Abstract: A “master” telephony message system (TMS) application has been developed to allow an individual to access multiple message services (such as voice mail, telephone-accessed email, unified messaging, etc.) in succession without the need to repeatedly hang up and dial into each different system. The “master” application includes a database record of each TMS dial-in number and proceeds to dial the first number in sequence. The user then accesses the messages in a conventional manner, while the master application “listens” for a prompt from the user to disconnect from the first TMS account and dial in to the next TMS included in the user record. The application proceeds in sequence through each TMS included in the user record until each message system has been accessed or the user chooses to exit the program.

Abstract: A technique for notifying a person who is engaged in a telephone call with a second person that a third person is calling him or her is disclosed. The notification comprises not a series of beeps but a voice—synthetically generated or pre-recorded—that has at least one different psychoacoustic characteristic than the voice of the second person. By using a notification that is psychoacoustically different than the voice of the second person, the ability of the first person to simultaneously perceive and understand the notification and the voice of the second person is enhanced. Example psychoacoustic characteristics of a voice include, but are not limited to, the gender of the speaker's voice (i.e., male or female), the natural language of the speaker's voice (e.g., English, Spanish, French, etc.), and the smoothness of the speaker's voice (e.g., silky or raspy, etc.).

Abstract: A method (20) and system (50) is provided that permits a telephone caller to leave a message for a called party that does not have a conventional answering service, such as voice mail, an answering machine, a third-party operator-assisted answering service, or the like. A configurable blocking mechanism is also provided, permitting parties to prevent the message delivery service from being offered to callers attempting to reach them. The method (20) and system (50) can be implemented using an advanced intelligent network (AIN). In an AIN environment, the blocking mechanism can include a switch control point (SCP) (58) configured to access a termination blocking list (60). The termination blocking list (60) can be an SCP database file containing entries representing called parties who have blocked the message delivery service.

Abstract: A communication network for providing customized information content via a telephone. The network includes a database storing a profile of the customized information content, and a server in communication with the database for generating an audio-based interface document of the customized information content based on the profile. The network also includes an AIN in communication with the server and in communication with the telephone. The AIN may include a SSP switch, a service control point (SCP), and an intelligent resource server. The intelligent resource server maps incoming telephone calls to the SSP switch to the audio-based interface document generated by the server.

Abstract: An automated toll-free telecommunications information service may be provided responsive to a user sending an E-Mail request via the Internet or by a caller dialing a toll-free telephone number and announcing a voice request. A service node interprets the request and collects matches to the request from a database. A match to a request may comprise the identity of an entity corresponding to the match, a toll-free number for the match and a brief information sketch describing the entity. The matches are announced and played for the caller. The caller may barge in with a predetermined voice announcement such as “please dial” when they wish to select an item of the list. In response, the service node initiates the launch of a call to the selected entity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for asynchronous context switching. Requests of graphics processes are received to process graphics data for display in a queue in the graphics adapter. A current context is switched for a first graphics process to a new context for a second graphics process only in response to requests received in the queue. In this manner, the graphics adapter is able to continuously process commands in the queue instead of waiting for new commands to be sent after each context switch.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for selectively controlling the interconnectivity of two or more active telephone lines and/or one or more audio characteristics of each of the active telephone liens during a multi-line call. A bridge or a call connection control may be implemented to provide selective call connection for each active telephone call. The user may thereby control the interconnectivity of each parry to the user and to the other parties to the conference or multi-line call. An audio controller may also be implemented within a multi-line telephone or at a telephony switch. The call connection control or the volume control may be implemented within the telephone network such as a switch or locally at the telephone unit. The user may provide the desired interconnectivity or volume parameters for the multi party call using a user interface.

Abstract: The multi-media communication management system comprises a controller that interfaces with a subscriber station that includes an interface for coupling to a subscriber device. The subscriber device receives subscriber emails over a wide area network communication link to an email server. The system comprises a email interface system for establishing communications with a remote email server coupled to a service provider network and receiving subscriber emails directed to the remote email server and a subscriber device email interface system for establishing communications with the subscriber station at which a subscriber device is coupled and receiving subscriber emails that were provided to the subscriber device over the wide area network. The system generates inbox content and provides the inbox content to the subscriber station for display on a display associated with the subscriber station.

Abstract: An automatic voice announcement apparatus for sending an automatic voice announcement message to a subscriber connected to an exchange from the beginning of the message includes: a message receiving memory for receiving a voice message recording and playback commands from a high-level processor; a digital signal processor for receiving the commands from the message receiving memory, and for generating control signals for recording and playing back a voice message; a message controller for sequentially recording a voice message in corresponding areas in response to a voice message recording control signal from the digital signal processor, and for playing back the voice message from the beginning of the message by selecting a specific channel in response to a voice message playback control signal from the digital signal processor; and a voice memory having a plurality of cards to which channels are assigned, the voice message being stored in one of the channels.

Abstract: A portable telephone records a short voice memo during a call and reproduces the recorded short voice memo later. Upon detection of a voice record key input during a call, the portable telephone converts an input voice signal to voice data, stores the voice data, and determines whether a stop key is input. Upon detection of the stop key input, the telephone stops storing the voice data and displays an index number input request message. Upon detection of an index number input in response to the index number input request message, the telephone records the stored voice data in a voice memo table in association with the input index number, and determines whether a voice reproduce key is input. Upon detection of the voice reproduce key input, the telephone displays an index number input request message and determines whether the voice memo table has a voice memo corresponding to an input index number.

Abstract: The invention is a computerized system that allows inmates of a correctional institution to communicate with parties outside the facilities via telephonic or electronic messaging events. The system provides a means to bill for the events while controlling to whom the inmate can communicate with or from whom they may receive communications, including controlling the method, the length, limited content editing, the frequency of communicating, storage of and the manner of alerting a recipient of a message or receipt thereof.

Abstract: An inmate messaging system and method for notifying an inmate in a prison facility of messages received from a caller outside the prison facility. The caller dials into the inmate messaging system using, for example, a conventional “touch tone” telephone. The caller is prompted by the system for identifying information, which is verified against known information in a database. Identifying information can include a PIN for verifying the caller's account. During a set-up session, the system prompts the caller to record her name. The name recording is used to verify the account when the caller leaves a message for the inmate, and is also used to identify the account when the inmate retrieves the message from within the prison. The caller can specify a time with the message for returning the telephone call, or have the call placed immediately. The inmate accesses the inmate messaging system via a prison telephone.

Abstract: A networked system of voice-activated dialers is described. When a calling party using a local voice-activated dialer utters a phrase which indicates that information to reach a called party may be available at a remote site, a network connection is established to the remote site, spoken words or phrases are transmitted to the remote site, and the called party information is obtained from the remote site. The called party information is used to provide additional networked services to the calling party such as call-completion, voice messaging, or paging. These additional networked services may use the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and an existing signaling network such as the Signaling System No. 7 network.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for recording a wireless telephone call upon demand comprising the steps of initiating a telephone call from a telephone device with at least one receiving party, and establishing a third-party connection with a central archive to facilitate recordation of the content of the telephone call by the central archive by performing at least one of the steps of depressing a dedicated function key on the telephone device, selecting an appropriate option from a menu displayed on the telephone device, entering a code on the telephone device represented by a sequence of keystrokes, and uttering a recognized voice command.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing a voice call to a PSTN extension for a networked client computer, and routing the voice call off of the network, is provided. In a first embodiment, the apparatus comprises a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions for implementing a set of communication services for facilitating establishment of the voice call to the PSTN extension, and an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium, for executing the plurality of programming instructions. The set of communication services include services for receiving a Push-To-Talk™ request from the networked client computer, requesting the voice call, and in response, determining the PSTN extension. The Push-To-Talk™ request includes identification information of an originating web server of the Push-To-Talk™ option, and the determination of the PSTN extension is made in accordance with the originating web server's identification information.

Abstract: A system and method for providing access to a unified message store logically storing computer telephony messages is disclosed. A multiplicity of heterogeneous storage objects corresponding to computer telephony messages are stored in a unified message store. An application software layer exchanging the heterogeneous storage objects with a computer telephony server is exported. The computer telephony server is interfaced via a container subsystem defining encapsulated methods including organization strategy methods and storage strategy methods. A unified inbox generating an indicator for at least one of the computer telephony messages is provided. The unified inbox exports user controls for accessing the corresponding heterogeneous storage objects stored in the unified message store.

Abstract: In one form of the invention, a method for authorizing distribution of a telephone recording includes announcing for a first message-recording apparatus that a telephone caller can record a message. The message is recorded by the first message-recording apparatus, and a key is automatically associated with the message. The key authorizes transferring the message to a second message-recording apparatus.

Abstract: In a telephone network for use in placing telephone calls to a destination number associated with a called party, the destination number having restricted access for collect telephone calls, a system and method for providing a message to the called party of a collect telephone call from a calling party. A caller placing a collect telephone call is notified of the restricted access of the destination number for collect telephone calls and provided with an option for recording a message for delivery to the called party. If the calling party accepts the option, a message is recorded, such as by routing the collect telephone call to a messaging platform for use in recording the message.

Abstract: This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing automated personal messaging assistance with the capability of checking a user's destination for arrival and forwarding messages by a preferred modality. The present invention is directed to, in a general aspect, a method of providing personal messaging using a virtual messaging assistant. The virtual messaging assistant has a voice user interface and provides a human-like voice which interfaces with the user' and with callers. The personal messaging assistant provides forwarding of messages to a destination in accordance with user selected preferences. The personal messaging assistant receives incoming messages. The personal messaging checks the user's calendar to find out where the user is expected to be. Then the personal messaging assistant calls the expected destination and inquires whether the user has arrived.

Abstract: Authentication of voice message recipient network addresses employs generating (102) and storing (104) a “network file” that includes “voice clips” and associated network addresses that are extracted from voice messages received across a network (10) from voice message systems (16, 18). A voice clip is the first one to three seconds of voice extracted from each received voice message. Over time, the network file will grow to contain multiple voice clips and associated network voice message addresses. When a voice message originator subsequently enters a recipient's network address (106), the originating voice message system searches (114) the network file for the network address, retrieves the associated voice clip (116), and plays it for the voice message originator to authenticate the recipient's network address.