System, Apparatus, and Methodology for Peer-to-Peer Voice Communication Employing a Caller Specified Multimedia Announcement

A system for communicating a multimedia announcement from a calling party to a called party as part of a voice call therebetween, the system comprising:

• a calling party device operated by the calling party, a called party device operated by the called party, and a server operably coupled to said calling party device and to said called party device over a communication network therebetween;
• wherein said server includes or interfaces to at least one database for storing DRM license information;
• wherein said calling party device includes first means for identifying the called party, second means for selecting media content for a multimedia announcement, and third means for initiating communication of at least one command from said calling party device to said called party device, said at least one command specifying or including the media content of the multimedia announcement;
• and
• wherein said called party device includes means for receiving the at least one command and means for playing the media content of the multimedia announcement in conjunction with a call made from said calling party device to said called party device over said communication network, wherein said called party device acquires DRM license information from said server that allows access to the file storing the media content for at least playing the media content on said called party device.

A system for communicating a multimedia announcement from a calling party to a called party as part of a voice call therebetween, the system comprising:

• a calling party device operated by the calling party, a called party device operated by the called party, and a server operably coupled to said calling party device and to said called party device over a communication network therebetween;
• wherein said server includes or interfaces to at least one database of information pertaining to commercial media content items, the information of the database identifying the licensed rights and the territories associated therewith (e.g., allowed territories and/or restricted territories) for such commercial media content items (or groups thereof);
• wherein said calling party device includes first means for identifying the called party, second means for selecting media content for a multimedia announcement, and third means for initiating communication of at least one command from said calling party device to said called party device, said at least one command specifying or including the media content of the multimedia announcement;
• wherein said server includes
• i) means for identifying territory for the called party device or for the calling party device,
• ii) means for accessing the database to identify restricted territories represented by the information stored in the database for the media content specified by or included in the at least one command, and for determining if the territory of the called party device or for the calling party device corresponds to a restricted territory,
• iii) means, operating in the event that the territory of the called party device or for the calling party device corresponds to a restricted territory, for supplying DRM license data information to the called party device or the calling party device that restricts usage of the media content or acts to present a most-alike alternative media content item that is not restricted for purchase/download in said territory;
• and
• wherein said called party device includes means for receiving the at least one command and means for playing the media content of the multimedia announcement in conjunction with a call made from said calling party device to said called party device over said communication network.

A method for communicating a multimedia announcement from a calling party to a called party as part of a voice call therebetween, the method comprising:

• providing a server operably coupled to a calling party device operated by the calling party and a called party device operated by the called party, said server including or interfacing to at least one database for storing presence data and permissions data for a plurality of users, wherein presence data and permissions data for the called party is specified by communication from said called party device;
• said calling party operating said calling party device to identify the called party and to select media content for a multimedia announcement;
• in response to the operation of the calling party device, controlling said calling party device to communicate with said server to determine serviceability of the called party based upon said presence data and said permissions data for the called party;
• selectively initiating communication of at least one command from said calling party device to said called party device based upon serviceability of the called party as determined by said third means, said at least one command specifying or including the media content of the multimedia announcement;
• receiving the at least one command at said called party device;
• and
• playing the media content of the multimedia announcement in conjunction with a call made from said calling party device to said called party device over said communication network.

A method for communicating a multimedia announcement from a calling party to a called party as part of a voice call therebetween, the method comprising:

• providing a server operable coupled to a calling party device operated by the calling party and a called party device operated by the called party, said server including or interfacing to at least one database for storing DRM license information;
• said calling party operating the calling party device to identifying the called party and to select media content for a multimedia announcement,
• in response to the operation of the calling party device, said calling party device initiating communication of at least one command from said calling party device to said called party device, said at least one command specifying or including the media content of the multimedia announcement;
• and
• said called party device receiving the at least one command and playing the media content of the multimedia announcement in conjunction with a call made from said calling party device to said called party device over said communication network, wherein said called party device acquires DRM license information from said server that allows access to the file storing the media content for at least playing the media content on said called party device.

A method for communicating a multimedia announcement from a calling party to a called party as part of a voice call therebetween, the system comprising:

• providing a server operably coupled to a calling party device operated by the calling party and a called party device operated by the called party, said server including or interfacing to at least one database of information pertaining to commercial media content items, the information of the database identifying the licensed rights and the territories associated therewith (e.g., allowed territories and/or restricted territories) for such commercial media content items (or groups thereof);
• operating said calling party device to identify the called party and to select media content for a multimedia announcement;
• in response to operation of said calling party device, initiating communication of at least one command from said calling party device to said called party device, said at least one command specifying or including the media content of the multimedia announcement;
• wherein said server identifies the territory for the called party device or for the calling party device, accesses the database to identify restricted territories represented by the information stored in the database for the media content specified by or included in the at least one command, and determines if the territory of the called party device or for the calling party device corresponds to a restricted territory;
• and
• in the event that the territory of the called party device or for the calling party device corresponds to a restricted territory, said server supplies DRM license data information to the called party device or the calling party device that restricts usage of the media content or acts to present a most-alike alternative media content item that is not restricted for purchase/download in said territory;
• and
• said called party receives the at least one command and plays the media content of the multimedia announcement in conjunction with a call made from said calling party device to said called party device over said communication network.

In a system for communicating a multimedia announcement from a calling party to a called party as part of a voice call therebetween, a software application loaded or loadable onto a calling party device operated by the calling party, the software application including:

• means for identifying the called party;
• means for selecting media content for the multimedia announcement;
• and
• means for initiating communication of at least one command from said calling party device to said called party device, said at least one command specifying or including the media content of the multimedia announcement, and said at least one command comprising a command type selected from a plurality of command types (such as local-ID type, remote-URL type, peer-to-peer type).