's ring back tone in response to the request (S514).

[59] FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a data structure of a ring back tone DB according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the ring back tone DB 220 includes a code block 610 and a ring back tone data block 620.

[60] The ring back tone control server 230 transmits a ring back tone code appropriate to the call receiver to the ring back tone providing server 210. The ring back tone providing server 210 extracts a ring back tone from the ring back tone DB 220 based on the code and transmits the extracted ring back tone to the call receiving MSC 204.

[61] The ring back tone control server 210 can transmit two codes according to the call receiver. For example, when a particular call receiver has a voice ring back tone and a background sound, the ring back tone control server 210 can transmit a code N and a code P to the ring back tone providing server 210. The ring back tone providing server 210 receiving the two codes can sequentially or simultaneously transmit a ring back tone.

[62] When a particular call receiver has a ring back tone that is a mixture of a background sound and voice mixed by the mixing portion 350 of the ring back tone generating server 240, the ring back tone control server 210 transmits a code Q to the ring back tone providing server 210.

[63] The ring back tone control server 230 can transmit different ring back tone codes according to conditions such as an identification number of a caller using a caller ID (CID) and a calling time.

[64] FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the process of providing a voice ring back tone according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, when a particular caller make a telephone call to a call receiver sibscribing a voice ring back tone service according to the present invention and requests a call connection, the calling MSC 206 requests call receiving position information from the HLR 202 (Location Request, S702).

[65] The HLR 202 requests routing information from the call receiving MSC 204 according to the request (Routing Request, S704). Then, the call receiving MSC 204 responds to the request by providing the routing information (temporary local directory number, TLDN) to the HLR 202 (S706). The HLR 202 transmits the routing information to the calling MSC 206 (S708). The calling MSC 206 requests an ISUP call connection from the call receiving MSC 204 based on the routing information to form a communication route (S710).

[66] The call receiving MSC 204 determines whether the call receiver is sibscribing a ring back tone service according to the present invention based on stored service setting information. When the call receiving MSC 204 recognizes that the call receiver is a sibscriber to the voice ring back tone service according to the present invention and the service is in an active state, it requests an ISUP call connection from the ring back tone providing server 210 and notifies the call receiver that a call receiving call is input (S712).

[67] The ring back tone providing server 210 requests a ring back tone code from the ring back tone control server 230 (S714). The ring back tone control server 230 responds to the request by transmitting a ring back tone code appropriate to the call receiver to the ring back tone providing server 210 (S716).

[68] The ring back tone providing server 210 extracts a voice ring back tone corresponding to the code from the ring back tone DB 220 and transmits the extracted voice ring back tone to the calling MSC 206 so that the caller can hear the voice ring back tone as a ring back tone (S718).

[69] When the call receiver answers the telephone call while the ring back tone is output, the call receiving MSC 204 recognizes this and requests cancellation of the ISUP call from the ring back tone providing server 210 so that the ring back tone providing server 210 cancels the call (S720). Simultaneously, a telephone call between the caller and the call receiver is made through the communication route formed between the call receiving MSC 204 and the calling MSC 206 (S722).

[70] Through the above process, the caller can hear a voice ring back tone and/or a background sound, instead of a typical ring back tone, during the call standby state.

[71] While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in forms and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Mode for Invention [72] Industrial Applicability [73] As described above, the apparatus and method of providing a voice ring back tone according to the present invention can be used in a mobile communication added service field. Sequence List Text [74]

Claims

[1] An apparatus for providing a voice ring back tone comprising: an input unit receiving a call receiver's message from a user terminal; a ring back tone generating unit generating a voice ring back tone based on the input information; a ring back tone storing unit storing a generated voice ring back tone; and a ring back tone providing unit, in response to a call connection request from a caller to the call receiver, extracting the generated voice ring back tone from the ring back tone storing unit and transmitting the extracted voice ring back tone. [2] The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ring back tone control unit transmitting a ring back tone code to read out a call receiver's ring back tone to the ring back tone providing unit, wherein the ring back tone providing unit extracts the call receiver's ring back tone from the ring back tone storing unit based on the ring back tone code. [3] The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ring back tone storing unit stores a plurality of ring back tones with respect to the call receiver, and the ring back tone control unit controls the ring back tone providing unit to provide different ring back tones by changing the code according to callers and/or calling time slots. [4] The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the user terminal is a mobile terminal capable of transmitting a text message, and the input unit comprises an SMS MO gateway receiving call receiver information from the mobile terminal. [5] The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ring back tone generating unit comprises: a text receiving portion receiving an SMS text from the input unit; a TTS portion converting a received text to voice; and a ring back tone recording portion storing a converted voice in the ring back tone storing unit. [6] The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the ring back tone generating unit further comprises a background receiving portion receiving a background sound selected by the call receiver, and the ring back tone recording portion storing the background sound with the converted voice in the ring back tone storing unit. [7] The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the ring back tone control unit transmits a first code and a second code to the ring back tone providing unit as the ring back tone code, and the ring back tone providing unit extracts and provides a voice ring back tone based on the first code and extracts and provides a background voice based on the second code. [8] The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ring back tone generating unit comprises: a text receiving portion receiving an SMS text from the input unit; a TTS portion converting a received text to voice; a background receiving portion receiving a background sound selected by the call receiver; a mixing portion mixing a converted voice and a received background sound; and a ring back tone recording portion storing a mixed data in the ring back tone storing unit. [9] An apparatus of providing a voice ring back tone in engagement with a ring back tone providing apparatus which provides a call receiver's ring back tone stored in a database according to a call connection request by a caller, the apparatus comprising: an input unit receiving a call receiver's message; and a generating unit generating a ring back tone based on input information, wherein the input unit comprises: an SMS MO gateway receiving a call receiver's message using an SMS; a WAP server receiving the call receiver's message using a WAP protocol; a WEB server receiving the call receiver's message using a WEB protocol; and an ARS server recording voice of the call receiver using an automatic response iinction, wherein the generating unit comprises: a text receiving portion receiving a text of the input call receiver's message; a TTS portion converting the text to voice; a voice receiving portion receiving the voice of the call receiver recorded in the ARS server; and a ring back tone recording portion storing the converted voice or the voice of the call receiver in the database as a call receiver's ring back tone. [10] The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the generating unit further comprises a background sound receiving portion receiving a background sound selected by the call receiver, and the ring back tone recording portion storing the background sound together as the call receiver's ring back tone. [11] The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the generating unit iirther comprises: a background sound receiving portion receiving a background sound selected by the call receiver; and a mixing portion mixing the converted voice or the voice of the call receiver with the background sound, wherein the ring back tone recording portion stores voice mixed with the background sound. [12] A method of providing a voice ring back tone comprising: receiving a message by a call receiver through an SMS MO gateway; converting the call receiver's message to voice; storing a converted voice in a database; and extracting voice stored in the database in response to a call request from a caller to the call receiver and transmitting the extracted voice as a ring back tone. [13] The method of claim 12, further comprising extracting different voice according to the caller or a calling time. [14] The method of claim 12, further comprising: storing a background sound selected by the call receiver, with the converted voice, in the database; and transmitting the background sound with the converted voice.