Abstract: Facilitating voice access to personal information in a manner that the caller may voice command an action to be performed in response to hearing a particular personal information item. The voice commanded action is then automatically performed even if the action requires access to another personal information item of a different type. A voice access server receives a caller-issued voice command to hear a first item of personal information (such as a calendar item) corresponding to a first personal information type. Then, the voice access server automatically accesses the requested information, and audibly speaks the item to the caller. The caller may then submit a voice request to act on the first item of personal information. The voice access server then automatically accesses any other personal information needed to perform the requested action, even if access to a different personal information type is needed.

Abstract: A telephone set 2 to be connected to a main unit 1 of a private branch exchange or a key service unit includes therein a verbal telephone directory memory section 28d which stores information relating to the voice of the user and information relating to telephone numbers, a control section 28a which recognizes the user's input voice on the basis of the voice information and controls a dialing operation on the basis of the phone-number information, and a predetermined guidance memory section 28c which stores predetermined guidance used for giving instructions to the user in the form of voice or an indication.

Abstract: A method of automatically sharing and transferring information between a Work at Work (WAW) ISDN telephone and a Work at Home (WAH) ISDN telephone. This information includes, calling line identifier delivery from the WAW telephone to the WAH telephone, facilitating subsequent transferring of the call to the WAH telephone if desired. Message waiting status is also shared, facilitating the coordination of message waiting lamps at both the WAW and WAH telephone. Information from one telephone to the other is carried transparently through the ISDN network as user-to-user information, calling party subaddress, D channel X.25 packet message, lower layer compatibility or a combination of these elements. The telephones automatically establish ISDN calls between themselves and swap information pertaining to the status of the companion telephones.

Abstract: An originating party (10) places a call through an originating party called control (30), through a network (40), through a terminating party call control (50) to a terminating subscriber (22). For an inability to complete the connection from the originating subscriber to the terminating subscriber, control is returned from the terminating party call control through network (40) to the call control logic (31) of the originating party call control (30) or directly to the originating subscriber (10).

Abstract: A telephone set device capable of vocalizing a telephone number being called. A line interface circuit serves as an interface between the tip and ring wires of a standard telephone circuit and the internal circuit. A ring detector detects whether a ring signal is being input. A controller provides the input of signals from the line interface circuit, the keypad, and the ring detector. A hybrid circuit divides the connecting terminals of the line interface into a voice input and a voice output. A keypad inputs the control signal or the number signal to the controller, and sets the address data in the internal memory of the controller to output the voice data. A DTMF generator generates DTMF signals to represent each key on the keypad. A number voice generator receives the address data and decompresses the corresponding compressed voice data retrieved from the internal memory. A handset receives/transmits a voice signal.

Abstract: A method of screening incoming telephone calls and programming screening options and apparatus that allows incoming calls to be screened according to various criteria programmed by a subscriber.

Abstract: A method and system for communicating without use of manual contact with a communications unit. The user approaches a communications system and can activate a communications unit by a proximity/motion detector and/or a voice activation device. The person can generate audio signals, such as by voice command, to activate the unit and establish contact. Body movements can also be used to connect to a specific location and/or control the communications mode, such as private, semi-private or conference call mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing a voice call to a PSTN extension on behalf of 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 soliciting inputs from one or more other apparatuses on one or more operating characteristics associated with the establishment and support of the voice call to the PSTN extension, and selecting one of the solicited apparatuses to place the voice call to the PSTN extension.

Abstract: An audible signal associated with an event is provided as part of the audio path of a telephone. In particular, a telephone according to one embodiment of the invention includes a microphone adapted to receive audible signals from a user and to convert the audible signals to electrical signals for transmission to a distant party, and a speaker adapted to receive electrical signals associated with input from the distant party and to convert the electrical signals to audible signals. According to the invention, the telephone also includes a processor adapted to produce electrical signals associated with an external event, and to integrate these electrical signals with the received electrical signals. In an alternative embodiment according to the invention, a method of alerting a party to a telephone conversation of an external event includes the step of providing an indication of the external event to the party from a speaker of the telephone during the telephone conversation.

Abstract: A message processing device is adapted to obtain text data and read aloud the text data aloud by using a voice synthesizer. A loudspeaker device is connected to the message processing device to output or read aloud the text data. The text data can be received through a receiving device that receives outside information data or e-mail message data. The voice synthesizer can be controlled by an outside information controller, with the outside information controller being able to distinguish senders of the text data and being able to select one voice tone data to read aloud messages sent by one sender. If the controller recognizes that there are other messages sent by another sender, the controller allots different voice tone data for the other sender's messages. The message processing device can include a voice navigation device to generate voice signals for giving route guidance messages or information to a driver of a vehicle.

Abstract: A voice mail system employs caller-specific sub-mailboxes that are created within a voice mail account owner's mailbox so that a caller designates an access pincode for the sub-mailbox and then has access to the sub-mailbox for leaving messages, deleting messages, and re-ordering messages. Consequently, the voice mail systems achieve increased flexibility in accessing previous messages by one caller from multiple telephone locations, increased overall productivity of voice mail system users, the capability to allow a mailbox owner to prioritize the playing of recorded messages, and minimized connection time and battery consumption of portable, handheld devices accessing the voice mail system.

Abstract: A system and method of directing calls is disclosed for a telephone network having remote locations. The remote locations receive incoming calls and attempt to route the calls using a basic call director. If the remote location cannot route the call, then data, such as a recorded spoken utterance, is provided to a central system. The central system then attempts to automatically determine how to route the call using the data from the remote location. If the central system is unable to automatically determine the routing information, then the data is provided to an operator who attempts to determine how to route the call. Finally, a caller can be connected directly to the operator, if the operator is not able to determine routing information from the provided data alone.

Abstract: A method and system for preventing hung calls on a channel of a network interface device of a voice messaging system is described. A channel of the network interface device receives a new incoming call from the telephone network. If no other call is in progress on the same channel as the one on which the new call was received, the new incoming call is accepted. On the other hand, if another call is already in progress on this channel, the other call is terminated and the new incoming call is rejected. At this point, the network interface device is ready to accept any subsequent calls received on that channel.

Abstract: Systems and methods of cooperating with a telephone exchange to provide a user with centralized access to messages are presented. In accordance with the method, telephone numbers of users are stored. A telephone call is received. The telephone call is forwarded from a telephone exchange. The telephone call has a destination telephone number and originates from a calling party. The destination telephone number is compared with the telephone numbers. If the destination telephone number matches one of the telephone numbers, a user corresponding to the destination telephone number is identified, the calling party is prompted to leave a voice mail message for the user, the voice mail message is stored in a database, and the user is granted access to the voice mail message.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing captioned telephone service is provided which permits persons who are hard of hearing to receive captioning of their telephone communications as they need it. A personal interpreter/captioned telephone device can dial a relay on a second telephone line while the assisted user if conversing with a hearing user over a first telephone line. The second telephone line connects to a relay which provides voice to text translation service and returns a text stream to the captioned telephone device.

Abstract: Transmitting by a public service provider an audio message to the calling party instead normal ring back tones when a call is placed by a calling party to a called party. This audio message is an advertisement that is paid for by a third party. If the calling party wishes more information concerning the advertisement, the calling party indicates this desire either by a spoken command or by accuation of a multi-frequency key on the telephone hand set during the message. If the calling party has indicated a desire to obtain more information with respect to the advertisement, when the call to the called party is completed, the public service provider will automatically connect the calling party to a system that will provide additional information concerning the advertisement. A data terminal placing a data call will receive advertisements in a similar manner.

Abstract: A telecommunications system including a public telephonic switching network interconnected with a telephonic network switch for routing calls from an initial telephonic unit to a destination telephonic unit. Telephonic calls are sent via the public telephonic switching network for receipt at the computer controlled telephonic network switch. The telephonic network switch has a central processing unit and an associated memory with an improved programmed operator services position system for assigning a language to the telephonic call such that the assigned language is an associated attribute for the telephonic call. Throughout the duration of the telephonic call, the call is identified to receive telephone operator services in the particular language assigned for the telephonic call.

Abstract: A relay is described to facilitate communication through the telephone system between hearing users and users who need or desire assistance in understanding voice communications. To overcome the speed limitations inherent in typing, the call assistant at the relay does not type most words but, instead, re-voices the words spoken by the hearing user into a computer operating a voice recognition software package trained to the voice of that call assistant. The text stream created by the computer and the voice of the hearing user are both sent to the assisted user so that the assisted user can be supplied with a visual text stream to supplement the voice communications. A time delay in the transmission of the voice of the hearing user through the relay is of assistance to the assisted user in comprehending the communications session.

Abstract: An automatic answering telephone set which eliminates cumbersome operations when a user tries to listen to a recorded business message from a remote place. The automatic answering telephone set includes a termination detection section and a line interface to which a telephone line is connected commonly, a reception section connected to the line interface, a voice recording and reproduction section which provides an automatic answering telephone function, a control section formed from a microcomputer for controlling the entire automatic answering telephone set, an operation key section including several keys such as dial keys and connected to the control section, and a memory for storing a telephone number and other necessary information to be registered in advance in the automatic answering telephone set.

Abstract: A method for providing a messaging service in a telecommunication system (900) includes providing a calling party with an option to leave a voice message (1010). If the calling party accepts the option, determining screening criteria for the called communication station (1018). In response to the screening criteria, the call is selectively completed to a messaging service (172).