Call announcement arrangement
First Claim
1. A method of processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprisingin response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station,transmitting speech signals, generated from information obtained during said search, to said called station, andin response to disconnect signaling from said called station, transmitting speech signals representing call information, including said obtained information, to a message center.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A call announcement arrangement that obtains the calling party name from a database search and uses a text-to-speech unit to generate speech signals for transmission to the called communication station. The calling party name is spoken at the station instead of being displayed. For a conventional analog station, the name is spoken after the called party has answered in response to ringing at the station but before a connection is completed to the caller. The called party accepts the caller either by remaining off-hook or by transmitting a connection signal using, for example, flash or tone signaling. For other illustrative station equipment such as an ISDN speakerphone or a specially adapted analog speakerphone, the calling party name is spoken before the called party answers in place of or in addition to normal ringing. Caller-identifying speech signal are also transmitted to a station determined to be busy to announce the caller name for a call waiting call.
200 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising
in response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station, transmitting speech signals, generated from information obtained during said search, to said called station, and in response to disconnect signaling from said called station, transmitting speech signals representing call information, including said obtained information, to a message center.
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9. A method of processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising
in response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station, determining whether said called station is busy on another call, upon determining that said called station is busy on another call, disconnecting a communication path between a calling communication station for said another call and said called station, after disconnecting said communication path, transmitting speech signals, generated from information obtained during said search, to said called station, after transmitting said speech signals to said called station, completing a communication path between said last-mentioned calling station and said called station, and after said completing and in response to receipt of signaling from said called station, completing a communication path between said first-mentioned calling station and said called station.
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18. A method of processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising
in response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station, determining whether said called station is busy on another call, upon determining that said called station is busy on another call, disconnecting a communication path between a calling communication station for said another call and said called station, after disconnecting said communication path, transmitting speech signals, generated from information obtained during said search, to said called station, after transmitting said speech signals to said called station, completing a communication path between said last-mentioned calling station and said called station, and after said completing and in response to receipt of signaling from said called station, disconnecting said completed communication path and completing a communication path between said first-mentioned calling station and said called station.
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19. A method of processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising
in response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station, determining whether said called station is busy on another call, upon determining that said called station is busy on another call, disconnecting a communication path between a calling communication station for said another call and said called station, after disconnecting said communication path, transmitting speech signals, generated from information obtained during said search, to said called station, after transmitting said speech signals to said called station, completing a communication path between said last-mentioned calling station and said called station, and after said completing and in response to expiration of a predefined time period without receiving signaling from said called station, transmitting speech signals representing call information, including said obtained information, to a message center.
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21. A method of processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising
in response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station, transmitting speech signals, generated from information obtained during said search, to said called station, and in response to disconnect signaling from said called station, transmitting call information, including said obtained information, to a message center.
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22. A method of processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising
in response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station, transmitting information obtained during said search to said called station, and in response to disconnect signaling from said called station, transmitting call information, including said obtained information, to a message center.
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23. A method of processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising
in response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station, determining whether said called station is busy on another call, upon determining that said called station is busy on another call, disconnecting a communication path between a calling communication station for said another call and said called station, after disconnecting said communication path, transmitting speech signals, generated from information obtained during said search, to said called station, after transmitting said speech signals to said called station, completing a communication path between said last-mentioned calling station and said called station, and after said completing and in response to expiration of a predefined time period without receiving signaling from said called station, transmitting call information, including said obtained information, to a message center.
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24. Apparatus for processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising
switching means connectable to said calling and called stations, and control means for controlling said switching system and operable under control of a program for controlling the following operations: -
in response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station, determining whether said called station is busy on another call, upon determining that said called station is busy on another call, disconnecting a communication path of said switching means between a calling communication station for said another call and said called station, after disconnecting said communication path, transmitting speech signals, generated from information obtained during said search, to said called station, after transmitting said speech signals to said called station, completing a communication path of said switching means between said last-mentioned calling station and said called station, and after said completing and in response to receipt of signaling from said called station, completing a communication path of said switching means between said first-mentioned calling station and said called station.
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25. Apparatus for processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising
switching means connectable to said calling and called stations, and control means for controlling said switching system and operable under control of a program for controlling the following operations: -
in response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station, transmitting speech signals, generated from information obtained during said search, to said called station, and in response to disconnect signaling from said called station, transmitting call information, including said obtained information, to a message center.
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26. Apparatus for processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising
switching means connectable to said calling and called stations, and control means for controlling said switching system and operable under control of a program for controlling the following operations: -
in response to said call, effecting a search for information associated with said calling station, transmitting information obtained during said search to said called station, and in response to disconnect signaling from said called station, transmitting call information, including said obtained information, to a message center.
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Specification