Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A method is described for electronically recording messages after the called telephone goes off-hook. The method may be physically implemented by an apparatus in the home or office, or by a system installed in a service provider central office. When a call is received, the telephone receiver is taken off the hook and the caller is asked if they would like to leave an electronic message. If the caller decides to leave an electronic message, the record function is initiated by the answering party via a record button physically provided on the system, by a keystroke sequence on the telephone station set keypad, or by voice command. The message speech is sampled, each sample is processed to extract speech information, each extracted signal is encoded, and then each encoded signal is stored in memory. For message retrieval, the memory location of the beginning of the first stored message is accessed, the data in each location is decoded to recover the speech content, and then the decoded data is reconverted to an analog signal that is played back through the telephone receiver. Separate mailboxes may be provided for each member of the household, allowing each possible recipient to only play back those messages intended for that party. A control unit facilitates and controls the sequence of the various processing steps required by the method, including keeping a record of the addresses of memory locations where stored messages start, erasure of stored messages, and separation of the stored messages into separate mailboxes.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim