US Patent No: 4,825,460

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Line interface unit for caller-controlled receipt and delivery of voice messages

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ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)
 

Importance

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Abstract

A line interface unit for controlling receipt and delivery of voice messages over a telephone system having a voice message facility connectable to at least one calling station and a called station via a central office. The interface unit comprises a first switch connected to the calling station in the tip and ring lines and a second switch connected to the central office in the tip and ring lines, the switches having first and second positions and wherein said signals on the tip and ring lines are connected directly between the calling station and the central office when each of the switches is in the first position. In operation, a control circuit of the line interface unit responds to detection of a busy/no answer condition at the called station for switching the first switch from its first to second position to connect a speech circuit to the calling station for issuing a prompt. After the prompt is issued, the control circuit responds to receipt of a DTMF signal or additional coinage from the calling station for switching the second switch from first to second position to connect a speed-dial circuit to the central office for dialing the voice message facility. The control unit then responds to receipt of a DTMF signal from the voice message facility for switching the first and second switches from their second positions back to their first positions to connect the calling station to the voice message facility.

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First Claim

Related Publications

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
MESSAGER PARTNERSDALLAS, TX12
MESSAGEPHONE, INC.DALLAS, TX5

International Classification(s)

  • [Classification Symbol]
  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Carter, Howard E Denton, TX 7 201
Pierce, Byron C Garland, TX 7 201
Pugh, Joel A Dallas, TX 17 964

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
AMTELCO (1)
4,674,116 Telephone line concentrator without switching matrix 9 1985
 
ASPECT TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION (1)
4,696,028 PBX Intercept and caller interactive attendant bypass system 176 1984
 
ECS TELECOMMUNICATIONS INC. (1)
4,371,752 Electronic audio communication system 215 1979
 
ECS TELECOMMUNICATONS, INC. (1)
4,602,129 Electronic audio communications system with versatile message delivery 204 1982
 
KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA (1)
4,600,809 Telephone systems 42 1984
 
MESSAGEPHONE, INC. (1)
4,766,604 Method for receiving and delivering voice messages 109 1986

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
NOMURA HOLDING AMERICA, INC. (6)
4,933,966 Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call 65 1989
5,093,858 Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call 21 1990
5,351,290 Telecommunications fraud prevention system and method 33 1992
5,960,072 Method and apparatus for altering the access format of telephone calls 8 1993
5,319,701 Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call 29 1993
5,483,581 Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call 44 1994
 
MESSAGER PARTNERS (5)
5,153,907 Telephone system gateway interface 53 1991
5,414,754 System for providing proactive call services utilizing remote monitors 77 1992
5,483,582 Applications platform for a telephone system gateway interface 53 1992
5,646,980 System for providing automatic voice messaging in a digital network environment 4 1995
5,694,456 System for providing automatic voice messaging in a digital network environment 8 1996
 
SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (5)
7,899,167 Centralized call processing 4 2003
8,000,269 Call processing with voice over internet protocol transmission 0 2004
7,916,845 Unauthorized call activity detection and prevention systems and methods for a Voice over Internet Protocol environment 0 2006
7,529,357 Inmate management and call processing systems and methods 12 2007
8,340,260 Inmate management and call processing systems and methods 0 2009
 
AT&T CORP. (4)
5,835,568 Communications system call complete arrangement 16 1996
6,301,608 Method and apparatus providing personalized mailbox filters 49 1996
6,442,244 Method and apparatus for selective audio logo and/or announcements in a telecommunications network 12 1998
6,272,215 Intelligent call redirection 5 1999
 
ROCKSTAR BIDCO, LP (4)
6,263,071 Telecommunications functions management system providing distinctive alerting based on caller selected option 19 1997
6,226,379 Telecommunications functions management system providing distinctive alerting based on caller identifier 19 1997
6,134,320 Telecommunications functions management system providing selective alerting based on caller identifier 37 1997
5,978,451 Telecommunications functions management system providing selective alerting based on caller selected option 58 1997
 
AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P. (3)
6,424,702 Method and system for termination blocking of message delivery service 15 1999
6,687,337 Method and system for termination blocking of message delivery service 3 2002
7,010,101 Method and system for termination blocking of message delivery service 1 2003
 
AT&T BELL LABORATORIES (2)
5,208,848 Telecommunications call processing 57 1991
5,222,125 System for providing personalized telephone calling features 200 1991
 
BELL TELEPHONE LABORATORIES, INCORPORATED (2)
4,932,042 Spontaneous voice and data messaging 159 1989
4,972,461 Call message delivery system and method 132 1989
 
COMVERSE NETWORK SYSTEMS, INC. (2)
5,402,472 Automated attendant for any combination of PBX, centrex, and single-line telephones 23 1992
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UNISYS CORPORATION (2)
5,134,646 Voice messaging method and apparatus for pay phone telephone systems 15 1990
5,278,895 Voice messaging method and apparatus for pay phone telephone systems 6 1991
 
AVAYA INC. (1)
4,996,704 Electronic messaging systems with additional message storage capability 77 1989
 
BANKERS TRUST CO AGENT FOR & REPRESENTATIVE OF LENDERS SET FORTH IN SCHEDULE A HERETO (1)
5,163,085 Digital dictation system with voice mail capability 24 1989
 
COMVERSE, INC. (1)
5,263,080 Telephone message storage system with out-of-band signalling 37 1990
 
CONWAY ENGINEERING, INC. (1)
5,007,077 Coin telephone message and management system 18 1990
 
MESSAGEPHONE, INC. (1)
5,982,858 System for providing automatic voice messaging in a digital network environment 8 1997
 
MOTOROLA, INC. (1)
4,942,570 Multiple control slot TDM/FDM communication system 32 1989
 
NORTEL NETWORKS LIMITED (1)
6,134,310 Telecommunications functions management system for managing outgoing calls from a plurality of telephone terminals 42 1997
 
QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. (1)
5,832,060 System and associated method for concatenated messaging 64 1996
 
SCIENCE DYNAMICS CORPORATION (1)
7,505,406 Public telephone control with voice over internet protocol transmission 9 2001
 
TELEPHONIC EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, A CORP. OF CA (1)
5,150,399 Public telephone interface and method of operating the same 32 1990
 
TELSIS HOLDINGS LIMITED (1)
5,838,772 Voice services equipment 15 1993
 
OTHER [CHECK PATENT PROFILE FOR ASSIGNMENT INFORMATION] (2)
5,206,900 Automated attendant 76 1991
5,406,621 Telephone tone analysis system 9 1994