Apparatus and method for relaying calling information to a pager or alternate telephone
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in a base telephone used in a public or private telephone network, the public or private network operative to transfer calling information identifying a calling party, said calling information including the telephone number of said calling party when said calling party calls a called party at said base telephone, said apparatus adapted to connect to a first telephone line and a second telephone line comprising:
- a receiver adapted to receive said calling information at said telephone over the first telephone line, said calling information being received in a format selected from a group including digital and analog formats;
a memory for storing said calling information;
means for generating telephony voice prompts;
means for transmitting said voice prompts to the calling party when said telephone is not answered after a predetermined number of rings, wherein said voice prompts inform the calling party that the calling party, by pressing specific button on the calling party'"'"'s telephone, will cause said calling information to be automatically relayed to the called party at a remote receiver;
means responsive to said pressing of said specific button for disconnecting said calling party from said receiver and relaying said calling information stored in said memory to said remote receiver over the second telephone line while concurrently freeing said first telephone line to receive independent calling information from a second calling party for storage by said memory, wherein said independent calling information from said second calling party can be simultaneously received over the first telephone line as said calling information from a first calling party is relayed to said remote receiver over the second telephone line.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for relaying calling information such as Automatic Number Information (ANI) in a public or private telephone network. The calling information is relayed from a base telephone to a remote receiver (pager or telephone) in a one step process. A caller is given an option via voice prompts to automatically relay the calling information by pressing a specified button on the telephone keypad. The caller is not required to acquire and dial the remote receiver number, or input the calling party telephone number. The calling information is automatically read back to the caller, wherein the caller is prompted to verify the number by pressing another specified button. The voice prompts may be in the called party'"'"'s preprograrnmed voice or in a computer generated voice. Method and apparatus is implemented in digital or analog telephone networks.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in a base telephone used in a public or private telephone network, the public or private network operative to transfer calling information identifying a calling party, said calling information including the telephone number of said calling party when said calling party calls a called party at said base telephone, said apparatus adapted to connect to a first telephone line and a second telephone line comprising:
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a receiver adapted to receive said calling information at said telephone over the first telephone line, said calling information being received in a format selected from a group including digital and analog formats; a memory for storing said calling information; means for generating telephony voice prompts; means for transmitting said voice prompts to the calling party when said telephone is not answered after a predetermined number of rings, wherein said voice prompts inform the calling party that the calling party, by pressing specific button on the calling party'"'"'s telephone, will cause said calling information to be automatically relayed to the called party at a remote receiver; means responsive to said pressing of said specific button for disconnecting said calling party from said receiver and relaying said calling information stored in said memory to said remote receiver over the second telephone line while concurrently freeing said first telephone line to receive independent calling information from a second calling party for storage by said memory, wherein said independent calling information from said second calling party can be simultaneously received over the first telephone line as said calling information from a first calling party is relayed to said remote receiver over the second telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for receiving and relaying calling information identifying a first calling party in a public or private telephone network, said calling information including the telephone number of said first calling party, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving said calling information at a called party'"'"'s base telephone adapted to connect to a first telephone line and a second telephone line when said first calling party telephones the called party at said base telephone over the first telephone line; storing said calling information in a memory; generating telephony voice prompts; transmitting said voice prompts to said first calling party, said voice prompts prompting said first calling party to press a specific button on the first calling party telephone if said first calling party wants to automatically relay said calling information to said called party at a predetermined remote receiver; disconnecting said first calling party from the first telephone line and relaying said stored calling information over the second telephone line to said called party when said first calling party presses said specific button; and while relaying said stored calling information, enabling reception and storage, via said first telephone line, of second calling information that is independent of said calling information from said first calling, such that said second calling information from a second calling party can be simultaneously received over the first telephone line as said calling information from said first calling party is relayed to said remote receiver over the second telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for relaying calling information identifying a calling party employing a calling party telephone having a keypad in a public or private telephone network, said calling information including the telephone number of said calling party, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving said calling information at a called party'"'"'s base telephone when said calling party telephones the called party at said base telephone; storing said calling information in a memory; generating telephony voice prompts; transmitting said voice prompts to said calling party, said voice prompts prompting said calling party to press a first specified button on said calling party telephone if said calling party wants to automatically relay said calling information to said called party at a predetermined remote receiver; generating telephony voice information indicative of Said calling information received; transmitting said voice information to said calling party; prompting said calling party to generate a verification that said transmitted voice information correctly identifies the calling party telephone number, wherein said verification is generated by said calling party pressing a second specified button; relaying said stored calling information to said called party at said remote receiver upon said calling party pressing said second specified button; and simultaneously with said step of relaying said stored calling information, enabling reception and storage of independent calling information from a second calling party. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification