CA2096631A1 - Calling party message response method and apparatus - Google Patents
Calling party message response method and apparatusInfo
- Publication number
- CA2096631A1 CA2096631A1 CA 2096631 CA2096631A CA2096631A1 CA 2096631 A1 CA2096631 A1 CA 2096631A1 CA 2096631 CA2096631 CA 2096631 CA 2096631 A CA2096631 A CA 2096631A CA 2096631 A1 CA2096631 A1 CA 2096631A1
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Abstract
CALLING PARTY MESSAGE RESPONSE METHOD AND APPARATUS
Abstract of the Disclosure A telephone user may rapidly lose whatever good humour and patience with which he or she may have approached their day, after placing a few telephone calls, only to be exposed to several lengthy voice message service dissertations before having been able to deposit a simple message. As a remedy, the telephone user is provided with a calling party automated response feature, which permits a calling party to initiate a delivery of their own pre-recorded message, and then hang up. The calling party automated response feature monitors the called party's voice message solicitation and at the appropriate moment transmits a voice message having been previously deposited by the calling party for this purpose. Apparatus for providing the feature may be centrally located or be co-located with the calling party's telephone set.
Abstract of the Disclosure A telephone user may rapidly lose whatever good humour and patience with which he or she may have approached their day, after placing a few telephone calls, only to be exposed to several lengthy voice message service dissertations before having been able to deposit a simple message. As a remedy, the telephone user is provided with a calling party automated response feature, which permits a calling party to initiate a delivery of their own pre-recorded message, and then hang up. The calling party automated response feature monitors the called party's voice message solicitation and at the appropriate moment transmits a voice message having been previously deposited by the calling party for this purpose. Apparatus for providing the feature may be centrally located or be co-located with the calling party's telephone set.
Description
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CALLING PARTY MESSAGE RESPONSE METHOD AND APPARATUS
Introduction The invention is in the field of telephony voice messaging and more particularly relates to automation of a calling party response to a called party's machine generated voice message solicitation.
nackground of the Invention In recent years, many telephone callers have become accustomed to being invited to deposit a voice message for later receipt by a called party. Such invitation may occur in the event that the called party is a subscriber to a voice message service and is unavailable to answer a calling party's telephone call, or the called party has a telephone answering machine activated to answer any incoming telephone call.
Typically, a user of a voice message service is able to have deposited a personalized message, for playback to a calling party following a standard announcement informing the calling party that a message service iS available. In some instances, the standard message may be omitted in favour of the personalized message. In the instance wherein the telephone answering machine is connected with the called party's telephone apparatus, only the personalized message may be available.
It has become apparent that many of the persons who subscribe to a voice messaging service must be enamoured with their own voices.
These persons seem to think that anyone having the excellent taste and good fortune to have called them by telephone, should not be disappointed by the absence of the called party, but rather should be regaled by a lengthy dissertation as to the current disposition of the called party and be assured ` 3 0 of the good intention of the called party to respond in the event that the calling party would be so good as to leave their name and telephone number etc., etc., etc., after the sound of the tone. Furthermore, the purveyors of the voice message service may have taken the opportunity to .
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use the standard announcement to advertise an offering of their service to all callers who are eventually routed to the voice message service.
A telephone user may rapidly lose whatever good humour and patience with which he or she may have approached their day, after 5 placing a few telephone calls, only to be exposed to several lengthy voice message service dissertations before having been able to deposit a simple message to the effect that " this is so and so, please call me at 5551234", for example.
It is an object of the present invention to assist the telephone 10 caller in leaving a voice message for an absent called party, while avoiding exposure to any lengthy dissertation or solicitation.
Summary of the Invention r In accordance with the invention, a telephone user is provlded.
with an automated voice message response feature, which permits a calling party to initiate a delivery of a prerecorded message immediately upon the cailing party having recognized that the telephone call has been connected with a voice message service, a telephone answering machine, or the like.
A telephone user may be availed of, or have access to, the automated message response feature by appropriate apparatus at the user's location, which is connected in common with the user's telephone line, or by subscription to the automated message response feature if such is ., 25 provided in a voice feature server or the like in association with a centrally - located telephone facility remote from the user's location. In the event that the subscriber has placed a telephone call, and during the progress of the call realizes that the call is connected to an answering facility, the subscriber may request an automatic deposit of a message for the called 3 o party. The subscriber may do so by depressing a prescribed key or prescribed ~~ digits to invoke the telephony message response feature and thereafter . may go ON HOOK.
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The calling party automated response feature permits the calling party to invoke a prerecorded response for delivery to a called party and thereafter hang up the telephone handset. The calling party automated response feature monitors the called party's solicitation and at 5 the appropriate moment transmits a voice message having been previously deposited by the calling party for this purpose. Hence the calling party is free to pursue other activities knowing that his or her desire to speak with the called party has been eventually lodged with the called party's answering service for subsequent receipt by the called party.
In an instance wherein a voice features server apparatus is common to both the calling and called parties, an invoking action on the part of the calling party may merely cause identification of the calling party to be conveyed to the called party. Alternately, when the called party calls upon the voice features server apparatus for messages, the called party is 15 supplied with the calling party's prerecorded response.
In one example, the automated response feature apparatus effectively maintains the telephone call in an active state for a period of time sufficient to deliver the intended response. The appropriate time may be arbitrarily preset but preferably it is determined in each instance by 20 monitoring voice band signals of the called party's solicitation. When the answering facility appears to be ready to accept a voice message from the calling party, a message indicating the calling party's identity, and whatever else may be appropriate, is transmitted for subsequent receipt by the called party.
In another form, the automated message response feature may be provided within an appropriately adapted telephone answering machine, or in a somewhat similar apparatus specifically designed for the telephony message response feature.
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- Brief Des~ tion of the Drawin~s Example embodiments of the invention are discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of centrally located telephony common equipment suitable for implementing a telephony message response feature in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 2 is a flow chart diagram illustrative of one example of operation of the common equipment illustrated in Fig. 1 for providing the telephony message response feature in an event wherein calling and called parties are supported by the common equipment and the like;
Fig. 3 is a flow chart diagram illustrative of one example of operation of the common equipment illustrated in Fig. 1 for providing the automated response feature in an event wherein a calling party is supported by the common equipment and the like, and a called party is not so supported; and Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a telephone answering machine located at a telephone user's premises together with telephony message response apparatus for the telephone user in accordance with the invention.
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~eScription of the Example Embodiments ,, The centrally located telephony common equipment illustrated ;~ 25 in Fig. 1 includes a telephone switching facility 10, which in turn includes a switching network 12, line circuits 13 and trunk circuits 14, which are operative under control of a call controller 11, to provide communication paths between calling and called ones of telephone station sets 9a - 9n and between the telephone station sets 9a - 9n and various of trunks 8a - 8n.
Telephone facilities of this general form and function are well known to persons of typical skill in the art of electronic switched telephony.
However for convenience of description, the operation of a typical ~ , - :.
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2 ~ 3 1 telephone switching facility is briefly reviewed. In its operation, the telephone switching facility 10 utilizes various service circuits, not shown, for generating and detecting telephony signalling and supervision signals and interfacing signalling and supervision information with the call 5 controller.
During typical operations of establishing a telephone call, one of the functions in the progress of a telephone call is that of receiving signalling, representative of dialled or pressed digits, from a calling party atone of the telephone sets 9a - 9n. When the dialled or pressed digits are representative of a telephone number of a called party, they are referred to as primary signalling. During the initial portion of a telephone call, dial tone is supplied to the calling party and indicates that the telephone switching facility 10 has connected a service circuit to receive and detect primary signalling. After the telephone switching facility 10 is satisfied that the primary signalling has been received, the service circuit is disconnected, and it is then available for another telephone call. r Dialled or pressed digits which may be originated at a telephone station set sometime later, during a conversational portion of the call progress, are usually referred to as secondary signalling. Secondary 20 signalling is relied upon to provide telephone users with access to, and control of, telephony features such as voice messaging. As a matter of convenience, secondary signalling is usually transmitted in the form of dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) signals. DTMF signals are transmittable by way of voice band communication paths and hence may be responded to 25 by any telephone facility involved with the telephone call, without participation of the telephone facility directly associated with the calling party.
Secondary signalling may also be communicated in any of various proprietary digital signal formats, as is typical of some digital signal30 private branch exchanges (PBXs) and digital signal key telephone systems, for example, systems available from the assignee, Northern Telecom Limited, under the trademarks of MERIDIAN and NORSTAR. In any 20~ u~
event, if secondary signalling is made of use, provision is made for continuous monitoring of he conversational portion of the call progress to receive and detect any occurrence of secondary signalling. It may be possible to monitor all telephone calls for secondary signalling, however at 5 considerable equipment expense. Consequently secondary signalling is not usually provided for unless the telephone user takes some action, such as flashing the switch hook, or unless the telephone call has been routed to, or intercepted by, a special facility, for example a voice features server 20 asshown in Fig. 1.
The voice features server 20, as shown in Fig. 1, is exemplary of apparatus which is well known to be convenient for providing feature services to a telephone switching facility. The voice features server 20 includes a server controller unit 21 which is coupled with the call controller 11 via a command and status link 7. The call controller 11 15 directs functions of the voice features server 20 and is informed of its status via the command and status link 7. The server controller unit 21 is connected in common with a progress tones detector unit 22, a DTMF
receiver sender unit 23, a voice processor unit 24, a storage unit 25 and an interface unit 26, via a communications bus 29. Digital signals, in the form 20 of frame oriented channels of pulse code modulation (PCM), are coupled between the switching network 12 and the voice features server 20, via a time division multiplex (TDM) link 6 under the direction of the call controller 11 and the server controller 21, functioning in concert. One example of apparatus which has been adapted to provide a practical voice 25 features server, is disclosed in United States Patent No. 4,608,685, entitled "Packet and Circuit Switched Communications Network" which issued to the assignee, Northern Telecom Limited, on August 26, 1986. In operation, the server controller 21 responds to commands from the call controller 11, to direct the interface unit 26 to receive PCM signals from designated 30 channels in a receive bit stream on the TDM link 6, and/or to transmit PCM signals into designated channels in the transmit bit stream on the TDM link 6. Called or calling party identity information is used by the 3 ~
voice processor 24 for the purpose of packetizing PCM synchronous information in preparation for storage of a voice message in the storage unit 25. By a similar but complementary process, voice messages are also retrieved from the storage unit 25 and depacketized into synchronous s channels by the voice processor 24 for transmission via the telephone switching facility 10.
A subscriber to the voice message feature may gain direct access to the voice message feature by dialling a predetermined number, followed by further dialling which is treated as secondary signalling. The secondary signalling is used to effect control of the voice message feature for performance of various functions, such as personalizing of a telephone answering function by deposit of a personal solicitation or greeting for later receipt by a caller whose telephone call to the subscriber has been forwarded to the voice features server 20. The subscriber may also deposit voice messages for subsequent delivery to designated telephone sets and may likewise receive voice messages from other subscribers to this feature.
Subscriber features such as composing, reviewing, editing, addressing, redirecting and archiving of voice messages, are available by means of secondary signalling. Hence during any process of depositing or retrieving a message, the DTMF receiver sender unit 23 monitors all assigned synchronous channels for any DTMF secondary signalling. Other signal formats of secondary signalling may be interfaced via the telephone facility 10 and the command status link 7.
In the process of the subscriber either depositing or retrieving a message, use of secondary signalling is typical and permits close control of the process from the subscriber's dial pad. The secondary signalling, from a channel having been assigned to the subscriber by the telephone switching facility 10 is detected in the DTMF receiver sender unit 23.
When a telephone call is forwarded to the voice features server - 30 20, it is usually the result of one of several possible scenarios, for example:
2~$~1 i) the called party has previously arranged to have their incoming calls routed to the voice features server 20 for answering;
ii) the called party is already engaged in telephone usage; and iii) the called party has failed to answer the telephone call after a designated number of rings.
In any case, the calling party is the recipient of an audible voice solicitation, which as before discussed may be lengthy and irksome.
Once the calling party ascertains that an invitation to leave a message is in the process of being delivered from an automated message service or answering machine, the calling party, in accordance with the invention, may invoke an automated voice message response feature by an appropriate push button depression, and thereafter go ON HOOK. The automated voice message response feature effects the calling party identification for the called party's subsequent receipt via the voice features server 20. The automated voice message response feature, hereinafter referred to as the response feature, permits the calling party to instantly signal for the calling party's identity to be made of reference in relation to the telephone call, without having to wait for the end of the solicitation and the occurrence of the traditional beep sound. Subsequently the calling party's identity will be made available to the called party, at such time as the called party accesses the voice message feature. The calling party's identity may be provided by a recording having been previously deposited by the calling party, or by a machine generated audible or visible indication of the calling party's identity being made available at the called party's telephone.
One example of a sequence of functions for providing the response feature for a feature services subscriber is illustrated in the flow chart in Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 2, in the event primary signalling from a 3 0 calling party identifies a called party that is for the moment unavailable, as shown in block 101, the telephone switching facility 10 determines in decision block 102, if the called party is a voice feature subscriber. If YES, : ' , .
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2~u~31 the telephone call is forwarded to the voice features server 20, wherein a call answer feature shown in block 104 is started as indicated in block 105.
If NO, the call may be forwarded elsewhere or may be connected to an appropriate service circuit in the telephone switching facility 10 to be provided with an audible progress tone, busy tone for example, as indicated r in block 103. In an event wherein the telephone call has progressed to the answer feature indicated in the block 105, the calling party begins to hear the solicitation inviting deposit of a message, such solicitation emanating from the voice features server 20. As the solicitation progresses, the call is monitored for an occurrence of secondary signalling, as indicated in decision block 106. If NO, the solicitation continues as indicated in block 107 and the call continues to be monitored for secondary signalling as indicated in the decision block 106. If YES, the secondary signalling is tested to determine if an automated response is being signalled by the calling party, as shown in decision block 108. If NO, the solicitation continues as indicated in block 107, and the call continues to be monitored for secondary signalling as indicated in the decision block 106. If YES, the call is tested to determine if the calling party has returned the telephone set to the ON HOOK state, as indicated at decision block 109. If NO, the solicitation continues as indicated in block 107a, and the call continues to be monitored for a transition from the OFF HOOK state to the ON HOOK
state. If YES, the progress of the answer feature is tested until the solicitation is completed as indicated at decision block 110. If YES, a prerecorded response to the called party's answer feature is made of record 25 in the voice features server 20 on behalf of the calling party.
The sequence of functions illustrated in Fig. 2 is operative for provision of the automated response feature wherein the calling and called parties are both subscribers in common to voice service features provided in the voice features server 20, or alternatively provided in different voice 30 features servers which are networked together by means of common channel signalling facilities, or are available in an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). Also the actual sequence of functions may be at 2~9~631 variance with the example illustrated in Fig. 2, in as much as the solicitation may be terminated immediately upon the calling party having signalled an invocation of the automated response feature. Furthermore, the automated response feature may be manifest to the called party via 5 either audible or visible mediums.
The method illustrated by the sequence of steps in Fig. 3 is useful in the event that the called party is served by a distant telephone facility which is not linked to the switching facility 10 by other than typical telephony primary signalling and voice path facilities, or when the called 10 party is not a subscriber to a centrally provided voice services messaging feature. When the caller originates a telephone call as shown in a block 121, a communication path is established to the called party, and it is determined by the call controller 11 whether or not the calling party is a subscriber to an automatic answering services feature, as indicated in 15 decision block 122. If not, the call proceeds normally, and in the event thatthe caller realizes that a machine answer is in progress the caller is at liberty to voice a message before hanging up, as shown in a block 123.
If however the calling party is a voice services subscriber the connection is conference bridged to the voice features server 20 via a 20 channel in the TDM trunk 6. The server controller unit 21 receives information via the command status link 7 which causes the DTMF
receiver sender to monitor the progress of the telephone call for secondary signalling as indicated in a decision block 125. In an event where the calling party realizes that the call progress has connected with a voice 25 message feature or a telephone answering machine, the calling party may press an automatic response code to invoke a response feature and then hang up. The automatic response code is tested for as indicated in a decision block 125 by the DTMF receiver sender unit 23. As long as signalling for the response feature is not detected and the calling party 3 o remains OFF HOOK, the DTMF receiver sender unit 23 continues to monitor the connection. When the calling party is determined to have 2~631 gone ON HOOK, as indicated in a decision block 126, the call progress is ended as shown in a block 127.
If the request for the response feature is detected, the server controller unit 21 then proceeds with the response feature. Accordingly, the progress tones detector 22 is caused to monitor the call progress for a monotonous audio event in contrast to speech-like signals, as indicated in a decision block 130. The occurrence of a monotonous audio event is significant in that it may correspond to the typical monotonic BEEP tone which usually signals that the called party's voice message feature or 10 answering machine is ready to receive the caller's message. The monotonic BEEP tone may be distinguished from silence by an occurrence of a significant energy level of monotonous sound, as indicated of test decision blocks 130 and 133. If after a time little or no voice-like sound energy is present and correspondingly the monotonous sound is of no significant energy, the process times out as indicated in a decision block 131. This is taken to be an indication of silence. In this example, if there is a failure to detect the "BEEP" occurrence, an absence of a typical voice envelope for a period of more than about two or three seconds may also be interpreted as indication of readiness to receive the caller's answer message. In this instance the calling party's answer message is transmitted to the called party on the assumption that the called party's answer feature is ready to accept a message. At this moment, the server controller unit 21 causes the storage unit 25 to deliver a predeposited message of the calling party to the voice processor unit 24 via the data bus 29. The voice processor unit 24 expands the message to normal PCM and transmits same via the interface unit 26 to the allotted channel in the TDM trunk 6. Thereafter the server controller unit 21 indicates an end to the call progress, via the command status link 7, to the controller 11. The call controller 11 then causes the call to be torn down, ending the call progress, as shown in block 30 132.
If the called party's answer feature is typical, the energy of the BEEP tone is detected as indicated in decision block 133 and the cessation of the BEEP tone, being of a lesser energy, is determined as indicated in decision box 134. If the lesser energy level persists through a time out period indicated in a decision block 135, that is for a period of time at least sufficient so as not to be confusing with an interrupted or stuttered BEEP
5 tone, it is assumed that the called party's answer feature is ready to accept a voice message and the calling party's answer message is transmitted. At the end of the calling party's answer message, the server controller unit 21 indicates an end to the call progress via the command status link 7 to the controller 11. The call controller 11 then causes the call to be torn down, 0 ending the call progress, as indicated in block 136.
The foregoing discussion has illustrated the calling party automated response feature as it can be embodied in a voice features server or the like in conjunction with a telephone switching facility. However the calling party automated response feature may also be embodied in 15 apparatus intended for connection to a subscriber telephone line at a subscriber's premises, and may be conveniently combined with a telephone answering machine for example. Referring to Fig. 4, a typical telephone answering machine 30 is shown along with a telephone station set 9, as being connected to a telephone line 5. The telephone answering machine 20 30 is exemplary of well known telephony apparatus which includes a hybrid circuit 31 for coupling voice band signals between the telephone line 5 and receive and transmit leads 32 and 33. A recording and playback apparatus 35 may be provided by tape transports or by a digital signal memory device, as appropriate for transmitting a prerecorded solicitation 25 and for receiving and recording messages from telephone callers, under the control of a control circuit 34. The control circuit 34 provides means by which a user may activate the telephone answering machine 30 to automatically answer an incoming telephone call, record a personal solicitation, and audibly play back any messages having been left by a 30 calling party, in the usual well known manner.
In this example the telephone answering machine 30 is augmented by additional control circuitry which may be activated at the 2 ~
telephone user's discretion in the progress of the telephone call, to transmit the solicitation or possibly an alternate message for the purpose of identifying the caller to a called party's automatic telephone answering feature. In the event that a telephone call is connected with an automatic 5 answering feature, upon recognition of the solicitation for what it is, the calling party is at liberty to set the automatic answer response feature into operation by actuation of a momentary switch 42a. Thereafter the calling party may go ON HOOK secure in the knowledge that eventually, when the solicitation is finished, the caller's identity will be made of record for 10 later reference by the called party. Actuation of the momentary switch 42a causes a latch circuit 42 to be set which in turn causes a timer circuit 43 to be started, and at the same time activates the control circuit 34 to put the telephone answering machine 30 into an OFF HOOK condition. Voice band energy from the called party's answer feature is coupled via the telephone line, the hybrid circuit 31 and a receive lead 32 to a rectifier circuit 41, which produces an impulse envelope signal in response to speech signals. The timer circuit 43 is conveniently provided by a retriggerable monostable circuit such that during a timing operation each time an impulse signal is received from the rectifier circuit 41 the timing 20 function is reinitiated After the solicitation portion of the called party's automatic answer feature has finished, the timer circuit 43 is no longer reinitiated and hence times out. As the latch circuit 42 remains set, a signal from the timer circuit 43 is gated via an AND gate 44 to set a latch circuit 45. An output of the latch circuit 45 is connected to the voice recording and 25 playback apparatus 35, such that the setting of the latch circuit 45 causes the voice recording and playback apparatus 35 to commence a play back operation which transmits a prerecorded message via the hybrid circuit 31 and the telephone line 5. The voice recording and playback apparatus 35 is arranged to provide a pulse signal to signify that the end of the message 30 has occurred. This pulse signal is used to reset the latch circuits 42 and 45, which in turn causes the control circuit 34 to return the telephone answering machine 30 to the ON HOOK condition.
2 ~ 3 1 Ideally the telephone answering machine 30 will be capable of storing two messages, either of which is selectable for playback to the remote party, one message being intended for message solicitation and the other message being selected in response to the setting of the latch circuit 5 45 for effecting identity of the calling party. However if two messages are not available in a particular machine, one message can be effective for both purposes if it is appropriately phrased. For example an audible message for playback to a remote par~y may be as follows: '~his is telephone number 555 X>(XX. Please call at a later time or leave a message after the 10 tone....BEEP.". Of course if this message is received by the calIed party's answering feature, it will be later apparent to the called party that the appropriate action is to call the given telephone number. On the other hand if the message is delivered to a calling party, the last part of the message will clearly suggest that the calling party leave a message for the 15 called party.
Various embodiments of the invention will be apparent to persons of typical skill in the design of telephone station set and feature set apparatus ir. view of the forgoing disclosure. For example it may be deemed expedient to merely allow a predetermined time period to pass 20 after the apparent cessation of voice energy from the called party's answer feature before causing the telephone answering machine 30 to go ON
HOOK, rather than wait for the pulse signal from the voice recording and playback apparatus 35, on the assumption that the message identifying the calling party has been sent. Also rather than, or in addition to, the timing 25 circuit 43, this automatic telephone answering feature could also use a tone detector, as previously described, to detect the typical monotonic BEEP tone which signals the end of the called party's solicitation. Furthermore, having regard for the numerous personal telephone answering machines presently h~ service, it is apparent that a specialized independently 3 0 connectable automatic voice message response apparatus could be marketed at a cost of less than a replacement cost of a fully functional telephone answering machine. It is envisaged that such an automatic .. :
'' ' ~, 209~31 voice message response apparatus would function either with or without an adjunct telephone answering machine and may be associated with either conventionally wired telephone station apparatus or wireless telephone station apparatus often referred to as cellular telephones.
Regardless of the particular means by which the automated calling party response feature is provided, it is believed that the frequent telephone user will more readily retain the good humour and patience with which he or she may have approached their business day, by being able to avoid exposure to lengthy voice message service dissertations while yet effecting a desired response, through the exercise of the calling party message response feature.
Other examples of methods and apparatus within the scope of the claims will come to the minds of persons skilled in telephony arts in view of the foregoing descriptions. For example, it is believed that cellular telephone users who subscribe to centralized voice messaging services will find the message response feature to be advantageous. In addition to the previously mentioned advantages, use of the feature as herein before described, may reduce the amount of communication air time expense of their cellular telephone service.
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CALLING PARTY MESSAGE RESPONSE METHOD AND APPARATUS
Introduction The invention is in the field of telephony voice messaging and more particularly relates to automation of a calling party response to a called party's machine generated voice message solicitation.
nackground of the Invention In recent years, many telephone callers have become accustomed to being invited to deposit a voice message for later receipt by a called party. Such invitation may occur in the event that the called party is a subscriber to a voice message service and is unavailable to answer a calling party's telephone call, or the called party has a telephone answering machine activated to answer any incoming telephone call.
Typically, a user of a voice message service is able to have deposited a personalized message, for playback to a calling party following a standard announcement informing the calling party that a message service iS available. In some instances, the standard message may be omitted in favour of the personalized message. In the instance wherein the telephone answering machine is connected with the called party's telephone apparatus, only the personalized message may be available.
It has become apparent that many of the persons who subscribe to a voice messaging service must be enamoured with their own voices.
These persons seem to think that anyone having the excellent taste and good fortune to have called them by telephone, should not be disappointed by the absence of the called party, but rather should be regaled by a lengthy dissertation as to the current disposition of the called party and be assured ` 3 0 of the good intention of the called party to respond in the event that the calling party would be so good as to leave their name and telephone number etc., etc., etc., after the sound of the tone. Furthermore, the purveyors of the voice message service may have taken the opportunity to .
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use the standard announcement to advertise an offering of their service to all callers who are eventually routed to the voice message service.
A telephone user may rapidly lose whatever good humour and patience with which he or she may have approached their day, after 5 placing a few telephone calls, only to be exposed to several lengthy voice message service dissertations before having been able to deposit a simple message to the effect that " this is so and so, please call me at 5551234", for example.
It is an object of the present invention to assist the telephone 10 caller in leaving a voice message for an absent called party, while avoiding exposure to any lengthy dissertation or solicitation.
Summary of the Invention r In accordance with the invention, a telephone user is provlded.
with an automated voice message response feature, which permits a calling party to initiate a delivery of a prerecorded message immediately upon the cailing party having recognized that the telephone call has been connected with a voice message service, a telephone answering machine, or the like.
A telephone user may be availed of, or have access to, the automated message response feature by appropriate apparatus at the user's location, which is connected in common with the user's telephone line, or by subscription to the automated message response feature if such is ., 25 provided in a voice feature server or the like in association with a centrally - located telephone facility remote from the user's location. In the event that the subscriber has placed a telephone call, and during the progress of the call realizes that the call is connected to an answering facility, the subscriber may request an automatic deposit of a message for the called 3 o party. The subscriber may do so by depressing a prescribed key or prescribed ~~ digits to invoke the telephony message response feature and thereafter . may go ON HOOK.
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The calling party automated response feature permits the calling party to invoke a prerecorded response for delivery to a called party and thereafter hang up the telephone handset. The calling party automated response feature monitors the called party's solicitation and at 5 the appropriate moment transmits a voice message having been previously deposited by the calling party for this purpose. Hence the calling party is free to pursue other activities knowing that his or her desire to speak with the called party has been eventually lodged with the called party's answering service for subsequent receipt by the called party.
In an instance wherein a voice features server apparatus is common to both the calling and called parties, an invoking action on the part of the calling party may merely cause identification of the calling party to be conveyed to the called party. Alternately, when the called party calls upon the voice features server apparatus for messages, the called party is 15 supplied with the calling party's prerecorded response.
In one example, the automated response feature apparatus effectively maintains the telephone call in an active state for a period of time sufficient to deliver the intended response. The appropriate time may be arbitrarily preset but preferably it is determined in each instance by 20 monitoring voice band signals of the called party's solicitation. When the answering facility appears to be ready to accept a voice message from the calling party, a message indicating the calling party's identity, and whatever else may be appropriate, is transmitted for subsequent receipt by the called party.
In another form, the automated message response feature may be provided within an appropriately adapted telephone answering machine, or in a somewhat similar apparatus specifically designed for the telephony message response feature.
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- Brief Des~ tion of the Drawin~s Example embodiments of the invention are discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of centrally located telephony common equipment suitable for implementing a telephony message response feature in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 2 is a flow chart diagram illustrative of one example of operation of the common equipment illustrated in Fig. 1 for providing the telephony message response feature in an event wherein calling and called parties are supported by the common equipment and the like;
Fig. 3 is a flow chart diagram illustrative of one example of operation of the common equipment illustrated in Fig. 1 for providing the automated response feature in an event wherein a calling party is supported by the common equipment and the like, and a called party is not so supported; and Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a telephone answering machine located at a telephone user's premises together with telephony message response apparatus for the telephone user in accordance with the invention.
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~eScription of the Example Embodiments ,, The centrally located telephony common equipment illustrated ;~ 25 in Fig. 1 includes a telephone switching facility 10, which in turn includes a switching network 12, line circuits 13 and trunk circuits 14, which are operative under control of a call controller 11, to provide communication paths between calling and called ones of telephone station sets 9a - 9n and between the telephone station sets 9a - 9n and various of trunks 8a - 8n.
Telephone facilities of this general form and function are well known to persons of typical skill in the art of electronic switched telephony.
However for convenience of description, the operation of a typical ~ , - :.
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2 ~ 3 1 telephone switching facility is briefly reviewed. In its operation, the telephone switching facility 10 utilizes various service circuits, not shown, for generating and detecting telephony signalling and supervision signals and interfacing signalling and supervision information with the call 5 controller.
During typical operations of establishing a telephone call, one of the functions in the progress of a telephone call is that of receiving signalling, representative of dialled or pressed digits, from a calling party atone of the telephone sets 9a - 9n. When the dialled or pressed digits are representative of a telephone number of a called party, they are referred to as primary signalling. During the initial portion of a telephone call, dial tone is supplied to the calling party and indicates that the telephone switching facility 10 has connected a service circuit to receive and detect primary signalling. After the telephone switching facility 10 is satisfied that the primary signalling has been received, the service circuit is disconnected, and it is then available for another telephone call. r Dialled or pressed digits which may be originated at a telephone station set sometime later, during a conversational portion of the call progress, are usually referred to as secondary signalling. Secondary 20 signalling is relied upon to provide telephone users with access to, and control of, telephony features such as voice messaging. As a matter of convenience, secondary signalling is usually transmitted in the form of dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) signals. DTMF signals are transmittable by way of voice band communication paths and hence may be responded to 25 by any telephone facility involved with the telephone call, without participation of the telephone facility directly associated with the calling party.
Secondary signalling may also be communicated in any of various proprietary digital signal formats, as is typical of some digital signal30 private branch exchanges (PBXs) and digital signal key telephone systems, for example, systems available from the assignee, Northern Telecom Limited, under the trademarks of MERIDIAN and NORSTAR. In any 20~ u~
event, if secondary signalling is made of use, provision is made for continuous monitoring of he conversational portion of the call progress to receive and detect any occurrence of secondary signalling. It may be possible to monitor all telephone calls for secondary signalling, however at 5 considerable equipment expense. Consequently secondary signalling is not usually provided for unless the telephone user takes some action, such as flashing the switch hook, or unless the telephone call has been routed to, or intercepted by, a special facility, for example a voice features server 20 asshown in Fig. 1.
The voice features server 20, as shown in Fig. 1, is exemplary of apparatus which is well known to be convenient for providing feature services to a telephone switching facility. The voice features server 20 includes a server controller unit 21 which is coupled with the call controller 11 via a command and status link 7. The call controller 11 15 directs functions of the voice features server 20 and is informed of its status via the command and status link 7. The server controller unit 21 is connected in common with a progress tones detector unit 22, a DTMF
receiver sender unit 23, a voice processor unit 24, a storage unit 25 and an interface unit 26, via a communications bus 29. Digital signals, in the form 20 of frame oriented channels of pulse code modulation (PCM), are coupled between the switching network 12 and the voice features server 20, via a time division multiplex (TDM) link 6 under the direction of the call controller 11 and the server controller 21, functioning in concert. One example of apparatus which has been adapted to provide a practical voice 25 features server, is disclosed in United States Patent No. 4,608,685, entitled "Packet and Circuit Switched Communications Network" which issued to the assignee, Northern Telecom Limited, on August 26, 1986. In operation, the server controller 21 responds to commands from the call controller 11, to direct the interface unit 26 to receive PCM signals from designated 30 channels in a receive bit stream on the TDM link 6, and/or to transmit PCM signals into designated channels in the transmit bit stream on the TDM link 6. Called or calling party identity information is used by the 3 ~
voice processor 24 for the purpose of packetizing PCM synchronous information in preparation for storage of a voice message in the storage unit 25. By a similar but complementary process, voice messages are also retrieved from the storage unit 25 and depacketized into synchronous s channels by the voice processor 24 for transmission via the telephone switching facility 10.
A subscriber to the voice message feature may gain direct access to the voice message feature by dialling a predetermined number, followed by further dialling which is treated as secondary signalling. The secondary signalling is used to effect control of the voice message feature for performance of various functions, such as personalizing of a telephone answering function by deposit of a personal solicitation or greeting for later receipt by a caller whose telephone call to the subscriber has been forwarded to the voice features server 20. The subscriber may also deposit voice messages for subsequent delivery to designated telephone sets and may likewise receive voice messages from other subscribers to this feature.
Subscriber features such as composing, reviewing, editing, addressing, redirecting and archiving of voice messages, are available by means of secondary signalling. Hence during any process of depositing or retrieving a message, the DTMF receiver sender unit 23 monitors all assigned synchronous channels for any DTMF secondary signalling. Other signal formats of secondary signalling may be interfaced via the telephone facility 10 and the command status link 7.
In the process of the subscriber either depositing or retrieving a message, use of secondary signalling is typical and permits close control of the process from the subscriber's dial pad. The secondary signalling, from a channel having been assigned to the subscriber by the telephone switching facility 10 is detected in the DTMF receiver sender unit 23.
When a telephone call is forwarded to the voice features server - 30 20, it is usually the result of one of several possible scenarios, for example:
2~$~1 i) the called party has previously arranged to have their incoming calls routed to the voice features server 20 for answering;
ii) the called party is already engaged in telephone usage; and iii) the called party has failed to answer the telephone call after a designated number of rings.
In any case, the calling party is the recipient of an audible voice solicitation, which as before discussed may be lengthy and irksome.
Once the calling party ascertains that an invitation to leave a message is in the process of being delivered from an automated message service or answering machine, the calling party, in accordance with the invention, may invoke an automated voice message response feature by an appropriate push button depression, and thereafter go ON HOOK. The automated voice message response feature effects the calling party identification for the called party's subsequent receipt via the voice features server 20. The automated voice message response feature, hereinafter referred to as the response feature, permits the calling party to instantly signal for the calling party's identity to be made of reference in relation to the telephone call, without having to wait for the end of the solicitation and the occurrence of the traditional beep sound. Subsequently the calling party's identity will be made available to the called party, at such time as the called party accesses the voice message feature. The calling party's identity may be provided by a recording having been previously deposited by the calling party, or by a machine generated audible or visible indication of the calling party's identity being made available at the called party's telephone.
One example of a sequence of functions for providing the response feature for a feature services subscriber is illustrated in the flow chart in Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 2, in the event primary signalling from a 3 0 calling party identifies a called party that is for the moment unavailable, as shown in block 101, the telephone switching facility 10 determines in decision block 102, if the called party is a voice feature subscriber. If YES, : ' , .
:- - ~. ....
2~u~31 the telephone call is forwarded to the voice features server 20, wherein a call answer feature shown in block 104 is started as indicated in block 105.
If NO, the call may be forwarded elsewhere or may be connected to an appropriate service circuit in the telephone switching facility 10 to be provided with an audible progress tone, busy tone for example, as indicated r in block 103. In an event wherein the telephone call has progressed to the answer feature indicated in the block 105, the calling party begins to hear the solicitation inviting deposit of a message, such solicitation emanating from the voice features server 20. As the solicitation progresses, the call is monitored for an occurrence of secondary signalling, as indicated in decision block 106. If NO, the solicitation continues as indicated in block 107 and the call continues to be monitored for secondary signalling as indicated in the decision block 106. If YES, the secondary signalling is tested to determine if an automated response is being signalled by the calling party, as shown in decision block 108. If NO, the solicitation continues as indicated in block 107, and the call continues to be monitored for secondary signalling as indicated in the decision block 106. If YES, the call is tested to determine if the calling party has returned the telephone set to the ON HOOK state, as indicated at decision block 109. If NO, the solicitation continues as indicated in block 107a, and the call continues to be monitored for a transition from the OFF HOOK state to the ON HOOK
state. If YES, the progress of the answer feature is tested until the solicitation is completed as indicated at decision block 110. If YES, a prerecorded response to the called party's answer feature is made of record 25 in the voice features server 20 on behalf of the calling party.
The sequence of functions illustrated in Fig. 2 is operative for provision of the automated response feature wherein the calling and called parties are both subscribers in common to voice service features provided in the voice features server 20, or alternatively provided in different voice 30 features servers which are networked together by means of common channel signalling facilities, or are available in an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). Also the actual sequence of functions may be at 2~9~631 variance with the example illustrated in Fig. 2, in as much as the solicitation may be terminated immediately upon the calling party having signalled an invocation of the automated response feature. Furthermore, the automated response feature may be manifest to the called party via 5 either audible or visible mediums.
The method illustrated by the sequence of steps in Fig. 3 is useful in the event that the called party is served by a distant telephone facility which is not linked to the switching facility 10 by other than typical telephony primary signalling and voice path facilities, or when the called 10 party is not a subscriber to a centrally provided voice services messaging feature. When the caller originates a telephone call as shown in a block 121, a communication path is established to the called party, and it is determined by the call controller 11 whether or not the calling party is a subscriber to an automatic answering services feature, as indicated in 15 decision block 122. If not, the call proceeds normally, and in the event thatthe caller realizes that a machine answer is in progress the caller is at liberty to voice a message before hanging up, as shown in a block 123.
If however the calling party is a voice services subscriber the connection is conference bridged to the voice features server 20 via a 20 channel in the TDM trunk 6. The server controller unit 21 receives information via the command status link 7 which causes the DTMF
receiver sender to monitor the progress of the telephone call for secondary signalling as indicated in a decision block 125. In an event where the calling party realizes that the call progress has connected with a voice 25 message feature or a telephone answering machine, the calling party may press an automatic response code to invoke a response feature and then hang up. The automatic response code is tested for as indicated in a decision block 125 by the DTMF receiver sender unit 23. As long as signalling for the response feature is not detected and the calling party 3 o remains OFF HOOK, the DTMF receiver sender unit 23 continues to monitor the connection. When the calling party is determined to have 2~631 gone ON HOOK, as indicated in a decision block 126, the call progress is ended as shown in a block 127.
If the request for the response feature is detected, the server controller unit 21 then proceeds with the response feature. Accordingly, the progress tones detector 22 is caused to monitor the call progress for a monotonous audio event in contrast to speech-like signals, as indicated in a decision block 130. The occurrence of a monotonous audio event is significant in that it may correspond to the typical monotonic BEEP tone which usually signals that the called party's voice message feature or 10 answering machine is ready to receive the caller's message. The monotonic BEEP tone may be distinguished from silence by an occurrence of a significant energy level of monotonous sound, as indicated of test decision blocks 130 and 133. If after a time little or no voice-like sound energy is present and correspondingly the monotonous sound is of no significant energy, the process times out as indicated in a decision block 131. This is taken to be an indication of silence. In this example, if there is a failure to detect the "BEEP" occurrence, an absence of a typical voice envelope for a period of more than about two or three seconds may also be interpreted as indication of readiness to receive the caller's answer message. In this instance the calling party's answer message is transmitted to the called party on the assumption that the called party's answer feature is ready to accept a message. At this moment, the server controller unit 21 causes the storage unit 25 to deliver a predeposited message of the calling party to the voice processor unit 24 via the data bus 29. The voice processor unit 24 expands the message to normal PCM and transmits same via the interface unit 26 to the allotted channel in the TDM trunk 6. Thereafter the server controller unit 21 indicates an end to the call progress, via the command status link 7, to the controller 11. The call controller 11 then causes the call to be torn down, ending the call progress, as shown in block 30 132.
If the called party's answer feature is typical, the energy of the BEEP tone is detected as indicated in decision block 133 and the cessation of the BEEP tone, being of a lesser energy, is determined as indicated in decision box 134. If the lesser energy level persists through a time out period indicated in a decision block 135, that is for a period of time at least sufficient so as not to be confusing with an interrupted or stuttered BEEP
5 tone, it is assumed that the called party's answer feature is ready to accept a voice message and the calling party's answer message is transmitted. At the end of the calling party's answer message, the server controller unit 21 indicates an end to the call progress via the command status link 7 to the controller 11. The call controller 11 then causes the call to be torn down, 0 ending the call progress, as indicated in block 136.
The foregoing discussion has illustrated the calling party automated response feature as it can be embodied in a voice features server or the like in conjunction with a telephone switching facility. However the calling party automated response feature may also be embodied in 15 apparatus intended for connection to a subscriber telephone line at a subscriber's premises, and may be conveniently combined with a telephone answering machine for example. Referring to Fig. 4, a typical telephone answering machine 30 is shown along with a telephone station set 9, as being connected to a telephone line 5. The telephone answering machine 20 30 is exemplary of well known telephony apparatus which includes a hybrid circuit 31 for coupling voice band signals between the telephone line 5 and receive and transmit leads 32 and 33. A recording and playback apparatus 35 may be provided by tape transports or by a digital signal memory device, as appropriate for transmitting a prerecorded solicitation 25 and for receiving and recording messages from telephone callers, under the control of a control circuit 34. The control circuit 34 provides means by which a user may activate the telephone answering machine 30 to automatically answer an incoming telephone call, record a personal solicitation, and audibly play back any messages having been left by a 30 calling party, in the usual well known manner.
In this example the telephone answering machine 30 is augmented by additional control circuitry which may be activated at the 2 ~
telephone user's discretion in the progress of the telephone call, to transmit the solicitation or possibly an alternate message for the purpose of identifying the caller to a called party's automatic telephone answering feature. In the event that a telephone call is connected with an automatic 5 answering feature, upon recognition of the solicitation for what it is, the calling party is at liberty to set the automatic answer response feature into operation by actuation of a momentary switch 42a. Thereafter the calling party may go ON HOOK secure in the knowledge that eventually, when the solicitation is finished, the caller's identity will be made of record for 10 later reference by the called party. Actuation of the momentary switch 42a causes a latch circuit 42 to be set which in turn causes a timer circuit 43 to be started, and at the same time activates the control circuit 34 to put the telephone answering machine 30 into an OFF HOOK condition. Voice band energy from the called party's answer feature is coupled via the telephone line, the hybrid circuit 31 and a receive lead 32 to a rectifier circuit 41, which produces an impulse envelope signal in response to speech signals. The timer circuit 43 is conveniently provided by a retriggerable monostable circuit such that during a timing operation each time an impulse signal is received from the rectifier circuit 41 the timing 20 function is reinitiated After the solicitation portion of the called party's automatic answer feature has finished, the timer circuit 43 is no longer reinitiated and hence times out. As the latch circuit 42 remains set, a signal from the timer circuit 43 is gated via an AND gate 44 to set a latch circuit 45. An output of the latch circuit 45 is connected to the voice recording and 25 playback apparatus 35, such that the setting of the latch circuit 45 causes the voice recording and playback apparatus 35 to commence a play back operation which transmits a prerecorded message via the hybrid circuit 31 and the telephone line 5. The voice recording and playback apparatus 35 is arranged to provide a pulse signal to signify that the end of the message 30 has occurred. This pulse signal is used to reset the latch circuits 42 and 45, which in turn causes the control circuit 34 to return the telephone answering machine 30 to the ON HOOK condition.
2 ~ 3 1 Ideally the telephone answering machine 30 will be capable of storing two messages, either of which is selectable for playback to the remote party, one message being intended for message solicitation and the other message being selected in response to the setting of the latch circuit 5 45 for effecting identity of the calling party. However if two messages are not available in a particular machine, one message can be effective for both purposes if it is appropriately phrased. For example an audible message for playback to a remote par~y may be as follows: '~his is telephone number 555 X>(XX. Please call at a later time or leave a message after the 10 tone....BEEP.". Of course if this message is received by the calIed party's answering feature, it will be later apparent to the called party that the appropriate action is to call the given telephone number. On the other hand if the message is delivered to a calling party, the last part of the message will clearly suggest that the calling party leave a message for the 15 called party.
Various embodiments of the invention will be apparent to persons of typical skill in the design of telephone station set and feature set apparatus ir. view of the forgoing disclosure. For example it may be deemed expedient to merely allow a predetermined time period to pass 20 after the apparent cessation of voice energy from the called party's answer feature before causing the telephone answering machine 30 to go ON
HOOK, rather than wait for the pulse signal from the voice recording and playback apparatus 35, on the assumption that the message identifying the calling party has been sent. Also rather than, or in addition to, the timing 25 circuit 43, this automatic telephone answering feature could also use a tone detector, as previously described, to detect the typical monotonic BEEP tone which signals the end of the called party's solicitation. Furthermore, having regard for the numerous personal telephone answering machines presently h~ service, it is apparent that a specialized independently 3 0 connectable automatic voice message response apparatus could be marketed at a cost of less than a replacement cost of a fully functional telephone answering machine. It is envisaged that such an automatic .. :
'' ' ~, 209~31 voice message response apparatus would function either with or without an adjunct telephone answering machine and may be associated with either conventionally wired telephone station apparatus or wireless telephone station apparatus often referred to as cellular telephones.
Regardless of the particular means by which the automated calling party response feature is provided, it is believed that the frequent telephone user will more readily retain the good humour and patience with which he or she may have approached their business day, by being able to avoid exposure to lengthy voice message service dissertations while yet effecting a desired response, through the exercise of the calling party message response feature.
Other examples of methods and apparatus within the scope of the claims will come to the minds of persons skilled in telephony arts in view of the foregoing descriptions. For example, it is believed that cellular telephone users who subscribe to centralized voice messaging services will find the message response feature to be advantageous. In addition to the previously mentioned advantages, use of the feature as herein before described, may reduce the amount of communication air time expense of their cellular telephone service.
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Claims (18)
1. A telephony message response feature for conveying a previously stored message on behalf of a calling party, in response to a control action of the calling party during a call progress of the calling party,the telephony message response feature comprising the steps of:
a) detecting voice band signal energy from an apparent called party, in response to the control action of the calling party;
b) in response to a sustained monotony in the detected voice band signal energy, typical of other than an audible speech signal, transmitting a replica of the previously stored message on behalf of the calling party;
whereby the message is available for storage and subsequent retrieval via a voice message service of the called party.
a) detecting voice band signal energy from an apparent called party, in response to the control action of the calling party;
b) in response to a sustained monotony in the detected voice band signal energy, typical of other than an audible speech signal, transmitting a replica of the previously stored message on behalf of the calling party;
whereby the message is available for storage and subsequent retrieval via a voice message service of the called party.
2. A telephony message response feature as defined in claim 1, including transmitting the replica of the previously stored message when the calling party's telephone set is in an OFF HOOK state, whereby the calling party may verify the function of the voice message feature.
3. A telephony message response feature including provision for an indication of a previous communication attempt of a calling party, the voice message feature being provided in an apparatus being operable in conjunction with a telephone system, in operation the message feature comprising the steps of:
storing a response message in association with a user of the voice message feature;
in an event of the user being a calling party in a telephone call progress wherein the user has dialled the telephone number of a called party and the telephone call progress is connected with a message feature in association with the called party, responding to a predetermined control action of the user to record an indication of a call attempt by the user in association with the called party;
in response to the called party having accessed the message feature for a purpose of receiving a message, transmitting a reproduction of the response message of the user to the called party, via the telephone system.
storing a response message in association with a user of the voice message feature;
in an event of the user being a calling party in a telephone call progress wherein the user has dialled the telephone number of a called party and the telephone call progress is connected with a message feature in association with the called party, responding to a predetermined control action of the user to record an indication of a call attempt by the user in association with the called party;
in response to the called party having accessed the message feature for a purpose of receiving a message, transmitting a reproduction of the response message of the user to the called party, via the telephone system.
4. A telephony message response apparatus for connection with a telephone line or the like to facilitate transmission of a previously recorded message on behalf of a user during a call progress, comprising:
coupling means for exchanging signals with the telephone line;
storage means for storing the previously recorded message and for transmitting signals representative of the previously recorded message to the telephone line via the coupling means, in response to a control signal;
initiating means being actuable by the user for invoking an answer response;
control means coupled to the initiating means for generating the control signal at a time after the initiating means has been actuated by the user.
coupling means for exchanging signals with the telephone line;
storage means for storing the previously recorded message and for transmitting signals representative of the previously recorded message to the telephone line via the coupling means, in response to a control signal;
initiating means being actuable by the user for invoking an answer response;
control means coupled to the initiating means for generating the control signal at a time after the initiating means has been actuated by the user.
5. A telephony message response apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the control means is responsive to the telephone line being in a condition corresponding to an OFF HOOK state, for maintaining the telephone line in said condition in response to the initiating means having been actuated by the user, and for maintaining said condition for a period of time sufficient for the storage means to have transmitted said signals.
6. A telephony message response apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the control means comprises:
monitoring means responsive to actuation of the initiating means, for detecting the presence of any voice-like characteristics in signals coupled from the telephone line via the coupling means; and means for generating the control signal after a predetermined period of time during which the monitoring means has not detected the presence of any voice-like characteristics.
monitoring means responsive to actuation of the initiating means, for detecting the presence of any voice-like characteristics in signals coupled from the telephone line via the coupling means; and means for generating the control signal after a predetermined period of time during which the monitoring means has not detected the presence of any voice-like characteristics.
7. A telephony message response apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the control means comprises:
monitoring means responsive to the actuation of initiating means coincident with the telephone line being in a condition corresponding to an OFF HOOK state, for detecting the presence of any voice-like characteristics in signals coupled from the telephone line via the coupling means; and means for generating the control signal after a predetermined period of time during which the monitoring means has not detected the presence of any voice-like characteristics.
monitoring means responsive to the actuation of initiating means coincident with the telephone line being in a condition corresponding to an OFF HOOK state, for detecting the presence of any voice-like characteristics in signals coupled from the telephone line via the coupling means; and means for generating the control signal after a predetermined period of time during which the monitoring means has not detected the presence of any voice-like characteristics.
8. A telephony message response apparatus, for collocation with a telephone station set which includes coupling means for exchanging signals with a supporting communications facility via a communications link, and for facilitating transmission of a previously recorded message on behalf of a user of the telephone station set during a call progress, the telephone message response apparatus comprising:
terminal means for exchanging signals with the telephone station apparatus;
storage means for storing the previously recorded message and for transmitting signals representative of the previously recorded message to the telephone station set via the terminal means, in response to a control signal;
initiating means being actuable by the user for invoking an answer response;
control means responsive to actuation of the initiating means for generating the control signal at a time after the initiating means has been actuated by the user.
terminal means for exchanging signals with the telephone station apparatus;
storage means for storing the previously recorded message and for transmitting signals representative of the previously recorded message to the telephone station set via the terminal means, in response to a control signal;
initiating means being actuable by the user for invoking an answer response;
control means responsive to actuation of the initiating means for generating the control signal at a time after the initiating means has been actuated by the user.
9. A telephony message response apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the control means comprises:
monitoring means connected to the terminal means, the monitoring means being responsive to the initiating means having been actuated coincident with the communications link being in an active condition corresponding to an OFF HOOK state, for detecting the presence of any voice-like characteristics in signals having been received by the telephone station set via the communications link; and means for generating the control signal after a predetermined period of time during which the monitoring means has not detected the presences of any voice-like characteristics.
monitoring means connected to the terminal means, the monitoring means being responsive to the initiating means having been actuated coincident with the communications link being in an active condition corresponding to an OFF HOOK state, for detecting the presence of any voice-like characteristics in signals having been received by the telephone station set via the communications link; and means for generating the control signal after a predetermined period of time during which the monitoring means has not detected the presences of any voice-like characteristics.
10. A telephony message response feature including provision for an indication of a previous communication attempt of a calling party, the automated voice message response feature being provided in a feature server apparatus being operable in conjunction with a telephone system, in operation the telephony message response feature comprising the steps of:
storing a response voice message in association with a user of the telephony message response feature;
in response to the user being a calling party in a telephone call progress wherein the user has dialled the telephone number of a called party and the telephone call progress is connected with an answering feature associated with the called party, monitoring the telephone call for an occurrence of secondary signalling from the calling party;
recording an indication of a call attempt by the user in association with the called party, in responding to an occurrence of predetermined secondary signalling from the calling party;
transmitting a reproduction of the response voice message of the user to the called party, via the telephone system, in response to the called party having accessed the message feature for a purpose of receiving a message.
storing a response voice message in association with a user of the telephony message response feature;
in response to the user being a calling party in a telephone call progress wherein the user has dialled the telephone number of a called party and the telephone call progress is connected with an answering feature associated with the called party, monitoring the telephone call for an occurrence of secondary signalling from the calling party;
recording an indication of a call attempt by the user in association with the called party, in responding to an occurrence of predetermined secondary signalling from the calling party;
transmitting a reproduction of the response voice message of the user to the called party, via the telephone system, in response to the called party having accessed the message feature for a purpose of receiving a message.
11. A method of operating a telephone system including a telecommunications switching facility, for providing a telephony message response to a called party's telephone answering feature, the method comprising the steps of:
a) forwarding a telephone call progress to the called party's telephone answering feature, b) transmitting a call answering solicitation to the calling party, c) monitoring the telephone call progress for detecting secondary signalling from the calling party, d) in response to secondary signalling corresponding to a predetermined code from the called party, ending the call progress and providing an associated calling party indication to the called party's telephone answering feature for reference by the called party.
a) forwarding a telephone call progress to the called party's telephone answering feature, b) transmitting a call answering solicitation to the calling party, c) monitoring the telephone call progress for detecting secondary signalling from the calling party, d) in response to secondary signalling corresponding to a predetermined code from the called party, ending the call progress and providing an associated calling party indication to the called party's telephone answering feature for reference by the called party.
12. A method for providing a telephony message response as defined in claim 11 wherein the predetermined code having been detected, step d) includes the further steps of:
e) monitoring the call progress for an indication of the calling party going ON HOOK, and then in response to the calling party having gone ON HOOK within a predetermined time interval, providing the associated calling party indication to the called party's telephone answering feature.
e) monitoring the call progress for an indication of the calling party going ON HOOK, and then in response to the calling party having gone ON HOOK within a predetermined time interval, providing the associated calling party indication to the called party's telephone answering feature.
13. A method of operating a telephone system including a telecommunications switching facility for providing a telephony message response to an activation of a called party's telephone answering feature, on behalf of a calling party, the method comprising the steps of:
a) causing a voice response message to have been recorded and stored in the telephone system by the calling party;
b) monitoring a telephone call progress for secondary signalling indicative of a request from the calling party for an automated voice response;
c) in response to the request from the calling party, monitoring voice band energy signals from the called party to detect a cessation of voice-like signal characteristics;
d) in response to the cessation of the voice-like signal characteristics, transmitting a replica of the calling party's voice response message; and e) ending the call progress.
a) causing a voice response message to have been recorded and stored in the telephone system by the calling party;
b) monitoring a telephone call progress for secondary signalling indicative of a request from the calling party for an automated voice response;
c) in response to the request from the calling party, monitoring voice band energy signals from the called party to detect a cessation of voice-like signal characteristics;
d) in response to the cessation of the voice-like signal characteristics, transmitting a replica of the calling party's voice response message; and e) ending the call progress.
14. A method for providing a telephony message response as defined in claim 13 further comprising the step of:
f) in response to the request from the calling party, and in the event of either of steps c) and d) not having occurred after a predetermined period of time, transmitting a replica of the calling party's voice response message and thereafter proceeding to step e).
f) in response to the request from the calling party, and in the event of either of steps c) and d) not having occurred after a predetermined period of time, transmitting a replica of the calling party's voice response message and thereafter proceeding to step e).
15. A telephony message response apparatus for connection to a telephone line or the like to facilitate conveyance of a previously recorded message on behalf of a calling party during a call progress, for retrieval by a called party, comprising:
storage means for storing the previously recorded message;
initiating means actuable by the calling party during the call progress, for invoking a message response;
control means responsive to actuation of the initiating means to control conveyance of the previously recorded message in the storage means as the message response for retrieval by the called party.
storage means for storing the previously recorded message;
initiating means actuable by the calling party during the call progress, for invoking a message response;
control means responsive to actuation of the initiating means to control conveyance of the previously recorded message in the storage means as the message response for retrieval by the called party.
16. A telephony message response apparatus as defined in claim 15 further comprising:
detection means for detecting a predetermined signal condition on the telephone line; and in which the control means is additionally responsive to the detection of said condition by the detection means for conveying the previously recorded message.
detection means for detecting a predetermined signal condition on the telephone line; and in which the control means is additionally responsive to the detection of said condition by the detection means for conveying the previously recorded message.
17. A telephony message response apparatus as defined in claim 16 in which:
the detection means includes a timer circuit for detecting the cessation of signals on the telephone line for more than a predetermined time period, to indicate said signal condition; and in which the control means controls the coupling of a replica of the previously recorded message from the storage means to the telephone line.
the detection means includes a timer circuit for detecting the cessation of signals on the telephone line for more than a predetermined time period, to indicate said signal condition; and in which the control means controls the coupling of a replica of the previously recorded message from the storage means to the telephone line.
18. A telephony message response apparatus as defined in claim 16 in which:
the detection means includes a tone detector for detecting a monotonic signal on the telephone line to indicate said signal condition;
and in which the control means controls the coupling of the previously recorded message from the storage means to the telephone line.
the detection means includes a tone detector for detecting a monotonic signal on the telephone line to indicate said signal condition;
and in which the control means controls the coupling of the previously recorded message from the storage means to the telephone line.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US91093092A | 1992-07-09 | 1992-07-09 | |
| US07/910,930 | 1992-07-09 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2096631A1 true CA2096631A1 (en) | 1994-01-10 |
Family
ID=25429514
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2096631 Abandoned CA2096631A1 (en) | 1992-07-09 | 1993-05-19 | Calling party message response method and apparatus |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2096631A1 (en) |
-
1993
- 1993-05-19 CA CA 2096631 patent/CA2096631A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |