Patent ID: 6870914

Claim:
A method for performing distributed text-to-speech synthesis by a telephone network coupled to a first telephone subscriber unit and a second telephone subscriber unit, the first telephone subscriber unit having a first telephone number and associated with a first party by the telephone network, and the second telephone subscriber unit having a second telephone number and associated with a second party by the telephone network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a telephone call from the first telephone subscriber unit to the telephone network over a first communication channel responsive to the first telephone subscriber unit originating the telephone call to the second telephone subscriber unit through the telephone network; determining that the second party subscribes to a speech-based caller identification service provided by the telephone network responsive to the step of receiving the telephone call; placing the first telephone subscriber unit on hold responsive to the step of determining; sending a ringing signal to the first telephone subscriber unit over the first communication channel responsive to the step of placing; retrieving text information, representing caller identification information of the first party, from a database stored in a network memory device responsive to the step of determining; converting the text information into symbols comprising phonemic and prosoidic information, representing the caller identification information of the first party, responsive to the step of retrieving; encoding the symbols to form a data stream representing the caller identification information of the first party; opening a second communication channel between the telephone network and the second telephone subscriber unit responsive to the step of encoding; sending the data stream from the telephone network to the second telephone subscriber unit over the second communication channel responsive to the step of opening; sending a ringing signal to the second telephone subscriber unit over the second communication channel responsive to the step of sending the data stream; receiving a request from the second telephone subscriber unit over the second communication channel that the telephone network route the telephone call to the second telephone subscriber unit responsive to the step of sending the ringing signal to the second telephone subscriber unit over the second communication channel; stopping the sending of the ringing signal to the first telephone subscriber unit over the second communication channel responsive to the step of receiving the request; taking the first telephone subscriber unit off hold responsive to the step of stopping; and routing the telephone call through the telephone network from the first telephone subscriber unit over the first communication channel to the second telephone subscriber unit over the second communication channel responsive to the step of taking the first telephone subscriber unit off hold.