Voice announcement device for improving functionality of multi-line telephones
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of communicating between a calling party and a called party already engaged in a first call, said called party utilizing a communication terminal, said method comprising the steps of:
- notifying said called party via said communication terminal of the origination of a second telephone call from said calling party;
manually activating by said called party via said communication terminal a message to said calling party specifying that said called party will respond to said calling party within a waiting time interval in response to the notification; and
automatically placing said second call in a standby mode for said called party in response to the activation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus that allows a called party, while engaged in a first call, to indicate to a second calling party that he/she is aware of the second call and will respond to the second call within a waiting time interval. The second calling party is given a "personal answer" message indicating that the called party will answer the second call within the waiting time interval. The second calling party is then placed on hold so that when the called party terminates the first call, the called party can answer the second call.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method of communicating between a calling party and a called party already engaged in a first call, said called party utilizing a communication terminal, said method comprising the steps of:
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notifying said called party via said communication terminal of the origination of a second telephone call from said calling party; manually activating by said called party via said communication terminal a message to said calling party specifying that said called party will respond to said calling party within a waiting time interval in response to the notification; and automatically placing said second call in a standby mode for said called party in response to the activation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of communicating between a calling party and a called party already engaged in a first call, said called party utilizing a communication terminal connected to a telecommunications switching system and said telecommunications switching system being connected to a voice mail system, said method comprising the steps of:
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notifying said called party of the origination of a second call from said calling party by said telecommunications switching system; transmitting a signal manually actuated by said called party from said communication terminal to said telecommunications switching system, said signal not interrupting said first call; transmitting a voice message, by said voice mail system in response to the transfer of said second call, to said calling party stating that said called party is aware of said second call and specifying that said called party will respond to said calling party within a waiting time interval; transferring said second call back to said switching system by said voice mail system; and automatically placing said second call on hold for said called party by said telecommunications switching system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of communicating between a calling party and a called party already engaged in a first telephone call, said called party utilizing a telephone apparatus interconnected to a telecommunications switching system via two communications channels, said first telephone call being communicated via a first one of said communication channels and a second telephone call being originated from said calling party via a second one of said communication channels, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting by said telephone apparatus a signal from said called party in response to a notification of said second telephone call; automatically transmitting by said telephone apparatus a voice message to indicate that said called party is aware of said second telephone call to said calling party via said second one of said communication channels in response to the detection of said signal; and indicating the status of said second telephone call to said called party via an indication light on said telephone apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of communicating between a calling party and a called party already engaged in a first call, said called party utilizing a communication terminal interconnected to a telecommunications switching system via a communication link having a signaling channel and two data/voice communication channels and said called party engaged in said first call via a first one of said data/voice communication channels, said method comprising the steps of:
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negotiating with said telecommunications switching system the communication of a second telephone call on a second one of said data/voice communication channels in response to an alerting message on said signaling channel indicating the origination of said second telephone call; notifying said called party of the presence of said second telephone call; detecting a signal said calling party to transmit another message to said called party; transmitting in response to said signal said other message to said calling party thereby informing said calling party that said called party is aware of said second telephone call in response to the detection of said signal; and indicating to said called party the ongoing status of said second telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for communicating between a calling party and a called party already engaged in a first call, said called party utilizing a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:
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means for notifying said called party via said communication terminal of the origination of a second call from said calling party; means for manually activating by said called party via said communication terminal a message to said calling party specifying that said called party will respond to said calling party within a waiting time interval in response to the notification; and means for automatically placing said second call in a standby mode for said called party in response to the activation. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for communicating between a calling party and a called party already engaged in a first call, said called party utilizing a communication terminal connected to a telecommunications switching system and said telecommunications switching system being connected to a voice mail system, and said apparatus comprising:
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means for notifying said called party of the origination of a second call from said calling party by said telecommunications switching system; means for sending a signal manually actuated by said called party from said communication terminal to said telecommunications switching system, and signal not interrupting said first call; means for transferring said second call to said voice mail system by said telecommunications switching system in response to said signal; means for transmitting a voice message, by said voice mail system in response to the transfer of said second call, to said calling party stating that said called party is aware of said second call and specifying that said called party will respond to said calling party within a waiting time interval; measn for transferring second call back to said telecommunications switching system by said voice mail system; and means for automatically placing said second call on hold for said called party by said telecommunications switching system upon said second call being transferred back to said telecommunications switching system by said voice mail system; - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A telephone apparatus utilized by a called party for communicating with a calling party and said called party already engaged in a first telephone call, said telephone apparatus interconnected to a telecommunications switching system via two communication channels, said first telephone call being communicated via a first one of said communication channels and a second telephone call being switched by said telecommunications switching system to said called party from said calling party via a second one of said communication channels, said telephone apparatus comprising:
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means for detecting a signal from said called party in response to a notification of said second telephone call; means for automatically transmitting a voice message to indicate that said called party is aware of said second telephone call to said calling party via said second one of said communication channels in response to the detection of said signal; and means for indicating the status of said second telephone call to said called party via an indication light on said telephone apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A communication terminal for communicating between a calling party and a called party already engaged in a first call, said called party utilizing said communication terminal that is interconnected to a telecommunications switching system via a communication link having a signaling channel and two data/voice communication channels, said called party engaged in said first call via a first one of said data/voice channels, and said communication terminal comprising:
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means for negotiating with said telecommunications switching system the communication of a second call on a second one of said data/voice communication channels in response to an alerting message on said signaling channel indicating the origination of said second call; means for notifying said called party of the presence of said second call; means for detecting a signal from said called party to transmit another message to said calling party; means responsive to said signal for tranmitting to said calling party said other message thereby informing said calling party that said called party is aware of said second call in response to the detection of said signal; and means for indicating to said called party the ongoing status of said second call. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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Specification