Nortel Networks Corporation

Avaya Inc.

Jim Paarsmarkt

Brian Lawrence Buckler

Jerry Allan Freestone

Alan D Eyre

The present invention is a selective announce system for announcing the receipt of electronic mail and instant messages (e-mail). The e-mail has an attached sound file and a predetermined identifier regarding the nature of the sound file. This sound file may be in the sender's voice, a third party's voice, a computer-simulated voice, or some combination. Upon receipt of the e-mail, the sound file is played or used to convert some portion of the e-mail text to voice. The sound file may be played at a recipient computer or it may be played at a recipient's voice mail or it may be played at some other terminal.

Method for announcing e-mail and converting e-mail text to voice

A local CPE broadcasts incoming call information to at least one remote CPE. Before or after at least one ring tone is received, the local CPE is taken off-hook. An incoming voice message is received, and the incoming voice message is broadcast over a communications network to the remote CPE. Alternatively, incoming caller data is received, a corresponding voice message is determined as a function of at least a portion of the incoming caller data, and the voice message is broadcast over a communications network to the remote CPE. As a further alternative, the caller data is broadcast over the communications network, and the corresponding voice message is determined by the remote CPE. As yet another alternative, incoming call information is announced using on-hook customer premises equipment (CPE). An indication of an incoming CPE alerting signal (CAS) tone is received, a frequency shift keying (FSK) signal is detected as a result of receiving the indication. A corresponding voice message is determined as a function of at least a portion of the FSK signal, and the voice message is announced.

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Calgary, Canada

Jim Paarsmarkt