Enhanced caller identification using caller readable devices

Abstract

A method of providing originator information to an intended communications recipient during establishment of a communication session includes reading, at an originating communication terminal, originator information carried by a device located with the originating terminal, and including at least some of the originator information in at least one signal transmitted by the originating communication terminal during establishment of the communication session for transmission to a communication terminal associated with the intended communications recipient.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of providing information to an intended communications recipient during establishment of a communication session, the method comprising:
 reading, at an originating communication device, information carried by an information storage device located near the originating communication device, the information comprising encrypted information and encryption information sufficient to enable a communication device associated with the intended communications recipient to decrypt the encrypted information; and   transmitting the encrypted information and the encryption information from the originating device toward the communication device associated with the intended communications recipient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein reading information comprises electromagnetically reading the information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein electromagnetically reading the information comprises optically reading the information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the information storage device comprises a substrate carrying a bar code. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein electromagnetically reading the information comprises reading the information at radio frequencies. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information storage device comprises an RFID device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information storage device comprises at least one of a read only memory (ROM) and a reprogrammable memory. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reading, at the originating communication device, executable code stored on the information storage device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising executing the executable code at the originating communication device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein executing the executable code at the originating communication device comprises executing the executable code to originate the communication session. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein executing the executable code at the originating communication device comprises:
 attempting to originate a first communication session based on a first component of the information read from the information storage device; and   attempting to originate a second communication session based on a second component of the information read from the information storage device when the first communication session is not established.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first component is a first telephone number;   the second component is a second telephone number; and   the first and second communication sessions are telephone calls.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encrypted information comprises originator identity information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encrypted information comprises presence information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encrypted information comprises information collected during earlier communications. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encrypted information comprises source information associated with a source of the encrypted information. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encrypted information characterizes an originator associated with the originating communication device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encrypted information comprises a customer rating. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication session comprises at least one of a voice call, a text session, an instant messaging session, and a video conferencing session. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the originating communication device comprises at least one of a telephone, a mobile telephone, a computer, and a personal digital assistant.