Telephone message center

A telephone message system for use at a subscriber's premises, adapted to be parallel connected onto a wire-pair that extends between said premise and a telephone line switching system, the message system comprising:

• controller means connected onto said wire-pair for receiving the identity of a preselected calling station over said wire-pair in a first frequency band, said controller means including memory means for storing the identity of the preselected calling station and an indication of a special service treatment to be given to calls received from said preselected calling station;
• a plurality of adjunct units operatively responsive to the controller means, each one of the plurality of adjunct units being commonly connected onto said wire-pair and includes means for selectively connecting a telephone device operable in said first frequency band to said wire-pair, and each one of the plurality of adjunct units communicating with said controller means over said wire-pair in a second frequency band different from said first frequency band;
• and
• means in at least one of said adjunct units for providing said special service treatment to be given to said calls received from said preselected calling station.

A method of processing telephone calls in a message system arranged for use at a subscriber's premises, the message system being adapted to be parallel connected onto a wire-pair that extends between said premises and a telephone line switching system, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing the identity of a preselected calling station and an indication of a special service treatment to be given to calls received from said preselected calling station, wherein said special service treatment includes the step of assigning said calls from the preselected calling station to a mailbox of a specific called party from among multiple mailboxes respectively associated with parties commonly located at said subscriber premises;
• receiving in a controller the identity of a preselected calling station over said wire-pair in a first frequency band;
• commonly connecting a plurality of adjunct units onto the wire-pair, each one of the plurality of adjunct units being operatively responsive to the controller and communicating with the controller over the wire-pair in a second frequency band, said second frequency band being different from said first frequency band;
• and
• providing in at least one of said adjunct units said special service treatment to be given to said calls received from said preselected calling station.

A telephone message apparatus adapted to be parallel connected onto a wire-pair that extends between a subscriber's premises and a telephone line switching system, the apparatus comprising:

• controller means connected onto said wire-pair for receiving the identity of a preselected calling station over said wire-pair in a first frequency band, said controller means including memory means for storing the identity of the preselected calling station and an indication of a special service treatment to be given to calls received from said preselected calling station;
• an adjunct unit operatively responsive to the controller means, the adjunct unit being commonly connected onto said wire-pair and includes means for selective connecting a telephone device operable in said first frequency band to said wire-pair, said adjunct unit communicating with said controller means over said wire-pair in a second frequency band different from said first frequency band;
• and
• means in said adjunct unit for providing said special service treatment to be given to said calls received from said preselected calling station.