Abstract: A computer/telephony integrated single-point-of-contact system (CISS) enabling a user to contact another using multiple devices with a single contact attempt is disclosed. A plurality of computer programs residing in a computer use a subscriber database, authorization database, priority list database, and device attributes database to determine how to respond to a request to contact a subscriber. If the request is an emergency, the computer repeatedly contacts all of the subscriber's devices until a response is received. Otherwise, the computer contacts the subscriber's devices in a sequential order determined by the subscriber. The computer can also delete redundant un-received messages from a subscriber's devices and create a real-time connection between the requester and the subscriber, if it is technically possible, at the subscriber's request.

Abstract: A method and system of an embodiment may include receiving at least a portion of a call recording request at a voice response unit, identifying a call received at the voice response unit as a call matching one or more parameters of the call recording request, and utilizing available digital signal processing resources of the voice response unit to record one or more specified portions of the call.

Abstract: The automated dissemination of information in response to a telephone call is disclosed. When a call is received, the call can be forwarded to a third party, such as an emergency service provider. Data and/or audio information associated with the call can be automatically transmitted to one or more recipients.

Abstract: A cellular telephone system is provided with a process and apparatus for screening an incoming call. The process is carried out by, and the apparatus comprises, a service provider (20) and a mobile station (30). The mobile station (30) answers the incoming call and places the call on hold. The mobile station (30) connects to the service provider (20) and places the service provider (20) and the incoming caller on multi-party hold. The mobile station (30) then signals the service provider (20) to begin screening the call. In response, the service provider (20) prompts the incoming caller for the incoming caller's identification and then communicates this information to the mobile station (30). Based on this information, the mobile station (30) can elect to accept or reject the incoming call.

Abstract: A system and method for providing integrated telephony and Internet services is described. An embodiment of the present invention comprises passively collecting incoming and/or outgoing call information from communications links communicatively coupled to a first party. The call information is extracted and customer information, such as demographic information, is retrieved. The customer information may be, for example, retrieved from a data provider or may have been previously collected or gathered. Thereafter, reports, charts, graphs, maps, and the like may be made available. In an embodiment, the reports, charts, graphs, maps, and the like are made available via a network such as the Internet.

Abstract: A method for providing voicemail services includes receiving a voicemail message from a calling party and intended for a called party. The method further includes identifying a name associated with the calling party and storing the name associated with the calling party with the voicemail message.

Abstract: A telecommunications device includes a voice dialer and a text-to-speech engine. The text-to-speech engine is configured to convert at least a portion of a user contact list information to speech and the voice dialer is configured to receive an audio input and perform a voice recognition, comparing said audio input to converted user contact list information.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for providing a personalized greeting to a caller include receiving an incoming call by a first communication device from caller using a second communication device. The first communication device is located at a customer premise location. The method further includes entering an off-hook mode by the first communication device and determining a caller identity associated with the second communication device. The method still further includes determining if the caller identity matches a pre-assigned caller identifier from a pre-assigned caller list, and playing an outgoing message associated with the pre-assigned caller identifier if the caller identity matches the pre-assigned caller identifier from the pre-assigned caller list.

Abstract: Apparatus and systems for recording Call ID data and transmitting the Caller ID data to remote telecommunications devices on demand, to fully or partially automate the dialing process for remotely calling back a message sender.

Abstract: A presence device operable in a first mode and a second mode is associated with a communication device. In the first mode, a user using the presence device is biometrically authenticated and a presence confirmation input is received from the communication device. In the second mode, a user-entered log-in input is received from the communication device. A central presence database is updated to indicate that the communication device is active for the user. A received message which is to be routed to the user is sent to the active device indicated by the central presence database.

Abstract: A telephone answering system and method for playing particular different greeting messages to different callers. When an incoming call is received, either caller-ID is decoded, or the caller's identification is determined some other way if possible, and if the particular caller's identification is on a list, a special message can be played for that caller if such a message as been stored and is active. Any other caller receives a different message, usually a default greeting message. Special messages can be date/time stamped to die or change after particular dates or times. Messages and caller identification can be loaded into the system remotely.

Abstract: A method of supporting a secure caller ID service (22) is provided in connection with a telecommunications network (30). The method includes: processing a call from a calling party to a called party, the called party employing an end user terminal (10) served by a facility (20) of the telecommunications network (30) to receive the call; maintaining a voice sample database (28) containing a plurality of voice samples; sampling the calling party's voice; comparing the sampled voice of the calling party to a voice sample selected from the voice sample database (28); and, communicating to the called party a result based upon an outcome of the comparison.

Abstract: A system and method deliver audible caller identification information when standard Caller ID information is invalid or can not be provided. In one disclosed embodiment, the Caller ID information must include a valid number of digits and a valid area code. If the Caller ID information is not valid, a calling party is prompted by an announcement to provide the audible caller identification information.

Abstract: A method of providing information to a user in a telephone interactive system includes receiving a new call. A comparison is then made between an identifier associated with the new call with stored call information pertaining to previous calls. If the identifier associated with the new call matches an identifier associated with a previous call, a subsequent action taken in the new call is based on context information stored from the previous call.

Abstract: In a messaging system, a messaging server transmits signals over the telephone network to be received by equipment at, e.g., the customer premises. Upon receiving a specific signal, the receiving equipment automatically signals the telephone network to connect the call, such as by going off-hook or by performing a hook flash sequence. In the connected state, the receiving equipment can receive data over the network, such as data to provide the recipient with notification information such as emergency notification messages.

Abstract: A method that associates the first telephone number of a first user with a second telephone number of a second user that has a relationship with the first user; tracks incoming and outgoing telephone calls; and stores a plurality of telephone messages received by the first user. For each telephone message, the method assigns such telephone message to one of first, second, and third groups; and sorts the plurality of telephone messages for playback. By doing so, the telephone messages may be prioritized such that the first user may be able to more quickly determine whether or not the first user should return a telephone message, often reducing the number of unnecessary telephone calls and improving efficiency.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for identifying a user corresponding to an incoming call is provided. The method includes receiving an incoming call and decoding a phone number of the incoming call. The method further includes assigning one or more musical notes associated with one or more numbers in the phone number according to a musical note table and composing the corresponding musical notes of with the corresponding a predetermined music selection of a determined class to generate a ring music. The method further includes obtaining corresponding audio clip of each musical note of the ring music from the audio clip database and outputting the audio clips through a music output device.

Abstract: One preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for supplying third party announcements to a receiving party having a device coupled to the Internet. One embodiment of the present invention includes a method and system for providing Internet caller-ID service, wherein third party content is placed in the Internet caller-ID messages. In return, the receiving party and/or calling party receives consideration from the third party. Other methods and systems are also provided.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems to receive an incoming call message via a data interface upon activation of a trigger established with a voice communication network and activated when the voice communication network receives an incoming call to a destination identified by a pre-determined subscriber account; generate a call notification in response to the incoming call message; obtain a list of set-top boxes corresponding to the pre-determined subscriber account; and route the call notification to the set-top boxes on the list.

Abstract: An incoming call screening treatment is selected for a call to a called communication device based on an emotional state criterion input by a user of the called communication device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing customized voicemail greeting messages. A user device is constructed with a memory unit storing a plurality of customized voicemail greeting messages in association with respective contact information. When the user device receives an incoming call from a caller and the call has not been answered after a certain time, the user device may play the customized voicemail greeting message to the caller.

Abstract: The invention is a messaging subsystem used in combination with a software based intercom system for receiving and handling voice telephone calls from a plurality of callers and/or notes. The invention comprises a message pad module resident in the intercom system for capturing information pertaining to the voice telephone calls from the plurality of callers and/or notes. A database stores information obtained from the callers and/or notes other than the captured information. A computer module or program correlates the captured information to the corresponding stored information obtained from the callers and/or notes in the database. In the preferred embodiment, the database comprises a patient treatment database corresponding to treatment provided to a patient, such as a dental or medical history.

Abstract: Convenient and automatic methods are disclosed for reporting a violation of a do-not-call list. The only action required by the callee is to enter a predetermined touch tone pattern on their telephone key pad when they receive the call (e.g. pressing 999), and then hanging up. Network node(s) on the telephone network receive the touch tones and interpret the touch tone pattern as an indication of a violation of the do-not-call list. The network node stores the phone number of the caller, the callee number and the time of the call. The network node automatically generates and sends a notice of violation to the agency administering the do-not-call registry. In alternative embodiments, two network nodes may be involved in automatically generating and transmitting the notice of violation. The nodes may be nodes in a Signaling System 7 network.

Abstract: A telecommunications system includes a user database storing user information; a text-to-speech generator; and a default user greeting generator for a messaging system for generating a greeting based on a text-to-speech conversion of user information using said text-to-speech generator. The system may further include a presence service adapted to monitor a user context, wherein the default greeting generator can generate a context sensitive user greeting based on said user context.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the provision of operator-specific performance features of different mobile radio network operators for a mobile radio customer, whereby the mobile radio customer has a smart card, on which a user relationship for the mobile radio customer with a mobile radio network operator is stored. The method is characterized in that at least two user relationships are defined on the smart card of the mobile radio customer with differing mobile radio call numbers and with independent performance features and a mobile radio network operator is assigned to each user relationship.

Abstract: Systems and methods allow a user at a telephone to communicate with an instant messaging client. The instant messaging client may be identified by a PIN that is entered on the telephone. Input from the telephone, include keypad and voice input may be converted to text that is displayed to the IM client. Text data received from the IM client may be converted to speech that is output to the telephone. A proximity detector may be used to determine the presence of an IM client user.

Abstract: The present invention provides a call-return process and system, wherein a called party can return a missed call to a caller's private number. A forwarded call is received by a call management system, wherein the forwarded call was originally directed by a caller to a first telephone line associated with a user. The call management system receives call signaling information, including a phone number, associated with the caller. The call management system then determines whether the phone number is a private phone number or a public phone number. If the phone number is private, the call management system notifies the user of the call, and without revealing the caller's phone number to the user, enables the user to return the caller's call.

Abstract: A method and communication system is provided to identify a calling/called party when the call is being set up but before the call is answered. In the method, a first terminal and a second terminal are respectively provided with opposing terminal's image data before the call is answered. The image data of the first and second terminals can be registered in a media server disposed between the first and second terminals, and the image data can be transmitted between the first terminal and the media server and between the second terminal and the media server in accordance with an SIP protocol.

Abstract: A user may utilize a communication device, e.g., a wireless phone, mobile device or personal digital assistant (PDA), to contact an information/call center where an operator provides personalized information and communications services to the user in accordance with the invention. Such services include, e.g., providing listing information, contacts information, appointments information, etc. To provide effective connectivity, for example, when a user locates a phone number in his/her private directory using a web browser, the user may utilize a direct connect feature of the invention to initiate a phone call to the desired number over the Internet. In addition, the invention allows for delivery of the appointments information to the user not only via voice connection, but also SMS, email, facsimile, PDA, etc. It also allows for rendering a calendaring service in combination with such services as a TeleConcierge® service which helps the user to plan a future event, e.g., making a restaurant reservation.

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: In one embodiment, a system authenticates a caller before providing the caller with access to one or more secured resources. Identification and verification data is stored during system enrollment of known persons. A processing system, in a current call initiated by a caller and prior to identification of the caller, receives voice-based information for the caller including a digital representation of a telephone number spoken by the caller in the current call, the received information including voice-based identification information and voice-based verification information for the caller. The processing system automatically compares the received identification information and the received verification information for the caller with the stored identification and verification data for known persons, respectively, to uniquely identify and verify the identity of the caller as a particular known person. The processing system authenticates the caller for access to the one or more secured resources in response.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for origin device initiated callee identification are provided. At an origin device, a voice utterance of a callee is detected from a destination device. A callee identity associated with the voice utterance is identified at the origin device, such that the callee identity is transmittable as an authenticated identity of the callee for a call. A caller may select whether to continue a call dependent upon whether the callee identity is preferable. In addition, an intermediary device may receive the callee identity and specify services available during the call according to the callee identity.

Abstract: According to a disclosed embodiment, an incoming call from a first telephone number is received (310). A variable indicating the number of calls received from the first telephone number is incremented (312). The variable is compared to a threshold variable (316). Subsequently, the user is prompted to save the first telephone number in an address book (319) when the variable indicating the number of times an incoming call is received from the first telephone number is equal to, or greater than, the threshold variable. The first telephone number is then stored in the address book. Moreover, an apparatus can be assembled (200) to provide cellular telephone users with, for example, instructions and information via a speaker (228) and an LCD display (238). The apparatus is configured to provide instructions and information to the cellular telephone user at appropriate times, thereby increasing the cellular telephone's usefulness.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, methods and systems are provided for processing facsimiles. A call processing system receives a first message transmitted from a first carrier system regarding a facsimile call to a phone address. The first message includes an identifier associated with the user. The identifier is used to determine if the user is authorized to receive call processing system services. If the user is authorized, a second message is transmitted to the first carrier system, the second message indicating that the first carrier system is to connect the call to the call processing system. The call processing system is connected to the call. A facsimile is received via the call at the call processing system. Information regarding the facsimile call is provided over a network, wherein some or all of the information is displayed in a call log visually accessible by the user.

Abstract: A method and system for allowing a subscriber of equipment to control the content of a Ring Back Tone (RBT) (i) based on a restriction level or maturity rating, or (ii) dynamically, during the process of connecting a call. More specifically, during call setup, (a) provisioned or subscribed RBT control can be based on maturity level and (b) dynamic RBT control, includes the ability to: override subscribed/provisioned restriction level, block RBT content being played permanently or skip RBT content being played during current call set up time.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving information regarding a telephony platform and for retrieving the object of the services provided by the telephony platform corresponding to the information received. Customer premises equipment is connected to the general switched telephone network and to a supplemental service network via a central office switch. A telephony platform is connected to the general switched telephone network for providing accessory services such as voice mail, electronic mail and facsimile services. An event identifier is generated to identify a calling event. The event identifier may be attached to a message having caller identifier information. The event identifier is used if the caller is transferred to voice mail. If a voice mail message is left, an information indicator is attached to another caller identifier message that is maintained for display on the customer premises equipment to allow the user to determine which callers left messages.

Abstract: An audio caller identification system and method are provided. A caller identification device of a called party's telephone, whether integrated with the telephone or stand-alone, includes a speaker for audibly alerting the called party to the nature of an incoming call. A speech synthesizer in concert with an audio caller ID program may audibly identify a name and/or number of the calling party displayed on the called party's caller ID device, including descriptive terms for calling parties such as “private,” “unlisted,” or “out of the area.” When the called party's telephone begins to ring, the called party may listen to the audio identification of the calling party for a quick screening without having to go to the telephone to read the caller ID.

Abstract: A system and method for a caller identification voice announce. The caller identification voice announce is associated with a calling party. An identifier of an incoming calls is translated to the associated caller identification voice announce. The caller identification voice announce associated with the calling party is played in response to receiving the incoming call from the calling party.

Abstract: The present invention is related to telecommunications, and in particular to systems and methods of using telecommunication services for user authentication. Account information is stored for a user, the account information including at least a first phone number associated with the user. A user order is received. A verification phone call is received from the user, the call including charge phone number information. The charge number information is compared to the first phone number to authenticate that the user is associated with the first phone number. Based at least in part on the comparison, the user order is selectively caused to be fulfilled.

Abstract: A system is described in which call processing considers unique information about the call to better serve the caller and/or to enable the called party to more efficiently handle the call. In one embodiment, the unique information considered by the call processor is information indicator digits, which may indicate to the called party whether to accept the call before the voice portion of the call is initiated.

Abstract: Methods and systems for enabling a subscriber to reply to a voice mail message that has been made available for the subscriber at a voice mail system (VMS). In response to an indication, the VMS transmits a release message with respect to the subscriber's communication to the VMS, which communication then is terminated to an intelligent network element (INE). The INE originates a call to the party to whom the subscriber desires to reply. The subscriber's communication and the INE's call are bridged to form the reply call from the subscriber to the party. The VMS is not included in the call path. After the reply call is concluded, the bridge is dismantled, the IP is released, and the subscriber's communication is returned to interaction with the VMS without the subscriber having to make a separate call into the VMS.

Abstract: A system may receive a telephone call request for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) user. The telephone call request omits a name of a calling party. The system may further determine if the VoIP user has a calling party name feature enabled and obtaining, when the VoIP user has a calling party name feature enabled, the name of the calling party from a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) based repository of calling party names.

Abstract: A system for automatically selecting an outgoing message for an incoming call. In response to receiving an incoming call, a calling party is identified. The identified calling party is compared against call log data to determine that the identified calling party has previously heard a first outgoing message. In response to determining that the identified calling party has not previously heard the first outgoing message, the first outgoing message is played as a selected outgoing message for the incoming call. In response to determining that the identified calling party has previously heard the first outgoing message, a second outgoing message is played as the selected outgoing message for the incoming call. Then, the call log data is updated to identify the selected outgoing message played for the incoming call.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating communication between a first user and a second user in which contact information is received for said second user at a presence query task, via an adjunct application server. The presence status of the second user is checked and sent to the adjunct application server. The presence status is then provided from the adjunct application server, through a telephony switch to the first user. The presence status is provided to the first user in the form of an audible indication.

Abstract: The present invention relates to telecommunications, and in particular, to systems and processes for processing telephone calls and providing telephony services. In one embodiment, a call processing system, compromises a first telephony interface configured to receive a call from a caller, a storage device configured to store a greeting, and a call answering system. The call answering system is configured to play the greeting in response to receiving the call, record a voice message from the caller, determine when the caller has completed recording the voice message, after determining that the caller has completed recording the voice message, play a prompt regarding the caller becoming a subscriber to call services provided by the call processing system, receive from the caller information used to establish a call services account, and establish a call services account for the caller.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for returning custom greetings to callers of a station that is not answering a telecommunications call. The greeting can be a specific message for one caller, while other callers receive a standard greeting. Callers are identified by incoming calling line identification or by a uniform resource identifier. The message can be time sensitive so that it is activated only at specified times. The message can also be used to elicit a request from the caller to access data in the called party's database. Advantageously, special messages can be left for individual callers without disturbing the normal answering process.

Abstract: A method for processing a telephone number embedded in a voicemail received by a user of the handheld device comprising a processor and a memory is provided. The method includes playing back the voicemail. The method further includes in response to receiving a first marker set by the user to indicate a start of a telephone number, initiating storage of an audio sample corresponding to the telephone number in the memory. The method further includes terminating storage of the audio sample corresponding to the telephone number in the memory either automatically or in response to receiving a second marker set by the user to indicate an end of the telephone number. The method further includes using the processor, processing the stored audio sample to extract digits corresponding to the telephone number and communicating the extracted digits to an application executing on the processor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method to detect voice mail spam in a voice mail system includes detecting an incoming voice mail message and accessing information associated with the incoming voice mail message. The information associated with the incoming voice message is then compared with some other information. The information compared may comprise one or more of these attributes associated with each message: a caller ID; a time stamp; a user extension; a message length; a caller identification; message content; and whether a user has tagged each message as spam. The method further includes categorizing one or more voice mail messages, if the information compared between the incoming message and one or more other messages in the voice mail system is within some configured criteria, e.g., a configurable percentage.

Abstract: A method of collecting information is provided. The method includes sending an interactive text markup programming language script, using a session initiation protocol (SIP) message, to a communications device. The interactive script includes a first query and a second query that depends on a response to the first query. The method also includes receiving the response from the communications device. The response is based upon input from a user of the communications device.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method of determining whether a lottery player or the player's computer is within a particular location. The player's computer is connected to a computer network. The method transmits, through the computer network, a pass code and a telephone number to the lottery player's computer. The method requests the lottery player or the player's computer to call the number and provide the pass code within a pre-determined amount of time. The method determines whether the pass code is provided within a predetermined amount of time after the transmission of the pass code from a telephone specified to be within the particular location. The method verifies whether the lottery player or player's computer is within the particular location, based on the determination.