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Abstract

An automatic telephone directory system is interactive with users over telephone lines and provides voice messages to callers where the user wishing to leave a message enters his user code number and numbers representing messages, which may include any phone number at which the user may be reached, if available. Messages may be removed from the directory or changed. Callers obtain the messages over the directory telephone lines by entering the user code number identifying the user party which the caller wishes to contact. Then the system transmits the voice message to the caller. The user code numbers and numbers representing the messages entered by the user are stored in separate locations in memory. The system counts calls for directory service and removes the user code number and the message accompanying it, if a call for that user is not received during a predetermined number of calls to the directory thereby enabling removal of stale messages automatically. A speech synthesizer has a vocabulary of words corresponding to the message numbers and instructional words. A microprocessor controls the system in response to the entry of user code numbers and message numbers over the directory telephone line. There may be more users than locations in memory for user and message numbers. The system provides an instructional message to users wishing to leave messages that the directory is full when the memory locations are all occupied.

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First Claim