Comverse, Inc.

Allan E Brockenbrough

Makonnen Melaku

Larry E Ayres

Arda Aksu

Theresa Mendel

Michael J Brunelle

Steven R Borne

Thomas W Hamilton

Shahzad Riaz

A voice-mail platform in which a voice message can be combined with a sound sample such that the combined message contains background noise to enhance the persuasiveness of the message. The voice message and the sound sample may be stored either together or separately and can be forwarded from an original recipient to a third party recipient with or without the sound sample. The voice message can be recorded while the user is listening to the selected sound sample. Further, a user can store a personal audio stationary to select sound samples which accompany voice messages.

Method and apparatus for combining ambient sound effects to voice messages

An incoming telephone call is held in a telephony network while a subscriber is notified that the call is waiting to be handled. A guide menu presenting call handling options is displayed on an entertainment center while a program played through the entertainment center is paused and recorded. The subscriber selects a desired call handling option using a remote control device and the call is handled in a manner corresponding to the selected call handling option.

Method and apparatus for managing calls through an entertainment center

Picture Caller Line Identification (PCLI) systems and methods are provided for enabling present and future mobile telephony systems to provide PCLI information to a called party. A PCLI system that interacts with a mobile telephony system includes a storage unit for storing PCLI information and a processor that is programmed to detect a request for a call from a caller to a called party, to retrieve PCLI information for the caller from the storage unit, and to forward the PCLI information to the called party. The processor may be further programmed to suspend completion of the call until verification of receipt of the call by the called handset to ensure that the PCLI information is available at the called party's handset prior to completion of the call. Mobile handsets that may be used with the PCLI system discussed above are also provided. A mobile handset for operating with a PCLI system includes an input to receive an image associated with a caller and to receive notification of the call from the caller, and a display that displays the images. The handset also includes a processor that is programmed to receive the image, to receive the notification of the call from the caller, and to respond to the caller. The processor may be programmed to send the image to the display after receiving the notification of the call from the caller.

Method and apparatus for providing images for caller identification over a mobile network

A method and apparatus facilitates voice, text, pager or e-mail communication between first and second parties. The second party requests a token from the first party, wherein the token is associated with contact information, such as a telephone number, but does not reveal the telephone number. The first party, at their discretion, provides the token to the second party. The second party is then able to contact the first party by using the token but without knowing the contact information, such as the telephone number, of the first party.

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S. Hamilton, MA, United States of America

Allan E Brockenbrough