Single telephone number access to multiple communications services

• US 6,792,084 B1
• Filed: 10/07/1999
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Galvan, Thomas J., Chib, Rupika, Gross, Karen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/414,262
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.15, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/88.22, 379/90.01, 379/93.17, 379/88.04, 455/412, 455/413, 455/414, 455/415, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.4, 340/7.2, 340/7.24, 340/7.28
• US Class Current: 379/88.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005

Abstract

A platform provides access to multiple telecommunications services via a single telephone number. These services may include, for example, paging services. A guest caller may call the single telephone number and select an option to page the subscriber. Other services, such as voicemail services, facsimile services, electronic mail messaging services and outbound calling services may also be available.

Claims

1. In a computer system having an interface to a telephone network, a method comprising:

receiving a call for a party from a caller;

providing a plurality of options to the caller, one of the options being a pager option;

receiving, from the caller, a verbal input representing the pager option;

receiving a callback number from the caller; and

generating a pager message in response to the call, the pager message identifying the callback number.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system also provides voice messaging services for the party.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system also provides facsimile messaging services for the party.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system also provides video mail messaging services for the party.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of options comprise an option to leave a voicemail messages, an option to send a facsimile message and an option to speak to the party, and wherein the providing a plurality of options includes permitting the caller to verbally select one of the plurality of options from an audible menu of options.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system also provides conference calling services for the party.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system also provides electronic mail messages for the party.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a pager message that identifies that the computer system has received a voice message, facsimile message, or electronic mail message for the party.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system also provides virtual network calling for the party.

10. In a computer system having an interface to a telephone network, a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

receiving a call for a party from a caller;

retrieving a profile associated with the party;

providing a plurality of options to the caller, one of the options being a pager option;

receiving, from the caller, a verbal input representing the pager option;

receiving a callback number from the caller; and

generating a pager message in response to receiving the verbal input representing the pager option and the callback number, the pager message identifying the callback number.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising instructions for generating a pager message indicating receipt of voice messages for the party.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising instructions for generating a pager message indicating receipt of facsimile messages for the party.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising instructions for generating a pager message indicating receipt of video mail messages for the party.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising instructions for generating a pager message indicating receipt of electronic mail messages for the party.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising providing a message to a virtual-network address for the party upon receipt of a message for the party.