At+t Corp.

American Telephone and Telegraph, Co.

At&t Information Systems Inc.

James M Rulon

Carroll W Creswell

Steven G Lanning

Carol J Papazian

Robert M Rubin

Donald D Huizinga

Wayne Allen Weise

Janice G Hanna

Stephen Wise

Messages can be stored in a switched telephone network for later forwarding. A telephone call from a calling party telephone station being directed to a destination party telephone number is switched to a service switching point. The telephone call is monitored to determine a busy or unanswered condition at the destination party telephone number. A network database is queried to retrieve message recording instructions for the calling party. A message from the calling party is stored within the network database. The stored message is forwarded at a later date and time to one or more destination party telephone numbers. A destination party can access the message if authorized, and can record a comment onto the message. A destination party can forward the message and added comment back to the calling party or to one or more third parties.

Method and system for storing messages for later forwarding

A common adjunct switch in association with a communications network provides a number of functionalities, one of which allows associated subscribers to customize the way in which they receive telephone calls and access enhanced services, such as a facsimile service. In particular, each subscriber may dynamically specify a number of caller identifiers and a different call treatment for each such identifier as well as a particular billing mode. A call treatment may include, for example, a specification to forward an associated call to a (a) particular telephone number, (b) default telephone number, or (c) messaging service.

System for providing personalized telephone calling features

A repertory telephone dialer includes a memory for storing two telephone numbers and one telephone call payment number. Activation of a switch on the dialer causes the first telephone number to be dialed; thereafter, the dialer responds to a Calling Card Service-Prompt Tone by transmitting the call payment number. The call payment number corresponds to a credit card number of the party to be billed for the call. The dialer is constructed as an adjunct device that connects to an existing telephone set by merely rearranging cords. Included on the front surface of the dialer is a recessed area that accommodates a photograph or graphic rendering of the party whose telephone number is dialed and who typically makes payment for the call. Activation of another switch on the dialer inhibits the remote billing feature by causing the second telephone number to be dialed.

Repertory telephone dialer with remote billing capability

Growing community of inventors

Randolph, NJ, United States of America

James M Rulon