Telephony call control using a data network and a graphical user interface and exchanging datagrams between parties to a telephone call

A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions comprising:

• means for determining in a lookup table, in response to a said voice call, a data network address of a network terminal associated with a calling telephone station apparatus for said voice call;
• means for sending a voice call facilitation message to said data network address over a data network;
• and
• wherein said lookup table is associated with an apparatus selected from a group consisting of:
• a central office, a PBX, a VMS, a gatekeeper, a calling station apparatus and a LAN.

A method of handling a voice call, comprising:

• determining in a lookup table, in response to said voice call, a data network address of a network terminal associated with a calling telephone station apparatus for said voice call, and wherein said lookup table is associated with an apparatus selected from a group consisting of:
• a central office, a PBX, a VMS, a gatekeeper, a calling station apparatus and a LAN;
• identifying a graphical page associated with said called telephone station apparatus for said voice call;
• and
• sending the graphical page to said address.

A method comprising:

• (a) initiating a voice call from a telephone handset to a called gatekeeper;
• (b) exchanging set up information with said called gatekeeper;
• (c) diverting said voice call to a voice-mail system associated with said called gatekeeper;
• (d) sending a caller IP address to a web site server associated with said called gatekeeper;
• (e) sending, over a data network, a call control URL to said caller IP address from said web site server;
• (f) receiving, over a data network, a call control command from said caller IP address at said web site server;
• and
• (g) transmitting a call control signal to said voice mail system in response to said call control command.

A method comprising:

• (a) receiving from a lookup table, via a data network, an IP address of a caller in response to a voice call initiated by said caller, and wherein said lookup table is associated with an apparatus selected from a group consisting of:
• a central office, a PBX, a VMS, a gatekeeper, a calling station apparatus, and a LAN;
• (b) sending, via a data network, a call control URL to said IP address;
• (c) receiving, via a data network, a call control command from said IP address;
• and
• (d) transmitting a call control signal to a voice mail system in response to said call control command.

An apparatus comprising:

• (a) means for receiving from a lookup table, via a data network, an IP address of a caller in response to a voice call initiated by said caller, and wherein said lookup table is associated with an apparatus selected from a group consisting of:
• a central office, a PBX, a VMS, a gatekeeper, a calling station apparatus and a LAN;
• (b) means for sending, via a data network, a call control URL to said IP address;
• (c) means for receiving, via a data network, a call control command from said IP address;
• and
• (d) means for transmitting a call control signal to a voice mail system in response to said call control command.

An apparatus comprising:

• (a) a network interface;
• (b) a processor connected to said network interface;
• (c) a voice-mail interface connected to said processor;
• (d) a memory associated with said processor;
• (e) an internet software application stored in said memory, said internet software application, via said network interface commands and in response to a voice call initiated from a caller telephone handset, receiving IP addresses, transmitting call control URL's, and receiving call control commands via a data network to said caller;
• and
• (f) a voice-mail system software application stored in said memory, said voice-mail system software application, via said voice-mail interface, transmitting signals to said voice-mail interface in response to call control commands.

A method for operating a voice mail system comprising:

• (a) accepting a voice call placed from a telephone handset at said voice mail system;
• (b) passing call control options via a data network to an associated data network element, said call control options having graphical components further operable for display on a terminal associated with said telephone handset;
• (c) receiving call control signals for said voice call from said associated data network element via the data network;
• and
• (d) controlling said voice call in response to said call control signals.