Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis – Voice message synthesis
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-28
2004-08-03
Foster, Roland G. (Department: 2645)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
Voice message synthesis
C379S373020, C379S374020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06771747
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a communications terminal equipment wherein a single dedicated line is utilized by a plurality of users, and a method of calling up a target call receiver by use of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case of a plurality of users making use of a single dedicated line, it has been a conventional practice for a transmitting party (referred to hereinafter as a caller) to put in a call to a communications terminal equipment such as telephone, and so forth, thereby causing a calling sound to be outputted to a telephone at the receiving end, whereupon an unspecified user among the plurality of users receives the call.
In this case, however, a party whom the caller intends to call up will not necessarily receive the call, in which case, the unspecified user receiving the call has to relay the call to one of the users whom the caller intends to call up (hereinafter referred to as a target call receiver). In such a case, if, for example, each of the users is busy, the unspecified user relaying the call has had to bear the burden of loss in time.
There has also been adopted a practice such that each of the users is provided with a communications terminal equipment for exclusive use in the extension line, and a specified person is charged with taking care of calls from the outside line, thereby relaying respective calls to the communications terminal equipment for exclusive use in the extension line, assigned to the respective users. This practice, however, has caused a problem of an increase in cost due to personal expenses involved in employment of the specified person charged with taking care of calls from the outside line, and an increase in the number of the communications terminal equipment for exclusive use in the extension line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a simple and convenient method of calling up a target call receiver, and a communications terminal equipment with which said method can be implemented.
To this end, a communications terminal equipment according to the invention is a communications terminal equipment connected to a single communication circuit for use by a plurality of users, comprising an extension number database which is a first database, provided in a memory, a processor, and a speech output unit. Respective names of cataloged users of the communications terminal equipment and numbers corresponding to the respective names of the cataloged users are stored (cataloged) in the extension number database as respective cataloged extension numbers. The processor receives a designated cataloged extension number, as designated and inputted by a caller, and identify the name of a target call receiver by referring the designated cataloged extension number to the cataloged extension numbers in the extension number database. Subsequently, on the basis of the name of the target call receiver, and a predetermined call-up message, the processor generates a call-up speech for the target call receiver, whereupon the speech output unit outputs the call-up speech.
With such a configuration as described above, the communications terminal equipment can outputs a speech saying, for example, “There's a call for Mr. (Ms.) . . . ”, so that time involved in relaying a telephone call can be saved.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5598461 (1997-01-01), Greenberg
patent: 5649007 (1997-07-01), Yamada
patent: 5724411 (1998-03-01), Eisdorfer et al.
patent: 5745562 (1998-04-01), Penning
patent: 5802148 (1998-09-01), Sizer, II
patent: 5850435 (1998-12-01), Devillier
patent: 5991397 (1999-11-01), Han
patent: 6226379 (2001-05-01), Swan et al.
patent: 11008703 (1999-01-01), None
patent: 2000209346 (2000-07-01), None
patent: 2001103159 (2001-04-01), None
Foster Roland G.
Oki Electric Industry Co. Ltd.
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