Importance

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Abstract

A method and telephone system for selectively answering incoming telephone calls by enabling user selection of a receiving mode that designates telephone numbers and an alert mode that designates how the user will be notified of incoming calls from the designated telephone numbers, and then establishing an idle state. In response to receipt of an incoming call during the idle state, an outgoing message (OGM) requesting input of the calling party's telephone number is transmitted to the calling party. The calling party's telephone number is received as dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals. The calling party's telephone number is then compared with telephone numbers designated within the selected receiving mode to determine whether the user should be notified of the incoming call. When the calling party's telephone number has been previously designated by the user within the selected receiving mode, the user is provided with an audible alert indicative of the incoming call according to the selected alert mode. The user is only notified of incoming calls originating from telephone numbers specified within the selected receiving mode. After the user receives the audible alert, a speech mode is established if the user answers the incoming call within a predetermined time period. If the incoming call is not answered by the user within the predetermined period of time, or the calling party's telephone number has not been previously designated by the user within the selected receiving mode, a call termination message is transmitted to the calling party to indicate that the user can not presently answer the incoming call.

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First Claim