In a computer network having a plurality of interconnected terminals and a shared memory device for storing digital data, a message handling system for sending and retrieving both voice and text messages over the computer network. A voice message is input either through a phone associated with one of the computer terminals or via a remote phone. The voice message is converted into a digital voice file which is stored on the shared memory device corresponding to the intended recipient's mailbox. Thereby, one mailbox can contain both voice and text messages. The same message handling mechanism is used for handling both voice and text messages. A list of the messages currently stored for each mailbox can be pulled for display by their respective terminals. A selected voice message may be selected for playback over the phone. Likewise, a text message may be selected for display by the terminal. Call answering and remote playback functions are also provided.

Electronic mail system having integrated voice messages

A facility is provided to alert a subscriber whose telephone station set (5) is connected to the Internet (300) of a waiting call via the Internet connection. Specifically, a call that is waiting may be forwarded via the Public Switched Network (100) to a services platform (200), which, in turn, establishes a connection to the subscriber using the Internet. The platform then notifies the subscriber of the waiting call via the Internet connection. The platform may then forward the telephone call to the subscriber via the Internet responsive to a subscriber request to do so with interrupting the subscriber's Internet connection.

Call notification feature for a telephone line connected to the internet

A graphical user interface for the display of voice mail message information and playing voice mail messages through a computer speaker. Using a mouse, the messages can be manipulated individually or in groups. Using the mouse or the keyboard, the sender of a message can add textual copy or addressing to a message. The display also includes, merged into a single list, e-mail messages and fax messages for the user. The interface includes a facility for exporting voice mail messages into multimedia documents and importing sound clips from multimedia documents into voice mail messages. If the sender of a message does not want the recipient to copy the message for further distribution to others, the sender may designate the message as "Private", and the system will not allow the message to be copied.

Method and apparatus for selecting and playing a voice mail message

The present invention envisages a GSM mobile telephone in which a line of icons is displayed on a display. As a user navigates through the displayed line of icons, the positions of the icons alter so that the selectable icon moves to the head of the line. This approach makes it very clear (i) which icon is selectable at any time and (ii) where that icon sits in relation to other icons at the same functional level (e.g. only first level icons will be present in one line). First level icons typically relate to the following functions: phonebook; messages; call register; counters; call diversion; telephone settings; network details; voice mail and IrDA activation.

Mobile telephone with improved man machine interface

A method and apparatus for providing a telephone user with automated attendant functions with numerous selectable options. The options include selecting one or many greetings to be given to the caller before sending the caller to voice mail, recording a new greeting for the caller after learning the caller's identity, re-routing the call and adding an audio message to be delivered to the substitute called party before the call is connected, and delivering a selected or customized greeting to the caller and then placing the caller on hold without accepting the call. A display screen with a cursor is used to facilitate presentation of information and options to the telephone user and selection of options by the telephone user.

Method and apparatus for processing an incoming call in a communication system

Experimentation with screen-based telephony is discussed in the framework of Apple Computer's user-centered design philosophy. The approach described enables programs to be developed for the most ubiquitous technologies today-plain old telephone service (POTS) and proprietary private branch exchanges (PBXs)-but also allows for an easy, logical upgrade to future technologies like ISDN. The model has been built in three layers, which reflect the three constituencies who must cooperate to bring ISDN applications (and their forerunners) to market, in the volume required to spark the growth of this area: telecommunications vendors, personal computer vendors, and independent software developers. The Call Manager Application Programmers Interface is the code/specification from Apple that enables voice and data applications to be written independently of the vendor or technology. Telecommunications vendors can write drivers to the Application Program Interface (API) and build the appropriate hardware interfaces, without having to support thousands of software developers. Some of the features of Apple's prototype human interface to the voice network on this API are described. >

B. McNinch

Papers

Screen-based telephony