Patent ID: 6671370
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
In a telephone system having a plurality of telephone terminals that are interconnected to a telephone network having a normal ringing indication for normal use at a receiving telephone terminal when a telephone call is received from a calling telephone terminal, an improvement of apparatus for enabling a calling user operating the calling telephone terminal to selectively cause announcement through a ringing indication that is distinguishable from the normal ringing indication for normal use, at the receiving telephone terminal, said apparatus comprising:first control means at said calling telephone terminal, said first control means for selecting ringing information to be associated with the telephone call, said ringing information comprising for telling the receiving telephone terminal where to fetch the ringing indication, and, for subsequently placing the telephone call to the receiving telephone terminal; and second control means at the receiving telephone terminal, said second control means operable responsive to receiving the telephone call placed to the receiving telephone terminal, the telephone call containing said ringing information, causing the receiving telephone terminal to announce the telephone call placed from the calling telephone terminal by fetching the ringing indication based on said provided ringing information at the receiving telephone terminal.