# US 2013/0155908 A1 · Methods and apparatus to provide a telephone system configuration interface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0155908 A1 - Document ID: US20130155908A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/763,175 - Filed: 2013-02-08 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2006-09-11 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Inventors: Larry B. Pearson; Jeffrey L. Brandt; Douglas Reynolds - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155908A1 ## CPC - H04M 3/42161: {via computer interface} - H04M 1/64: Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations (centralised dictation systems H04M11/10) - H04M 3/42238: {in systems with telephone lines with multiple users} - H04M 3/53333: {Message receiving aspects} - H04W 12/08: Access security - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Methods and apparatus for a telephone customer to configure telephone service for multiple users at a single location associated with the customer. The location has at least two telephones, at least two phone numbers and a voice mail box. The telephone customer is visually provided an option to assign one of the phone numbers to one of the telephones. The telephone customer is visually provided an option to assign each of the multiple users exclusive access to at least one of the telephone numbers via their account identifier. The telephone customer is visually provided the option to, for each of the multiple users, allow access or deny access via their account identifier to the voicemail box. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: conveying a graphical interface to a subscriber of a telephone service, wherein the telephone service provides a plurality of telephone numbers to the subscriber, wherein a plurality of users are associated with the subscriber; providing, via the graphical interface, a first option to designate a first one of the telephone numbers as a private telephone number to which only a first one of the users has access; providing, via the graphical interface, a second option to designate a second one of the telephone numbers as a shared telephone number to which a second one and a third one of the users have access; and in response to a selection of the second option: enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a first private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the second one of the users; and enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a second private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the third one of the users. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising providing, via the graphical interface, an input to receive a first personal information number for the first private voicemail box and a second personal information number for the second private voicemail box. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising providing, via the graphical interface, a third option to designate a third one of the telephone numbers as a public telephone number to which each of the users has access. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising storing a greeting for the shared telephone number indicative of the assignment of the first private voicemail box to the second one of the users and the second private voicemail box to the third one of the users. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, wherein conveying the graphical interface to the subscriber comprises providing access to a portal via a network, and wherein the graphical interface is presented on a web browser associated with a device associated with the subscriber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a name to respective ones of the telephone numbers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first one of the telephone numbers is associated with a cellular device, and the second one of the telephone numbers is associated with a Voice over Internet Protocol device. ### Claim 8 A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to perform operations comprising: conveying a graphical interface to a subscriber of a telephone service, wherein the telephone service provides a plurality of telephone numbers to the subscriber, wherein a plurality of users are associated with the subscriber; providing, via the graphical interface, a first option to designate a first one of the telephone numbers as a private telephone number to which only a first one of the users has access; providing, via the graphical interface, a second option to designate a second one of the telephone numbers as a shared telephone number to which a second one and a third one of the users have access; and in response to a selection of the second option: enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a first private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the second one of the users; and enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a second private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the third one of the users. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise providing, via the graphical interface, an input to receive a first personal information number for the first private voicemail box and a second personal information number for the second private voicemail box. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise providing, via the graphical interface, a third option to designate a third one of the telephone numbers as a public telephone number to which each of the users has access. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise storing a greeting for the shared telephone number indicative of the assignment of the first private voicemail box to the second one of the users and the second private voicemail box to the third one of the users. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein conveying the graphical interface to the subscriber comprises providing access to a portal via a network, and wherein the graphical interface is presented on a web browser associated with a device associated with the subscriber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a name to respective ones of the telephone numbers. ### Claim 14 An apparatus, comprising: a memory comprising machine readable instructions; and a processor to execute the machine readable instructions to perform operations comprising: conveying a graphical interface to a subscriber of a telephone service, wherein the telephone service provides a plurality of telephone numbers to the subscriber, wherein a plurality of users are associated with the subscriber; providing, via the graphical interface, a first option to designate a first one of the telephone numbers as a private telephone number to which only a first one of the users has access; providing, via the graphical interface, a second option to designate a second one of the telephone numbers as a shared telephone number to which a second one and a third one of the users have access; and in response to a selection of the second option: enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a first private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the second one of the users; and enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a second private voicemail box accessible via the shared telephone number to only the third one of the users. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise providing, via the graphical interface, an input to receive a first personal information number for the first private voicemail box and a second personal information number for the second private voicemail box. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise providing, via the graphical interface, a third option to designate a third one of the telephone numbers as a public telephone number to which each of the users has access. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise storing a greeting for the shared telephone number indicative of the assignment of the first private voicemail box to the second one of the users and the second private voicemail box to the third one of the users. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein conveying the graphical interface to the subscriber comprises providing access to a portal via a network, and wherein the graphical interface is presented on a web browser associated with a device associated with the subscriber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise enabling the subscriber, via the graphical interface, to assign a name to respective ones of the telephone numbers. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the first one of the telephone numbers is associated with a cellular device, and the second one of the telephone numbers is associated with a Voice over Internet Protocol device.