Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis – Message management
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-31
2001-02-27
Weaver, Scott L. (Department: 2748)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
Message management
C379S088190
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195418
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a telephone system and method for allowing a recipient of a telephone message to be connected to a caller that originated the telephone message.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Telephone message systems and voice mail systems have become widely used. In fact, these systems are now essential for most industries and are extensively utilized. Such systems allow a calling party to record a voice message or a numeric message for a recipient when the calling party does not reach the recipient (e.g., when the recipient is not available to answer the call, when the recipient is connected to another calling party, etc.). These systems may be incorporated in the general telephone system, and may route telephone calls from the calling parties to the respective recipients. Additionally, the telephone message systems (or the voice mail systems) may be incorporated in a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) of the recipient.
Generally, to record a voice message when the calling party cannot be connected to the recipient, the calling party is first connected to the telephone message system (or the voice mail system). The calling party is then prompted to speak a message. In response thereto, the calling party provides a voice message through a telephone microphone. The voice message is then stored in a storage arrangement (e.g., a storage unit, memory, etc.) of the message system. Finally, the connection between the calling party and the system is severed. The recipient can retrieve the stored message from the telephone message system. Thereafter, the recipient contacts the calling party by dialing the calling party's telephone number. However, if the calling party did not provide a telephone number in the voice message, the recipient may have no way of knowing how to contact the calling party.
Some telephone message systems allow the calling party to provide a numeric message to the recipient if the recipient is not available. For example, when the calling party is connected to the telephone message system, the calling party may indicate the originating telephone number using a touchtone key pad of the calling party's telephone. The telephone message system then translates this telephone number into system voice generated numbers. These system voice generated numbers can then be stored in the telephone message system. The recipient can then retrieve these numbers and contact the calling party.
Other developments in the known voice mail systems enable the calling party's telephone number to be extracted from the data transmitted by the telephone system in connection with the call. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,269 describes a telephone communication apparatus that includes equipment which detects a calling party's telephone number (i.e., the calling number). The calling number is then stored in a data storage unit, along with a recorded message from the calling party. The recipient of the message retrieves the message and the stored calling number.
However, none of the known systems and methods allows the recipient of a telephone message to automatically return the call by pressing a predetermined key sequence. Furthermore, known systems and methods do not address billing the calling party for the returned telephone call that is initiated by the recipient of the message (i.e., with a predetermined key sequence).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a calling party initiates a telephone call from the calling unit. The telephone call is coupled to a called unit.
In the exemplary embodiment, if the telephone call is not answered at the called unit, a message delivery system prompts the calling party at the calling unit to leave a voice message for the called party.
In response to the prompt, the calling party provides a voice message to the message delivery system. The calling party's telephone number and the voice message associated with the calling party's telephone number is stored in a storage device.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when a message recipient (i.e., the called party) desires to retrieve messages from the message delivery system, the message recipient activates the called unit to call a telephone number associated with the message delivery system. The message delivery system answers the call and prompts the message recipient for input. The message recipient may then activate a callback feature by, for example, pressing a first predetermined sequence of digits (e.g., “
1
” “
1
” “
3
”, etc.) on the touch-tone keypad of the called unit.
After the callback feature is activated, the message delivery system identifies that the called unit is requesting the voice message assigned to the called unit. At the same time, an information decoder receives and decodes the telephone number of the called unit, which may then be stored in the storage device by the processor. The processor then retrieves the voice message originated by calling unit, and replays the voice message to the message recipient, e.g., using a voice response unit.
After playing the message, the message delivery system prompts the message recipient with an option to automatically call back the calling party by pressing a second predetermined key sequence (e.g., “*”). If the recipient presses this second predetermined key sequence, the message delivery system retrieves the calling party's telephone number (associated with the voice message) and directs the telecommunications switch to connect the return telephone call from the called unit to the calling unit.
If the return telephone call is answered by the calling unit, the message delivery system may optionally direct the billing system to charge the telephone number corresponding to the calling unit for the return telephone call initiated by the recipient.
Additionally, the message delivery system may optionally include a feature whereby the calling party expressly provides the system with a telephone number to which a call is to be returned, i.e., a telephone number other than the one associated with the calling unit from which the calling party placed the call.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4549047 (1985-10-01), Brian et al.
patent: 4847890 (1989-07-01), Solomon et al.
patent: 4961216 (1990-10-01), Baehr et al.
patent: 4972461 (1990-11-01), Brown et al.
patent: 5283818 (1994-02-01), Klausner et al.
patent: 5425091 (1995-06-01), Josephs
patent: 5455852 (1995-10-01), Elrod et al.
patent: 5497413 (1996-03-01), Nakano
patent: 5568539 (1996-10-01), Bergsman et al.
patent: 5625682 (1997-04-01), Gray et al.
patent: 5646982 (1997-07-01), Hogan et al.
patent: 5657376 (1997-08-01), Espeut et al.
patent: 5671269 (1997-09-01), Egan et al.
patent: 5740229 (1998-04-01), Hanson et al.
patent: 5742674 (1998-04-01), Jain et al.
patent: 5768359 (1998-06-01), DiPierro, Jr. et al.
patent: 5784438 (1998-07-01), Martinez
patent: 5832060 (1998-11-01), Cortlett et al.
patent: 5835568 (1998-10-01), Bass et al.
Alcatel USA, Inc.
Kenyon & Kenyon
Weaver Scott L.
LandOfFree
Telephone system having a callback capability and method for... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Telephone system having a callback capability and method for..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Telephone system having a callback capability and method for... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2601196