Method and apparatus for caller-controlled receipt and delivery of voice messages

• US 4,901,341 A
• Filed: 04/24/1989
• Issued: 02/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Messager Partners
• Original Assignee: Messager Partners
• Inventors: Pugh, Joel A., Carter, Howard E., Pierce, Byron C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US07/342,480
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/84, 379/211, 379/212, 379/213, 379/214, 379/233, 379/196, 379/112
• US Class Current: 379/88.24
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A line interface unit for caller-controlled receipt and delivery of voice and/or data meassages over a telephone system having a voice/data message facility, the message facility connectible to at least one calling station and a called station and normally having access prevention circuitry for preventing storage and forwarding of voice/data messages unless predetermined access codes are received and verified by the circuitry. In the preferred embodiment, the unit comprises a switch connected to a central office and having first and second positions and wherein signals are connected directly between the calling station and the central office when the switch is in the first position. The interface unit also includes circuitry for signaling the message facility and circuitry for monitoring call progress upon call initiation to the called station. Microprocessor-based control circuitry responds to detection of a predetermined condition at the called station upon call initiation, to detection of a first predetermined code from the calling station indicating that the caller desires to leave a voice/data message for the called station, and to detection of a second predetermined code from the voice message facility, to establish a connection between the calling station and the message facility. Thereafter, a special data string is transmitted to the message facility which, upon receipt thereby, facilitates barrierless entry in and out of the message facility without the predetermined access codes.

Claims

1. A line interface unit for controlling receipt and delivery of voice messages over a telephone system having a voice message facility, the voice message facility connectible to at least one calling station and a called station and normally having access prevention means for preventing storage and forwarding of voice messages unless predetermined access codes are received and verified by the access prevention means, the calling station connected to a central office, comprising:

a switch connected to the central office and having first and second positions and wherein signals are connected directly between the calling station and the central office when the switch is in the first position;

means for signaling the voice message facility;

means for monitoring call progress upon call initiation to the called station;

means connected to the monitoring means for detecting a predetermined condition at the called station upon call initiation to the called station, for detecting receipt of a first predetermined code from the calling station indicating that the caller desires to leave a voice message for the called station at the caller'"'"'s expense, and for detecting receipt of a second predetermined code from the voice message facility;

control means connected to the detecting means and the switch, the control means responsive to receipt of the first predetermined code from the calling station for switching the switch from its first position to its second position to enable the signaling means to signal the voice message facility;

wherein after signaling the voice message facility the control means is responsive to receipt of the second predetermined code from the voice message facility for switching the switch from its second position back to its first position to connect the calling station to the voice message facility; and

wherein after connection of the calling station to the voice message facility the control means transmits a predetermined data string to the voice message facility, the predetermined data string including information that, once recognized by the access prevention means of the voice message facility, enables the voice message to be stored and forwarded from the voice message facility without entry of the predetermined access codes normally required by the access prevention means.

2. The line interface unit as described in claim 1 wherein the predetermined data string comprises a number of the calling station, a predetermined number of digits representing a destination number of the called station, and billing information for use in billing the calling station.

3. A method, using a line interface unit, for controlling receipt and delivery of voice messages over a telephone system having a voice message facility connectible to at least one calling station and a called station via a central office, the voice message facility normally having access prevention means for preventing storage of voice messages unless predetermined access codes are received and verified by the access prevention means, wherein the line interface unit includes a monitor circuit for monitoring tip and ring lines of the calling station, a speech circuit for issuing a predetermined prompt to a caller at the calling station, a signaling circuit for signaling the voice message facility, a detector circuit connected to the monitor circuit for detecting signals on the tip and ring lines and a control circuit for controlling the operation of the line interface unit, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining, using the monitor circuit and the detector circuit, whether a predetermined condition exists at the called station upon call initiation to the called station;

(b) if the predetermined condition exists, connecting the speech circuit to the calling station to thereby enable the speech circuit to issue the prompt;

(c) activating, under the control of the control circuit, the speech circuit to issue the prompt to the caller at the calling station;

(d) determining, using the monitor circuit and the detector circuit, whether a predetermined code has been received from the calling station indicating that the caller desires to leave a voice message for the called station;

(e) if the predetermined code has been received from the calling station, connecting the signaling circuit to the central office to thereby enable the signaling circuit to signal the voice message facility;

(f) activating, under the control of the control circuit, the signaling circuit to signal the voice message facility;

(g) determining, using the monitor circuit and the detector circuit, whether a predetermined code has been received from the voice message facility; and

(h) if the predetermined code has been received from the voice message facility, transmitting a predetermined data string from the line interface unit to the voice message facility, the predetermined data string including information that, once recognized by the access prevention means of the voice message facility, enables the voice message to be stored and forwarded from the voice message facility without entry of the predetermined access codes normally required by the access prevention means.

4. The method as described in claim 3 wherein the predetermined data string comprises a number of the calling station, a predetermined number of digits representing a destination number of the called station, and billing information for use in billing the calling station.

5. A method, using a line interface unit, for controlling receipt and delivery of voice messages over a telephone system having a voice message facility connectible to at least one calling station and a called station via a central office, the line interface unit including a monitor circuit for monitoring tip and ring lines of the calling station, a speech circuit for issuing a predetermined prompt to a caller at the calling station, a signaling circuit for signaling the voice message facility, a detector circuit connected to the monitor circuit for detecting signals on the tip and ring lines and a control circuit for controlling the operation of the line interface unit, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining, using the monitor circuit and the detector circuit, whether a busy or ring/no answer condition exists at the called station upon call initiation to the called station;

(b) if a busy or ring/no answer condition exists, connecting the speech circuit to the calling station to thereby enable the speech circuit to issue the prompt;

(c) activating the speech circuit to issue the prompt to the caller at the calling station;

(d) determining, using the monitor circuit and the detector circuit, whether a predetermined code has been received from the calling station indicating that the caller desires to leave a voice message for the called station;

(e) if the predetermined code has been received from the calling station, connecting the signaling circuit to the central office to thereby enable the signaling circuit to signal the voice message facility;

(f) activating the signaling circuit to signal the voice message facility;

(g) determining, using the monitor circuit and the detector circuit, whether a predetermined code has been received from the voice message facility; and

(h) if the predetermined code has been received from the voice message facility, transmitting a predetermined data string from the line interface unit to the voice message facility, the predetermined data string including a telephone number of the calling station and a destination number of the called station.