System and method for providing enhanced caller ring features - Patents.com

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an enhanced feature for caller ring tone (CRBT). The system and method relate to incorporating and rendering sponsored advertisements to users who do not have a CRBT subscription. Additionally, the default call tone (RBT) is replaced with the sponsored advertisements. Additionally, users are provided with the option to opt out of receiving advertising services.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of mobile communications technology, and more particularly, to a system and method for providing enhanced features of caller ring tone (CRBT). [Background technology]

[0002] The following description of related art is intended to provide background information regarding the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of technology that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that this section is intended only to enhance the reader's understanding of the present disclosure and is not an admission of prior art.

[0003] Currently, Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) handles around 7 billion calls per day across India, of which around 55% are outgoing and 45% are incoming. Though Ring Back Tone (RBT) service is a mature telecom value-added service, most users do not have Caller Redirect Tone (CRBT) subscription. Currently, the average ring duration of each call is around 12-13 seconds, and to render the default RBT (i.e. Tring-Tring), the resources of the CRBT server are utilized since only the CRBT server has the information whether the called party has a CRBT subscription or not.

[0004] If the called party does not have a CRBT subscription, then there is an opportunity for the service provider to monetize, where the service provider offers an extension solution to replace the default RBT with a customized revenue generating service.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide enhanced features for Caller Ring Tone (CRBT).

[0006] The objective of this disclosure is to provide a revenue generating service in place of the default RBT.

[0007] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide callers with advertisements in both audio and video formats.

[0008] It is an objective of this disclosure to allow users to opt out of both ad-based services and CRBT subscriptions.

[0009] An objective of the present disclosure is to provide advertising-based services to users who do not subscribe to a CRBT. Summary of the Invention

[0010] This section is provided to briefly introduce certain objects and aspects of the present invention that are further described in the Detailed Description below. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0011] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a communication system for providing enhanced features of caller ring tone (CRBT). The system may include at least one network device in communication with a user equipment (UE) and a home subscriber server (HSS) associated with a predefined circle and a centralized database in the communication network. The at least one network device may include a processor that executes a set of executable instructions stored in a memory, and when the instructions are executed, the processor may cause the at least one network device to receive one or more predefined request signals from the UE, the one or more predefined request signals being associated with a CRBT service, and to receive predefined parameters from the HSS, such that the predefined parameters may be mapped to the UE of the communication network. Upon receiving the one or more predefined request signals, the system may be further configured to determine whether the predefined parameters require modification, and based on a determination of whether the modification is required, generate a control signal to assign to the UE one or a combination of a CRBT service, a default RBT service, and audio and video streaming of predefined content.

[0012] In an embodiment, the network device may be configured to change a predetermined parameter from a default first value to a second value, the second value corresponding to one or more users associated with each UE that does not own the CRBT service.

[0013] In an embodiment, the network device may be configured to render advertisements for the entity to one or more users associated with the first value without impacting capacity of a media resource function (MRF).

[0014] In an embodiment, the network device may be configured to flexibly select between multiple RBTs, audio and video streaming for a given content, or a combination thereof based on a predetermined set of instructions. Flexible selection between multiple RBTs, audio and video streaming for a given content, or a combination thereof may eliminate transcoding at the MRF.

[0015] In an embodiment, the network device may be configured to disable audio and video streaming of the given content whenever a user opts out of the audio and video streaming of the given content through a second set of instructions, which may be a set of short dialling or messaging codes.

[0016] In one embodiment, the network device may be configured to render a default RBT for users who opt out of audio and video streaming of certain content, and to send a control signal directly to the MRF to render the default RBT without using CRBT server resources.

[0017] In one embodiment, the network device may be configured to provide a dedicated set of instructions to one or more users to allow multiple users to seamlessly opt into either or a combination of CRBT services, default RBT services, and audio and video streaming of predefined content.

[0018] In an embodiment, the network device may be configured to store the CRBT, the default RBT, and audio and video streaming of predefined content in a centralized database associated with the CTAS.

[0019] In one embodiment, a given request may be initiated by a user associated with the UE by dialing a short code using the UE's dial pad.

[0020] In some embodiments, the CRBT service may include either or a combination of audio messages and video metadata.

[0021] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a communication method for providing enhanced features of caller ring tone (CRBT). The method may include receiving, by at least one network device, one or more predefined request signals from a UE, where the one or more predefined request signals may be associated with a CRBT service. The network device may communicate with a user equipment (UE) and a home subscriber server (HSS) associated with a predefined circle and a centralized database in a communication network. The network device may include a processor that executes a set of executable instructions stored in a memory. The method may also include receiving, by the network device, predefined parameters from the HSS, where the predefined parameters may be mapped to the UE in the communication network. Furthermore, the method may include, upon receiving the one or more predefined request signals, determining, by the network device, whether the predefined parameters require modification. The method may include generating, by the network device, a control signal for allocating, to the UE, one or a combination of a CRBT service, a default RBT service, and audio and video streaming of predefined content based on a determination of whether modification is required.

[0022] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a user equipment (UE) communicatively coupled to at least one network device. The UE may include one or more processors communicatively coupled to a processor of the at least one network device. The one or more processors may be coupled to a memory. The memory may store instructions executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to transmit one or more predefined request signals over a communication network. The processor may be configured to receive one or more predefined request signals from the UE. The one or more predefined request signals may be associated with a CRBT service. The processor may receive predefined parameters from a home subscriber service (HSS). The predefined parameters may be mapped to a UE (112) in the communication network. Upon receiving the one or more predefined request signals, the processor may determine whether the predefined parameters require modification. The processor may generate a control signal to assign one or a combination of a caller ring tone (CRBT) service, a default ring tone (RBT) service, and audio and video streaming of predefined content to the UE based on the determination of whether the modification is required.

[0023] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a non-transitory computer-readable medium including machine-executable instructions executable by a processor to receive one or more predefined request signals from a UE. The one or more predefined request signals may be associated with a CRBT service. The processor may receive predefined parameters from an HSS, and the predefined parameters may be mapped to a UE in a communication network. Upon receiving the one or more predefined request signals, the processor may determine whether the predefined parameters require modification. The processor may generate a control signal to assign one or a combination of a CRBT service, a default RBT service, and audio and video streaming of predefined content to the UE based on a determination of whether the modification is required.

[0024] In the figures, similar components and / or features may have the same reference label. Furthermore, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label with a second label that distinguishes between the similar components. If only a first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label, regardless of the second reference label.

[0025] The figures are for illustrative purposes only and are therefore not limiting of the disclosure. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an example network architecture in which the system of the present disclosure may be implemented, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 illustrates a network element of a CTAS server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] 1 illustrates an example representation of a CTAS server, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an exemplary representation of a mechanism for providing extended CRBT functionality of a CTAS server, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates an exemplary representation of a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 1 illustrates an exemplary computer system in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The following is a detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the details provided are not intended to limit the anticipated variations of the embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0028] The Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) solution is a 3GPP and RFC-compliant implementation of the LTE service architecture. This solution places a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) application server (e.g., CTAS) at the center of the voice core network to manage the connectivity between subscribers and the implementation of supplementary services. Ro interface based online charging can be implemented in the telecommunication network, and CDRs generated by application servers such as CTAS may be used by a mediation system for reconciliation purposes.

[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture 100 in which the system of the present disclosure can be implemented, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the representation 100 in FIG. 1, a network device 102 (hereinafter, the network device is interchangeably referred to as a coverage telephony application server or CTAS server 102) may be communicatively coupled to a user equipment 112 in a voice-based service via a communication network 120. Various functional components of the CTAS solution are, for example, a Converge Telephony Application Server (CTAS), a Serving-call Session Control Function (SCSCF) 106, Access Elements and Clients: VoLTE devices and operator 5G voice clients, operation, administration and management by operator EMS, a Centralized Data Layer (CDL) server 118, a UtGW (NAF and BSF) 108, an IMS server 110, and a server 116.

[0030] The network device 102 may be configured as an application server and may operate communicatively over the communication network 120 or may be integrated with the UE 112. VoLTE supports 5G LTE devices, and Voice over LTE occurs when carriers enable users to make calls over an LTE connection instead of over older legacy voice networks.

[0031] The network device 102 may be configured to be operable to the SCSCF 106 via the communication network 120. The SCSCF 106 provides session and service control while using standard interfaces and application triggering mechanisms. Furthermore, the network device 102 may be configured to be operable to the UtGW server 108 including a network application function (NAF) and a bootstrap service function (BSF) via the communication network 120. The NAF configures HTTP or HTTPS based services that require 3GPP authentication. Furthermore, the BSF is an authenticator with which the UE 112 must perform 3GPP authentication. Furthermore, the network device 102 may be configured to be operable ... Depending on its implementation, an IMS application server can host one or many IMS applications.

[0032] Further, the network device 102 may be configured to operate with the UE 112. The user equipment 112 (also interchangeably referred to as a user device 112 or a UE 112 or a terminal 112) may be a wireless device. The wireless device may be a mobile device that may include, for example, a mobile phone, such as a feature phone or a smartphone, and other devices. The UE 112 may not be limited to the above-mentioned devices and may include any type of device capable of providing wireless communication, such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, a media center, a workstation, and other devices.

[0033] In an embodiment, the network device 102 may also be configured to be operable with a Caller Ring Tone (CRBT) server 114. The CRBT server 114 may provide a service that enables customization of ring tones on the UE 112. Additionally, the network device 102 may be configured to be operable with a Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) server 116 or servers 116. The servers 116 may enable provision of Lawful Intercept (LI). LI may be a security process whereby a service provider or network operator collects and provides intercepted communications occurring within a wireless network.

[0034] Furthermore, the network device 102 may be configured to operate with a centralized data layer (CDL) server 118. The CDL server 118 is responsible for receiving data access requests from the CDL agents and interfaces with a service layer that responds to the data access requests. The CDL agents and the CDL server 118 act as a backbone for providing transport of services between the client side and the server side. Furthermore, the CDL server 118 instances expose virtual IPs to the CDL agents and operate in a redundant mode, thus making the CDL server 118 instances highly available.

[0035] The communication network 120 may be a 5G network that may include at least one of a wireless network, a wired network, or a combination thereof. The communication network 120 may be implemented as one of different types of networks, such as an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, etc. Furthermore, the communication network 120 may be either a dedicated network or a shared network. A shared network may represent an association of different types of networks that may use various protocols, such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ), etc. In an embodiment, the network 120 may relate to a 5G network, which may be facilitated through a satellite or terrestrial wide area access network, such as a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, a Universal Terrestrial Radio Network (UTRAN), an Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution (EDGE) radio access network (GERAN), an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), a WIFI or other LAN access network, or a Wireless Microwave Access (WIMAX) network. In an example embodiment, the communication network may enable the 5G network based on a subscription for a user / user device and / or through a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. Various other types of communication networks or services may be possible.

[0036] In some examples, communication network 120 may utilize different types of air interfaces, such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), or frequency division multiple access (FDMA) air interfaces, and other implementations. In example embodiments, wired user devices may use wired access networks exclusively or in combination with wireless access networks, including, for example, plain old telephone service (POTS), public switched telephone network (PSTN), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), and other network technologies configured to transport Internet Protocol (IP) packets.

[0037] In an embodiment, the CTAS / network device 102 may be configured to receive one or more predefined request signals from a UE 112 associated with the CRBT service and further receive predefined parameters from the HSS mapped for each UE 112 in the communication network 120. For example, the predefined parameter may be a net-ss-code that may be assigned any first value, such as “C”, a second value, such as “D”, a third value, such as “E”, etc.

[0038] In an embodiment, upon receiving one or more predefined request signals, the CTAS 102 may be further configured to determine whether the predefined parameters require modification and, based on the determination of whether the predefined parameters require modification, generate a control signal to assign a CRBT service, a default RBT service, audio and video streaming of predefined content, or a combination thereof, to the UE 112. For example, currently, all users are configured in the HSS with a predefined parameter, such as a net-ss-code parameter. This parameter is provisioned for each user, but is unused. In the future, the CTAS application will use this parameter to provide a customized CRBT service that efficiently uses critical network resources. The value of the network nat-ss-code parameter is "C" for each user and is changed to "D" for users that do not have a CRBT subscription.

[0039] In an embodiment, the network device 102 may be configured to change the predetermined parameter to a second value corresponding to one or more users associated with each UE that does not have the CRBT service, for example, the value of the network's nat-ss-code parameter is "C" for each user and is changed to "D" for users that do not have a CRBT subscription.

[0040] The network device 102 may be configured to render advertisements for the entity to one or more users associated with the second value without impacting the capacity of a media resource function (MRF).

[0041] In an embodiment, the network device 102 may be configured to flexibly select between multiple RBTs, audio and video streaming for a given content, or a combination thereof based on a predetermined set of instructions. Flexible selection between multiple RBTs, audio and video streaming for a given content, or a combination thereof may eliminate transcoding at the MRF.

[0042] In an embodiment, the network device 102 may be configured to disable audio and video streaming of a given content through a second set of instructions whenever the user stops using the audio and video streaming of the given content. In an embodiment, the second set of instructions may be a set of speed dialing or messaging codes. For example, the user has the flexibility to opt out of the Advt service through speed code dialing / messaging, in which case the nat-ss-code value for this particular user is changed to E. For this user, the default RBT tone is rendered without using CRBT server resources by sending the required signal directly to the MRF. This saves the maintenance cost of the CRBT server product and significantly reduces the CRBT server requirements by 45%.

[0043] In an embodiment, the network device 102 may be further configured to render a default RBT for a user who opts out of audio and video streaming of the predetermined content, and to send a control signal directly to the MRF to render the default RBT without using any of the CRBT server resources. The network device may further provide a dedicated set of instructions to one or more users to smoothly opt into any or a combination of the CRBT service, the default RBT service, and audio and video streaming of the predetermined content. The network device 102 may store the CRBT, the default RBT, and the audio and video streaming of the predetermined content in a centralized database associated with the network device 102.

[0044] In an embodiment, the predetermined request may be initiated by a user associated with the UE 112 by dialing a short code using the dial pad of the UE 112 .

[0045] In some embodiments, the CRBT service may include either or a combination of audio messages and video metadata.

[0046] In an embodiment, the UE 112 may be communicatively coupled to the network device 102, and the coupling with the network device 102 may include receiving a request for a CRBT service from the UE 112, sending an acknowledgment of the request to the network device 102, and sending a number of signals in response to the request.

[0047] FIG. 2 illustrates a network element 200 of a network device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the network device 102 / Converged TAS (CTAS) is a 3GPP and RFC compliant MMTel application server that can simultaneously handle VoLTE, Machine-to-Machine (M2M), Fixed Line (FLP), and Enterprise subscribers. This makes the CTAS a unique type of TAS, providing operational and technical advantages in managing subscriber growth in VoLTE, fixed, and enterprise domains in the most efficient manner. The CTAS may support online and offline charging of subscribers. However, Ro interface based online charging is implemented in the network. The CDRs generated by the CTAS are used by the Mediation System for reconciliation purposes.

[0048] In one embodiment, the CTAS server is implemented as a CTAS application solution within the system. In another embodiment, the CTAS application solution is a cluster-based solution that can be hosted on a given server. Each server may have at least four logical interfaces, e.g., Bond0, Bond1, Bond2, Bond3, where each Bond is logically paired to two Ethernet ports to provide link-level redundancy. The Bond0 interface is used by all eight blades for internal and database communication. The Bond1 interface is used by the SIP applications present on all eight servers for SIP signaling. The Bond2 interface is used for diameter communication by applications present on Blades 3 and above (Blades 3 to 8), and the Bond3 interface is used to communicate with the element management system.

[0049] A 10G optical NIC card 208 is used for Bond0, Bond1, and Bond2, and a 1G electrical NIC card 210 is used for Bond3. CTAS supports both IPv4 and IPv6 protocols, where Bond2 and Bond3 interfaces listen to either IPv6 or IPv4 at a given time, and the Bond1 interface listens to IPv4 and IPv6 simultaneously. The Bond0 interface is not used for external communication and only supports IPv4. In the initial stages of deployment, CTAS uses the IPv4 protocol, since not all elements of the current ecosystem support IPv6.

[0050] In an embodiment, the CTAS server / network device 102 may be integrated with a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) to deliver Multimedia Telephony Services (MMTel) supplementary services to VoLTE customers as well as to customers using 5G Voice over LTE or Wireless Fidelity (wi-fi). Additionally, the CTAS server may be used to provide services related to M2M communications.

[0051] 3 illustrates an example representation 300 of a CTAS server 102 (network device 102) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the CTAS server 102 may include one or more processors 302 coupled to a memory 304. The memory 304 may store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors 302, cause the CTAS server 102 to perform one or more functions.

[0052] The one or more processors 302 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuits, and / or any devices that manipulate data based on operational instructions. The one or more processor(s) 302 may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory 304 of the CTAS server 102, among other functions. The memory 304 may store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines that may be fetched and executed to create or share data units via the network service. The memory 304 may include any non-transitory storage device, including, for example, a volatile memory such as a RAM, or a non-volatile memory such as an EPROM, a flash memory, etc.

[0053] The CTAS server 102 may also include interface(s) 306. The interface(s) 306 may include various interfaces, such as interfaces for data input and output devices, referred to as I / O devices, storage devices, SCADA, sensors, etc. The interface(s) 306 may facilitate communication of the CTAS server 102 with various devices coupled thereto. The interface(s) 306 may also provide communication paths for one or more components of the CTAS server 102. Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, processing engine(s) 308 and database 310.

[0054] The one or more processors 302 may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (e.g., programmable instructions) to implement one or more functions of the one or more processors 302. In the examples described herein, such a combination of hardware and programming may be implemented in a number of different ways. For example, the programming for the one or more processors 302 may be processor-executable instructions stored in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, and the hardware of the one or more processors 302 may include processing resources (e.g., one or more processors) to execute such instructions. In this example, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resources, implement the one or more processors 302. In such an example, the CTAS server 102 may include a machine-readable storage medium that stores the instructions and the processing resources to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate and accessible to the CTAS server 102 and the processing resources. In other examples, the one or more processors 302 may be implemented by electronic circuitry. In an aspect, database 310 may include data that may be stored or generated as a result of functions implemented by any of the components of processor 302 or processing engine 308.

[0055] In an example embodiment, the processing engine(s) 308 of the network device 102 may include a session manager (SM) module 312, an operation and maintenance (OAM) manager module 314, a functionality enhancement module 316, a database manager (DM) module 318, and a troubleshooting manager (TM) module 320, where the other engines 322 may further include, but are not limited to, a data reception engine, a storage engine, a computing engine, or a signal generation engine. The CTAS server 102 may be implemented using any or a combination of hardware and software components.

[0056] In one embodiment, the SM module 312 may act as a core functionality delivery module that may be responsible for call processing and service chain logic execution in the case of the network device 102. The SM module 312 may further include sub-modules such as a call initiation module (not shown) for initiating communication with multiple emergency services. The OAM manager module 314 may be responsible for managing fault, configuration, and performance aspects of the CTAS / network device 102. The OAM manager module 314 may provide an operations and maintenance touchpoint for the system or the network device 102. The DM module 318 may manage database clusters in which the network device 102 may store subscriber-specific service information. In one embodiment, enhancement requests that may be received by the enhancement module 316 may be persistently stored using the DM module 318. The enhancement module 316 may be responsible for replacing the default RBT with sponsored advertisements and rendering the advertisements to the caller. Additionally, the advertisements may be rendered to users who do not subscribe to a CRBT subscription. The advertisements may be sponsored by businesses and may provide financial benefits to the service provider(s). Users may be given the option to opt out of either or both of the offered advertising options and the CRBT service, and further, the service provider(s) do not charge users for the presentation of advertisements.

[0057] In one embodiment, the TM module 320 may aggregate log and debug information from all function managers for troubleshooting. The TM module 320 may also provide flexibility to generate debug information, for example, on a per-module, per-process, or per-system basis. Various other functions of the components may be possible. In one embodiment, the database 310 may include data that may be stored or generated as a result of a function being implemented by any of the components of the processing engine(s) 308 of the system 100. Other engines 322 may perform various functions related to the CRBT service.

[0058] In an embodiment, the processor may be communicatively coupled to the CTAS / network device 102, which may receive one or more predefined request signals from the UE 112. The one or more predefined request signals may be associated with a CRBT service. The processor may receive predefined parameters from the HSS. The predefined parameters may be mapped to the UE 112 in the communication network 120. Upon receiving the one or more predefined request signals, the processor may determine whether the predefined parameters require modification. Based on the determination of whether the predefined parameters require modification, the processor may generate a control signal to assign one or a combination of the CRBT service, a default ring tone (RBT) service, and audio and video streaming of predefined content to the UE 112.

[0059] In an embodiment, the processor may be configured to change the predetermined parameter from a first default value to a second value, the second value corresponding to one or more users associated with each UE that does not own the CRBT service.

[0060] In an embodiment, the processor may be configured to render advertisements for the entity to one or more users associated with the second value without impacting capacity of a media resource function (MRF).

[0061] In an embodiment, the processor may be configured to flexibly select between multiple RBTs, audio and video streaming, or a combination of multiple RBTs for a given content based on a predetermined set of instructions, where the flexible selection between multiple RBTs, audio and video streaming, or a combination of multiple RBTs for a given content eliminates transcoding at the MRF.

[0062] In an embodiment, the processor may be configured to disable audio and video streaming of the predetermined content via a second set of instructions whenever a user associated with one or more users opts out of audio and video streaming of the predetermined content, the second set of instructions being a set of speed dialing or messaging codes.

[0063] In one embodiment, the processor may be further configured to render a default RBT for a user who opts out of audio and video streaming of a given content, and to send a control signal directly to the MRF to render the default RBT without using any of the CRBT server resources.

[0064] In one embodiment, the processor may be configured to provide a dedicated set of instructions to one or more users to enable one or more users to seamlessly opt into either or a combination of CRBT services, default RBT services, and audio and video streaming of predefined content.

[0065] In an embodiment, the processor may be configured to store the CRBT, the default RBT, and audio and video streaming of the predefined content in a centralized database associated with the CTAS / network device 102.

[0066] FIG. 4 illustrates an example representation 400 of a mechanism for providing enhanced CRBT functionality by a CTAS server, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] In one embodiment, users participating in the communication network 120 are configured in the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) with the net-ss-code parameter. This parameter is provisioned for each user, but is not yet widely used. In the future, CTAS applications can use this parameter to provide customized CRBT services to users while maintaining efficient use of critical network resources. If the network's nat-ss-code parameter has a value of "C" for each user, the service provider's provisioning team changes the nat-ss-code value to "D" for users who do not have a CRBT subscription.

[0068] Additionally, the CTAS renders advertisements sponsored by any commercial entity to users with nat-ss-code value configured as "D". This function can be delivered without impacting the capacity of the Media Resource Function (MRF) because the advertisement (also referred to herein as Advt) content is static and maintained by an internal advertisement management portal. In one embodiment, to eliminate transcoding at the MRF, which reduces MRF capacity, the CTAS has the flexibility to select different RBT / ad files based on the negotiated codec.

[0069] As can be seen, a user can be provided with the flexibility to opt out of the advertising service via short code dialing / messaging, in which case the nat-ss-code value for this particular user is changed to "E". For a user indicating opt-out from the advertising service, the default RBT tone is rendered to the user without using CRBT server resources. This is done by sending the necessary signaling directly to the MRF, saving the maintenance cost of the CRBT server product and significantly reducing the CRBT server requirements by 45%. Furthermore, multiple users can opt out of the CRBT advertising service and the default RBT service by dialing a dedicated short code assigned by the operator. In an embodiment, the CTAS server 102 may have the capability to disable the advertising feature for all users, in which case users with both nat-ss-code values ​​"D" and "E" will only have the default CRBT subscription.

[0070] Regarding Figure 4, for case 1: The Enable CRBT based on Net-SS-Code parameter is set to FALSE, and The ADVT parameter is set to FALSE, and If the parameter that controls the behavior of the CTAS when it receives a 503 from the CRBT is set to NA, The expected behavior is set as follows: · CTAS always renders RBT via the CRBT server. If the CRBT server sends a 503 Service Unavailable, the CTAS will render the default RBT via the MRF.

[0071] For case 2: The Enable CRBT based on Net-SS-Code parameter is set to FALSE, and The ADVT parameter is set to TRUE, and If the parameter that controls the behavior of the CTAS when it receives a 503 from the CRBT is set to FALSE, The expected behavior is set as follows: · CTAS always renders RBT via the CRBT server. · If the CRBT server sends a 503 Service Unavailable, the CTAS will render an ADVT.

[0072] For case 3: The Enable CRBT based on Net-SS-Code parameter is set to FALSE, and The ADVT parameter is set to TRUE, and If the parameter that controls the behavior of the CTAS when it receives a 503 from the CRBT is set to TRUE, The expected behavior is set as follows: · CTAS always renders RBT via the CRBT server. If the CRBT server sends a 503 Service Unavailable, the CTAS will render the default RBT via the MRF. For case 4: The Enable CRBT based on Net-SS-Code parameter is set to TRUE, and The ADVT parameter is set to FALSE, and If the parameter that controls the behavior of the CTAS when it receives a 503 from the CRBT is set to NA, The expected behavior is set as follows: If "nat-ss-code=C", CTAS renders CRBT. If CRBT server sends 503 Service Unavailable, CTAS renders default RBT via MRF. If "nat-ss-code=D", CTAS renders the default RBT via MRF.

[0073] For case 5: The Enable CRBT based on Net-SS-Code parameter is set to TRUE, and The ADVT parameter is set to TRUE, and If the parameter that controls the behavior of the CTAS when it receives a 503 from the CRBT is set to FALSE, The expected behavior is set as follows: If "nat-ss-code=C", the CTAS renders a CRBT. If the CRBT server sends a 503 Service Unavailable, the CTAS renders an ADVT. If "nat-ss-code=D", CTAS renders ADVT.

[0074] For case 6: The Enable CRBT based on Net-SS-Code parameter is set to TRUE, and The ADVT parameter is set to TRUE, and If the parameter that controls the behavior of the CTAS when it receives a 503 from the CRBT is set to TRUE, The expected behavior is set as follows: If "nat-ss-code=C", CTAS renders CRBT. If CRBT server sends 503 Service Unavailable, CTAS renders default RBT via MRF. If "nat-ss-code=D", CTAS renders ADVT.

[0075] In an exemplary embodiment, the enhanced capabilities of CRBT may be acquired through the introduction of business owners, such as shops / showrooms / service providers, who may provide their own personalized promotional content regarding their products / services through CRBT caller tune audio messages.

[0076] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary representation of a method flow diagram according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] As shown in the figure, in an aspect, a method 500 for providing enhanced features of caller ring tone (CRBT) may include receiving 502, by at least one CTAS / network device 102, one or more predefined request signals from a UE 112, the one or more predefined request signals being associated with a CRBT service. The network device 102 may communicate with the UE 112 and a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) associated with a predefined circle of the communication network 120 and a centralized database.

[0078] The method 500 may also include, at 502, receiving a predefined parameter from the HSS, the predefined parameter being mapped for each UE (112) of the communication network 120. For example, the predefined parameter may be a net-ss-code that may be assigned any first value, such as "C", a second value, such as "D", a third value, such as "E", and so on.

[0079] Further, the method 500 may include, upon receiving one or more predefined request signals, determining by the CTAS 102 at 504 whether a predefined parameter requires modification. For example, currently, all users are configured in the HSS with a predefined parameter, such as a net-ss-code parameter. This parameter is provisioned for each user but is unused. Going forward, the CTAS application will use this parameter to provide a customized CRBT service that efficiently uses critical network resources. The value of the network's nat-ss-code parameter is "C" for each user and is changed to "D" for users that do not have a CRBT subscription.

[0080] The method 500 may further include, at 506, generating a control signal by the CTAS (102) to assign to the UE any or a combination of a CRBT service, a default RBT service, and audio and video streaming of the predetermined content based on the determination of whether modification is required.

[0081] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary computer system (600) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which or using which an embodiment of the present invention may be utilized. As shown in FIG. 6, computer system 600 may include an external storage device 610, a bus 620, a main memory 630, a read-only memory 640, a mass storage device 650, a communication port 660, and a processor 670. Processor 670 may include various modules associated with an embodiment of the present invention. The communication port (660) may be an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dial-up connection, a 10 / 100 Ethernet port, a 1 Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or any other existing or next generation port. The communication port (660) may be selected depending on the network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system is connected. Memory (630) may be a random access memory (RAM) or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. The read-only memory (640) may be any static storage device(s). The mass storage (650) may be any present or future mass storage solution that can be used to store information and / or instructions. The bus (620) communicatively couples the processor(s) (670) to the other memory, storage, and communication blocks.

[0082] Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, such as a display, keyboard, joystick, and cursor control devices, may also be coupled to bus (620) to support direct operator interaction with the computer system. Other operator and administrative interfaces may be provided through a network connection connected via communications port (660). The above components are intended only to illustrate various possibilities. In no way are the exemplary computer systems described above intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0083] While the above describes various embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions, or examples, which, when combined with information and knowledge available to those skilled in the art, are included to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention.

[0084] Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain material that is subject to intellectual property rights, including but not limited to copyright, design, trademark, IC layout design, and / or trade dress protection, which belong to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (hereinafter referred to as the Owner). The Owner has no objection to anyone reproducing this patent document or the patent disclosure to the extent that it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent application or records, but otherwise reserves all rights. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the Owner.

[0085] Advantages of the present disclosure The present disclosure provides an enhancement to the Caller Ring Tone (CRBT).

[0086] The present disclosure provides a revenue generating service in place of the default RBT.

[0087] The present disclosure provides callers with advertisements in both audio and video formats.

[0088] The present disclosure provides callers with advertisements in both audio and video formats.

[0089] The present disclosure allows users to opt out of both ad-based services and CRBT subscriptions.

[0090] The present disclosure provides ad-based services to users who do not subscribe to a CRBT.

[0091] The present disclosure provides an enhanced user experience.

Claims

1. A communication system (100) for providing enhanced features of caller ring tone (CRBT), comprising: At least one network device (102) in communication with a user equipment (UE) (112), a home subscriber server (HSS) associated with a given circle of a communication network (120) and a centralized database; Equipped with The at least one network device (102) comprises a processor (302) that executes a set of executable instructions stored in a memory (304), the processor (302) upon execution of the set of executable instructions causing the at least one network device (102) to receiving, from the UE (112), one or more predefined request signals, the one or more predefined request signals being associated with a CRBT service; receiving from the HSS predetermined parameters to be mapped to the UE (112) of the communication network (120); determining whether the predetermined parameters require modification upon receiving the one or more predetermined request signals; and generating a control signal for allocating to the UE (112) one or a combination of the CRBT service, a default ring back tune (RBT) service, and audio and video streaming of a predetermined content based on the determination of whether the modification is necessary; The system (100).

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network device (102) is configured to change the predetermined parameter from a first default value to a second value, the second value corresponding to one or more users associated with each UE that does not own the CRBT service.

3. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the network device is configured to render advertisements for the entity to the one or more users associated with the second value without impacting a capacity of a media resource function (MRF).

4. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the network device (102) is configured to flexibly select, based on a predetermined set of instructions, one or a combination of multiple RBTs, audio and video streaming of the predetermined content, and the flexible selection of the one or a combination of multiple RBTs, audio and video streaming of the predetermined content eliminates transcoding at the MRF.

5. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the network device (102) is configured to disable the streaming of the audio and video of the predetermined content through a second set of instructions whenever a user associated with the one or more users opts out of streaming the audio and video of the predetermined content, the second set of instructions being a set of speed dialing or messaging codes.

6. The network device (102) Rendering the default RBT to the user who opts out of streaming the audio and video of the predetermined content; and The system of claim 3 , further configured to: send the control signal directly to the MRF to render the default RBT without using any CRBT server resources.

7. The network device (102) Providing a dedicated set of instructions to the one or more users so that the one or more users can seamlessly opt into the CRBT service, the default RBT service, and / or the streaming of the audio and video of the predetermined content. The system of claim 5 further configured to:

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the network device (102) is configured to store the CRBT, the default RBT, and the audio and video streaming of the predetermined content in a centralized database associated with the network device (102).

9. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined request is initiated by a user associated with the UE by dialing a short code using a dial pad of the UE.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the CRBT service includes one or a combination of audio messages and video metadata.

11. 1. A communication method for providing enhanced capabilities to caller ring tone (CRBT), comprising: receiving, by at least one network device (102), one or more predefined request signals from a UE (112), the one or more predefined request signals being associated with a CRBT service, the network device (102) communicating with a home subscriber server (HSS) associated with the user equipment (UE) (112) and a predefined circle and centralized database of a communication network (120); receiving, by the network device (102), predefined parameters from the HSS, the predefined parameters being mapped to each UE (112) of the communication network (120); determining, upon receiving the one or more predefined request signals, by the network device (102) whether the predefined parameters require modification; generating, by the network device (102), a control signal for allocating to the UE (112) a CRBT service, a default RBT service, audio and video streaming of a predetermined content, or a combination thereof, based on the determination of whether the modification is necessary; The method comprising:

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising changing, by the network device (102), the predetermined parameter from a first default value to a second value, the second value corresponding to one or more users associated with each UE that does not own the CRBT service.

13. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: rendering, by the network device (102), the audio and video streaming of the entity's predefined content to the one or more users associated with the second value without impacting a capacity of a media resource function (MRF).

14. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: flexibly selecting, by the network device (102), either or a combination of multiple RBTs, the audio and video streaming of the predetermined content based on a predetermined instruction set, wherein the flexible selection of the either or a combination of the multiple RBTs and the audio and video streaming of the predetermined content eliminates transcoding at the MRF.

15. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising disabling the streaming of the audio and video of the predetermined content by the network device (102) through a second set of instructions whenever a user associated with the one or more users opts out of streaming the audio and video of the predetermined content, the second set of instructions being a set of speed dialing or messaging codes.

16. The method comprises: Rendering, by the network device (102), a default RBT for the user who opts out of streaming the audio and video of the predetermined content; 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: sending the control signal by the network device (102) directly to an MRF to render the default RBT without using any CRBT server resources.

17. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing, by the network device (102), a dedicated set of instructions to the one or more users so that the one or more users can smoothly opt into any one or combination of the CRBT service, the default RBT service, and the streaming of the audio and video of the predetermined content.

18. The method comprises:

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing, by the network device (102), a CRBT, the default RBT, and the audio and video streaming of the predetermined content in a centralized database associated with the network device (102).

19. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined request is initiated by the user associated with the UE by dialing a short code using a dial pad of the UE.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the CRBT service includes one or a combination of audio messages and video metadata.

21. A user equipment (UE) (112) communicatively coupled to at least one network device (102), the UE (112) comprising: one or more processors communicatively coupled to a processor of the at least one network device (102), the one or more processors coupled to a memory, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: causing said processor to transmit, via a communications network (120), one or more predetermined request signals; The processor, receiving, from the UE (112), the one or more predefined request signals, the one or more predefined request signals being associated with a CRBT service; receiving from a Home Subscriber Service (HSS) predetermined parameters to be mapped to the UE (112) of the communication network (120); upon receiving the one or more predetermined request signals, determining whether the predetermined parameters require modification; and The user equipment (UE) (112) is configured to generate a control signal to assign to the UE (112) one or a combination of a caller ring back tone (CRBT) service, a default ring back tone (RBT) service, and audio and video streaming of predetermined content based on the determination of whether the modification is required.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing machine executable instructions, the machine executable instructions comprising: receiving, from a UE (112), one or more predefined request signals, the one or more predefined request signals being associated with a caller ring tone (CRBT) service; receiving, from a Home Subscriber Service (HSS), predetermined parameters to be mapped to the UE (112) in a communication network (120); upon receiving the one or more predetermined request signals, determining whether the predetermined parameters require modification; and The non-transitory computer-readable medium is executable by a processor to generate a control signal to assign to the UE (112) either a call-receiving tone (CRBT) service, a default ring back tone (RBT) service, or any combination of audio and video streaming of predetermined content based on the determination of whether the modification is required.

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