Abstract: An incoming telephone call is held in a telephony network while a subscriber is notified that the call is waiting to be handled. A guide menu presenting call handling options is displayed on an entertainment center while a program played through the entertainment center is paused and recorded. The subscriber selects a desired call handling option using a remote control device and the call is handled in a manner corresponding to the selected call handling option.

Abstract: A first electronic device engages in a voice communication with another electronic device. The voice communication is associated with data stored by the first electronic device. In some instances, the data is generated the first electronic device or received by the first electronic device from the second electronic device in response to, or as a consequence of the voice of the voice communication. During the voice communication, or sometime after the voice communication is terminated, the first electronic device determines that the data is associated with the voice communication. The data is then made available to an application program, so that the data can be associated with other data. Thus, a human user of the first electronic device is relieved of identifying data within a context, and relieved of the task associating the data with other data.

Abstract: A VoiceXML interpreting system and method including a VoiceXML Interpreter. The VoiceXML interpreter includes a Fetcher operative to retrieve documents, a compiler operative to compile documents retrieved by the Fetcher and a cache which stores compiled documents compiled by the compiler.

Abstract: A telephone device coupled to the public switched telephone network is utilized by a user to participate in a telephone call between the user and a second party. A data store is provided for storing one or more personal data elements configurable on behalf of the user, the personal data elements being stored according to respective pointers. The data store corresponds to a respective user telephone number. A data interface controller retrieves a particular personal data element in response to a control signal. A control signal generator generates the control signal during the telephone call according to a respective pointer corresponding to the particular personal data element. A data transmitter is coupled to the data interface controller for transmitting the particular personal data element retrieved by the data interface controller to be communicated to the second party.

Abstract: A system (10) and method (40) are provided permitting cookie files to be used with telephonic customer premises equipment (CPE) (12). The caller CPE (12) can be an intelligent telephone adapted to generate, store, transmit and receive cookie files. The cookie files can include information tokens describing a caller profile. The CPE (12) can provide a template cookie file upon request from a called party during a conversation between the caller and called party. The template file can then be transmitted to the called party and modified. The modified cookie file can then be returned to the caller CPE (12) for future use during subsequent calls to the called party. The cookie file can reduce the processing time of calls placed to automated dial-up service centers and also reduces its computer resources required by the service system.

Abstract: A caller information providing system and caller information transmitting method in a mobile radio communication network is disclosed. When a call comes in, the present invention provides a user at the terminating mobile station a picture information of a caller or caller information including a picture information, audio information, and/or character information of the caller.

Abstract: A system and method for providing caller information across heterogeneous networks is provided. A Name Resolution Adapter (NRA) receives a message from a destination central office which includes a caller's telephone number and a call recipient's telephone number. The NRA retrieves a call recipient contract and caller authorization entries, and identifies caller fields that the call recipient is authorized to receive. The NRA includes the identified caller fields in a message to a Service Control Point (SCP), whereby the SCP retrieves caller attributes corresponding to the caller fields from a Line Information Database (LIDB). The SCP forwards the caller attributes to the NRA. In turn, the NRA includes the caller attributes in a message and forwards the message to the call recipient over a computer network. The call recipient processes a corresponding telephone call using the caller attributes that are included in the message.

Abstract: Phone system for a digital subscriber line integrated call waiting service are provided. A representative phone system includes a digital subscriber line routing system operable to check an application server for accessibility of a called party digital subscriber line associated with a called party. The application server is coupled to the internet and is operable to prompt the called party to answer the incoming call over the called party digital subscriber line when the called party digital subscriber line is accessible. The voice call is connected upon the called party choosing to answer the incoming call over the called party digital subscriber line.

Abstract: A method, carried out in an arrangement having a cable that provides programming information to a television monitor as well as telephony service, where call progress information of a telephone call is displayed on the monitor of the television monitor, and the method sends control information upstream, over the cable, in connection with desired information relative to the call progress.

Abstract: A CPU detects an instruction to activate an address book mode by detecting an operation of an address book key in an incoming call waiting state, and displays an address book data new creation screen or an existing data edition screen in a main display panel by activating an address book viewing/creation/edition program by using an ROM. When “activation of camera” is selected, an imaging unit is activated, display of a corresponding resolution is set in a monitor display area, and images are sequentially displayed. When a picked-up image is determined by detecting an operation of a determination key, image data of the displayed image is stored in an image memory, a link “1” for image display is set in a corresponding address data area in an address book data storage area, and a record number 001 in the image memory storing the image data is stored in a link information storage area in association with 001 in the address book data storage area.

Abstract: A display order deciding unit decides the display order upon displaying a telephone directory on the basis of setting if the telephone directory is displayed in the display order in response to a usage frequency or in the alphabetical order by a learning function setting unit, the information about the number of callings stored in a count storing unit, setting of the display mode of the telephone directory (by a day of the week) by a display mode selecting unit, and the information of a day of the week that is recognized by a day recognizing unit, and manages it in a display order managing unit. Upon displaying the telephone directory, an information display unit displays the information that is managed by the display order managing unit.

Abstract: An information server according to one embodiment of the invention includes a communication interface configured to communicate over a communication network and a processing system connected to the communication interface. The processing system is configured to receive one or more digital content sets, receive a caller system identifier and a called system identifier from the caller system, select a digital content set from among the one or more digital content sets using the caller system identifier and the called system identifier, and provide the selected digital content set to a called system corresponding to the called system identifier prior to the caller system establishing a communication channel to the called system.

Abstract: A communication apparatus is connected to a terminal apparatus via a network. The communication apparatus includes a memory that stores image data and a storage period of the image data and a checker that determines whether a storage time of the image data exceeds the storage period time. A deleter deletes image data based on a determination by the checker section and a server transmits an instruction for changing the storage period to the terminal apparatus in accordance with a request by the terminal apparatus, wherein the storage period is changeable from the terminal apparatus.

Abstract: A mobile terminal device can store telephone numbers, and can allow a telephone number list to be displayed. In this mobile terminal device, when a user makes a telephone call, the frequency of calling is counted for every telephone number and is stored in a memory. The telephone numbers are rearranged in sequence of the frequency of calling. The user can set a time to count the frequency of calling and to update a display sequence of the telephone numbers.

Abstract: Information about a logical port in a network is provided in response to identifying the logical port through an identification entry field in a terminal display and subsequent to sending a single query to a network management server. The logical port information may include operational information such as the statistics of the logical port's operation, a listing of virtual connections, such as but not limited to permanent virtual circuits, established through the logical port, statistics of the virtual connections' operation, and trap search results. The logical port information may include the identity and contact information for a user who has locked the logical port of interest. The information is provided from the network management server to the terminal through a communication link, such as a local area network. The identification of the logical port may include a logical port name, as well as a local access and transport area (LATA) selection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for simultaneously indicating on each of a plurality of communication terminals, instructions transmitted by each terminal and the identity of the respective terminals that transmitted the instructions. Such a feature can be used to indicate the moves of parties playing a game over a telephone line. Once a communications link is established between two or more parties, their terminals are placed in a game mode which activates inband signal detection and player identification circuitry located within the terminals. Multi-colored indicators and player identification displays at each terminal are activated, their color being dependent upon the source of received instructions. In one embodiment, player identification indicators may be incorporated into a touch tone keypad located on the terminals. The keypad's touch tone keys are modified such that each key has two or more color coded indicators incorporated within, each color representing a particular player's move.

Abstract: A communication device is described that includes a POTS interface system, a processing system, a conversion system, a voice interface system, and a digital interface system. When in operation, the POTS interface system receives analog voice signals for a call. The POTS interface system converts the analog voice signals from analog to digital to generate digital voice signals. The processing system performs an application on the digital voice signals to provide a presentation format of the digital voice signals of the call to a user. The conversion system then converts the digital voice signals into analog voice signals and a voice interface system transmits audible signals to the user. The digital interface system receives digital data signals from a data service provider and the processing system performs an application on the digital data signals to provide additional data to the user.

Abstract: This invention is directed toward a computer-implemented system and method for associating a contact with a telephone number. The method includes determining a set of candidate contacts from within a contact information database related to the telephone number, searching the set of candidate contacts for a matching contact and displaying a rich display of contact-related information obtained from the matching contact. In addition, the method may include linking to the contact-related information. Identifying the set of candidate contacts includes performing a Boyer Moore fast approximation. In addition, a tail end match may be performed to determine whether one of the candidate contacts matches the call ID.

Abstract: The present invention provides for efficient delivery of information between parties associated with a voice call. When a caller initiates a call to the called party, infrastructure is in place to access information associated with the caller and called party and exchange the information between the multimedia clients associated with the parties. The delivery of the information may be fully automated, or may require authorization by the parties owning the information. Further, information delivery may take place in multiple stages, wherein automated information is initially provided and on-demand information, which requires authorization by the party owning the information, is sent to the other party's multimedia client upon receiving such authorization. Preferably, the address to a location capable of providing the information is initially delivered to the multimedia clients, which can request the information based on the address as desired by the parties involved in the call.

Abstract: A computer to telephone interface card comprises a plurality of audio data input ports, a mixer, and a converter. The mixer receives audio input data from audio data input ports and, in real-time, generates a mixed audio output data signal at the mixer output. The converter has an output connecting to a phone line to generate and provide mixed audio output to the phone line based on the audio input data received at the plurality of audio data input ports.

Abstract: A caller number received from an exchange machine by a telephone coordination server (CTI server) is noticed to a customer database to search for caller information. When pieces of caller information are acquired from the customer database by the telephone coordination server, the exchange machine is connected to a voice automatic response device (IVR device) to acquire predetermined voice data by telephone communication with a caller, and the voice data is compared with voice data included in the caller information by a voice recognition server to generate caller candidate information having priority levels. On the basis of caller candidate information, caller information of a first candidate is displayed on an operator client, candidate names of second and subsequent candidates are displayed as a list, and an operation of selecting a candidate in the displayed list is caused to change the caller information being displayed at the present into caller information of a selected candidate.

Abstract: The present invention solves the serial nature of today's Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephony menu systems, by means of visually “looking ahead” and in any direction in the nested audio IVR menus. Computer software in the telephone, or associated hardware, provides a graphical user interface that enables the user to navigate related IVR text menus that are displayed on the telephone. The present invention provides a variety of means to store, display, select and update associated text menus and other data with an IVR system. The various communication means include analog modems, broadband modems, and VoIP connectivity. The present invention provides the means to convert the audio IVR menus to text menus, as well as the means to download the associated IVR text menus from the Internet.

Abstract: When characters are input, the input information is sequentially displayed on a first display, an e-mail address, which is registered in a one-touch key registration area, is retrieved by using the input information, and the retrieved e-mail address is displayed on a second display. Further, when an @ mark is input after a character string input, the information displayed on the second display is switched to a domain name read from the domain name registration area. Thus, the @ mark key, which is always used to input e-mail addresses, is also utilized to switch the display information. Accordingly, the data communication apparatus is capable to prevent the inconvenience of inputting the entire e-mail addresses and to prevent input errors.

Abstract: A method for displaying caller information using image data in a mobile telecommunications system. If a call origination has occurred, a calling user element sets up a voice data channel with a called user element and forms a data path with the called user element to transmit caller image information. Then, the calling user element transmits the caller image information to the called user element over the data path.

Abstract: Sophisticated computer-enhanced mobile telephones require intuitive user interfaces in order to allow a user to take advantage of all the available features. The present invention discloses an intuitive telephone system user interface that provides both simple familiar and new powerful user interfaces to the user. In one embodiment, the user is presented with four permanently available user interface views and a fifth user interface view that is available when there is an active telephone call. The first permanently available view is a dial pad view that is similar to a common touch tone dial pad. A second permanently available view is a speed dial view that allows users to easily create their own customized speed dial buttons that are easy to navigate between and can be edited at any time. The third view is the call history view that displays a list of previous incoming, outgoing, or missed calls and may be filtered as desired by the user.

Abstract: A technique for connecting a dialed B-party number to a data object is described. The connecting of a B-party number to a specific data object, hereafter referred to as phonepage, will allow an A-party direct access to information that a B-party wishes to display to a calling party. The phonepage resides in a memory in a telecommunications network, or in a memory in a data-communications network connected thereto. The phonepage may have a similar appearance to an Internet web page, but may also take other appearances. The displaying of tile phonepage may be made dependent upon the capabilities of the A-party user equipment.

Abstract: Methods for displaying caller identification information on an integrated display/telephone system capable of displaying images are disclosed. One or more signals are received and one or more images are displayed on a display of the integrated display/telephone system. An incoming telephone call is received with the integrated display/telephone system, and data corresponding to the incoming telephone call is received by the integrated display/telephone system. A caller identification display signal is generated, and the caller identification display signal is based on the one or more received signals and the data corresponding to the incoming telephone call received by the integrated display/telephone system. The caller identification display signal includes the one or more received signals and signals from a generator that generates character signals and background display signals.

Abstract: A technique for connecting a dialed B-party number to a data object is described. The connecting of a B-party number to a specific data object, hereafter referred to as phonepage, will allow an A-party direct access to information that a B-party wishes to display to a calling party. The phonepage resides in a memory in a telecommunications network, or in a memory in a data-communications network connected thereto. The phonepage may have a similar appearance to an Internet web page, but may also take other appearances. The displaying of the phonepage may be made dependent upon the capabilities of the A-party user equipment.

Abstract: Separate processors, a PDA processor, and a baseband processor are maintained in a PDA having an integrated telephone device. The PDA processor runs PDA related programs and a user interface for the telephone device. A link between the PDA processor and baseband processor transfers data and commands from the user interface to a phone control program executing on the baseband processor. The base band processor is connected to the telephone device, and the phone control program controls operation of the telephone device. The separation of processors reduces vulnerability of the telephone device to hacker rogue applications that invade or program crashes that occur on the PDA processor.

Abstract: Method and apparatus to generate a dynamic contact list of contact and presence information about contact events in a communication system when a calling entity unsuccessfully attempts to communicate with a called entity. When such a contact event occurs, a routing processor or call agent generates contact information about the contact event, including the calling party, called party, time of the contact event, and purpose of the contact event. A presence management processor also generates the presence information about the calling party's subsequent availability for return communication, including if a calling party is available for return communication, when the calling party is available for return communication, how long the calling party is available for return communication, and how the calling party is available for return communication.

Abstract: An information apparatus with a phone function is disclosed which comprises a time measurement unit for measuring access time from ring to disconnection, a ring history storage processing unit for storing at every ring a ring history including the access time, and a ring history display processing unit for displaying a ring history with an attention calling indication attached to the access time, when subjected to a ring history display operation, if the access time is equal to or shorter than predetermined time.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method, device, and database for providing communication addresses for communication devices. In one form, a method for providing a communication address for establishing communication with a communication device is disclosed. The method includes receiving an input character associated with a selectable communication address and determining a communication address reference based upon a communication criteria associated with the input character. The communication device may then display a communication address reference within a user interface in response to determining a communication address.

Abstract: The network facsimile apparatus is able to communicate using both a public switched telephone network and a computer network, and has a facsimile section which transmits and receives an image via the public switched telephone network, a mail section which transmits and receives an e-mail via the computer network, a web server which transmits a reply to a client in response to a request from the client that is connected to said network apparatus via said computer network, a storage which is to store received, and a list generating section which generates a structured document of reception list. When the web server receives an operation request concerning a reception list from a client, the web server provides the received operation request to the list generating section.

Abstract: A mediation system as disclosed herein is capable of performing a method for facilitating mediated communication. In at least one embodiment of the method for facilitating mediated communication, the method includes receiving a communication request, determining a context associated with the communication request in response to receiving the communication request, and preparing contextual decision information in response to determining the context.

Abstract: There is provided a communication apparatus, with which it is possible to prevent the conventional problem that in the case where an incoming call arrives, not a name registered by a user but a caller's name informed from a switching system is displayed and therefore user's confusion is caused. The communication apparatus is connected to a communication line that provides a service for informing of caller's information. A display device performs displaying related to an opposite party. Registered contents, in which a plurality of opposite parties's IDs and a plurality of opposite parties's names are associated with each other are searched for an opposite party's ID matching an opposite party's ID contained in the caller's information when the caller's information is detected at the time of arrival of an incoming call.

Abstract: A communication such as a telephone call is received, bearing identification information such as caller ID. The received audio signals if any, is encoded and stored. The identification information is used to look up additional information about the sender of the communication, such as by using the caller ID information to search the internet, for example by doing a reverse telephone number lookup. The user is presented with a graphical representation of this, and prior, communications, such as via an html page, and can select individual communications for playback, deletion, and the like. If the user is at a remote location, the encoded communications may be forwarded to that location, such as in the form of email attachments.

Abstract: A system for providing integrated multimedia and voice telephone service by simply dialing a telephone number is provided. One or both parties of a typical voice telephone call placed by the calling party dialing the called party number may simultaneously receive multimedia packets of data associated with the other party if both of the voice telephone devices are connected to or associated with a multimedia display device, and both telephone numbers are associated with clients or subscribers of the multimedia service. Multimedia data that may be provided to one or both parties includes names, office hours, maps of the other party's location, etc.

Abstract: A method, carried out in an arrangement having a cable that provides programming information to a video monitor as well as telephony service, where call progress information of a telephone call is displayed on the monitor, and the method sends control information upstream, over the cable, in connection with desired information relative to the call progress.

Abstract: A portable device having telephone information stored thereon is provided according to one embodiment. The portable device has a memory for storing telephone information specific to a particular geographic region. The telephone information includes telephone numbers, each of which has a name associated with it. The portable device also includes a display for displaying the stored telephone information. A user interface allows a user to select an entry from the stored telephone information. A power source provides power to the portable device. A method and computer program product for transmitting regional telephone information to a portable device are also provided. Accordingly, a connection is initiated between a portable device and a host. The portable device has a memory for storing telephone information specific to a particular geographic region. The telephone information includes telephone numbers, each of which has a name associated with it.

Abstract: A facsimile machine (F) that is capable of performing a confidential transmission, broadcast transmission, etc. by batch transmission. If a user of the facsimile machine wants to send a plurality of image data to a recipient, for instance, confidentially and simultaneously at a specified time, the image data is accumulated in a memory box (5a) for confidential batch transmission. The image data is then sent to the recipient by batch transmission. The facsimile machine (F) determines whether image data is for batch transmission or real time transmission. If the image data is for real time transmission, it is not stored in the memory box (5a).

Abstract: The invention provides a method, apparatus and system for providing an addressee of a stored message with a graphical notification associated with a source of the stored message. In general terms, a communications device of the addressee is presented with the graphical notification in the form of an information signal which relates the stored message to at least one graphical image associated with the source of the stored message.

Abstract: A cellular phone of the present invention is capable of displaying an in-absence incoming call message on a display if the user of the phone does not answer an incoming call. At the same time as the in-absence incoming call message is displayed, a timer starts counting a period of time set therein beforehand. A reporting device alerts the user to the incoming call when the timer counts up the preselected period of time. The phone therefore alerts the user to the incoming call not noticed or answered by the user despite that the user carries it.

Abstract: A facsimile system includes a facsimile machine reading image data from an original, a computer transmitting to and receiving from the facsimile machine data of addressee identification information indicative of at least a name of addressee and a facsimile number corresponding to the name of addressee, a computer-side storage circuit provided at a computer side for storing the data of addressee identification information, a computer-side referring circuit provided at the computer side for referring to the data of addressee identification information stored in the computer-side storage circuit, and an instruction circuit provided in the facsimile machine so as to be instructed at a facsimile machine side to refer via the computer-side referring circuit to the data of addressee identification information stored in the computer-side storage circuit.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for locating and retrieving stored computer files that are related to an incoming telephone call directed to a computer user. A called party receives a telephone call while the called party is operating her computer. A computer telephony interface receives caller identification information on the calling party and uses that information to launch a software synchronization program for locating files stored on the called party's computer that are related to the calling party. A dialog box is displayed on the screen of the called party's computer that provides the caller identification on the calling party and provides an icon for displaying a list of stored files related to the incoming caller. The list of files may be automatically presented to the called party, or the called party may retrieve the list of stored files by selection of the icon presented in the dialog box.

Abstract: A system is provided for establishing a connection between a telephone agent and a computer user. A request is received from the user requesting a return call by an agent. The request is received through a web server and includes an identifier associated with the web page is transmitted to an agent that will contact the user. This allows the agent to view the web page that was being viewed by the user when the request was entered. A telephone connection is then established between the user and the agent. An agent can be selected based on the content of the web page being viewed by the user at the time the request for agent contact is entered. Additionally, for an incoming call, a web page can be generated that contains information about the incoming call. An identifier associated with the generated web page is transmitted to an agent that will answer the call. The agent then accesses the web page using the received identifier.

Abstract: An arrangement and a method for handling answers at a telephone. The arrangement includes a connection device; an identification device identifying an A number belonging to a caller; and a processing device arranged to create at least two answering alternatives, where each answering alternative includes a respective point of time when a called party at the telephone intends to call back. The answering alternatives are displayed on a display together with an indication of the A number. An input device is utilized to select one of the at least two answering alternatives, whereby the processing device is arranged to transmit the selected answering alternative to the A number. The selected answering alternative and indication of the A number is displayed on the display as a reminder for the called party.

Abstract: A communication apparatus for an exchange network having a service of notifying the telephone number of a caller during a call-receiving operation can recognize respective callers of past call-receiving operations. During a call-receiving operation, a communication partner's telephone number detection unit detects the telephone number (identification information) of the caller, and stores the detected telephone number in a nonvolatile RAM (random access memory). The RAM can store a plurality of sets of identification information, which are recorded and output in the form of a list by a recording unit.

Abstract: A picture/sound output equipment with caller identification and volume adjustment functions comprises a main unit provided with buttons and picture/sound output hole for connection to the screen and amplifier; and an incoming-call detection circuit connecting to telephone line on one end and connecting to the main unit on the other end. The incoming-call detection circuit transforms the signals of incoming calls into visual signals and outputs the visual signals. When the picture/sound output equipment is in use and the phone rings, the signals of incoming calls will be located and displayed on the screen, thereby helps users not to miss the phone calls as they watch films.

Abstract: The present invention relates to displaying caller ID information, and more specifically, to displaying caller ID information in an environment with broadband telephony service. The invention provides a method and apparatus for receiving caller ID information from a service provider and providing the caller ID information for display as an overlay over a television programming image provided by the service provider and displayed on a television.

Abstract: A telephone apparatus of the present invention comprises a telephone number comparator for comparing a telephone number included in caller information delivered from caller identification delivery service with a telephone number registered in an electronic telephone directory, and displays the telephone number registered in the electronic telephone directory in display unit when the telephone numbers match at least in part as a result of the comparison. The telephone apparatus is thus able to display a correct telephone number of the incoming call and dial the telephone number correctly when making a callback.