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EP0420527A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electronic messaging systems with additional message storage capability

Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1990-09-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-09-21
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Abstract

Abstract The present electronic messaging system (100) allows a system subscriber to record a pluraliry of "customized" announcement messages. Each such message is associated with at least one calling party. Upon receiving an incoming communication for that subscriber, the system automatically utilizes the calling party identification for that communication to retrieve the associated customized announcement message. The calling party identification, which identifies the communication instrument utilized by the calling party, is automatically provided to the electronic messaging system by the communications network (104) through which the incoming communication is routed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Gordon R. Brunson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 15:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/533; H04M2242/00; H04M2242/22; H04M3/42025; H04M3/42034; H04M3/42059; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/58; H04Q3/62; H04Q3/625; H04Q3/72

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 103 words
Apparatus for use in an electronic messaging system (201) which interfaces with a communications network (104), said system providing announcement messages for incoming communications from calling parties to at least one system subscriber, said apparatus being CHARACTERISED BY means (401,402) for receiving an incoming communication destined for a given system subscriber, said communication including an identification of communications equipment being utilized by a calling party, and means (405, 512-515, 517) for selecting a particular one of said announcement messages in response to said identification, said particular announcement message being selected from a plurality of different announcement messages associated with said given system subscriber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 103 words
Apparatus for use in an electronic messaging system (201) which interfaces with a communications network (104), said system providing announcement messages for incoming communications from calling parties to at least one system subscriber, said apparatus being CHARACTERISED BY means (401,402) for receiving an incoming communication destined for a given system subscriber, said communication including an identification of communications equipment being utilized by a calling party, and means (405, 512-515, 517) for selecting a particular one of said announcement messages in response to said identification, said particular announcement message being selected from a plurality of different announcement messages associated with said given system subscriber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 95 words
Apparatus for use in an electronic messaging system (201) which interfaces with a communications network (104), said system providing announcement messages for incoming communications from calling parties to at least one system subscriber, said apparatus being CHARACTERISED BY means (401, 402) for receiving an incoming communication, said communication, at times, including an identification of communications equipment being utilized by a calling party, and means (405, 512-515, 517) for selecting a particular one of said announcement messages in response to said identification and for selecting (405, 512-516) a default announcement message when said identification is absent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 95 words
Apparatus for use in an electronic messaging system (201) which interfaces with a communications network (104), said system providing announcement messages for incoming communications from calling parties to at least one system subscriber, said apparatus being CHARACTERISED BY means (401, 402) for receiving an incoming communication, said communication, at times, including an identification of communications equipment being utilized by a calling party, and means (405, 512-515, 517) for selecting a particular one of said announcement messages in response to said identification and for selecting (405, 512-516) a default announcement message when said identification is absent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said identification is at least one telephone number associated with the communications equipment being utilized by said calling party.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said identification is at least one PBX extension associated with the communications equipment being utilized by said calling party.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 27 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said identification is at least one name associated with the communications equipment being utilized by said calling party.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including means (405, 503-506) for forming said announcement messages in response to input from said system subscriber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including means (403) for converting said particular announcement message to a voice signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 17 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said electronic messaging system is a voice messaging system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said electronic messaging system is a text messaging system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 21 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said electronic messaging system is a facsimile messaging system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 21 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said electronic messaging system is a telephone answering system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 33 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein, in operation, said incoming communication is first received by communications apparatus which is coupled to said network and is then redirected to said receiving means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including means for storing said announcement messages in a manner which allows selection of said particular announcement message by said selecting means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 including means (405,520) for deleting any announcement message stored by said storing means which is not selected in a predetermined time period.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 16 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including means (403) for transmitting said particular announcement message.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 19 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 including means (405,520) for deleting said particular announcement message after it is transmitted.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 44 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said incoming communication includes an identification of said system subscriber when said electronic messaging system provides announcement messages for more than one system subscriber, and said selecting means is also responsive to said system subscriber identification.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 97 words
A method for use in an electronic messaging system which interfaces with a communications network, said system providing announcement messages for incoming communications from calling parties to at least one system subscriber, said method being CHARACTERISED BY the steps of receiving an incoming communication destined for a given system subscriber, said communication including an identification of communications equipment being utilized by a calling party, and selecting a particular one of said announcement messages in response to said identification, said particular announcement message being selected from a plurality of different announcement messages associated with said given system subscriber.
Claim 21
Independent Claim 97 words
A method for use in an electronic messaging system which interfaces with a communications network, said system providing announcement messages for incoming communications from calling parties to at least one system subscriber, said method being CHARACTERISED BY the steps of receiving an incoming communication destined for a given system subscriber, said communication including an identification of communications equipment being utilized by a calling party, and selecting a particular one of said announcement messages in response to said identification, said particular announcement message being selected from a plurality of different announcement messages associated with said given system subscriber.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein said received incoming communication includes an identification of said system subscriber when said electronic messaging system provides announcement messages for more than one system subscriber, and said selecting step is also responsive to said system subscriber identification.

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