Interactive telephonic message delivery method and apparatus for providing an intended recipient of a voice audio message with options as to when he or she will hear the message
First Claim
1. An interactive telephonic message delivery method comprising the step of providing an intended recipient of a voice message with a plurality of time and place delivery options for processing said message after calling said intended recipient at an appointed date and time, wherein said recipient selects a particular option by pressing a telephone touch-tone button associated with said particular option.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive telephonic message delivery method and apparatus for providing an intended recipient of a voice message with options as to when the intended recipient will hear the message. Initially, the recipient of the voice mail is directed to indicate that he or she has a touch-tone telephone by generating a recognizable tone through pressing any one of the telephone touch-tone buttons. If the recipient does not generate a recognizable tone before the expiration of a predetermined amount of time, the recipient is informed of a telephone number to dial at a later time from a touch-tone telephone in order to retrieve the message. On the other hand, if the recipient indicates that he or she possesses a touch-tone telephone (i.e., if the recipient generates a recognizable tone), the recipient is then provided with a number of options for processing the message. The recipient then selects particular options by pressing the telephone buttons associated with the particular options.
34 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An interactive telephonic message delivery method comprising the step of providing an intended recipient of a voice message with a plurality of time and place delivery options for processing said message after calling said intended recipient at an appointed date and time, wherein said recipient selects a particular option by pressing a telephone touch-tone button associated with said particular option.
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2. An interactive telephonic message delivery method comprising the step of providing an intended recipient of a voice message with options for processing said message after calling said intended recipient at an appointed date and time, wherein said recipient selects a particular option by pressing a telephone touch-tone button associated with said particular option, and wherein said step of providing said recipient with said plurality of options for processing said message comprises:
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(a) instructing said recipient to press a first button to listen to said message; (b) instructing said recipient to press a second button to receive a telephone number for later retrieving said message; and (c) instructing said recipient to press a third button to end said telephone call and to receive another telephone call within a second predetermined amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. An interactive telephonic message delivery method for providing an intended recipient of a voice message with options for processing said message after calling said intended recipient at an appointed date and time, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) requesting said recipient to generate a recognizable tone by pressing any one of telephone touch-tone buttons; (b) if a recognizable tone is not received before a first predetermined amount of time expires, informing said recipient of a telephone number to dial from a touch-tone telephone in order to retrieve the pending message, and ending the telephone call; and (c) if a recognizable tone is received before the expiration of said first predetermined amount of time, providing said recipient with a plurality of options for processing said message, wherein said recipient selects a particular option by pressing a telephone touch-tone button associated with said particular option. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An interactive telephonic message delivery apparatus comprising means for providing an intended recipient of a voice message with a plurality of time and space delivery options for processing said message after calling said intended recipient at an appointed date and time, wherein said recipient selects a particular option by pressing a telephone touch-tone button associated with said particular option.
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12. An interactive telephonic message delivery apparatus comprising means for providing an intended recipient of a voice message with options for processing said message after calling said intended recipient at an appointed date and time, wherein said recipient selects a particular option by pressing a telephone touch-tone button associated with said particular option, and wherein said means for providing said recipient with said plurality of options for processing said message comprises:
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(a) means for instructing said recipient to press a first button to listen to said message; (b) means for instructing said recipient to press a second button to receive a telephone number for later retrieving said message; and (c) means for instructing said recipient to press a third button to end said telephone call and to receive another telephone call within a second predetermined amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification