Importance

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Abstract

A method and system are provided for delivering personalized messages to a calling party who calls a called party who is engaged in an Internet session over a telephone line not capable of receiving telephone calls without interrupting the Internet connection. The called party receives a notification on her computer screen of an incoming telephone call from a calling party. A drop box on the called party's computer temporarily interrupts the called party and identifies the calling party. The called party may answer the call, forward the call to a separate telephone number, place the call on hold, send the call to voice mail, or type, select or record a personalized message that is delivered to the calling party without interrupting the Internet session. The personalized message may be a text message or a voice message. Text messages are converted from text to speech before delivery to the calling party. If the calling party'terminates the call attempt prior to hearing the message, the calling party is contacted for delivery of the message. If the calling party is not reached after a number of attempts, the called party is notified on her computer screen, without interrupting her Internet session, that the message to the calling party was not delivered. The called party may request the calling party be placed on hold after hearing the personalized message. At the expiration of the hold time, the called party may terminate the Internet session and automatically connect to the calling party.

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First Claim