Method & apparatus for automatically transmitting a message to a telephone terminal

Claim 2

In a telephone communication system having an exchange and a plurality of telephones connected to said exchange, wherein said exchange automatically connects a called telephone to a calling telephone when said called telephone is being called by said calling telephone, a method of automatically providing stored information to the user of said calling telephone, said method comprising the steps of: storing information in said calling telephone; transmitting from one of said plurality of telephones to said exchange an information identifier identifying the information stored in said calling telephone; associating said information identifier with said called telephone; storing in said exchange said information identifier and its association with said called telephone; controlling said exchange to transmit said information identifier to said calling telephone when said calling telephone calls said called telephone; and providing said stored information to the user of said calling telephone when said information identifier is received by said calling telephone.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein: said step of storing information in said calling telephone includes the step of storing a plurality of messages for the user of said calling telephone; said step of storing said information identifier in said exchange includes the step of storing at least one message identifier identifying a respective message in said calling telephone; and said step of providing said stored information to said user includes the step of providing to said user the message identified by said message identifier.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said step of storing information in said calling telephone includes the steps of previously storing said information in said exchange and transmitting said information to said calling telephone from said exchange.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a display on said calling telephone for display of said stored information in response to the receipt of said message identifier.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein: said step of storing information in said calling telephone includes the step of storing at least one message having a fixed part and an undetermined changeable part; storing information in said calling telephone includes the step of storing at least one message having a fixed part and an undetermined changeable part; said step of transmitting from one of said plurality of telephones includes the step of transmitting to said exchange said changeable part; said step of storing in said exchange includes the step of storing said changeable part in said exchange; said step of controlling said exchange includes the step of transmitting said changeable part to said calling telephone when said calling telephone calls said called telephone; and said step of providing said stored information includes the step of providing said message to the user of said calling telephone when said information identifier is received by said calling telephone, wherein said changeable part is provided along with said fixed part of said message.

Claim 7

In a telephone communication system having an exchange and a plurality of telephones connected to said exchange, wherein said exchange automatically connects a called telephone to a calling telephone when said called telephone is being called by said calling telephone, a method of automatically providing stored information to the user of said calling telephone,. said method comprising the steps of: storing information in said calling telephone; providing an information identifier identifying the information stored in said calling telephone; associating said information identifier with said called telephone; . controlling said called telephone to transmit said information identifier to said calling telephone when said calling telephone calls said called telephone; and providing said stored information to the user of said calling telephone when said information identifier is received by said calling telephone.

Claim 8

In a telephone communication system having an exchange and a plurality of telephones connected to said exchange, wherein said exchange automatically connects a called telephone to a calling telephone when said called telephone is being called by said calling telephone, a method of automatically providing stored information to the user of said calling telephone,. said method comprising the steps of: storing information in said calling telephone; providing an information identifier identifying the information stored in said calling telephone; associating said information identifier with said called telephone; . controlling said called telephone to transmit said information identifier to said calling telephone when said calling telephone calls said called telephone; and providing said stored information to the user of said calling telephone when said information identifier is received by said calling telephone.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6 wherein: said step of storing information in said calling telephone includes the step of storing a plurality of messages for the user of said calling telephone; said step of providing an information identifier includes the step of providing at least one message identifier identifying a respective message in said calling telephone; and said step of providing said stored information to said user includes the step of providing to said user the message identified by said message identifier.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6 wherein said step of storing information in said calling telephone includes the step of transmitting said stored information to said calling telephone from said exchange.

Claim 11

The method of claim 6 further including the step providing a display on said calling telephone for display of said stored information.

Claim 12

The method of claim 6 wherein: said step of storing information in said calling telephone includes the step of storing at least one message having a fixed part and an undetermined changeable part; said step of providing an information identifier includes the step of providing a message changeable part; said step of storing in said called telephone includes the step of storing said changeable part in said called telephone;- said step of controlling said called telephone includes the step of transmitting said changeable part to said calling telephone when said calling telephone calls said called telephone; and said step of providing said stored information includes the step of providing said message to the user of said calling telephone when said telephone when said information identifier is received by said calling telephone, wherein said changeable part is provided along with said fixed part of said message.

Claim 13

A message communication method for use in an electronic switching system having an exchange and a plurality of telephone terminals connected to said exchange, said method comprising the steps of: presetting at least one of said messages in one of said telephone terminals and transmitting data including a message identifier corresponding to said preset message to said exchange; receiving said data in said exchange and storing said message identifier in relation to the telephone terminal from which said data was transmitted; determining the operating status of a called telephone terminal; transmitting said data to a calling telephone terminal when said called terminal has a preset message; receiving said data transmitted from said exchange in said calling telephone terminal; searching for a preset message corresponding to said message identifier and displaying the contents of said preset message.

Claim 14

A message communication method for use in an electronic switching system having an exchange and a plurality of telephone terminals connected to said exchange, said method comprising the steps of: presetting at least one of said messages in one of said telephone terminals and transmitting data including a message identifier corresponding to said preset message to said exchange; receiving said data in said exchange and storing said message identifier in relation to the telephone terminal from which said data was transmitted; determining the operating status of a called telephone terminal; transmitting said data to a calling telephone terminal when said called terminal has a preset message; receiving said data transmitted from said exchange in said calling telephone terminal; searching for a preset message corresponding to said message identifier and displaying the contents of said preset message.

Claim 15

A message communication method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of transmitting a pluarlity of message identifications and respective message from said exchange to said telephone terminal for reception thereby.

Claim 16

A message communication method according to claim 11 wherein said step of determining the operating status of a called telephone includes the step of recognizing whether a calling telephone terminal has a display and transmitting a voice signal corresponding to said message when said calling telephone terminal does not have a display.

Claim 17

A message communication method according to claim 11 wherein at least one of said messages includes a changeable portion and said message identifier corresponding to said changeable portion, said data including said changeable portion.

Claim 18

A message communication method for use in an electronic switching system having an exchange and a plurality of telephone terminals connected to said exchange, said method comprising the steps of: setting at least one of said messages in one of said telephone terminals to be called; transmitting data including a message identifier corresponding said set message to said exchange; receiving said data in said exchange and transmitting said received data to said telephone terminal to be called when said terminal is busy; receiving said data transmitted from said exchange in said busy telephone terminal; and displaying the contents of said preset message in response to said received data.

Claim 19

A message communication method for use in an electronic switching system having an exchange and a plurality of telephone terminals connected to said exchange, said method comprising the steps of: setting at least one of said messages in one of said telephone terminals to be called; transmitting data including a message identifier corresponding said set message to said exchange; receiving said data in said exchange and transmitting said received data to said telephone terminal to be called when said terminal is busy; receiving said data transmitted from said exchange in said busy telephone terminal; and displaying the contents of said preset message in response to said received data.

Claim 20

A message communication method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of transmitting a plurality of message identifiers and respective messages from said telephone terminal for reception thereby.

Claim 21

A message communication method according to claim 15 wherein at least one of said messages is comprised of a fixed part and a changeable part, said message identifier corresponding to said fixed part and said data including said changeable part.

Claim 22

A message communication system in an electronic switching system having an exchange and a plurality of telephone terminals connected to said exchange, comprising: first storage means provided in at least two of said telephone terminals for storing a plurality of message identifiers and respective messages; presetting means provided in said two telephone terminals, for presetting at least one of said messages; first transceiver means provided in said two telephone terminals, for transmitting to said exchange and receiving therefrom data including message identifiers; display means provided in said two telephone terminals for displaying the contents of said message; first control means operatively connected to said first storage means, said presetting means, said first transceiver means and said display means for controlling said first transceiver means to transmit said data when said message is preset in said presetting means, and searching said first storage means to find said message corresponding to said message identifier when transmitted from said exchange and received by said first transceiver means, and controlling said display means to display the contents of at least said searched message; second storage means provided in said exchange for storing status information associated with two telephone terminals; second transceiver means provided in said exchange for transmitting to said two telephone terminals and receiving therefrom said data; second control means, operatively connected to said second storage means and said second transceiver means, for storing message identifiers with said status information in said second storing means when received by said second transceiver means and controlling said second transceiver means to transmit said data to a calling telephone terminal when the telephone terminal having said preset message is called.

Claim 23

A message communication system in an electronic switching system having an exchange and a plurality of telephone terminals connected to said exchange, comprising: first storage means provided in at least two of said telephone terminals for storing a plurality of message identifiers and respective messages; presetting means provided in said two telephone terminals, for presetting at least one of said messages; first transceiver means provided in said two telephone terminals, for transmitting to said exchange and receiving therefrom data including message identifiers; display means provided in said two telephone terminals for displaying the contents of said message; first control means operatively connected to said first storage means, said presetting means, said first transceiver means and said display means for controlling said first transceiver means to transmit said data when said message is preset in said presetting means, and searching said first storage means to find said message corresponding to said message identifier when transmitted from said exchange and received by said first transceiver means, and controlling said display means to display the contents of at least said searched message; second storage means provided in said exchange for storing status information associated with two telephone terminals; second transceiver means provided in said exchange for transmitting to said two telephone terminals and receiving therefrom said data; second control means, operatively connected to said second storage means and said second transceiver means, for storing message identifiers with said status information in said second storing means when received by said second transceiver means and controlling said second transceiver means to transmit said data to a calling telephone terminal when the telephone terminal having said preset message is called.

Claim 24

A message communication system according to claim 18 further comprising memory means provided in said exchange for storing a plurality of message identifiers and respective messages, wherein said second control means further controlling said second transceiver means to transmit said plurality of message identifiers and respective messages to all of said telephone terminals provided with said first memory means for reception thereof.

Claim 25

A message communication system according to claim 18 further comprising voice synthesizing means for generating voice signal corresponding to said message, said second control means includes reorganizing means for recognizing whether a calling telephone terminal has a display, said second control means further controlling said synthesizing means to generate said voice signal when said calling telephone terminal does not have a display.

Claim 26

A message communication system according to claim 18 wherein at least one of said messages includes a changeable portion and an unchangeable portion, said message identifier corresponding to said unchangeable portion and said data including said changeable portion.

Claim 27

A message communication system in an electronic switching system having an exchange and a plurality of telephone terminals connected to said exchange, said message communication system comprising: first storage means provided in at least two of said telephone terminals for storing a plurality of message identifiers and messages; setting means provided in said two telephone terminals for setting at least one of said messages; first transceiver means provided in said two of telephone terminals for transmitting to said exchange therefrom data including said set message; display means provided in said two telephone terminals for displaying the contents of said set message; first control means operatively connected to said first storage means, said setting means, said first transceiver means and said display means for controlling said transceiver means to transmit said data when said message is set in said setting means, and searching said first storage means to find said message corresponding to said message identifier when transmitted from said exchange and received by said first transceiver means, and controlling said display means to display the contents of said preset message; second transceiver means provided in said exchange for transmitting to said telephone terminal and receiving therefrom said data; second control means operatively connected to said second transceiver means for controlling said second transceiver means to transmit said data transmitted from a calling telephone terminal to a called telephone terminal when said called telephone terminal is busy.

Claim 28

A message communication system in an electronic switching system having an exchange and a plurality of telephone terminals connected to said exchange, said message communication system comprising: first storage means provided in at least two of said telephone terminals for storing a plurality of message identifiers and messages; setting means provided in said two telephone terminals for setting at least one of said messages; first transceiver means provided in said two of telephone terminals for transmitting to said exchange therefrom data including said set message; display means provided in said two telephone terminals for displaying the contents of said set message; first control means operatively connected to said first storage means, said setting means, said first transceiver means and said display means for controlling said transceiver means to transmit said data when said message is set in said setting means, and searching said first storage means to find said message corresponding to said message identifier when transmitted from said exchange and received by said first transceiver means, and controlling said display means to display the contents of said preset message; second transceiver means provided in said exchange for transmitting to said telephone terminal and receiving therefrom said data; second control means operatively connected to said second transceiver means for controlling said second transceiver means to transmit said data transmitted from a calling telephone terminal to a called telephone terminal when said called telephone terminal is busy.

Claim 29

A message communication system according to claim 22 further comprising memory means provided in said exchange for storing a plurality of message identifiers and respective messages, wherein said second control means further controls said second transceiver means to transmit said plurality of message identifiers and respective messages to all telephone terminals provided with said first memory means for reception thereby.

Claim 30

A message communication system according to claim 23 wherein, at least one of said messages includes a changeable portion and an unchangeable portion, said message identifier corresponding to said unchangeable portion and said data including said changeable portion.