Semi-interruptible messages for telephone systems making voice announcements
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorsPaul Michael Brennan, Anne Grosman, Robert Alan Williamson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A call answering system or device for a telephone network provides a mechanism for an outbound message (typically a greeting in a call answering scenario) to be identified as semi-interruptible. An attempt to skip over a semi-interruptible message activates a warning message to alert the caller of the special status of the message. The caller may then choose to resume listening to the original message, or confirm their decision to skip it.
Claims25
In a telephone-based system having announcement means to provide a user with audible information messages, means for defining a status of an audible information message as being semi-interruptible, warning means, responsive to an attempt by said user to bypass an outbound message with a status having been defined as semi-interruptible, to advise said user that said outbound message has a semi-interruptible status.
In a telephone device having recording means and announcement means for providing a caller to said device with an audible pre-recorded information message, means for defining a status of an audible information message as being semi-interruptible, a warning means, which is responsive to an attempt by said caller to bypass as outbound message with a status having been defined as semi-interruptible, to provide said caller with an announcement that the outbound message has a semi-interruptible status.
In a telephone-based system having means to record an inbound message and means to provide an outbound message, a method of operate the telephone-based system comprising the steps of:
- defining a status of an outbound message as being semi-interruptible,
- detecting that an incoming call has been intercepted by the means to provide an outbound message;
- in response to the outbound message being of the semi-interruptible status monitoring the progression of the outbound message for an attempt by the calling party to interrupt the outbound message;
- on detection of an attempt to interrupt, providing a warning message informing the calling party that the outbound message has a semi-interruptible status;
- and
- including with the warning message information as to options for controlling the progression of the outbound message.
In a telephone device having call interception means to cause said device to go off-hook after a pre-set number of rings;
- messaging means to deliver an outbound greeting to a calling party and;
- recording means to record an inbound message from said calling party, a method of operating the telephone device comprising the steps of;
- identifying the greeting as being a message of a semi-interruptible status;
- intercepting a telephone call after an occurrence of said pre-set number of rings;
- providing the greeting from the messaging means to the calling party and in response to the semi-interruptible status of the greeting monitoring the progress of delivery of the greeting;
- in response to an attempt by the calling party to interrupt the delivery of the greeting, providing the calling party with an audible warning that the greeting contains important information;
- and
- providing the calling party with a list of options which are available for controlling and terminating the progress of the greeting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.