FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
[See section 10 and rule 13]
1. Title: METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING ENHANCED CALLER
INFORMATION
2. Applicant: Antarix Networks, a company incorporated under the companies act, 1956,
having its principal place of business at Level 4, A-Wlng, Dynasty Building, Andheri Kurla Road, Andheri East, Mumbai 400059

The following specification describes the invention


METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING ENHANCED CALLER
INFORMATION FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The invention generally relates to caller identification. More specifically, the invention relates to rendering a set of enhanced caller information in a telecommunication network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Conventionally, a callee is presented with a set of caller information when the callee receives a call from a caller in a telecommunication network. The set of caller information may be stored in an address book in a mobile station (MS) used by the callee to receive the call. In such a case, a caller details screen is displayed to present the set of caller information to the callee on the MS. The caller details screen generally includes a phone number of the caller, a name of the caller, and any graphics corresponding to the set of caller information stored in the address book. Alternatively, a set of caller information may not to be stored in the address book of the MS used by the callee to receive the call. In such a case, the caller details screen is presented with one or more of a phone number of the caller and name of the caller. The name of the caller is added along with a Caller Line Identification (CLID) received by the MS when the callee receives the call on the MS.

[0003] In both the cases, the set of caller information is presented to enable the callee to handle the call from the caller. For example, the callee may reject the call based on a name of the caller. Alternatively, the callee could prepare for a conversation with the caller before accepting the call. Therefore, it is required that the callee be able to uniquely identify the caller based on the set of caller information presented.
[0004] There might be a scenario, where the callee is unable to uniquely identify the caller based on the set of caller information presented. In such a case, the callee is unable to handle the call efficiently. Therefore, the callee may require additional information to be included in the set of caller information of the caller to efficiently handle the call.
[0005] There is therefore a need for rendering a set of enhanced caller information which would enable the callee to uniquely identify the caller and handle the call efficiently,
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0006] The accompanying figures where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the description below are incorporated in and form part of the provisional specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the invention.
[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram showing an environment in which various embodiments of the invention may function.

[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates a method for rendering a set of enhanced information of a caller in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 illustrates a system for rendering a set of enhanced information of a caller in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary process flow diagram for rendering a set of enhanced information of a caller in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] As required, embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting but rather to provide an understandable description of the invention.
[0011] The terms "a" or "an", as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term plurality, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term another, as

used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms including and/or having, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term coupled, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically.
[0012] Various embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for rendering a set of enhanced caller information on a Mobile Station (MS). A callee receives a call from a caller on the MS. The method includes, retrieving one or more identifiers corresponding to the call. The method further includes, retrieving the set of enhanced caller information based on the one or more identifiers corresponding to the call. The set of enhanced information may include one or more of a mapping information, a contextual information, a presence information and a status information. Thereafter, the method displays the set of enhanced caller information on the MS of the callee.
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram showing an environment 100 in which various embodiments of the invention may function. Environment 100 includes a telecommunication network 102 and a plurality of MSs for example, but not limited to a MS 104, a MS 106, a MS 108, a MS 110, a MS 112 and a MS 114. Examples of telecommunication network 102 may include, but are not limited to a Global System for Mobile (GSM) telecommunication network, a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) telecommunication network, a Wireless Interoperability Microwave Access (WiMAX) telecommunication network, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) telecommunication network and a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)

telecommunication network. Telecommunication network 102 may include one or more gateways and a plurality of Base Stations (not shown in figure) to enable communication between the MSs. Examples of a MS may include, but are not limited to a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and any hand-held devices using which a subscriber avails various communication services from a communication service provider in telecommunication network 102.
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a method for rendering a set of enhanced information of a caller in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. A callee receives a call on MS 104 from a caller using MS 106. In this case, the set of enhanced information corresponding to the caller is rendered on MS 104 in response to the call initiated by the caller using MS 106.
[0015] For rendering the set of enhanced information, one or more identifiers corresponding to MS 104 and MS 106 are retrieved at step 202. Examples of the one or more identifiers may include, but are not limited to, one or more phone numbers, a Caller Line Identification (CLID) identifier and one or more names corresponding to MS 104 and MS 106. The one or more identifiers may be retrieved from a service provider database. In an embodiment, a privileged access session is established with the service provider database to retrieve the one or more identifiers. Alternatively, the one or more identifiers may be retrieved from MS 104 used by the callee to receive the call from the caller. In this case, the one or more identifiers are retrieved using one or more data transmission services supported by MS 104 such as Short Message Service (SMS), a

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). The one or more data transmission services supported by MS 104 enable the retrieving of the one or more identifiers in response to a call.
[0016] In response of retrieving the one or more identifiers, a set of enhanced information is retrieved at step 204. The set of enhanced information may include one or more of a mapping information, a contextual information, status information and presence information of the caller. The set of enhanced information may be retrieved from one or more of data sources such as, a calendar on MS 106 of the caller, an activity log from a web site, and a status message from a social networking site. In an embodiment, a contextual information is retrieved based on a CLID identifier of MS 106. The contextual information in this case may be a message describing a current activity of the caller retrieved from a calendar on MS 106 of the caller. This information enables the callee to prepare for a conversation before accepting the call.
[0017] Mapping information may be a graphical representation of a relationship between the caller and the callee. Mapping information enables the callee to visualize the relationship (A direction relationship or an indirect relationship) between the caller and the callee. The mapping information may be retrieved from a social networking database such as Facebook™, Linkedln™, Orkut™ and MySpace™ based on the one or more identifiers.
[0018] In an embodiment, the mapping information is created from a data source created using a plurality of contact lists retrieved from a plurality of MSs. For example, a data

source may be created using contact lists retrieved from MS 104, MS 106, MS 108, MS 110, MS 112 and MS 114. Subsequently, the data source can be used to create a mapping between a plurality of users based on the contact lists stored in the data source. For example, User A uses MS 104, User B uses MS 106, and User C uses MS 108. The contact lists from MS 104, MS 106 and MS 108 are retrieved and stored in the data source. User A may have a contact information of User B stored in a contact list in MS 104. Similarly, User B may have a contact information of User C stored in a contact list in MS 104. Accordingly, a mapping information is created based on the contact lists from MS 104, MS 106 and MS 108 stored in the data source. The mapping information is represented based on a degree of separation between User A and User C. In this case, it is evident from the contact lists that User A knows User B and User B knows User C. Therefore, the degree of separation between User A and User C is one. Subsequently, the mapping information represents a relationship information between User A and User C using the degree of separation.
[0019] In an embodiment, the set of enhanced information may be retrieved based on one or more queries created using the one or more identifiers. For example, a query can be created based on a name and a phone number of a caller and the set of enhanced information may be retrieved based on the query. The query may be executed on the one or more data sources. The database may be a social networking database such as Facebook™, Linkedln™, Orkut™ and MySpace™ to retrieve the set of enhanced information. Alternatively, the database is created using a plurality of contact lists from a plurality of MSs. The database can provide a mapping information as one of the information of the set of enhanced information based on the plurality of contact lists

stored in the database. For example, a query is executed on a database created using a plurality of contact lists from a plurality of MSs to retrieve a mapping information as one of the information of the set of enhanced information. The query is formed using a phone number of a callee and a phone number of a caller to retrieve the mapping information between the callee and the caller. The mapping information represents a degree of separation between the caller and the callee.
[0020] The query for retrieving the set of enhanced information from the database is transmitted by MS 104 receiving a call. Accordingly, the query may be transmitted using one or more data transmission services supported by MS 104 such as a Short Message Service (SMS), a Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). The one or more data transmission services enable MS 104 to transmit the query simultaneously along with any other data transmission in response to the call.
[0021] In another embodiment, telecommunication network 102 retrieves the set of enhanced information from one or more data sources in response to the caller initiating a call using MS 104 for a callee using MS 106. Telecommunication network 102 uses the one or more identifiers corresponding to the call to retrieve the set of enhanced information. In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more data sources may be a social networking database such as Facebook™, Linkedln™, Orkut™ and MySpace™. Alternatively, the one or more data sources may be created using a plurality of contact lists retrieved from a plurality of MSs in telecommunication network 102. In such a case,

a mapping information can be retrieved from the one or more data sources. The mapping information depicts a relationship between the caller and the callee.
[0022] Thereafter, at step 206, the set of enhanced information is displayed on MS 104. In an embodiment, communication network 102 displays the set of enhanced information on MS 104 while establishing the call between MS 104 and MS 106. For example, the callee using MS 104 receives a call from the caller using MS 106. In such a case, the set of enhanced information including the mapping information is retrieved based on a phone number of the caller and is displayed on MS 104. Mapping information may be a graphical representation of a relationship between the caller and the callee. For example. a mapping information between the caller and the callee is retrieved. The mapping information reveals that the caller and the callee are related to each other through a user A. That is, the caller knows user A and the callee also knows user A. This information is represented as a nodal diagram depicting a relationship between the caller and the callee through user A. The nodal diagram is based on a degree of separation between the caller and the callee and is displayed on MS 104 used by the callee. In this case, the degree of separation of separation between the caller and the callee is 'one-hop' through user A. This would enable the callee receiving the call from the caller to identify the relationship with the caller and possibly a context of the call.
[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates a system 300 for rendering a set of enhanced information of a caller in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. System 300 includes an Identifier Retrieving Module 302, an Enhanced Information Retrieving Module 304 and a

Displaying Module 306. System 300 may be located in one or more of a MS, a BS and a Gateway of a telecommunication network.
[0024] Identifier Retrieving Module 302 retrieves one or more identifiers based on a call initiated from a caller for a callee. For example, Identifier Retrieving Module 302 retrieves a phone number and a name of the caller in response to the call. Alternatively, the phone number and the name of the caller may be retrieved as a CLID identifier.
[0025] The one or more identifiers may be retrieved from a MS used by the callee using one or more data transmission services supported by the MS. The one or more data transmission services enable Identifier Retrieving Module 302 to retrieve the one or more identifiers without interrupting the call. Alternatively, the one or more identifiers may be retrieved by Identifier Retrieving Module 302 using a privileged access session established with a service provider database.
[0026] Once Identifier Retrieving Module 302 retrieves one or more identifiers, Enhanced Information Retrieving Module 304 retrieves a set of enhanced information based on the one or more identifiers. The set of enhanced information may be retrieved from one or more data sources. For example a information of the set of enhanced information may be a contextual information of a caller such as current activity of the caller and current location of the caller. In this case, the one or more data sources are a calendar and a GPS tracker in the MS of the caller. Additionally, the set of enhanced information may include a status information such as a status message depicting presence information of the caller and current activity of the caller. In such a case, the one or more

data sources are a social networking website, a blogging service website, an E-Mail service website and a personal website. The current status in a social networking site may be "On vacation". This information may enable the callee to prepare for a conversation with the caller before accepting the call. Based on this information, the callee may enquire regarding the details of the current status, in this case, a vacation. In an embodiment, the set of enhanced information retrieved by Enhanced Information Retrieving Module 304 may include a mapping information. Mapping information may be a graphical representation of a relationship between a caller and a callee. The graphical representation can be for example, a nodal diagram and a line diagram. The mapping information may be based on the degrees of separation between the caller and the callee. In an embodiment of, the mapping information is created based on the one or more identifiers retrieved by the Identifier Retrieving Module 304. In this case, the one or more data sources include a plurality of contact lists retrieved from a plurality of MSs. For example, a data source can be created using contact lists retrieved from MS 104, MS 106, and MS 108. In this case, Identifier Retrieving Module 304 analyzes the data source and creates a mapping between a caller using MS 104 establishing a call with a callee using MS 108, in response to the call. The mapping may be created based on the fact that, a contact information of a User A is stored in the contact list retrieved from MS 104 and MS 108. This would establish a relationship information which can be depicted as "the caller knows User A" and "the callee knows User A''- The relationship information enables the callee to uniquely identify the caller prior to the call.
[0027] There may be scenario where the mapping information may be retrieved from one or more social networking databases such as Facebook™, Linkedln™, Orkut™ and

MySpace™. The mapping information may be retrieved by querying the one or more social networking databases based on a query created from the one or more identifiers. The mapping information may also be retrieved using one or more applications such as an Application Programmable Interface (API), a widget, and a RSS feed reader.
[0028] Thereafter, Displaying Module 306 displays the set of enhanced information to a callee on a MS receiving a call from a caller. For example, a mapping information is displayed to a callee. In such a case, the Displaying Module 306 embeds the mapping information along with an advanced CLID identifier. In an embodiment, the set of enhanced information is transferred to a MS of a callee receiving a call from a caller. In such a case, the set of enhanced information may be transmitted using one or more data transmission services supported by the MS such as a Short Messaging Service (SMS), an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) service and a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). For example, a nodal diagram representing the mapping information between a caller and a callee may be transmitted using a GPRS channel. This would enable the callee to receive the nodal diagram without interrupting the call.
[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary process flow for rendering a set of enhanced information in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention. A caller initiates a call using MS 402 and a callee receives the call using MS 404 at step 406. Thereafter, Identifier Retrieving Module (IRM) 302 retrieves phone numbers of MS 402 and MS 404 at step 408. The phone numbers are retrieved using a SMS. This ensures that the call initiated is not interrupted during the retrieving of the phone numbers. IRM 302 then transmits the phone numbers to an Enhanced Information Retrieving Module (ERM)

304 at step 410. Subsequently, ERM 304 creates a query based on the phone numbers. The query is created based on a data source that ERM 304 accesses to retrieve a set of enhanced information, in this case a database 412. Accordingly, ERM 304 transmits the query to database 412 at step 414 and retrieves a mapping information between the caller and the callee based on the query at step 416. Database 412 includes a set of contact lists retrieved from a plurality of MSs. The set of contact lists is used to create the mapping information.
[0029] The mapping information illustrates a degree of separation between the caller and the callee. Hence, the mapping information reveals a relationship between the caller and the callee. For example, database 412 includes a set of contact lists retrieved from MS 402, MS 404 and a third MS (not shown in figure) used by a user A. Further, a contact information of the user A is stored in a contact list of MS 402 and MS 402. Hence, it can be concluded that the caller knows user A and callee knows user A as well. In such a case, based on the query constructed by ERM 304, a mapping information is created using this relationship. In this case the mapping information is "the caller knows user A and the callee knows user A". Alternatively, mapping information may also be represented based on a degree of separation and the number of 'hops' between the caller and the callee such as, "One mutual friend - user A". This enables the callee to uniquely identify the caller based on the mapping information.
[0030] At step 418, ERM 304 transmits the mapping information to Display Module (DM) 306. The display module converts the mapping information received into a

converted mapping information which is transmitted using a SMS to MS 404 at step 420. Thereafter, MS 404 displays the converted mapping information as caller information to the callee. The callee handles the call accordingly based on this information. For example, callee may decide to accept the call based on the mapping information. Further, the mapping information may also allow the callee to prepare a conversation with the caller. In this example, the callee may enquire about user A based on the mapping information "the caller knows user A and the callee knows user A". Hence, the callee is able to prepare for the call before accepting the call using the mapping information.
[0031] Various embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for rendering a set of enhanced caller information on a MS. The set of enhanced information may include a contextual information of a caller. This enable a callee receiving a call from the caller to prepare for a conversation with the caller and also identify the caller uniquely before accepting the call. Alternatively, the set of enhanced information may be a mapping information based on a relationship between the caller and the callee. The mapping information enables the callee to uniquely identify the caller based on the relationship and handle the call efficiently.
[0032] Those skilled in the art will realize that the above-recognized advantages and other advantages described herein are merely exemplary and are not meant to be a complete rendering of all of the advantages of the various embodiments of the invention.

[0033] In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments of the invention have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims.
Signature:
Gowree Gokhale Constituted Patent Agent for the applicant