Telephone voice messaging system and method using off-hook immediate trigger

• US 20040190692A1
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommWorks Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Quenton Lanny
• Granted Patent: US 7,023,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message

Abstract

A system and method is described for entering a voice messaging system when a telephone set goes off-hook. If no voice message is waiting, a dial tone is provided to the telephone set. If a message is waiting, a prompt is activated by a telephone system indicating that such message is waiting, and the subscriber is then prompted to listen to the waiting message. If the subscriber does not wish to listen to the waiting message, he can place a conventional telephone call. If the subscriber chooses to listen to the waiting message (e.g., by entering “*” or saying “yes”), control is passed to the voice messaging system and the message is delivered to the subscriber.

Claims

1-29. -29 (canceled)

30. A method of providing information to a telephone subscriber location, comprising:

storing the information in a storage device;

detecting an off-hook condition of the subscriber location;

retrieving the information from the storage device responsive to the detected off-hook condition;

providing a TCP/IP message waiting signal when the subscriber location goes off-hook, the message waiting signal indicating that the information is for the subscriber location; and

forwarding the information to the subscriber location when the subscriber location goes off-hook.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein detecting the off-hook condition comprises detecting an AIN trigger.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein the information comprises at least one of news, weather, traffic data, and advertisements.

33. The method according to claim 30, further comprising de-activating the information delivery responsive to receiving a predetermined input from the subscriber location.

34. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of providing information to a telephone subscriber location, comprising:

storing the information in a storage device;

detecting an off-hook condition of the subscriber location;

retrieving the information from the storage device responsive to the detected off-hook condition;

providing a TCP/IP message waiting signal when the subscriber location goes off-hook, the message waiting signal indicating that the information is for the subscriber location; and

forwarding the information to the subscriber location when the subscriber location goes off-hook.

35. The computer-readable medium according to claim 34, wherein detecting the off-hook condition comprises detecting an AIN trigger.

36. The computer-readable medium according to claim 34, wherein the information comprises at least one of news, weather, traffic data, and advertisements.

37. The computer-readable medium according to claim 34, further comprising computer-executable instructions for de-activating the information delivery responsive to receiving a predetermined input from the subscriber location.

38. A method of receiving information at a telephone subscriber location, comprising:

going off-hook at the subscriber location;

receiving a TCP/IP message waiting signal at the subscriber location when the subscriber location goes off-hook, the message waiting signal indicating that the information is for the subscriber location; and

receiving the information at the subscriber location when the subscriber location goes off-hook.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein receiving the TCP/IP message waiting signal comprises receiving the TCP/IP message waiting signal from a telephone system.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein receiving the information at the subscriber location when the subscriber location goes off-hook comprises receiving the information from a storage device associated with a telephone system.

41. The method according to claim 38, wherein the information comprises at least one of news, weather, traffic data, and advertisements.

42. The method according to claim 38, further comprising providing a predetermined input from the subscriber location to a telephone system to de-activate the information delivery.

43. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of receiving information at a telephone subscriber location, comprising:

going off-hook at the subscriber location;

receiving a TCP/IP message waiting signal at the subscriber location when the subscriber location goes off-hook, the message waiting signal indicating that the information is for the subscriber location; and

receiving the information at the subscriber location when the subscriber location goes off-hook.

44. The computer-readable medium according to claim 43, wherein receiving the TCP/IP message waiting signal comprises receiving the TCP/IP message waiting signal from a telephone system.

45. The computer-readable medium according to claim 43, wherein receiving the information at the subscriber location when the subscriber location goes off-hook comprises receiving the information from a storage device associated with a telephone system.

46. The computer-readable medium according to claim 43, wherein the information comprises at least one of news, weather, traffic data, and advertisements.

47. The computer-readable medium according to claim 43, further comprising computer-executable instructions for providing a predetermined input from the subscriber location to a telephone system to de-activate the information delivery.