Method in a communications systems for providing an out-of-band signaling response based on predetermined conditions

Claim 1

A method for use in a communication system for supplying to a first party, connected to a central platform, one or more messages transmitted as an out-of-band signal in response to predetermined trigger conditions, the method comprising the steps of: storing information identifying said trigger conditions at said central platform, periodically accessing said stored information to determine the necessity to initiate the transmission of said out-of-band signal, formulating a particular message to be transmitted as an out-of-band signal in response to access of said stored information, and transmitting said particular message as an out-of-band signal to said first party, wherein said stored information identifying said trigger conditions includes predetermined schedule changes previously defined by said first party, wherein there is further included the step of adding predetermined characters to said message prior to transmitting said message as an out-of-band signal to said first party, said predetermined characters being added to said message in a predetermined order in accordance with a type of message to be transmitted, and wherein said transmitting step includes the steps of initiating a page as said out-of-band signal, and sending said page to said first party.

Claim 2

A method for use in a communication system for supplying to a first party, connected to a central platform, one or more messages transmitted as an out-of-band signal in response to predetermined trigger conditions, the method comprising the steps of: storing information identifying said trigger conditions at said central platform, periodically accessing said stored information to determine the necessity to initiate the transmission of said out-of-band signal, formulating a particular message to be transmitted as an out-of-band signal in response to access of said stored information, and transmitting said particular message as an out-of-band signal to said first party, wherein said stored information identifying said trigger conditions includes predetermined schedule changes previously defined by said first party, wherein there is further included the step of adding predetermined characters to said message prior to transmitting said message as an out-of-band signal to said first party, said predetermined characters being added to said message in a predetermined order in accordance with a type of message to be transmitted, and wherein said transmitting step includes the steps of initiating a page as said out-of-band signal, and sending said page to said first party.

Claim 6

A method for use in a telephone system which provides communication between a caller and a subscriber, said method supplying to said subscriber, connected to a central platform, one or more messages transmitted as an out-of-band signal in response to preprogrammed conditions stored at said central platform, the method comprising the steps of, detecting the occurrence of events corresponding to at least one of said preprogrammed conditions specified by information stored at said central platform, determining whether an occurrence of said preprogrammed conditions requires said subscriber to be supplied with one or more of said messages, transmitting a first message to said subscriber, determining whether an answer is received from said subscriber in response to said first message, connecting said caller to said subscriber if an answer is received from said subscriber, providing to said caller one or more options if no answer is received from said subscriber, and transmitting a second message to said subscriber in response to at least one option chosen by said caller, wherein said step of transmitting said second message includes the step of adding predetermined characters to said second message to be transmitted, said predetermined characters being added in a predetermined order according to the option chosen.

Claim 7

A method for use in a telephone system which provides communication between a caller and a subscriber, said method supplying to said subscriber, connected to a central platform, one or more messages transmitted as an out-of-band signal in response to preprogrammed conditions stored at said central platform, the method comprising the steps of, detecting the occurrence of events corresponding to at least one of said preprogrammed conditions specified by information stored at said central platform, determining whether an occurrence of said preprogrammed conditions requires said subscriber to be supplied with one or more of said messages, transmitting a first message to said subscriber, determining whether an answer is received from said subscriber in response to said first message, connecting said caller to said subscriber if an answer is received from said subscriber, providing to said caller one or more options if no answer is received from said subscriber, and transmitting a second message to said subscriber in response to at least one option chosen by said caller, wherein said step of transmitting said second message includes the step of adding predetermined characters to said second message to be transmitted, said predetermined characters being added in a predetermined order according to the option chosen.