Data message storage and pick up service
First Claim
1. A method of providing a data message delivery service in a telecommunications network comprising the steps ofresponsive to receipt of a call from a subscriber of said delivery service and desiring to send a data message to an intended recipient, generating a unique identifier and supplying the identifier to the subscriber, said identifier being other than an address of a memory location,responsive to receipt of said data message from said subscriber, storing said data message in memory in association with said unique identifier not then stored in memory in association with any other stored message, andresponsive to receipt of said unique identifier entered by a subsequent caller unloading said data message and supplying it to said subsequent caller via said network.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A facility is provided which implements a "hold-for-pickup" function in the delivery of a data message, e.g., a facsimile. Particularly, the facility associates a data message that it receives from a sender with a respective confirmation number and sends the confirmation number to the sender. Thereafter, the facility transmits the message only to a receiver who enters the confirmation number when requested to do so. The facility also provides a number of other features, such as allowing the sender to specify the number of receivers that will receive the data message. Another feature associates a received data message with a plurality of confirmation numbers. In this way, a user may associate the confirmation numbers with respective receivers. The receivers may then obtain a copy of the sender'"'"'s data message from the facility by entering their respective confirmation numbers when requested to do so.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of providing a data message delivery service in a telecommunications network comprising the steps of
responsive to receipt of a call from a subscriber of said delivery service and desiring to send a data message to an intended recipient, generating a unique identifier and supplying the identifier to the subscriber, said identifier being other than an address of a memory location, responsive to receipt of said data message from said subscriber, storing said data message in memory in association with said unique identifier not then stored in memory in association with any other stored message, and responsive to receipt of said unique identifier entered by a subsequent caller unloading said data message and supplying it to said subsequent caller via said network.
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5. A method of providing a data message delivery service in a telecommunications network comprising the steps of
storing a plurality of messages in memory in association with respective confirmation codes, responsive thereafter to receipt of a data message entered by a caller, storing said data message in memory in association with a unique confirmation code different from any one of said stored confirmation codes and supplying said unique confirmation code to said caller, said confirmation code being other than an address of a memory location, thereafter responsive to receipt of a call from a subsequent caller, prompting said subsequent caller to enter a confirmation code, and responsive to receiving said unique confirmation code from said subsequent caller, supplying said associated data message to said subsequent caller.
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9. A method of providing a data message delivery service in a telecommunications network comprising the step of
storing a plurality of messages in memory in association with respective confirmation codes, responsive thereafter to receipt of a data message entered by a caller, storing said data message in memory in association with a unique confirmation code different from any one of said stored confirmation codes and supplying said unique confirmation code to said caller, thereafter responsive to receipt of a civil from a subsequent caller, prompting said subsequent caller to enter a confirmation code, and responsive to receiving said unique confirmation code from said subsequent caller, supplying said associated data message to said subsequent caller, wherein said confirmation code is a variable-length sequence of digits, said length being based on the number of calls being processed by said service within a predetermined period of time.
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10. A method of providing a data message delivery service in a telecommunications network comprising the steps of
responsive to receipt of a first call from a first caller, supplying a unique confirmation code to said first caller and requesting said caller to enter an associated data message, said confirmation code being other than an address of a memory location, responsive to receipt of said data message from said first caller, storing said data message in memory in association with said unique confirmation code, said first caller thereafter supplying said confirmation code to a potential second caller, thereafter responsive to receipt of a call from said second caller, prompting said second caller to enter said confirmation code, and responsive to receiving said unique confirmation code from said second caller, supplying said data message to said second caller.
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25. A method of providing a data message delivery service in a telecommunications network comprising the steps of
responsive to receipt of a first call from a first caller, supplying a unique confirmation code to said first caller and requesting said caller to enter an associated data message, responsive to receipt of said data message from said first caller, storing said data message in memory in association with said unique confirmation code, said first caller thereafter supplying said confirmation code to a potential second caller, thereafter responsive to receipt of a call from said second caller, prompting said second caller to enter said confirmation coder and responsive to receiving said unique confirmation code from said second caller, supplying said data message to said second caller, wherein said confirmation code is a variable-length sequence of digits, said length being based on the number of calls processed by said service within a predetermined period of time.
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26. A method of providing a message delivery service in a telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of
responsive to receipt of a call from a first caller desiring to send a data message to an intended recipient, generating a unique identifier and supplying the identifier to the first caller via said network, said identifier being other than an address of a memory location. responsive to receipt of a data message entered by said first caller via said network, storing said data message in memory in association with said unique identifier, and thereafter responsive to receipt of a telephone call from a second caller other than said first caller, supplying said data message to said second caller if said second caller enters said unique identifier when requested to do so.
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41. A method of providing a message delivery service in a telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of
responsive to receipt of a data message entered by a said first caller via said network, storing said data message in memory in association with said unique identifier, and thereafter responsive to receipt of a telephone call from a second caller other than said first caller, supplying said data message to said second caller if said second caller enters said unique identifier when requested to do so, wherein said confirmation code is a variable-length sequence of digits, said length being based on the number of calls processed by said service within a predetermined period of time.
Specification