Importance

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Abstract

Caller-associated information (CAI) may include various data such as names, addresses, telephone numbers, demographic information, messages, other like information and, most preferably, the caller's telephone number. The system includes telephone line-connected telephone answering equipment, decoding equipment and paging equipment. The telephone answering equipment answers or responds to a telephone call originated by a caller. This telephone call includes a datum (such as an identification of the caller's telephone number) and an indication of an intended pager telephone number. The number dialed by the caller to access the system indicates the intended pager telephone number and the appropriate datum transmission can be used to identify the caller's telephone number. The decoding equipment is operatively connected to the answering equipment and it monitors the telephone line to detect and decode (i.e., extract) datum from the datum transmission. Operatively connected to the decoding equipment is the paging equipment which is for communicating the decoded datum and any other information to the intended pager. One preferred method includes monitoring an incoming call to pager from a caller, extracting datum from the call's datum transmission (such datum may include the caller's telephone number), communicating with paging system, and sending the datum and/or other CAI within the paging system. Another preferred method includes a test to determine if the caller fails to enter the appropriate type of information, before automatically sending the datum and/or CAI within the paging system so that it may be forwarded to the pager.

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First Claim