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.