Abstract: The present invention comprises a telephone system and method that identify and announce the caller and/or the callee of an incoming telephone call. After receiving a telephone call from a caller, the telephone system answers the incoming telephone call. The identity of the caller is then determined. The telephone system prompts the caller to say his/her name. The name is recorded and repeatedly played back through a built-in speaker announcing the name of the caller to the users of the telephone. The telephone system may also ask the caller to say the name of the callee. In that case, the name of the callee is also recorded and repeatedly played back. The name of the caller and the name of the callee are both announced to the users of the telephone.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an improved telephone system and method that determine the identity of the callee of an incoming telephone call. A distinctive ring is selected by one or more of the users of the telephone prior to activating the feature or at a later time. Information about the individual distinctive ring signals is stored in memory inside the telephone. When an incoming call is received from an external party, the telephone determines which one of the users is the callee of the telephone call. A distinctive ring signal is then generated corresponding to the identified callee of the incoming telephone call. The distinctive ring signal identifies the callee of the incoming telephone call to the telephone users. In order to identify the callee of the incoming telephone call, the telephone system, after answering the incoming telephone call, inquires the caller for the identity of the callee. In another embodiment, a callee is identified using voice recognition techniques.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an improved telephone system and method that enable a caller to leave a message on a telephone without the telephone first generating a ring sound. The telephone receives an incoming telephone call from a caller, and if the ring/message option feature is enabled, the telephone answers the incoming telephone call. The telephone answers the incoming telephone call prior to the telephone generating a ring sound. The caller is then given the choice by the telephone to either access an answering machine in order to leave a message or have the telephone generate a ring sound in order to alert the user or users to the incoming telephone call. If the caller chooses to leave a message, the telephone transfers control to an answering machine unit which plays a message requesting the caller to leave a message after the answering machine unit generates a characteristic tone.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a system and method for forwarding a message left by a caller on a telephone to one or more telephone numbers. Prior to activating the message-forwarding feature, the telephone receives input from the user to select one or more pre-selected telephone numbers. Messages left by the callers on the telephone will be forwarded to the one or more pre-selected telephone numbers. If the message-forwarding feature is activated and an incoming telephone call is received from a caller, the telephone answers the telephone call and prompts the caller to leave a message on the telephone. After receiving the message from the caller, the telephone stores the received message in a storage medium. In one embodiment, the storage medium comprises a random access memory. In another embodiment, the storage medium comprises a cassette tape player with playback capabilities.