Method and remote answering machine controller for programmable control based upon message importance
First Claim
1. A method for implementing programmable control based upon message importance in a telephone answering machine including an answering machine controller, said method performed by said answering machine controller comprising the steps of:
- receiving an incoming call;
checking a current message priority;
responsive to said identified current message priority, answering said incoming call after a dynamically programmable number of incoming rings determined by said identified current message priority;
delivering a recorded message;
prompting for a caller selected priority;
identifying said caller selected priority; and
storing said identified caller selected priority with an incoming message for said incoming call;
responsive to delivering said recorded message, identifying an owner interrupt;
announcing a current highest priority level; and
playing back a highest priority message;
checking for another message having a priority level of said current highest priority message played back; and
responsive to identifying another message having a priority level of said current highest priority message played back, announcing a current highest priority level; and
prompting for a selection to continue.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, remote answering machine controller and computer program product are provided for programmable control based upon message importance. Responsive to an incoming call being received, checking a current message priority is performed. Responsive to the identified current message priority, the incoming call is answered after a dynamically programmable number of incoming rings. Then a recorded message is delivered and a caller is prompted for selected priority. The caller selected priority is identified and stored with an incoming message for the incoming call. When the owner of the remote answering machine calls to collect messages, a current highest priority of the current messages is announced. The highest priority message of the current messages is played back first. Then the owner is prompted to continue with message play back.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A method for implementing programmable control based upon message importance in a telephone answering machine including an answering machine controller, said method performed by said answering machine controller comprising the steps of:
-
receiving an incoming call; checking a current message priority; responsive to said identified current message priority, answering said incoming call after a dynamically programmable number of incoming rings determined by said identified current message priority; delivering a recorded message; prompting for a caller selected priority; identifying said caller selected priority; and storing said identified caller selected priority with an incoming message for said incoming call; responsive to delivering said recorded message, identifying an owner interrupt; announcing a current highest priority level; and
playing back a highest priority message;checking for another message having a priority level of said current highest priority message played back; and responsive to identifying another message having a priority level of said current highest priority message played back, announcing a current highest priority level; and
prompting for a selection to continue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A computer program product for implementing programmable control based upon message importance in a telephone answering machine including an answering machine controller, said computer program product including a plurality of computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said instructions, when executed by said answering machine controller, cause said answering machine controller to perform the steps of:
-
receiving an incoming call; checking a current message priority; answering said incoming call after a dynamically programmable number of incoming rings determined by said identified current message priority including checking for a current highest priority of each said caller selected priority to set said current message priority and answering said incoming call after a number of incoming rings corresponding to said current message priority; delivering a recorded message; prompting for a caller selected priority; identifying said caller selected priority; and storing said identified caller selected priority with an incoming message for said incoming call. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
-
Specification