Telecommunication system using message presentation during a ringing signal period

Abstract

Marketing of goods and services on telephone lines and during a period from the commencement of a telephone call to the receipt and acceptance of that call (quiescent period) when the recipient of the call actuates his or her telephone. This quiescent period of time, during which a ringing signal is normally generated, is used for presentation of advertising or promotional messages, primarily to a caller, although it can be delivered to the recipient of the call, or both. In addition, the system provides for the use of messages during the normal ringing cycle time to effectively replace the ringing signal. The particular advertising or promotional message can be selected for a certain area, such as an area covered by a telephone switchboard or a certain party or characteristics of that party. In this way each individual telephone switchboard is capable of presenting a message different from the next telephone switchboard.

1 . A telecommunication system in which a message,can be generated and heard by at least one of a caller or a recipient of a telephone call during the quiescent period between initiation of a telephone dialing activity and the answering of a telephone by that recipient, said system comprising: 
 (a) a telephone at a first location of a party attempting to initiate a telephone call;    (b) a first telephone switching station associated with the telephone at the first location;    (c) a second location containing a telephone of a recipient of the telephone communication;    (d) a telephone switching station associated with that second telephone location and receiving a signal from the first switching station regarding the telephone communication; and    (e) means associated with at least one of said switching stations for generating a message to be initiated at the completion of a telephone dialing activity and the answering of the recipient telephone at the second location and which is to be presented to the telephone caller or to the recipient or both.    
     
     
         2 . The telecommunication system of  claim 1  further characterized in that a first messaging device is associated with the first central switching station and a similar and second messaging device is associated with the second central switching station.  
     
     
         3 . The telecommunication system of  claim 2  further characterized in that the first messaging device generates a message at the first switching station for hearing by the telephone at the first location.  
     
     
         4 . The telecommunication system of  claim 1  further characterized in that an antenna system is associated with the two telephone switching stations to enable transmission of messages from one switching station to the other.  
     
     
         5 . The telecommunication system of  claim 1  further characterized in that a message is generated between the period in which dialing is completed and the telephone at the second location is answered.  
     
     
         6 . The telecommunication system of  claim 1  further characterized in that the quiescent period may be altered so that it is not of a normal time ringing period.  
     
     
         7 . The telecommunication system of  claim 1  further characterized in that a telephone at at least one of said first or second locations is a fixed telephone using a hard wired telephone link.  
     
     
         8 . The telecommunication system of  claim 1  further characterized in that a telephone at at least one of the first or second locations is a cellular telephone using a cellular communication system.  
     
     
         9 . The telecommunication system of  claim 1  further characterized in that a central processor is operable with at least one of said central switching stations and at least one of the associated message generating devices therefor.  
     
     
         10 . The improvement in a telecommunication system of the type having first and second telephone locations remote from one another in which a telephone caller at one location attempts to access a telephone recipient at the other location along with at least one central switching station and a telephone communication link therebetween, an improvement comprising: 
 (a) means associated with at least one central switching station for generating a message during a portion of or all of the normal ringing signal which would be generated at the telephone of at least the second location.    
     
     
         11 . The improvement in the telecommunication system of  claim 1  further characterized in that a message generating device is associated with at least one central switching station for generating a pre-recorded message for transmission to the telephone of the calling party.  
     
     
         12 . The improvement in the telecommunication system of  claim 10  further characterized in that said message is an advertising or promotional message and which is generated during a portion of the entire period in which a ringing signal would normally be generated at the telephone of the recipient.  
     
     
         13 . The improvement in the telecommunication system of  claim 10  further characterized in that the message is generated for a period which is no longer than the normal ringing cycle for the telephone of the caller.  
     
     
         14 . The improvement in the telecommunication system of  claim 10  further characterized in that a plurality of messages are provided and wherein the central switching station operates in conjunction with a message center in order to select a message designed for a caller of the type initiating a telephone call to a recipient.  
     
     
         15 . A method of generating a message over a telecommunication link during a portion or all of a normal ringing cycle period between the completion of a dialing process and the time when a telephone of the recipient is answered, said method comprising: 
 (a) initiating a telephone communication by introducing a telephone calling code of an intended recipient;    (b) generating a message to be provided during a portion of or the entire time that a ringing signal would normally be generated at the telephone of the recipient to be heard by the caller or the recipient or both.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further characterized in that said method comprises the reduction in the sound of a ringing signal and the generation of a message overlying that ringing signal.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further characterized in that said method comprises elimination of the ringing signal and generation of a message in place of the ringing signal.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further characterized in that said method comprises generating the message during a portion of or all of the normal quiescent period of time in which a ringing signal would be generated.