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Communications marketing system

  • US 5,557,658 A
  • Filed: 08/11/1994
  • Issued: 09/17/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A marketing system for selectively modifying an existing communications network by modifying a portion of the processing software of the existing communications network to permit transmitting a generally continuous pre-recorded announcement to a network station which is waiting to reconnect to a call with an identified called station, wherein an identified called station connected to a first call with a first party at a first station at a first network address can receive another call from another party at another station at a separate network address, the identified called station signalling the network to temporarily disconnect the first station and place the first station on hold within the network and to connect the identified called station to the other station, and thereafter the identified called station being able to reconnect to the first station, the system comprising:

  • means for placing a first call by a first party at a first station having a first network address to a second station having a second network address;

    means for connecting the first call to the second station;

    means for placing a second call from a third station having a third network address to a selected one of the first and second stations;

    means for notifying the one selected station of the second call and transmitting a call progress signal to the third station;

    means for the one selected station to temporarily disconnect from the nonselected station and place the nonselected station on hold within the network and for connecting the one selected station to the third station;

    means for playing at least one generally continuous announcement to the nonselected station while the nonselected station is on hold within the network; and

    means for the one selected station to temporarily disconnect from the third station and reconnect to the nonselected station, thereby terminating the playing of the announcement to the nonselected station.

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