Methods and apparatus to provide a telephone system configuration interface

• US 8,903,054 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pearson, Larry B., Brandt, Jeffrey L., Reynolds, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US13/763,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20130155908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.17, 379/88.21, 379/88.23, 379/88.25
• US Class Current: 379/88.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42238 in systems with telephone lines with multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for a telephone customer to configure telephone service for multiple users at a single location associated with the customer. The location has at least two telephones, at least two phone numbers and a voice mail box. The telephone customer is visually provided an option to assign one of the phone numbers to one of the telephones. The telephone customer is visually provided an option to assign each of the multiple users exclusive access to at least one of the telephone numbers via their account identifier. The telephone customer is visually provided the option to, for each of the multiple users, allow access or deny access via their account identifier to the voicemail box.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

conveying a graphical interface to a subscriber of a telephone service, wherein the telephone service provides a plurality of telephone numbers to the subscriber, wherein a plurality of users are associated with the subscriber;

providing, via the graphical interface, a first option to designate a first one of the telephone numbers as a private telephone number to which only a first one of the users has access;

providing, via the graphical interface, a second option to designate a second one of the telephone numbers as a shared telephone number to which a second one and a third one of the users have access; and

in response to a selection of the second option;

enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a first private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the second one of the users; and

enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a second private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the third one of the users.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising providing, via the graphical interface, an input to receive a first personal information number for the first private voicemail box and a second personal information number for the second private voicemail box.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising providing, via the graphical interface, a third option to designate a third one of the telephone numbers as a public telephone number to which each of the users has access.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising storing a greeting for the shared telephone number indicative of the assignment of the first private voicemail box to the second one of the users and the second private voicemail box to the third one of the users.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein conveying the graphical interface to the subscriber comprises providing access to a portal via a network, and wherein the graphical interface is presented on a web browser associated with a device associated with the subscriber.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a name to respective ones of the telephone numbers.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first one of the telephone numbers is associated with a cellular device, and the second one of the telephone numbers is associated with a Voice over Internet Protocol device.

8. A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

conveying a graphical interface to a subscriber of a telephone service, wherein the telephone service provides a plurality of telephone numbers to the subscriber, wherein a plurality of users are associated with the subscriber;

providing, via the graphical interface, a first option to designate a first one of the telephone numbers as a private telephone number to which only a first one of the users has access;

providing, via the graphical interface, a second option to designate a second one of the telephone numbers as a shared telephone number to which a second one and a third one of the users have access; and

in response to a selection of the second option;

enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a first private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the second one of the users; and

enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a second private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the third one of the users.

9. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise providing, via the graphical interface, an input to receive a first personal information number for the first private voicemail box and a second personal information number for the second private voicemail box.

10. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise providing, via the graphical interface, a third option to designate a third one of the telephone numbers as a public telephone number to which each of the users has access.

11. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise storing a greeting for the shared telephone number indicative of the assignment of the first private voicemail box to the second one of the users and the second private voicemail box to the third one of the users.

12. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein conveying the graphical interface to the subscriber comprises providing access to a portal via a network, and wherein the graphical interface is presented on a web browser associated with a device associated with the subscriber.

13. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a name to respective ones of the telephone numbers.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory comprising machine readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the machine readable instructions to perform operations comprising;

conveying a graphical interface to a subscriber of a telephone service, wherein the telephone service provides a plurality of telephone numbers to the subscriber, wherein a plurality of users are associated with the subscriber;

providing, via the graphical interface, a first option to designate a first one of the telephone numbers as a private telephone number to which only a first one of the users has access;

providing, via the graphical interface, a second option to designate a second one of the telephone numbers as a shared telephone number to which a second one and a third one of the users have access; and

in response to a selection of the second option;

enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a first private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the second one of the users; and

enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a second private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the third one of the users.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise providing, via the graphical interface, an input to receive a first personal information number for the first private voicemail box and a second personal information number for the second private voicemail box.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise providing, via the graphical interface, a third option to designate a third one of the telephone numbers as a public telephone number to which each of the users has access.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise storing a greeting for the shared telephone number indicative of the assignment of the first private voicemail box to the second one of the users and the second private voicemail box to the third one of the users.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein conveying the graphical interface to the subscriber comprises providing access to a portal via a network, and wherein the graphical interface is presented on a web browser associated with a device associated with the subscriber.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a name to respective ones of the telephone numbers.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the first one of the telephone numbers is associated with a cellular device, and the second one of the telephone numbers is associated with a Voice over Internet Protocol device.