Method for screening active voice mail messages
AssigneeAgere Systems Inc.
InventorsJoseph M. Cannon, Donald Alfred Fleck, James A. Johnason, Philip David Mooney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for screening of an active voice mail message enables real time monitoring by a subscriber to the voice mail system of incoming calls. Once the identity of the subscriber is established, the subscriber is presented with the option of screening an incoming message. A subscriber desiring to screen the message responds by activating a predetermined key or sequence of keys to enter a listen-only mode for monitoring of the incoming message. The subscriber may then interrupt the message and take the call, continue listening to the incoming message, or terminate listen-only mode and simply permit the message to be stored for later retrieval.
Claims14
A method for screening an active voice mail message in a voice mail system from a telephone set remotely connected to the voice mail system comprising the steps of:
- determining an identity of a subscriber accessing the voice mail system;
- determining by the voice mail system whether the voice mail system is receiving an incoming message from a calling party for the subscriber;
- and
- entering, when an active incoming message is determined to be present, a listen only mode in which the accessing subscriber can monitor the active incoming message while the incoming message is active, wherein said step of entering a listen-only mode comprises prompting the subscriber with a subscriber-selectable option to screen the active incoming message, and responding to a subscriber-entered input to enter the listen-only mode.
A method for screening an active voice mail message in a voice mail system from a telephone set remotely connected to the voice mail system comprising the steps of:
- determining an identity of a subscriber accessing the voice mail system;
- determining by the voice mail system whether the voice mail system is receiving an active incoming message from a calling party for the subscriber;
- and
- entering, when an active incoming message is determined to be present, a listen only mode in which the accessing subscriber can monitor the active incoming message while the incoming message is active;
- transmitting a notification signal as to the absence of an active incoming message when it is determined that no active incoming message is present in the voice mail system;
- providing an option to enter a voice mail menu when it is determined that no active incoming message is present in the voice mail system;
- and
- connecting the remote telephone set to the voice mail main menu upon receipt of an input indicating decision to accept the option to enter the voice mail main menu.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.