Method and apparatus for secondary-option message delivery through enhanced service message handlers

Claim 3

The system of claim 1, wherein the enhanced service message handler further comprises means for attempting direct delivery of digitally encoded messages to the enhanced service exchange device.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1, wherein the enhanced service message handler further comprises means for determining that the enhanced service exchange device is not available for direct reception of digitally encoded messages, and also comprises means for notifying the enhanced service exchange device that digitally encoded messages are available for pickup.

Claim 5

The system of claim 3, wherein the enhanced service message handler further comprises means for notifying the enhanced service exchange device that at least one digitally encoded message is available to be picked up, without connecting any forwarded calls back to itself.

Claim 6

The system of claim 4, wherein the enhanced service exchange device further comprises means for attempting to complete a direct connection with the public switched telephone network within a predetermined first time interval.

Claim 7

The system of claim 5, wherein the enhanced service message handler further comprises means for attempting to complete a connection between the enhanced service message handler and the public switched telephone network, initiated by the second message communicating device, through the public switched telephone network, only after a predetermined second time interval, said second time interval being longer than the first time interval.

Claim 8

The system of claim 6, wherein the enhanced service message handler further comprises means for terminating connection to the enhanced service exchange device, through the public switched telephone network, after a predetermined third time interval, said third time interval being longer than the first time interval but shorter than the second time interval.

Claim 9

The system of claim 3, wherein the enhanced service message handler further comprises means for communicating a message waiting indication signal to the enhanced service exchange device.

Claim 10

The system of claim 3, wherein the enhanced service message handler further comprises means for requesting the public-switched telephone network to identify the enhanced service message handler as the calling party, as it attempts to establish a connection between the enhanced service message handler and the enhanced service exchange device.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10, wherein the enhanced service exchange device is passive during the successful point-to-point delivery of digitally encoded messages.

Claim 16

The method of claim 12, wherein an enhanced service exchange device is positioned between the second message communicating device and the public-switched telephone network, and wherein the connections to the second message communicating device are made through the enhanced service exchange device.

Claim 17

The method of claim 13, wherein the enhanced service exchange device waits for a fourth predetermined time interval after a connection is successfully established between the enhanced service message handler and the enhanced service exchange device before establishing a connection to the second message communicating device.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14, wherein the enhanced service exchange device initiates the connection with the second message communicating device using telephony signals, if needed to emulate the digitally encoded data transfer protocol.

Claim 19

The method of claim 13, wherein the enhanced service message handler transmits wake-up signals to the enhanced service exchange device, the wake-up signals identifying the source of the signals as the enhanced service message handler, to initiate the connection between the enhanced service message handler and the enhanced service exchange device.

Claim 20

The method of claim 16, wherein the enhanced service exchange device responds to the wake-up signal by acknowledging receipt of the wake-up signals, confirming the establishment of a two-way interactive protocol with the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17, wherein the enhanced service exchange device further comprises means for allowing its parameters to be updated remotely by the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 22

The method of claim 13, wherein the enhanced service exchange device provides its end-user with the capability of updating some of its parameters locally.

Claim 23

The method of claim 13, wherein the enhanced service exchange device comprises means for transmitting the status information of the enhanced service exchange device, and also comprises means for displaying the status information.

Claim 24

In a digital message delivery system comprising a first message communicating device in direct communication with a public-switched telephone network, said public-switched telephone network being in direct communication with an enhanced service message handler and, over a public telephone line, with an enhanced service exchange device, said enhanced service exchange device having a customer side and a public side, the customer side of the enhanced service exchange device being in direct exclusive and dedicated communication over a private telephone line with a second message communicating device, a method for delivering and receiving digitally encoded messages from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device comprising: (a) attempting to establish a point-to-point connection for delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device, via the public-switched telephone network including the public telephone line, and the enhanced service exchange device; (b) detecting the success or failure of the attempt to establish the point-to-point connection; (c) if the attempt succeeds, delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device; (d) if the attempt fails, delivering the digitally encoded message to the enhanced service message handler; (e) attempting to establish a notification connection to the enhanced service exchange device; (f) determining if the notification connection was successfully established; (g) if the notification connection was successfully established, notifying the enhanced service exchange device that a digitally encoded message is available to be picked up, and terminating the notification connection; (h) if the attempt to establish a notification connection was not successfully established within a first time interval, terminating the attempt; (i) waiting a second predetermined time interval, and repeating steps (e)-(h) until a notification connection is successfully established; (j) once the enhanced service exchange device has been notified that a digitally encoded message is waiting to be picked up, causing the enhanced service exchange device to establish a pick up connection from the enhanced service message handler to the second message communicating device; (k) causing the enhanced service message handler to transfer the digitally encoded message to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device.

Claim 25

In a digital message delivery system comprising a first message communicating device in direct communication with a public-switched telephone network, said public-switched telephone network being in direct communication with an enhanced service message handler and, over a public telephone line, with an enhanced service exchange device, said enhanced service exchange device having a customer side and a public side, the customer side of the enhanced service exchange device being in direct exclusive and dedicated communication over a private telephone line with a second message communicating device, a method for delivering and receiving digitally encoded messages from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device comprising: (a) attempting to establish a point-to-point connection for delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device, via the public-switched telephone network including the public telephone line, and the enhanced service exchange device; (b) detecting the success or failure of the attempt to establish the point-to-point connection; (c) if the attempt succeeds, delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device; (d) if the attempt fails, delivering the digitally encoded message to the enhanced service message handler; (e) attempting to establish a notification connection to the enhanced service exchange device; (f) determining if the notification connection was successfully established; (g) if the notification connection was successfully established, notifying the enhanced service exchange device that a digitally encoded message is available to be picked up, and terminating the notification connection; (h) if the attempt to establish a notification connection was not successfully established within a first time interval, terminating the attempt; (i) waiting a second predetermined time interval, and repeating steps (e)-(h) until a notification connection is successfully established; (j) once the enhanced service exchange device has been notified that a digitally encoded message is waiting to be picked up, causing the enhanced service exchange device to establish a pick up connection from the enhanced service message handler to the second message communicating device; (k) causing the enhanced service message handler to transfer the digitally encoded message to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device.

Claim 26

The method of claim 21, wherein the enhanced service message handler transmits wake-up signals to the enhanced service exchange device, the wake-up signals identifying the source of the signals as the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 27

The method of claim 22, wherein the enhanced service exchange device responds to the wake-up signal by acknowledging receipt of the wake-up signals, confirming the establishment of a two-way interactive protocol with the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 28

The method of claim 23, wherein the enhanced service exchange device further comprises means for allowing its parameters to be updated remotely by the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 29

The method of claim 21, wherein the enhanced service exchange device provides its end-user with the capability of updating some of its parameters locally.

Claim 30

The method of claim 21, wherein the enhanced service exchange device comprises means for transmitting the status information of the enhanced service exchange device, and also comprises means for displaying the status information.

Claim 31

In a digital message delivery system comprising a first message communicating device in direct communication with a public-switched telephone network, said public-switched telephone network being in direct communication with an enhanced service message handler and with an enhanced service exchange device, said enhanced service exchange device having a customer side and a public side, the customer side of the enhanced service exchange device being in direct exclusive and dedicated communication with a second message communicating device through a private connection, the public side of the enhanced service exchange device being in communication over a public telephone line with the public-switched telephone network, a method for delivering and receiving digitally encoded messages from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device comprising: (a) attempting to establish a point-to-point connection for delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device; (b) detecting the success or failure of the attempt to establish the point-to-point connection; (c) if the attempt succeeds, delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device; (d) if the attempt fails, delivering the digitally encoded message to the enhanced service message handler; (e) notifying the enhanced service exchange device that the enhanced service message handler has a digitally encoded message awaiting pick-up via automatic number identification; and (f) causing the enhanced service exchange device to pick up the digitally encoded message from the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 32

In a digital message delivery system comprising a first message communicating device in direct communication with a public-switched telephone network, said public-switched telephone network being in direct communication with an enhanced service message handler and with an enhanced service exchange device, said enhanced service exchange device having a customer side and a public side, the customer side of the enhanced service exchange device being in direct exclusive and dedicated communication with a second message communicating device through a private connection, the public side of the enhanced service exchange device being in communication over a public telephone line with the public-switched telephone network, a method for delivering and receiving digitally encoded messages from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device comprising: (a) attempting to establish a point-to-point connection for delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device; (b) detecting the success or failure of the attempt to establish the point-to-point connection; (c) if the attempt succeeds, delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device; (d) if the attempt fails, delivering the digitally encoded message to the enhanced service message handler; (e) notifying the enhanced service exchange device that the enhanced service message handler has a digitally encoded message awaiting pick-up via automatic number identification; and (f) causing the enhanced service exchange device to pick up the digitally encoded message from the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 33

The method of claim 27, wherein the enhanced service message handler transmits identification signals to the enhanced service exchange device, the identification signals identifying the source of the signals as the enhanced service message handler, to initiate the notification connection between the enhanced service message handler and the enhanced service exchange device.

Claim 34

The method of claim 28, wherein the enhanced service exchange device initiates a two-way interactive protocol with the enhanced service message handler by acknowledging receipt of the identification signals.

Claim 35

The method of claim 29, wherein the enhanced service exchange device further comprises means for allowing its parameters to be updated remotely by the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 36

The method of claim 27, wherein the enhanced service exchange device provides its end-user with the capability of updating some of its parameters locally.

Claim 37

The method of claim 27, wherein the enhanced service exchange device comprises means for transmitting the status information of the enhanced service exchange device, and also comprises means for displaying the status information.

Claim 38

In a digital message delivery system comprising a first message communicating device in direct communication with a public-switched telephone network, said public-switched telephone network being in direct communication with an enhanced service message handler and with an enhanced service exchange device, said enhanced service exchange device having a customer side and a public side, the customer side of the enhanced service exchange device being in direct exclusive and dedicated communication through a private connection with a second message communicating device, wherein said enhanced service exchange device is in communication via its public side over a public telephone line with the public-switched telephone network, a method for delivering and receiving digitally encoded messages from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device comprising: (a) attempting to establish a point-to-point connection for delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device; (b) detecting the success or failure of the attempt to establish the point-to-point connection; (c) if the attempt succeeds, delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device; (d) if the attempt fails, delivering the digitally encoded message to the enhanced service message handler; (e) notifying the enhanced service exchange device that the enhanced service message handler has a digitally encoded message awaiting pick-up via message waiting indication; and (f) causing the enhanced service exchange device to pick up the digitally encoded message from the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 39

In a digital message delivery system comprising a first message communicating device in direct communication with a public-switched telephone network, said public-switched telephone network being in direct communication with an enhanced service message handler and with an enhanced service exchange device, said enhanced service exchange device having a customer side and a public side, the customer side of the enhanced service exchange device being in direct exclusive and dedicated communication through a private connection with a second message communicating device, wherein said enhanced service exchange device is in communication via its public side over a public telephone line with the public-switched telephone network, a method for delivering and receiving digitally encoded messages from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device comprising: (a) attempting to establish a point-to-point connection for delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device; (b) detecting the success or failure of the attempt to establish the point-to-point connection; (c) if the attempt succeeds, delivering the digitally encoded message from the first message communicating device to the second message communicating device via the public-switched telephone network and the enhanced service exchange device; (d) if the attempt fails, delivering the digitally encoded message to the enhanced service message handler; (e) notifying the enhanced service exchange device that the enhanced service message handler has a digitally encoded message awaiting pick-up via message waiting indication; and (f) causing the enhanced service exchange device to pick up the digitally encoded message from the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 40

The method of claim 33, wherein the enhanced service message handler transmits identification signals to the enhanced service exchange device, the identification signals identifying the source of the signals as the enhanced service message handler, to initiate the notification connection between the enhanced service message handler and the enhanced service exchange device.

Claim 41

The method of claim 34, wherein the enhanced service exchange device responds to the identification signals.

Claim 42

The method of claim 33, wherein the enhanced service exchange device provides its end-user with the capability of updating some of its parameters locally.

Claim 43

The method of claim 33, wherein the enhanced service exchange device further comprises means for allowing its parameters to be updated remotely by the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 44

The method of claim 34, wherein the enhanced service exchange device comprises means for transmitting the status information of the enhanced service exchange device, and also comprises means for displaying the status information.

Claim 47

The system of claim 39, wherein the means, in the enhanced service message handler, for detecting the success or failure of the attempt to establish the connection to the enhanced service exchange device, comprises means for determining whether the attempt was successful within a first predetermined time interval.

Claim 48

The system of claim 40, wherein the means, in the enhanced service message handler, for detecting the success or failure of the attempt to establish the connection to the enhanced service exchange device, comprises means for terminating the attempt after a second predetermined time interval, wherein the second predetermined time interval is longer than the first predetermined time interval.

Claim 49

The system of claim 41, wherein the means, in the enhanced service message handler, for attempting to establish a connection to the enhanced service exchange device, comprises means for waiting for a third predetermined time interval.

Claim 50

The system of claim 42, wherein the enhanced service exchange device comprises means for waiting for a fourth predetermined time interval before establishing a connection to the first message communicating device.

Claim 51

The system of claim 39, wherein the enhanced service message handler further comprises means for transmitting identification signals identifying the source of the signals as the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 52

The system of claim 44, wherein the enhanced service exchange device further comprises means for initiating a two-way interactive protocol by acknowledging the receipt of the identification signals.

Claim 53

The system of claim 45, wherein the enhanced service exchange device further comprises means for allowing its parameters to be updated remotely by the enhanced service message handler.

Claim 54

The system of claim 39, wherein the enhanced service exchange device further comprises means for providing its end-user with the capability of updating some of its parameters locally.

Claim 55

The system of claim 39, wherein the enhanced service exchange device further comprises means for transmitting the status information of the enhanced service exchange device, and also comprises means for displaying the status information.