Answering machine services for data conferences
First Claim
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1. A method for receiving, with a callee of a data conferencing system, a data conferencing call from a caller of the data conferencing system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) answering the call with an answering means if the callee does not answer the call;
(b) displaying a callee greeting to the caller to notify the caller that the callee is not answering the call; and
(c) prompting the caller to leave a message with the callee;
wherein;
the answering means comprises a conference manager means for establishing a data conference between the caller and callee; and
step (a) further comprises the steps of;
(1) invoking, with the conference manager means, an answering machine means of the callee for controlling the displaying and prompting;
(2) determining with the conference manager means whether the caller is able to invoke an answering machine means of the caller that is compatible with the answering machine means of the callee; and
(3) establishing in accordance with the determination of step (a)(2), a conference between the answering machine means of the callee and the answering machine means of the caller, wherein the answering machine means of the callee and answering machine means of the caller control the displaying and prompting.
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and storage medium for receiving, with a callee of a data conferencing system, a data conferencing call from a caller of the data conferencing system. An answering machine answers the call if the callee does not answer the call. A pre-recorded callee greeting is displayed to the caller to notify the caller that the callee is not answering the call, and the caller is prompted to leave a message.
109 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for receiving, with a callee of a data conferencing system, a data conferencing call from a caller of the data conferencing system, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) answering the call with an answering means if the callee does not answer the call; (b) displaying a callee greeting to the caller to notify the caller that the callee is not answering the call; and (c) prompting the caller to leave a message with the callee;
wherein;the answering means comprises a conference manager means for establishing a data conference between the caller and callee; and step (a) further comprises the steps of; (1) invoking, with the conference manager means, an answering machine means of the callee for controlling the displaying and prompting; (2) determining with the conference manager means whether the caller is able to invoke an answering machine means of the caller that is compatible with the answering machine means of the callee; and (3) establishing in accordance with the determination of step (a)(2), a conference between the answering machine means of the callee and the answering machine means of the caller, wherein the answering machine means of the callee and answering machine means of the caller control the displaying and prompting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for receiving, with a callee of a data conferencing, a data conferencing call from a caller, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) answering means for answering the call if the callee does not answer the call; (b) means for displaying a callee greeting to the caller to notify the caller that the callee is not answering the call; and (c) means for prompting the caller to leave a message with the callee;
wherein;the answering means comprises a conference manager means for establishing a data conference between the caller and callee; and the conference manager means further comprises; (1) means for invoking an answering machine means of the callee for controlling the displaying and prompting; (2) means for determining whether the caller is able to invoke an answering machine means of the caller that is compatible with the answering machine means of the callee; and (3) means for establishing, in accordance with the determination of means (2), a conference between the answering machine means of the callee and the answering machine means of the caller, wherein the answering machine means of the callee and answering machine means of the caller control the displaying and prompting. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for receiving, with a callee of a data conferencing, a data conferencing call from a caller, the storage medium comprising:
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(a) means for causing an answering means of the callee to answer the call if the callee does not answer the call; (b) means for causing the callee to display a callee greeting to the caller to notify the caller that the callee is not answering the call; and (c) means for causing the callee to prompt the caller to leave a message with the callee;
wherein;the answering means comprises a conference manager means for establishing a data conference between the caller and callee; and the conference manager means comprises; means for invoking an answering machine means of the callee for controlling the displaying and prompting; means for determining whether the caller is able to invoke an answering machine means of the caller that is compatible with the answering machine means of the callee; and means for establishing, in accordance with said determination a conference between the answering machine means of the callee and the answering machine means of the caller, wherein the answering machine means of the callee and answering machine means of the caller control the displaying and prompting. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A callee of a data conferencing for receiving a data conferencing call from a caller, the callee comprising:
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(a) a conference manager; and (b) an answering machine;
wherein;the conference manager answers the call if the callee does not answer the call; callee displays a callee greeting to the caller to notify the caller that the callee is not answering the call; the callee prompts the caller to leave a message with the callee; the conference manager establishes a data conference between the caller and callee; the conference manager invokes an answering machine of the callee; the answering machine of the callee controls said displaying and prompting the conference manager determines whether the caller is able to invoke an answering machine of the caller that is compatible with the answering machine of the callee; and the conference manager establishes, in accordance with said determination, a conference between the answering machine of the callee and the answering machine of the caller, wherein the answering machine of the callee and answering machine of the caller control said displaying and prompting. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification