Abstract: A computer-telephony call which includes encoded voice communication from a calling party to a called party who has a computer capable of receiving the call, within a communication network having a services platform, can be screened by the called party. The call is received at the services platform, within the communications network, where a communication from the calling party is recorded. The communication of the call is routed to the computer of the called party so that the called party can perceive the communication of the call as the communication is being recorded at the services platform.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for partitioning each job within a plurality of jobs into stateless tasks. Each job is marked with at least one task divider defining two tasks. Each task divider indicates where, in the job flow, required data is unavailable. For each task divider, state information is preserved, a task is created which tests for availability of the required data, and predefined actions are taken. An initial task is entered into an alert table or an execution queue. When that task executes, it queues subsequent tasks for immediate or delayed execution.

Abstract: An electronic mailbox filters or sorts messages according to personalized or customized rules set by the owner of the mailbox through the use of address extensions. The addressee will assign an address extension to a prospective sender before the sender sends a message. The sender may use this address extension when addressing and sending a message to the addressee. The addressee can also provide a specific sender with multiple address extensions so that the sender could send messages relating to particular topics or projects. The addressee will maintain a look-up table of valid address extensions. This look-up table correlates address extensions with particular levels of priority. The addressee can change the priority associated with particular messages by reassigning the priority associated the corresponding address extension in the look-up table.

Abstract: A messaging system is arranged to substitute an alias address for the real address of a messaging subscriber with an unlisted address thereby allowing the subscriber to be known and yet to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of the unlisted address while enabling the subscriber to a) transmit messages to targeted recipients, b) receive reply messages and other types of messages from these recipients, and c) receive spontaneous messages from others with knowledge of the alias address. The messaging system, which may be communicatively coupled to a communications carrier network, comprises a mailbox system for transmitting and receiving messages and a routing database to manage the use of alias addresses.

Abstract: A communications system allows special messages to be transmitted to a wireless device subscriber if certain conditions are met. Identification information authenticating the sender may be sent using an originating device, such as a personal computer with a modem. A location information generating device, such as the ANI generator in a telephone end-office connected by physical telephone wire (local loop) to the computer, generates location information. The identification information and location information are provided to a message platform. The message platform establishes time of day and compares sender identification information, originating device location information, and time of day information to prestored values to determine whether a special prestored message should be sent. If a message should be sent, the message platform initiates message transmission.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for playing back a recorded voice message, and, in particular, for automatically playing back a spoken numeric portion of the message at a rate that is slower than the rate for playing back the remaining portion of the recorded voice message. A voice messaging system receives and analyzes the voice message. Specifically, the messaging system determines whether the voice message includes spoken numeric information and, if so, determines the relative position of the spoken numeric information within the message. The computer system stores both the voice message and the positional information in a storage device. Upon playback of the message, the messaging system retrieves the stored voice message and positional information from the storage device. As the voice message is played back, the messaging system processes the positional information.