Residential telephone system and method
First Claim
1. A telephone system for use by a residential user, the system electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone, the system comprising:
- a telephone service facility interface for receiving an incoming call signal from the external telephone service facility;
a user telephone interface for transmitting the incoming call signal to the user telephone and for receiving an administrative signal from the user telephone;
a memory;
a messaging module for storing in the memory a calling party message received from a calling party in the incoming call signal; and
a connection module responsive to the administrative signal received from the user telephone via the user telephone interface for receiving an incoming call signal and processing the incoming call signal to either connect the incoming call signal to the messaging module or to transmit the incoming call signal to the user telephone via the user telephone interface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a telephone system and method for use by a residential user. A residential telephone system is electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone. The system comprises a telephone service facility interface for receiving an incoming call signal from the external telephone service facility and a user telephone interface for transmitting the incoming call signal to the user telephone and for receiving an administrative signal from the user telephone. The system also comprises a memory and a messaging module for storing in the memory a calling party message received from a calling party in the incoming call signal. The system further comprises a connection module responsive to the administrative signal received from the user telephone via the user telephone interface for receiving an incoming call signal and processing the incoming call signal to either connect the incoming call signal to the messaging module or to transmit the incoming call signal to the user telephone via the user telephone interface. The invention also relates to a system for remotely administering a residential telephone system. The invention further relates a system and method for call management of incoming calls by a residential telephone system.
135 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A telephone system for use by a residential user, the system electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone, the system comprising:
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a telephone service facility interface for receiving an incoming call signal from the external telephone service facility;
a user telephone interface for transmitting the incoming call signal to the user telephone and for receiving an administrative signal from the user telephone;
a memory;
a messaging module for storing in the memory a calling party message received from a calling party in the incoming call signal; and
a connection module responsive to the administrative signal received from the user telephone via the user telephone interface for receiving an incoming call signal and processing the incoming call signal to either connect the incoming call signal to the messaging module or to transmit the incoming call signal to the user telephone via the user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a residential telephone system, the system electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone, the method comprising:
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receiving an incoming call signal, said incoming call signal comprising a calling party number and a calling party passcode;
comparing the received calling party passcode to one or more authorized caller passcodes stored in a memory; and
storing in the memory the received calling party number when the received calling party passcode matches one of the authorized caller passcodes stored in the memory.
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18. A method of operating a residential telephone system, the system electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone, the method comprising:
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receiving an incoming call signal, said incoming call signal comprising a calling party number, a calling party passcode, and a calling party message;
comparing the received calling party passcode to one or more direct message routing passcodes stored in a memory; and
storing the received calling party message in a messaging module when the received calling party passcode matches one of the direct message passcodes stored in the memory.
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19. A method of operating a residential telephone system, the system electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone, the method comprising:
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receiving an incoming call signal, said incoming call signal comprising a calling party message;
storing the received calling party message in a messaging module; and
ringing the user telephone contemporaneous with storing the received incoming call message in the messaging module.
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20. A method of operating a residential telephone system, the system electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone, the method comprising:
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receiving an incoming call signal, said incoming call signal comprising a calling party message;
storing the received calling party message in a messaging module; and
transmitting a text message to the user telephone contemporaneous with the storing of the calling party message, said text message being something other than a calling party number of the incoming call signal.
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21. A method of operating a residential telephone system, the system electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone, the method comprising:
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receiving an incoming call signal, said incoming call signal comprising a calling party message;
storing the calling party message in a messaging module;
transmitting the received calling party message to the user telephone contemporaneous with the storing of the calling party message;
receiving a user instruction during the storing of the calling party message;
terminating the storing of the received calling party message in response to the received user instruction; and
connecting the received incoming call signal to the user telephone in response to the received user instruction.
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22. A method of operating a residential telephone system, the system electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone, the method comprising:
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receiving an incoming call signal from the external telephone service facility;
connecting the received incoming call signal to either the user telephone or to a messaging module;
receiving an administrative instruction from the user telephone, the administrative instruction associated with an operation of the residential telephone system and not associated with the received incoming call signal, wherein said receiving of the incoming call signal and said connecting of the incoming call signal each being contemporaneous with said receiving the administrative instruction.
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23. A method of operating a residential telephone system, the system electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone, the method comprising:
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receiving an incoming call signal from the external telephone service facility, the incoming call signal comprising an administrative instruction, said administrative instruction being associated with an administrative operation of the residential telephone system and not being associated with the incoming call signal;
storing the administrative instruction in a memory; and
operating one or more functions of the residential telephone system responsive to the stored administrative instruction. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification