Interface to and operation of a voice messaging system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A telephone system, comprising:
- a telephone switching means comprising a first port for supplying call information to a feature phone, said first port accepting calls directed to a plurality of extensions;
said telephone switching means further comprising a plurality of second ports, each of said second ports accepting calls directed to one of said plurality of extensions;
a voice messaging system coupled with said first port and said plurality of second ports for receiving said call information on said first port and further processing said call on one of said plurality of second ports.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A voice messaging system for use with a telephone system. The preferred embodiment comprises a voice messaging system which interfaces to a PBX through a feature phone interface, the voice messaging system emulating a feature phone. The PBX supplies information to the voice messaging system such as information on the origination and history of the call. The present invention discloses improved methods of handling calls directed to the voice messaging system based on the information supplied by the PBX.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. A telephone system, comprising:
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a telephone switching means comprising a first port for supplying call information to a feature phone, said first port accepting calls directed to a plurality of extensions; said telephone switching means further comprising a plurality of second ports, each of said second ports accepting calls directed to one of said plurality of extensions; a voice messaging system coupled with said first port and said plurality of second ports for receiving said call information on said first port and further processing said call on one of said plurality of second ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A telephone system, comprising:
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a telephone switching means comprising a first port for supplying call information to a feature phone, said first port accepting calls directed at a plurality of extensions; said telephone switching means further comprising a plurality of second ports; each of said second ports for accepting calls directed at one of said plurality of extensions; said feature phone comprising a third port for supplying call information to a voice messaging system; said voice messaging system coupled with said third port and said plurality of second ports for receiving said call information from said third port and further processing a call on one of said second ports. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method for processing a first telephone call in a telephone system, said telephone system comprising a switching means having a first port for supplying call information to a feature phone, said first port associated with a plurality of telephone extensions, said switching means further having a plurality of second ports, each of said second ports associated with one of said telephone extensions, and a voice messaging system coupled with said first port and said plurality of second ports, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said voice messaging system receiving an indication of said first telephone call on said first port; (b) said switching means providing call information to said voice messaging system over said first port; and (c) said voice messaging system completing processing of said first call on one of said plurality of second ports. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for processing a telephone call in a telephone system, said telephone system comprising a switching means having a first port for supplying call information to a feature phone, said first port for accepting call directed to a plurality of extensions, said switching means further comprising a plurality of second ports, each of said second ports for accepting calls directed to one of said plurality of extensions, said feature phone comprising a third port for supplying call information, said telephone system further comprising a voice messaging system coupled with said third port and said plurality of second ports, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said voice messaging system receiving an indication of said telephone call on said third port; (b) said switching means providing call information on said first port to said feature phone; (c) said feature phone providing said call information on said third port to said voice messaging system; (d) said voice messaging system providing a code on one of said second ports and said switching means providing said call on said one of said second ports responsive to said code.
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14. A method for processing a telephone call in a telephone system, said telephone system comprising a plurality of telephone stations, a switching means having a first plurality of ports for coupling with said plurality of telephone stations, and a voice messaging system, said voice messaging system coupled with said switching means, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said switching means directing said call at a first of said plurality of telephone stations; (b) determining said call is not answered by said first telephone station; (c) said switching means directing said call to said voice messaging system in response to said call not being answered; (d) said switching means providing call information to said voice messaging system; and (e) said voice messaging system selecting a second of said plurality of telephone stations to transfer said call to, said second telephone station selected based on said call information. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. In a telephone system, said telephone system comprising a plurality of extensions and a messaging means, said messaging means comprising a plurality of mailboxes associated with said plurality of extensions, a method comprising:
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(a) accessing said messaging means from one of said extensions; (b) supplying said messaging means with identifying information, said identifying information identifying a mailbox; (c) said messaging means prompting a caller to supply a password under a first set of predetermined conditions; and (d) said messaging means allowing said caller to receive immediate access to a set of predetermined functions under a second set of predetermined conditions. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 54, 55)
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33. A method for processing a telephone call in a telephone system, said telephone system comprising at least one call originating means, at least one call receiving means, switching means for switching calls from said call originating means to said call receiving means, said switching means having a first port for providing call origination and destination information to a feature phone, said first port associated with a plurality of extensions, a second plurality of ports associated with said plurality of extensions and a messaging means coupled with said first port and said plurality of second ports, comprising the steps of:
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(a) originating a call from one of said call originating means to one of said call receiving means; (b) determining said call was unanswered by said call receiving means; (c) said switching means providing said call to said messaging means in response to said call being unanswered; (d) said switching means providing said messaging means with said call origination and destination information; (e) said messaging means providing a voice message to said call, said voice message associated with said call receiving means. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A method for processing telephone calls in a telephone system, said telephone system comprising a first call originating means, a second call originating means, a plurality of call receiving means, switching means for switching calls from said first call originating means or said second call originating means to one of said call receiving means and a messaging means, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said switching means receiving a first call from said first call originating means; (b) said switching means providing said first call to said messaging means, said switching means further providing a first identifying information, said first identifying information identifying said first call as originating from said first call originating means; (c) said messaging means providing a first message to said first call in response to receiving said first call and said first identifying information; said method further comprising the steps of; (a) said switching means receiving a second call from said second call originating means; (b) said switching means providing said second call to said messaging means, said switching means further providing a second identifying information, said second identifying information identifying said second call as originating from said second call originating means; and (c) said messaging means providing a second message to said second call in response to receiving said second call and said second identifying information. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for processing a telephone call in a telephone system, said telephone system comprising a plurality of telephone stations, a switching means having a first plurality of ports for coupling with said plurality of telephone stations and a voice messaging system, said voice messaging system coupled with said switching means, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said switching means directing said call at a first of said plurality of telephone stations; (b) determining said call is not answered by said first telephone station; (c) said switching means directing said call to said voice messaging system in response to said call not being answered; (d) said switching means providing call information to said voice messaging system; (e) said voice messaging system selecting a second of said plurality of telephone stations to transfer said call to based on a set of predetermined conditions, said second telephone station selected based on said call information; (f) said voice messaging system indicating to said switching means said call is to be transferred to said second telephone station; (g) said switching means connecting said voice messaging system with said second telephone station; (h) said voice messaging system announcing said call to said second telephone station after said second telephone station answers; (i) said voice messaging system disconnecting from said call after announcing said call; and (j) said switching means connecting said call with said second telephone station in response to said voice messaging system disconnecting from said call. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for processing a telephone call in a telephone system, said telephone system comprising a switching means for switching said telephone call, a first telephone extension, a second telephone extension, a third telephone extension, said first, second and third telephone extensions coupled with said switching means and a voice messaging system, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said switching means directing said telephone call at said first telephone extension; (b) detecting said telephone call is not answered by said first telephone extension; and (c) said voice messaging system providing the caller placing said telephone call a first plurality of menu options during a first predetermined time period, said voice messaging system providing a second plurality of menu options during a second predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. A method for processing a telephone call in a telephone system, said telephone system comprising a switching means for switching said telephone call, a first telephone extension, a second telephone extension, a third telephone extension, said first, second and third telephone extensions coupled with said switching means and a voice messaging system, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said switching means directing said telephone call at said first telephone extension; (b) detecting said telephone call is not answered by said first telephone extension; (c) a caller placing said telephone call indicating to said voice messaging system said telephone call is to be transferred to said second telephone extension, said second telephone extension associated with said first telephone extension; and (d) said voice messaging system providing an informational message to said second telephone extension. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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56. A method for processing a telephone call in a telephone system, said telephone system comprising a plurality of telephone stations, a switching means having a first plurality of ports for coupling with said plurality of telephone stations and a voice messaging system, said voice messaging system coupled with said switching means, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said switching means directing said call at a first of said plurality of telephone stations; (b) determining said call is not answered by said first telephone station; (c) said switching means directing said call to said voice messaging system in response to said call not being answered; (d) said switching means providing call information to said voice messaging system; (e) said voice messaging system selecting a second of said plurality of telephone stations to transfer said call to based on said call information; (f) said voice messaging system indicating to said switching means said call is to be transferred to said second telephone station; (g) said switching means connecting said voice messaging system with said second telephone station and disconnecting said call from said voice messaging system; (h) determining said call is not answered by said second telephone station; (i) said voice messaging system reconnecting to said call in response to said call not being answered; (j) said switching means providing said call information to said voice messaging system; (k) said voice messaging system indicating to said switching means said call is to be transferred to a third telephone station in response to said call not being answered by said second telephone station; (l) said voice messaging system announcing said call to said third telephone station after said third telephone station answers; (m) said voice messaging system disconnecting from said call; and (n) said switching means connecting said call with said third telephone station in response to said voice messaging system disconnecting from said call. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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59. A method for processing a telephone call in a telephone system, said telephone system comprising a switching means for switching said telephone call, a first telephone extension, a second telephone extension, said first and second telephone extensions coupled with said switching means and a voice messaging system, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said switching means directing said telephone call at said first telephone extension; (b) detecting said telephone call is not answered by said first telephone extension; and (c) a caller placing said telephone call indicating to said voice messaging system said telephone call is to be transferred to said second telephone extension, said second telephone extension associated with said first telephone extension; and (d) said voice messaging system providing an informational message, said informational message comprising information regarding the reason said first telephone extension did not answer said telephone call, to said second telephone extension.
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Specification