Electronic messaging systems with additional message storage capability
First Claim
1. Apparatus for use in an electronic messaging system which interfaces with a communications network, said system providing announcement message for incoming communications from calling parties to at least one system subscriber, said apparatus comprisingmeans for receiving an incoming communication destined for a given system subscriber, said communication including an identification of communications equipment being utilized by a calling party, andmeans for selecting a particular one of said announcement messages in response to said identification, said particular announcement message being selected from a plurality of different announcement messages associated with said given system subscriber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present electronic messaging system allows a system subscribed to record a plurality of "customized" announcement messages. Each such message is associated with at least one calling party. Upon receiving an incoming communication for that subscriber, the system automatically utilizes the calling party identification for that communication to retrieve the associated customized announcement message. The calling party identification, which identifies the communication instrument utilized by the calling party, is automatically provided to the electronic messaging system by the communications network through which the incoming communication is routed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. Apparatus for use in an electronic messaging system which interfaces with a communications network, said system providing announcement message for incoming communications from calling parties to at least one system subscriber, said apparatus comprising
means for receiving an incoming communication destined for a given system subscriber, said communication including an identification of communications equipment being utilized by a calling party, and means for selecting a particular one of said announcement messages in response to said identification, said particular announcement message being selected from a plurality of different announcement messages associated with said given system subscriber.
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6. Apparatus for use in an electronic messaging system which interfaces with a communications network, said system providing announcement messages for incoming communications from calling parties to at least one system subscriber, said apparatus comprising
means for receiving an incoming communication, said communication, at times, including an identification of communications equipment being utilized by a calling party, and means for selecting a particular one of said announcement messages in response to said identification and for selecting a default announcement message when said identification is absent.
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17. A method for use in an electronic messaging system which interfaces with a communications network, said system providing announcement messages for incoming communications from calling parties to at least one system subscriber, said method comprising the steps of
receiving an incoming communication destined for a given system subscriber, said communication including an identification of communications equipment being utilized by a calling party, and selecting a particular one of said announcement messages in response to said identification, said particular announcement message being selected from a plurality of different announcement messages associated with said given system subscriber.
Specification