Patents Assigned to MessagePhone, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20020166126
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing customers of hospitality facilities with the ability to access a variety of amenities and to interact with a video system in order to enable point-of-sale purchase of and payment for goods and services with a credit or debit card. In a preferred embodiment, the video services system comprises a plurality of card readers arranged in a distributed configuration, each of which are associated with a room terminal of a video services system. In a preferred embodiment, each the card readers may be powered using power provided by an associated TV and room terminal. Each room terminal functions as an interface between the systems control computer and the card reader associated with the room terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Applicant: MessagePhone, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel A. Pugh, Harry S. Budow
  • Patent number: 5982858
    Abstract: The present invention describes as automatic voice messaging system for use in a telephone network having a calling station connectible to a first switch and a called station connectible to a second switch, with the first and second switches connected by a digital serial link. The voice messaging system preferably comprises an interface, a detection circuit, a speech circuit and a control circuit. The interface monitors signals on the digital serial link. The detection circuitry is connected to the interface for detecting busy or ring/no answer conditions at the called station upon call initiation to the called station from the calling station, and for detecting receipts of a predetermined code from the calling station indicating that the caller desires to leave a message from the called station. The speech circuit is also connected to the interface for issuing a predetermined prompt to a user of the calling station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: MessagePhone, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard E. Carter, Byron C. Pierce, Joel A. Pugh
  • Patent number: 5661517
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing customers of hospitality facilities with the ability to access a variety of amenities and to interact with a video system in order to enable point-of-sale purchase of and payment for goods and services with a credit or debit card. In a preferred embodiment, the video services system comprises a plurality of card readers arranged in a distributed configuration, each of which are associated with a room terminal of a video services system. In a preferred embodiment, each the card readers may be powered using power provided by an associated TV and room terminal. Each room terminal functions as an interface between the systems control computer and the card reader associated with the room terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: MessagePhone, Inc.
    Inventors: Harry S. Budow, Joel A. Pugh
  • Patent number: 4825460
    Abstract: A line interface unit for controlling receipt and delivery of voice messages over a telephone system having a voice message facility connectable to at least one calling station and a called station via a central office. The interface unit comprises a first switch connected to the calling station in the tip and ring lines and a second switch connected to the central office in the tip and ring lines, the switches having first and second positions and wherein said signals on the tip and ring lines are connected directly between the calling station and the central office when each of the switches is in the first position. In operation, a control circuit of the line interface unit responds to detection of a busy/no answer condition at the called station for switching the first switch from its first to second position to connect a speech circuit to the calling station for issuing a prompt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1989
    Assignee: MessagePhone, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard E. Carter, Joel A. Pugh, Byron C. Pierce
  • Patent number: 4766604
    Abstract: A method for receiving and delivering voice messages responds to the inability of a caller to complete a call from a calling station to a called station to automatically cause the calling station to default to a voice message center. If the caller desires to leave a voice message to be delivered to the called station, the caller is prompted to store the voice message. Thereafter, the voice message center initiates an outdial routine which makes a predetermined number of attempts to deliver the voice message to the called station at predetermined time intervals. In the preferred embodiment, the method is incorporated in a multiple user station telephone system in either a "shared tenant services" or "on-campus" configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Assignee: MessagePhone, Inc.
    Inventor: David R. Axberg