Electronic audio communications system with versatile user accessibility
First Claim
1. An electronic communication message system for being coupled to a private branch exchange or central office for receiving, storing and forwarding analog information from a user'"'"'s telephone facility comprising:
- electronic digital signal processing means for controlling operation of the message system;
digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representation of the analog information;
the analog information including a first portion for routing to a selected recipient'"'"'s telephone station and a second portion for defining route data;
means for enabling access to the message system through analog signals transmitted from an originating user'"'"'s telephone facility;
means for storing in said memory means digital representations of said first and second portions of the analog information received from the originating user'"'"'s telephone facility;
means for accessing said digital representations of said first portion of the analog information;
means for reproducing said first portion of the analog information in analog format from the stored digital representations;
means for sequentially transmitting the analog information when reproduced to said selected recipient'"'"'s telephone station;
means for detecting transmission of said analog information prior to completion of the transmission;
means for terminating the sequential transmission of the analog information before completion of the sequential transmission; and
deleting means for automatically deleting said first portion from said digital memory means after termination or completion of said reproduced first portion if an auto-delete parameter has been previously initiated user with respect to said first portion.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An advanced electronic telecommunications system is provided for the deposit, storage and delivery of audio messages to both user and non-users with limited access provided to the non-user under the control of the user. A Voice Message System (10) interconnects multiple private exchanges (12) of a subscribed with a central telephone office (22). Individual subscriber users may access the Voice Message System (10) through ON NET telephones (18) or OFF NET telephones (24). Selected non-users may be allowed access through the OFF NET telephones (24), the scope of the access of the selected non-users determined by a subscriber user. The Voice Message System (10) includes an administrative subsystem (60), call processor subsystem (62) and a data storage subsystem (64). The Voice Message System (10) enables the user to deposit a message in data storage subsystem (64) for automatic delivery to other addresses connected to the system. The user is also able to automatically delete the message after the message has been delivered to the selected recipient. The Voice Message System (10) also enables a user to access the system to determine if any messages have been in data storage subsystem (64) for him. Prerecorded instructional messages are deposited in the data storage subsystem (64) for instructing a user or a selected non-user on their progress in using the system. A FAX transmission device (19) is also provided for transmitting to the system graphic information for deposit, storage and delivery thereof.
208 Citations
7 Claims
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1. An electronic communication message system for being coupled to a private branch exchange or central office for receiving, storing and forwarding analog information from a user'"'"'s telephone facility comprising:
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electronic digital signal processing means for controlling operation of the message system; digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representation of the analog information; the analog information including a first portion for routing to a selected recipient'"'"'s telephone station and a second portion for defining route data; means for enabling access to the message system through analog signals transmitted from an originating user'"'"'s telephone facility; means for storing in said memory means digital representations of said first and second portions of the analog information received from the originating user'"'"'s telephone facility; means for accessing said digital representations of said first portion of the analog information; means for reproducing said first portion of the analog information in analog format from the stored digital representations; means for sequentially transmitting the analog information when reproduced to said selected recipient'"'"'s telephone station; means for detecting transmission of said analog information prior to completion of the transmission; means for terminating the sequential transmission of the analog information before completion of the sequential transmission; and deleting means for automatically deleting said first portion from said digital memory means after termination or completion of said reproduced first portion if an auto-delete parameter has been previously initiated user with respect to said first portion.
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2. An electronic communication message system for being coupled to a private branch exchange or central office for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages from a user'"'"'s telephone facility comprising:
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an electronic digital signal processing means for controlling operation of the message system; digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representations of the audio messages and associated route data; means for enabling access to the message system through signals transmitted from a user'"'"'s telephone facility associated with the private branch exchange; means for enabling access to the message system through signals transmitted from a telephone unit outside of the private branch exchange; means for detecting access signals transmitted by a user from outside the private branch exchange; means for detecting the presence of stored digital represenations of audio messages in said memory means associated with route data of the user in response to said access signals transmitted by the user; means for delaying access to the message system for a predetermined interval of time if no audio messages are present that are associated with route data of the user who transmitted said access signals; means for accessing the digital representations of the audio messages associated with particular route data corresponding to a selected recipient'"'"'s telephone station; means for reproducing the audio messages in analog format from the stored digital representations; and means for sequentially transmitting the analog information when reproduced to said selected recipient'"'"'s telephone station. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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5. An electronic communications message system for receiving, storing and forwarding graphic information and analog information from a user'"'"'s telephone facility to selected recipients'"'"' telephone facilities comprising:
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electronic digital signal processing means for controlling operation of the message system; accessing means for enabling access to the message system through analog signals transmitted from a user'"'"'s telephone facility; encoding/decoding means for converting a graphic information into facsimile analog signals suitable for facsimile transmission from a user'"'"'s telephone facility after accessing the message system by said accessing means; digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representations of analog signals and analog information received from the accessing user'"'"'s telephone facility; the analog information comprising associated route data for said facsimile analog signals and said analog signals representing said facsimile analog signals; means for storing in said memory means digital representations of said facsimile analog signals and associated route data received from the accessing user'"'"'s telephone facility; means for selectively accessing such of said stored digital representations of said facsimile analog signals as are associated with particular route data corresponding to selected recipients'"'"' telephone stations; means for reproducing said facsimile analog signals in analog format from the stored digital representations; and means for sequentially transmitting the analog signals when reproduced to the telephone facilities of said selected recipients.
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6. A method for receiving, storing and forwarding graphic information and analog control information from a user'"'"'s telephone facility, comprising:
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enabling access to a message system through analog signals transmitted from an accessing user'"'"'s telephone facility; encoding the graphic information into analog fax signals suitable for facsimile transmission from a user'"'"'s telephone facility; transmitting the analog fax signals and analog information from the accessing user'"'"'s telephone facility to a storage location in the message system; the analog information comprising associated route data for the analog fax signals; storing digital representations of the analog fax signals and associated route data received from the accessing user'"'"'s telephone facility; enabling access to the message system by a potential recipient user through the potential recipient user'"'"'s telephone facility; selectively accessing the stored digital representations of the analog fax signals associated with particular route data in response to signals received from the potential recipient user'"'"'s telephone facility; reproducing the analog fax signals in analog format from the stored digital representations; and
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7. sequentially transmitting the reproduced analog fax signals to the telephone facility of the potential recipient user as defined by the route data.
Specification