Importance

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Abstract

A voice message system for a pay phone telephone network interposes an Intercept Processing Subsystem (IPS) in the line connections between the pay telephones and the central office. A Voice Processing Subsystem (VPS) is connected to the central office switch by a trunk. A caller at a pay station enters a called telephone number which is stored in the IPS. The Intercept Processing Subsystem monitors the line connection to determine if the called telephone remains on-hook for a predetermined number of ring tones or is busy for a predetermined number of busy tones. If the ring no answer or busy condition maintains, the IPS reduces the volume of the ring or busy tones on the line connection and superimposes a voice announcement thereon offering the voice message service to the caller. If the caller enters an acceptance key sequence or coin deposit, the IPS splits the line connection, sends a Thank You message to the calling telephone and speed dials the VPS. When the VPS answers, the IPS sends a voice prompt to the calling telephone explaining that at the tone a voice message may be entered and delivery thereof will be attempted at predetermined intervals for a predetermined time. Simultaneously, with sending the voice prompt to the caller, the IPS transmits the call parameters to the VPS utilizing a protocol with interleaved validity acknowledgement signals from the VPS. If the transmission of the call parameters is valid, the IPS reestablishes the line connection between the calling telephone and the central office switch and the voice message from the caller is passed through the IPS to the VPS for recording thereat for subsequent delivery to the called station.

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First Claim