Patent ID: 7012999
Filing Date: 2006-03-14
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
1. A method of providing audio caller identification in a network including a switch, a query module, an intelligent routing module and a database of caller identification information, wherein the method comprises: receiving a call from a calling party at a calling party switch directed to a called party at a called party switch; sending call information associated with the call to the query module, the call information including the directory number of the calling party; at the query module, querying the database of caller identification information for caller identification information associated with the call, wherein the caller identification information comprises at least one of the directory number and a name associated with the calling party; determining, at the intelligent routing module, if a recorded audio message is received from the calling party directed to the called party; if a recorded audio message is received, then sending the recorded audio message from the calling party to a called party identification device via the called party switch; and causing the called party caller identification device to play the recorded audio message from the calling party and contemporaneously display the caller identification information associated with the call; and if no recorded audio message is received from the calling party directed to the called party, then determining if the directory number associated with the call matches the directory number associated with a pre-recorded audio message and if so, then sending the pre-recorded audio message to the called party identification device via the called party switch; causing the called party identification device to play the pre-recorded audio message and contemporaneously display the caller identification information associated with the call; if the directory number associated with the call does not match the directory number associated with the pre-recorded audio message, then causing the intelligent routing module to synthesize and send an audio message related to the caller identification information associated with the call to the called party identification device via the called party switch; and causing the called party caller identification device to play the audio message and contemporaneously display the caller identification information associated with the call.