Method and apparatus for providing caller identification based responses in a computer telephony environment

Abstract

A utility for enabling real-time, point-to-point communications over computer networks between users having dynamically assigned Internet Protocol addresses includes the ability to identify incoming communications, and, based on the identity of the incoming communication, selectively responding. In one embodiment, an information profile contained within an incoming signal is compared to a plurality of information profiles contained within the personal directory of a user, and if a match occurs, the notification signal associated with the matched profile is generated. In an alternative embodiment, the information profile contained within the incoming communication includes an identifier of a notification signal which is used to select from a number of predefined notification signals resident within the user's private directory.

1 . A method of selectively alerting a user of an incoming communication over a computer network comprising the steps of: 
 A. receiving an information profile identifying the source of the incoming communication; and    B. responding to the incoming communication in accordance with the identity of the source.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step B comprises: 
 B.1generating a notification signal based on the identity of the source.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein step B.1 further comprises: 
 B.1.1 associating a notification signal with selected of a plurality of information profiles.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein step B.1 further comprises: 
 B.1.2 comparing the information profile identifying the source with the plurality of information profiles.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein step B.1 further comprises: 
 B.1.3 generating the notification signal associated with one of the plurality of selected information profiles if said one information profile matches the information profile identifying the source of the incoming communication.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein step B.1 further comprises: 
 B.1.4 associating at least one of a plurality of notification signals with at least one of the plurality of information profiles.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein step B.1 further comprises: 
 B.1.1 comparing a notification signal identifier contained in the information profile identifying the source of the incoming communication with a plurality of notification signal identifiers.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein step B.1 further comprises: 
 B.1.2 generating the notification signal associated with one of the plurality of notification signal identifiers if said one notification signal identifier matches the notification signal identifier contained within the information profile identifying the source.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the notification signal comprises an audio signal.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the notification signal comprises a graphic image signal.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the notification signal comprises a haptic sensor signal.  
   
   
       12 . A computer program product for use with a computer system operatively couple to a computer network, the computer program product comprises a computer useable medium having embodied therein program code means comprising: 
 A. program code means for receiving an incoming communication over the computer network, the incoming communication containing an information profile identifying the source of the incoming communication; and    B. program code means, responsive to the information profile, for selectively notifying a user of the incoming communication in accordance with the identity of the source.    
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 12  wherein the program code means for notifying comprises: 
 program code means for generating a notification signal based on the identity of the source.    
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein the program code means for generating further comprises: 
 program code means for associating a notification signal with selected of a plurality of information profiles.    
   
   
       15 . A computer program product of  claim 14  wherein the program code means for generating further comprises: 
 program code means for comparing the information profile identifying the source with the plurality of information profiles.    
   
   
       16 . The computer program product of  claim 15  wherein the program code means for generating further comprises: 
 program code means for generating the notification signal associated with one of the selected plurality of information profiles if said one information profile matches the information profile identifying the source of the incoming communication.    
   
   
       17 . The computer program product of  claim 16  wherein the program code means for generating further comprises: 
 program code means for associating at least one of a plurality of notification signals with at least one of the plurality of information profiles.    
   
   
       18 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein the program code means for generating further comprises: 
 program codes for comparing a notification signal identifier contained within the information profile identifying the source of the incoming communication with a plurality of notification signal identifiers.    
   
   
       19 . The computer program product of  claim 18  wherein the program code means for generating further comprises: 
 program code means for generating the notification signal associated with one of the plurality of notification signal identifiers if said one notification signal identifier matches the notification signal identifier contained within the information profile identifying the source of the incoming communication.    
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein the notification signal comprises an audio signal.  
   
   
       21 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein the notification signal comprises an graphic image signal.  
   
   
       22 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein the notification signal comprises a haptic sensor signal.