Voice/data-formatted telephone information storage and retrieval system

For use with an operator-assisted telephone service facility having an operator terminal through the operation of which an on-line operator services incoming calls that are coupled to said facility by way of a switch device to which an telephone link, over which an incoming caller communicates with said facility, is connected, said operator terminal being coupled to said switch device by way of a communications link therebetween, and wherein on-line participation by an on-line operator is required for effectively enabling an incoming caller to reach a called destination, an arrangement for providing a response message to said incoming caller accessing said facility comprising:

• first operational means for storing a plurality of message components of which a response message may be comprised;
• and
• second operational means, coupled to said first operational means and operable in conjunction with the on-line operator's servicing of an incoming call, for accessing from said first operational means selected ones of said plurality of message components and causing said selected message components to be assembled and transmitted over said telephone link as a response message to said incoming caller in a selected one of a plurality of different communication formats by way of which said response message is capable of being transmitted to said incoming caller, said second operational means including means for selectively causing said response message to be coupled to said communications link and thereby through said switch device to said telephone link for transmission to said incoming caller, and directly to said switch device, exclusive of said communications link, for transmission therefrom over said telephone link to said incoming caller.

For use with an operator-assisted telephone service facility having an operator terminal through the operation of which an on-line operator services incoming calls that are coupled to said facility by way of a switch device to which a telephone link, over which an incoming caller communicates with said facility, is connected, said operator terminal being coupled to said switch device by way of a communications link therebetween, and wherein on-line participation by an on-line operator is required for effectively enabling an incoming caller to reach a called destination, a method for providing a response message to said incoming caller accessing said facility comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing, in a storage device, a plurality of message components of which a response message may be comprised, in a form such that, when played back and transmitted to said incoming caller in a synthetically vocalized audio format, said response message effectively corresponds to the voice of the operator who is on-line with and services incoming calls;
• and
• (a) accessing, from said storage device, in the course of the on-line operator's release of the servicing of said incoming call, selected ones of said plurality of message components and causing said selected message components to be assembled and transmitted over said telephone link as a synthetically vocalized audio response message to said incoming caller in the voice of said on-line operator who has released from the servicing of said incoming call, so that it appears to said incoming caller that the released operator is still on-line with and vocalizing said response message to said incoming caller.

For use with an operator-assisted telephone service facility having an operator terminal through the operation of which an on-line operator services incoming calls that are coupled to said facility by way of a switch device to which a telephone link, over which an incoming caller communicates with said facility, is connected, said operator terminal being coupled to said switch device by way of a communications link therebetween, and wherein on-line participation by an on-line operator is required for effectively enabling an incoming caller to reach a called destination, a method for providing a response message to said incoming caller accessing said facility comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing, in a storage device, a plurality of message components of which a response message may be comprised;
• and
• (b) accessing from said storage device, in the course of the on-line operator's servicing of an incoming call, selected ones of said plurality of message components and causing said selected message components to be assembled and transmitted over said telephone link as a response message to said incoming caller in a selected one of a plurality of different communication formats by way of which said response message is capable of being transmitted to said incoming caller, step (b) including the step of selectively causing said response message to be coupled to said communications link and thereby through said switch device to said telephone link for transmission to said incoming caller, and directly to said switch device, exclusive of said communications link, for transmission therefrom over said telephone link to said incoming caller.