Telephone auto attendant system for delivering chosen greetings to callers while on the phone
First Claim
1. A method for processing an incoming call in a telephonic system, the system including a visual display visible to a user, whereby the user is provided with information about a telephone call received by the system from a caller, which call is directed to the user, and the user is given a choice of possible responses for handling the call while the user is presently engaged in on-going voice communications with a first party via a first telephonic communication channel, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) establishing a second communication channel between the telephonic system and the user'"'"'s display while leaving the on-going voice communications via the first telephonic communication channel intact;
(b) transmitting a message from the telephonic system to the user'"'"'s display over the second communication channel, the message including visual symbols representing information concerning the telephone call and displaying the visual symbols on the display;
(c) making available to the user a possible response to the message which response consists of choosing one of a plurality of greetings to be audibly played to the caller;
(d) the telephonic system receiving from the user a response indicating the user'"'"'s chosen greeting, the response being given by the user through an input device; and
(e) audibly playing the chosen greeting to the caller.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing a telephone user with information concerning a caller. The call by the caller causes information concerning the caller to be transferred over a communication channel, separate from the one used by the telephone user, connected to a PC located near the telephone user. The information is displayed in the form of symbols on a PC display, and the telephone user can respond to the information without having to answer the call. If desired, the telephone user can cause the PC to play an audio record concerning the caller. The information displayed can be developed from the caller or from a database, or both.
324 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for processing an incoming call in a telephonic system, the system including a visual display visible to a user, whereby the user is provided with information about a telephone call received by the system from a caller, which call is directed to the user, and the user is given a choice of possible responses for handling the call while the user is presently engaged in on-going voice communications with a first party via a first telephonic communication channel, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing a second communication channel between the telephonic system and the user'"'"'s display while leaving the on-going voice communications via the first telephonic communication channel intact; (b) transmitting a message from the telephonic system to the user'"'"'s display over the second communication channel, the message including visual symbols representing information concerning the telephone call and displaying the visual symbols on the display; (c) making available to the user a possible response to the message which response consists of choosing one of a plurality of greetings to be audibly played to the caller; (d) the telephonic system receiving from the user a response indicating the user'"'"'s chosen greeting, the response being given by the user through an input device; and (e) audibly playing the chosen greeting to the caller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A telephonic system for processing an incoming call, the system connected to a visual display visible to a user, an input device available to the user, and a telephone for enabling the user to engage in on-going voice communications with a first party via a first telephonic communication channel, wherein the system is connected to the display via a second communication channel, the system comprising:
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(a) means for transmitting a message from the telephonic system to the user'"'"'s display over the second communication channel while leaving the on-going voice communications via the first telephonic communication channel intact, the message including visual symbols representing information concerning a telephone call received by the system from a caller, which call is directed to the user; (b) means for making available to the user a possible response to the message which response consists of choosing one of a plurality of greetings to be audibly played to the caller; (c) means for receiving from the user a response indicating the user'"'"'s chosen greeting, the response being given by the user through the input device; and (d) means for audibly playing the chosen greeting to the caller. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification