SINGLE TELEPHONE NUMBER ACCESS TO MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES

• US 20110026696A1
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yolab Networks LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Yolab Networks LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Galvan, Thomas J., Chib, Rupika, Gross, Karen A.
• Application Number:
  US12/902,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20110026696A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/100.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005

Abstract

A platform provides access to multiple telecommunications services via a single telephone number. These services may include, for example, voicemail services. facsimile messaging services, paging services, and outbound calling services. A guest caller may call the single phone number to speak to a subscriber, leave a voicemail message for a subscriber, leave a facsimile message for a subscriber or place a page to a subscriber. A subscriber may call the phone number to place outbound calls. In addition, a subscriber may call the single phone number to retrieve or send facsimile messages and/or voicemail messages. A subscriber may also call the phone number to configure service options. For instance, a subscriber may select routing options and choose what services are available to Quest callers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a call from a caller at a call service node;

receiving a first selection from the caller to leave a facsimile message for a subscriber of the call service node;

receiving, at the call service node, a second selection from the caller to leave a voice annotation associated with the facsimile message;

receiving the facsimile message and the voice annotation;

attaching the voice annotation to the facsimile message to generate an annotated facsimile message; and

providing the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting the caller to leave the voice annotation with the facsimile message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the first selection, transferring the call to a facsimile platform of the call service node.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising associating a mode indicator with the call, wherein the mode indicator corresponds to the first selection.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an electronic mail message with the facsimile message.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising

stripping the electronic mail message from the facsimile message;

and

providing the electronic mail message to an electronic mail program accessible by the subscriber.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the electronic mail program is specified by the subscriber.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching a video mail message to the facsimile message.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a billing record based at least in part on the providing of the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber.

10. A call service node comprising:

a call platform configured to;

receive a call from a caller;

receive a first selection from the caller to leave a facsimile message for a subscriber of the call service node;

receive a second selection from the caller to leave a voice annotation associated with the facsimile message; and

receive the facsimile message and the voice annotation; and

a processor configured to;

attach the voice annotation to the facsimile message to generate an annotated facsimile message; and

provide the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber.

11. The call service node of claim 10, wherein the call platform is further configured to receive an electronic mail message with the facsimile message, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

strip the electronic mail message from the facsimile message; and

provide the electronic mail message to an electronic mail program accessible by the subscriber.

12. The call service node of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to associate a mode indicator with the call, wherein the mode indicator corresponds to the first selection.

13. The call service node of claim 10, wherein the call platform is further configured to prompt the caller to leave the voice annotation with the facsimile message.

14. The call service node of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a billing record based at least in part on the providing of the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber.

15. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving a call from a caller at a call service node;

instructions for receiving a first selection from the caller to leave a facsimile message for a subscriber of the call service node;

instructions for receiving, at the call service node, a second selection from the caller to leave a voice annotation associated with the facsimile message;

instructions for receiving the facsimile message and the voice annotation;

instructions for attaching the voice annotation to the facsimile message to generate an annotated facsimile message; and

instructions for providing the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber.

16. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

instructions for receiving an electronic mail message with the facsimile message;

instructions for stripping the electronic mail message from the facsimile message; and

instructions for providing the electronic mail message to an electronic mail program accessible by the subscriber.

17. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions for attaching a video mail message to the facsimile message.

18. A call service node comprising:

means for receiving a call from a caller at a call service node;

means for receiving a first selection from the caller to leave a facsimile message for a subscriber of the call service node;

means for receiving, at the call service node, a second selection from the caller to leave a voice annotation associated with the facsimile message;

means for receiving the facsimile message and the voice annotation;

means for attaching the voice annotation to the facsimile message to generate an annotated facsimile message; and

means for providing the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber.

19. The call service node of claim 18, further comprising means for prompting the caller to leave the voice annotation with the facsimile message.

20. The call service node of claim 18, further comprising means for associating a mode indicator with the call, wherein the mode indicator corresponds to the first selection.