US5943607A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatically notifying messaging device users of selected incoming calls to a telephone set
Assignee: Alcatel Lucent SAS
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Filing: 1996-10-17
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Granted: 1999-08-24
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Expires: 2016-10-17
Abstract
Abstract A telephone set automatically transmits a paging message to notify a user that a call from a selected caller has been received. In one embodiment, the telephone set transmits the paging message to a service bureau which formats and relays the paging message to the user's messaging device.
Inventors
- 👤 Howard M. Singer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 09:11
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/64; H04M19/00; H04M19/02; H04M19/04; H04W; H04W68/00; H04W76/00; H04W76/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
An apparatus for processing telephone calls, comprising: (a) a processor; and (b) a network interface, wherein: the processor is programmed by a user with information regarding at least one selected caller; the network interface receives an incoming call from a caller over a communications network; the processor identifies the caller associated with the incoming call; and the processor transmits a special signal back to the communications network instructing the communications network to transmit a paging message to a pager of the user, if the caller associated with the incoming call corresponds to a selected caller.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
95 words
An apparatus for processing telephone calls, comprising: (a) a processor; and (b) a network interface, wherein: the processor is programmed by a user with information regarding at least one selected caller; the network interface receives an incoming call from a caller over a communications network; the processor identifies the caller associated with the incoming call; and the processor transmits a special signal back to the communications network instructing the communications network to transmit a paging message to a pager of the user, if the caller associated with the incoming call corresponds to a selected caller.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention of claim 1, further comprising a caller directory identifying one or more selected callers, wherein the processor checks the caller directory to determine if the incoming call corresponds to the selected caller.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 1, further comprising a display screen for displaying to a user a list of possible callers for preselection as one or more selected callers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein the processor transmits the paging message to a service bureau, which forwards the paging message to a messaging device to notify a user of receipt of the call from the selected caller.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention of claim 4, wherein the processor transmits the paging message to the service bureau over the communications network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein the processor delays transmission of the paging message until an outbound line is available.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein the paging message identifies whether the selected caller recorded an audio message.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein the selected caller is prompted for information used in generating the paging message.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
111 words
The invention of claim 1, further comprising: (c) a caller directory identifying one or more selected callers, wherein the processor checks the caller directory to determine if the incoming call corresponds to the selected caller; and (d) a display screen for displaying to a user a list of possible callers for preselection as the one or more selected callers, wherein: the processor transmits the paging message to a service bureau over the communications network, which forwards the paging message to a messaging device to notify a user of receipt of the call from the selected caller; and the processor delays transmission of the paging message until an outbound line is available.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for processing telephone calls, comprising the steps of: (a) programming a processor by a user with information regarding at least one selected caller; (b) receiving an incoming call from a caller over a communications network; (c) identifying by the processor the caller associated with the incoming call; and (d) transmitting by the processor a special signal back to the communications network instructing the communications network to transmit a paging message to a pager of the user, if the caller associated with the incoming call corresponds to a selected caller.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for processing telephone calls, comprising the steps of: (a) programming a processor by a user with information regarding at least one selected caller; (b) receiving an incoming call from a caller over a communications network; (c) identifying by the processor the caller associated with the incoming call; and (d) transmitting by the processor a special signal back to the communications network instructing the communications network to transmit a paging message to a pager of the user, if the caller associated with the incoming call corresponds to a selected caller.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention of claim 10, wherein step (a) further comprises the step of checking a caller directory identifying one or more selected callers to determine if the incoming call corresponds to the selected caller.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 10, wherein step (a) further comprises the step of displaying to a user a list of possible callers for preselection as one or more selected callers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 10, wherein the paging message is transmitted to a service bureau, which forwards the paging message to a messaging device to notify a user of receipt of the call from the selected caller.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 13, wherein the paging message is transmitted to the service bureau over the communications network.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 10, wherein transmission of the paging message is delayed until an outbound line is available.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 10, wherein the paging message identifies whether the selected caller recorded an audio message.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 10, wherein the selected caller is prompted for information used in generating the paging message.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
104 words
The invention of claim 10, wherein step (a) further comprises the steps of: (1) displaying to a user a list of possible callers for preselection as one or more selected callers; and (2) checking a caller directory identifying one or more selected callers to determine if the incoming call corresponds to the selected caller, wherein: the paging message is transmitted to a service bureau over the communications network, which forwards the paging message to a messaging device to notify a user of receipt of the call from the selected caller; and transmission of the paging message is delayed until an outbound line is available.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
90 words
An apparatus for processing telephone calls, comprising: (a) means for programming a processor by a user with information regarding at least one selected caller; (b) means for receiving an incoming call from a caller over a communications network; (c) mean for identifying the caller associated with the incoming call; and (d) means for transmitting a special signal back to the communications network instructing the communications network to transmit a paging message to a pager of the user, if the caller associated with the incoming call corresponds to a selected caller.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
90 words
An apparatus for processing telephone calls, comprising: (a) means for programming a processor by a user with information regarding at least one selected caller; (b) means for receiving an incoming call from a caller over a communications network; (c) mean for identifying the caller associated with the incoming call; and (d) means for transmitting a special signal back to the communications network instructing the communications network to transmit a paging message to a pager of the user, if the caller associated with the incoming call corresponds to a selected caller.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 19, wherein the paging message is transmitted to a service bureau, which forwards the paging message to a messaging device to notify a user of receipt of the call from the selected caller.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5428663A
Cited
US5432839A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-08-23 | 2003-02-22 | 2003-08-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-23 | 2007-02-22 | 2007-08-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-23 | 2011-02-22 | 2011-08-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |