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US-20260127637-A1 - TELECOMMUNICATIONS CALL AUGMENTATION SYSTEM

US20260127637A1US 20260127637 A1US20260127637 A1US 20260127637A1US-20260127637-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of augmenting a telecommunications call, the method comprising detecting a telecommunications call event at a user telecommunications device 10 ; selecting an item of media content 101 , the item of media content 101 being associated with a uniform resource identifier or URI; augmenting the call with the item of media content 101 ; detecting a user interaction with the item of media content 101 ; and on termination of the call, performing an action in dependence on the resource identified by the URI. The invention extends to a corresponding system and apparatus.

Inventors

  • Chaim Aaron James GREEN
  • Joshua NYMAN

Assignees

  • INCALL LIMITED

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20250527
Priority Date
20131121

Claims (17)

  1. 1 - 38 . (canceled)
  2. 39 . A method of augmenting a telecommunications call, the method comprising: using at least one processor of a user telecommunications device ( 10 ) for performing the following: receiving an item of media content ( 101 ) in advance of an incoming telecommunications call from a remote server ( 30 ), the item of media content ( 101 ) being flagged by the remote server ( 30 ) with an expiry time; storing the item of media content ( 101 ) in a store or a cache ( 112 ) on the user telecommunications device ( 10 ); detecting a telecommunications call event at the user telecommunications device ( 10 ); selecting an item of media content ( 101 ) from the store or the cache ( 112 ) in dependence on an attribute of a party placing the call; instructing an augmentation of the call with the item of media content ( 101 ); and after the expiry time, instructing a removal of the item of media content ( 101 ) from the cache ( 112 ).
  3. 40 . The method according to claim 39 , wherein the item of media content ( 101 ) enables the called or calling party to access further related media content or services.
  4. 41 . The method according to claim 39 , wherein the item of media content ( 101 ) is associated with a uniform resource identifier or URI.
  5. 42 . The method according to claim 39 , further comprising detecting a user interaction with the item of media content ( 101 ).
  6. 43 . The method according to claim 42 , further comprising, on termination of the call, performing an action in dependence on the resource identified by the URI.
  7. 44 . The method according to claim 43 , further comprising, using the server ( 30 ), maintaining an audit trail comprising records of which items of media content ( 101 ) have been used in an augmented call and which URIs have been interacted with.
  8. 45 . The method according to claim 39 , wherein the selection of the item of media content ( 101 ) is further in dependence on an attribute of at least one of: the call; a party receiving the call; the user device ( 10 ); and the user.
  9. 46 . The method according to claim 45 , wherein the attribute is at least one of: an associated identity; an associated location; and an associated date and/or time.
  10. 47 . The method according to claim 39 , wherein the item of media content ( 101 ) comprises one or more of: an image or video, wherein the augmentation of the call comprises displaying the media content to the user; and audio, wherein augmenting the call comprises playing the media content to the user.
  11. 48 . The method according to claim 39 , wherein the call is augmented at one or more of the following times: during the time the call is being initiated; whilst the call is in progress; and after the call has terminated.
  12. 49 . The method according to claim 39 , wherein a selection of the item of media content ( 101 ) is performed at the remote server ( 30 ).
  13. 50 . The method according to claim 43 , wherein the action performed in dependence on the resource identified by the URI comprises at least one of: accessing a network location, optionally accessing a web page; and initiating a further telecommunications call.
  14. 51 . The method according to claim 39 , wherein the item of media content ( 101 ) comprises a first and a second button ( 201 ), ( 202 ).
  15. 52 . The method according to claim 51 , wherein a user may accept an offer associated with the item of media content ( 101 ) by pressing the first button ( 201 ), or reject the offer by pressing the second button ( 202 ).
  16. 53 . The method according to claim 42 , wherein the user interaction with the item of media content ( 101 ) is reported to a remote server ( 30 ).
  17. 54 . An apparatus for augmenting a telecommunications call, the apparatus comprising: a store or a cache; and at least one processor adapted to execute a code for: receiving an item of media content ( 101 ) at a user telecommunications device in advance of an incoming telecommunications call ( 10 ) from a remote server ( 30 ), the item of media content ( 101 ) being flagged by the remote server ( 30 ) with an expiry time; storing the item of media content ( 101 ) in the store or the cache ( 112 ) on the user telecommunications device ( 10 ); detecting a telecommunications call event at a user telecommunications device ( 10 ); selecting an item of media content ( 101 ) from the store or the cache ( 112 ) in dependence on an attribute of a party placing the call; instructing an augmentation of the call with the item of media content ( 101 ); and after the expiry time, instructing a removal of the item of media content ( 101 ) from the cache ( 112 ).

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/518,503 filed on Nov. 23, 2023, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/178,262 filed on Feb. 18, 2021, which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/158,974 filed on May 19, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,943,262, which is a continuation of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/GB2014/053455 having International Filing Date of Nov. 21, 2014, which claims the benefit of priority of United Kingdom Patent Application No. 1320598.4 filed on Nov. 21, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a telecommunications call augmentation system and in particular to a method of and apparatus for augmenting a call with media content. The invention has particular relevance to providing a user of a telephone, especially of a mobile telephone or cellphone, such as a smartphone, with targeted media content in a noticeable yet unobtrusive fashion. Various embodiments are described wherein an initial item of media content is used as a trigger or advertisement which when activated by the user presents further media content. Modern telephones have become increasingly sophisticated and many are able to present or play a wide variety of forms of media content to their users. This is especially the case with those mobile telephones or cellphones known as ‘smartphones’, which are effectively portable computers with telephone functionality and often internet connectivity. Various attempts have been made to make use of this media playing ability of smartphones in order to present the user with pertinent information—for example, service alerts and advertisements—at times other than those at which the user is specifically seeking them out. A particular challenge is to make such alerts noticeable to the user yet not overtly obtrusive. The present invention aims to address at least some of these problems. Generally, there is provided a method of augmenting a telecommunications call with media content, preferably the media content being dependent on an attribute of the called or calling party, more preferably the media content enabling the called or calling party to access further related media content or services. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of augmenting a telecommunications call, the method comprising: detecting a telecommunications call event at a user telecommunications device; selecting an item of media content, the item of media content being associated with a uniform resource identifier or URI; augmenting the call with the item of media content; detecting a user interaction with the item of media content; and on termination of the call, performing an action in dependence on the resource identified by the URI. Augmenting the call in this way may allow for a selected media content item to be presented to a user of a telecommunications device in a noticeable yet unobtrusive fashion (and without distracting the user while the call is in progress). This may be particularly useful for presenting public notices and alerts, including advertising. Preferably, the selection of the item of media content is in dependence on an attribute of the call. The selection of the item of media content may be in dependence on an attribute of the user device and/or an attribute of the user, such as the user's browsing history, call history, and text message data, an associated identity, an associated location and/or an associated date and/or time. Preferably, the selection of the item of media content is in dependence on an attribute of a party placing the call. Preferably, the selection of the item of media content is in dependence on an attribute of a party receiving the call. Preferably, the item of media content comprises an image or video, and augmenting the call comprises displaying the media content to the user, preferably overlaid on a call screen of the device. Preferably, wherein the item of media content comprises audio, and augmenting the call comprises playing the media content to the user. Preferably, the method further comprises receiving the item of media content from a remote server. Receiving the item of media content may occur before an incoming call is received or an outgoing call is made; presentation of the media content to the user may occur before, during or after the incoming call is received or the outgoing call is made. Thus, in one example, the media content is presented to the user during call initiation or set up, that is, at the time of an incoming call alert, or while the user is waiting for a placed outgoing call to be picked up. In a further example, the media content is presented to the user after termination of a call (incoming or outgoing). Furthermore, the media content might be presented to the user multiple times during the place