System allowing telephone customers to send and retrieve...

Details System allowing telephone customers to send and retrieve... System allowing telephone customers to send and retrieve...

2005-06-28

2005-06-28

Tsang, Fan (Department: 2645)

Telephonic communications

Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis

Interaction with an external nontelephone network

C379S093150, C704S275000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06912274

ABSTRACT:
A novel communication system allows telephone customers to send and retrieve e-mail using only conventional telephone units. The system includes an “E-mail Device” (EMD), which is a special host computer for enabling customers to remotely create, send, retrieve and store e-mail messages. The EMD resides in the central office as part of a PSTN, or with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Subscribers to the e-mail service can give calling parties the option of leaving e-mail messages when the subscribers' telephone lines are busy. Customers can also create and send e-mail messages by either dialing an access code to connect directly to the EMD, or dialing an ISP with a resident EMD. Once connected to the EMD, the customer is guided through menus to send either pre-stored or custom e-mail messages to a chosen customer, telephone number, or e-mail address. The message information and details are entered via the touch-tone pad, or by voice, followed with voice-to-text conversion. Retrieval of e-mail messages is also through conventional telephone units by placing a call to the EMD and specifying the Destination Number of interest. The EMD can require the entry of a PIN for security purposes. Audio versions of the e-mail messages are played for the customer. The customer can then store the text versions of the messages if desired.

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NOKIA 3520/3560 User Guid, 9355099, Jul. 2001, p. 103-105.

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