Abstract: The personal communications controller (PCC) may be programmed with a customized service configuration based on which telecommunications functions in connection with multiple telephone terminals are managed. The PCC system is designed to provide enhanced service value to all of the telephone terminals throughout a residence coupled to a single telephone communication line entering the residence. The PCC may provide service differentiation on an individual basis to the telephone terminals and, furthermore, differentiated treatment may be effected on a per telephone call basis. The customized service configuration may be generated using a personal computer from which it is downloaded to the PCC.

Abstract: The personal communications controller (PCC) may be programmed with a customized service configuration based on which telecommunications functions in connection with multiple telephone terminals are managed. The PCC system is designed to provide enhanced service value to all of the telephone terminals throughout a residence coupled to a single telephone communication line entering the residence. The PCC may provide service differentiation on an individual basis to the telephone terminals and, furthermore, differentiated treatment may be effected on a per telephone call basis. The customized service configuration may be generated using a personal computer from which it is downloaded to the PCC.

Abstract: A voice messaging system with non-user outcalling and auto-provisioning capabilities including an automatic means for configuring a telephone number to become a subscriber to a voice messaging service. The voice messaging system of the present invention facilitates the process of acquiring a voice mailbox by providing non-user outcalling and auto-provisioning. A voice messaging service user will be able to send a non-user voice messages using the voice messaging service, and, the non-user recipient desiring to subscribe to voice mailbox service can acquire a voice mailbox simply by responding to interactive queries after the reception of the voice message. The system also automatically establishes call forwarding at the appropriate central office switch and automatically creates a voice mailbox at the voice messaging system if a non-user recipient desires to become a subscriber to the voice messaging system.

Abstract: A seamless automated callback system is disclosed. The system utilizes first and second telecommunication nodes connected to each other by a data line and additionally connected to a conventional telephone network. When a call is placed via the callback system, the first node transmits to the caller an appropriate ring tone for the called location and concurrently requests a callback from the second node via the data line. The second node places the callback which is not immediately answered by the first node. Concurrently, or after a suitable delay, the second node places a call to the called telephone. If the called party answers the call, the second node signals the first node via the data line to answer the callback and connect the caller to the called party. If, however, the call results in a busy signal, an operator intercept, or a ring no answer, the callback is terminated before any telephone toll charges are incurred.

Abstract: A system for use of a telecommunications voice network includes a communication node local to a calling location for acquiring calling and called party identification numbers and transmitting them to a central switching unit associated with a called location, through a transception channel independent of the telecommunications voice network. Further provided is a central switching unit for interrogating the called location to obtain a call supervision status thereof. Also provided is an apparatus for completing a first phonecall from the switching unit to the called location if the call supervision status is that of an answer, and for originating a second phonecall through the telecommunications network to the calling location. Teleconferencing of the first and second phonecalls then occurs. Further provided is an apparatus for providing an uncompleted call status signal to the central switching unit if the call status is that of a no answer or busy. The calling party is then appropriately advised.

Abstract: A telephone apparatus for providing service to a plurality of telephones located at a particular facility, and with the capability of controlling the connection of calls to such telephones as well as recording selected phone conversations. In particular, control of call connection is accomplisued with access control data that is phone-related and PIN number-related. Phone-related data activates the telephone based on, for example, its location in the facility, time of day and day of the week. PIN number-related data allows access to the phone depending on data associated with the caller to whom a unique PIN number has been assigned. The recording of conversations is controllable based on a comparison of call-related data, particular to the call being attempted, with stored recording control data that may also be phone-related and/or PIN number-related.

Abstract: A system and method for organizing and accessing multi-media messages from a displayless interface (112a, 112b). According to one embodiment, voice recognition techniques are used to allow the user to identify and create a hierarchical organization (200) for stored messages.

Abstract: When a caller calls a POTS telephone number for a user's premises, the incoming call is selectively routed to any combination of local extensions on the owner's premises, and to remote extensions such as a telephone instrument on another premises, a pager, a cellular telephone, a central office voice mail box, and a cellular telephone voice mail box. Control over the incoming call is maintained throughout the duration of the call to allow further routing of the incoming call. Consequently, the incoming call can be routed to multiple locations on the user's premises, or to a telephone answering service at any time after taking the incoming call. Moreover, the incoming call can be routed directly based on the type of call, e.g., voice, facsimile, or modem.

Abstract: A voice response service apparatus comprises a log data storage unit, an identification data input unit and a voice response reproduction unit. The log data storage unit stores contents of a plurality of processes executed in an interactive form with a user through voice responses in the form of log data showing a record of time transitions and also stores identification data for identifying each of the contents of the plurality of processes as a part of contents of the voice responses. The identification data input unit inputs the identification data stored in the log data storage unit. The voice response reproduction unit reads the contents of the interactive-form processes of the log data corresponding to the identification data inputted by the identification data input unit from the log data storage unit and reproduces the thus read process contents into voices.

Abstract: A telephone apparatus for providing service to a plurality of telephones located at a particular facility, and with the capability of controlling the connection of calls to such telephones as well as recording selected phone conversations. In particular, control of call connection is accomplisued with access control data that is phone-related and PIN number-related. Phone-related data activates the telephone based on, for example, its location in the facility, time of day and day of the week. PIN number-related data allows access to the phone depending on data associated with the caller to whom a unique PIN number has been assigned. The recording of conversations is controllable based on a comparison of call-related data, particular to the call being attempted, with stored recording control data that may also be phone-related and/or PIN number-related.

Abstract: A method implemented by a computer-based electronic assistant to receive and manage incoming calls to a subscriber including the steps of receiving an incoming call to the subscriber from a caller; establishing a first connection between the electronic assistant and the caller; establishing a second connection between the electronic assistant and the subscriber; over the second connection, electronically notifying the subscriber of the incoming call; in response to receiving a call accept command from the subscriber over the second connection, linking the caller and the subscriber so that they may communicate with each other; upon linking the subscriber to the caller, switching the electronic assistant to a background mode in which said electronic assistant continues to monitor the subscriber over the second connection while the subscriber is linked with the caller; and in response to receiving a summoning command, switching the electronic assistant into a foreground mode, wherein the electronic assistant whe

Abstract: A telecommunications network-based method for alerting a calling party, placed on hold by the called party, that a called party is ready to communicate comprising the steps of receiving an activation signal for activating the network-based system; monitoring the called party's telephone line for availability, where "availability" refers to the situation when the called party removes the hold condition or when the called party is ready to communicate with the calling party, and informing the called party that the Call Hold Stand-by service is alerting the calling party that the called party is available. The network-based method can operate as calling party feature, independent of the called party, or as a feature that is provided by the called party to the calling party.

Abstract: The called party can temporarily defer answering a call simply by pressing a button on the station set. When the button is pressed, the called party's station set sends a data message to the system's voice response unit directing the voice response to play a "please wait" message to the calling party rather than sending the calling party to the called party's voice mail. The voice response unit plays the "please wait" message to the calling party and sends a call park message to the switching system hosting the station set. The call park message to the switching system directs the switching system to park the call at a specific location as is known in the art and a corresponding call park message to the station set transmits the location of the parked call to the station set. When the called party desires to answer the call, a message is sent from the station set to the switching system requesting that the call parked at the identified location be connected to the station set.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a method and a device for detecting, amongst a set of signals, the presence of a periodic signal of period of occurrence T, in which a signal discriminating the said signal in the said set of signals is delivered. According to the invention, the discrimination signal is sampled in ln samples over more than one period T, a state value B(i) representing its level, and a true correlation value SR is calculated, by cumulating, for pairs of samples i and i+Z, the instantaneous value of correlation between the state value B(i) and the state value B(i+Z), the samples i and i+Z being located at instants shifted by a period T.

Abstract: A computer system has an automatic answering device and a method of automatically communicating an audio response message to a caller, in response to an incoming telephone call by the caller, when the system is in a hibernation state where the contents of all of the devices of the system have been saved and the system has substantially been turned off for the sake of reducing power consumption. The automatic answering device has an address generator for generating a set of addresses, a memory for storing audio response message data, an address selector, a data switch for switching data paths, and a digital-to-analog converter for converting the audio data into analog audio response signals. The audio response signals are sent through a modem to a caller so that the caller gets an audio response message indicating that the system is in the hibernation state.

Abstract: Method and a system for a user-customizable interactive voice mail/voice response system are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, an interactive voice mail/voice response ("IVR") system of the present invention enables a user to build and operate custom IVR functions using voice templates. An interactive voice mail/voice response ("IVR") system of the present invention enables a user to build and operate custom IVR menus. The system comprises a voice menu system that includes a plurality of menus, each comprising a plurality of script records implemented using voice templates made up of voice template elements of various types, the characteristics and behavior of which will be determined by their user-designated type and the characteristic of the voice response record with which they are associated. As a result, the voice elements, and in turn, the voice templates they comprise, dynamically exhibit a behavior that is appropriate to the current environment.

Abstract: In a telephone system, if the telephone set of a called party is busy or an incoming call is not answered, the called party is unavailable. In this event an incoming call may progress to become intercepted at an attendant position or at a voice features server. A call take back feature permits the called party to be aware of an intercepted call progress so that the called party may retrieve the incoming call by going OFF HOOK and conversing directly with the calling party. A call screening feature is also available. The call screening feature permits the called party to hear the calling party's voice during an intercepted call progress via an audible link provided by the telephone system from the intercepted call. The called party may, at his discretion, retrieve the incoming call from the intercepted call progress by going OFF HOOK and conversing directly with the calling party.

Abstract: A method for providing multiple calling service announcements on a single circuit card within a telephone network. The method reduces the number of stored speech files necessary to generate announcements regarding a calling service such as Automatic Call Back or Enhanced Repeat Dial. By reducing the amount of speech data stored on a circuit card, multiple calling service announcements can be provided on a single circuit card, thereby reducing equipment costs.

Abstract: A method of encouraging a user of a SCR (Selective Call receiver) (10) to read advertisements stored in the SCR (10). The user is provided with an initial level of access to a feature of the SCR that enhances the SCR's usefulness. When the user reads an advertisement, additional access to that feature is provided for a predetermined time period. Preferably, the feature is memory space, and each time the user reads an advertisement, the memory space available for storing messages is temporarily increased.

Abstract: An automated calling system includes a database comprising phone numbers and one or more data fields associated with each phone number. Phone numbers (callees) in the database are selected based on the data fields associated therewith. A recorded voice message is transmitted to callees through a plurality of outgoing phone lines, and callees are prompted to enter one of several TOUCH TONE codes, which is recorded. The database record for the callee is automatically updated based on the TOUCH TONE response code, so that the updated field may be used to select whether to send a future call to the callee.