Patent US5651055A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5651055A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digital secretary
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
•
Filing: 1995-06-29
•
Granted: 1997-07-22
•
Expires: 2015-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A telephone answering machine and method of use utilizes speech recognition to identify a caller from a pre-defined list of possible callers. The list may be generated by various input techniques, including a spoken voice at the called party's location, and keyboard or graphical input techniques. If the caller is identified as being on the list, the machine allows the call to progress along a first sequence, which includes ringing the called phone. If the called phone does not answer, the first sequence may provide for responding with a customized message for the calling party. If the caller is not identified as being on the list, the machine allows the call to progress along a second sequence, which includes responding with a standard recorded message. In either case, the caller is typically allowed to record a message for the called party. Additional pre-defined lists may be provided, as for determining the context of a call.
Inventors
- 👤 Pramod Vasant Argade
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:04
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/64; H04M1/66; H04M1/663; H04M1/65; H04M1/6505; H04M1/651; H04M1/26; H04M1/27; H04M1/271; H04M1/57
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A telephone answering machine characterized by: a speech generator for prompting a caller for an identifying name; a speech recognizer for converting the name received to a digital representation that may be compared to a stored list of names; a stored list of names that are to be accepted; a comparator for comparing the digital representation of the name received to the stored list of names; an indicator to provide an indication to a called party that a given name received is on the stored list of names; a speech generator for playing a message to said calling party after said indication is provided; and a recorder for recording a message from the calling party in response to said message.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
A telephone answering machine characterized by: a speech generator for prompting a caller for an identifying name; a speech recognizer for converting the name received to a digital representation that may be compared to a stored list of names; a stored list of names that are to be accepted; a comparator for comparing the digital representation of the name received to the stored list of names; an indicator to provide an indication to a called party that a given name received is on the stored list of names; a speech generator for playing a message to said calling party after said indication is provided; and a recorder for recording a message from the calling party in response to said message.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said speech generator plays a special message to said caller when said indicator indicates that the name received is on the stored list of names, and plays a standard message when said indicator indicates that the name received is not on the stored list of names.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said answering machine comprises means for playing messages received from a given caller.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 2 wherein said answering machine further comprises means for customizing said special message for a given caller on said stored list of names.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said answering machine includes a stored list of context words, and a comparator for comparing the digital representation of words received from a caller to the stored list of context words in order to indicate to a called party that a given context word is on the stored list of context words, whereby the context of a call may be determined.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said answering machine comprises means for providing the names of all callers who have left a message.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 6 wherein said answering machine further comprises means for playing back the message of a selected caller.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said answering machine comprises means for determining whether a given caller has retrieved a message.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said answering machine comprises means for playing back messages having a given context word.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said answering machine is adapted to connect to a telephone set that provides a microphone and speaker.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said telephone answering machine includes a digital telephone that comprises a CODEC.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
99 words
A telephone answering machine characterized by: a speech generator for prompting for an identifying name of a caller; a speech recognizer for converting the name received to a digital representation that may be compared to a stored list of names; a stored list of names that are to be accepted; a comparator for comparing the digital representation of the name received to the stored list of names; a ringing device to indicate to a called party that a given name received is on the stored list of names; and a recorder for recording a message from the calling party.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
99 words
A telephone answering machine characterized by: a speech generator for prompting for an identifying name of a caller; a speech recognizer for converting the name received to a digital representation that may be compared to a stored list of names; a stored list of names that are to be accepted; a comparator for comparing the digital representation of the name received to the stored list of names; a ringing device to indicate to a called party that a given name received is on the stored list of names; and a recorder for recording a message from the calling party.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein said answering machine comprises a speech generator for playing a special message to said caller when said indicator indicates that the name received is on the stored list of names, and for playing a standard message when said indicator indicates that the name received is not on the stored list of names.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
67 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein said answering machine includes a stored list of context words, a comparison for comparing the digital representation of words received from a caller to the stored list of context words; and an indicator to indicate to a called party that a given context word is on the stored list of context words, whereby the context of a call may be determined.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein said answering machine comprises means for providing the names of all callers who have left a message.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein said answering machine is adapted to connect to a telephone set that provides a microphone and speaker.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS5741060A
Cited
US4549045A
Cited
US4488005A
Cited
JPS58207756A
Cited
JPS59208965A
Cited
JPS60229561A
Cited
JPS61157053A
Cited
JPS62132459A
Cited
JPS62278860A
Cited
US4850005A
Cited
JPS63256038A
Cited
US4998291A
Cited
US5003574A
Cited
GB2260670A
Cited
JPH05136866A
Cited
US5283818A
Cited
US5394445A
Cited
US5511111A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-07-21 | 2001-01-20 | 2001-07-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-07-21 | 2005-01-20 | 2005-07-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-07-21 | 2009-01-20 | 2009-07-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |