Patent ID: 8498397

Claim:
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium holding a program element for execution by a processor to implement a system for processing calls directed to a telephony connection, the program element comprising: a) an input interface to receive a signal over the telephony connection conveying ring tone information indicative of an incoming call; and b) a processing element coupled to the input interface for: i. processing the ring tone information to differentiate a ring tone currently conveyed in the signal from other possible ring tones that the signal can convey, wherein to differentiate the ring tone, said processing comprises: classifying the ring tone information; and matching, using a comparison algorithm, the classification results against a plurality of stored ring tone patterns to identify a ring tone that most closely resembles the ring tone currently conveyed in the signal; and ii. handling the incoming call on the basis of the differentiated ring tone, wherein the handling includes identifying a handset among a set of handsets to which the incoming call is to be directed on the basis of the differentiated ring tone.