AT&T Labs Research — Leading Invention, Driving Innovation

A method and apparatus for allowing a telephone service subscriber to receive an email notification, e.g., a SMS notification, at an endpoint device that a new voice mail message has been received. The SMS notification comprises a voice mailbox access phone number, selected from a pool of unassigned access phone numbers, which can be used to provide direct access to the new voice mail message in the telephone service subscriber's voice mailbox. Thus, a different voice mailbox access phone number is sent in each SMS notification to the telephone service subscriber for each new voice mail message, thereby providing direct access to specific voice mail messages via different voice mailbox access phone numbers.

A system for personalizing communication between origination devices and destination devices based on intelligent information searches and retrievals of historical interaction data on networks includes a user module adapted to displaying information to the origination device for identifying individuals or groups of individuals and historical interaction data. The system includes a processing module adapted to query a server system in response to commands from a user of the origination device. The query requests historical interaction data relating to the individual or group of individuals and can identify the individual or group using the historical interaction data from the server system. An information receipt and display module displays historical interaction data received from the server system, including the specifically requested historical interaction data. A communication module connects the origination device to the destination device using the information data from the server system.

The present invention provides a system and a method for providing notification of an incoming call from the calling party to the called party. The method includes receiving a request to connect the call from the calling party to plurality of end devices of the called party. A profile information associated with the called party is retrieved. The profile information includes data on plurality of the end devices provisioned to be alerted upon connection of the incoming call and on instructions for alerting the end devices in a specific sequence. Additionally, the end devices of the incoming call are alerted in accordance with the specific sequence which would be either parallel ringing order or sequential ringing order.

The present invention provides a method for simultaneously broadcasting a message to a plurality of end-point devices. More specifically, the present invention receives a request to initiate a teleconference from a subscriber. The plurality of end-point devices is then invited to join the teleconference.

The present invention provides audio messaging in a communications network, e.g., a VoIP network. More specifically, the present invention establishes a non-duplex communication link between a first subscriber and a second subscriber. Audio messages are transmitted between the first subscriber and the second subscriber via the non-duplex communication link.

The present invention provides a system and method for managing calls for a subscriber, including accessing a calling plan while the subscriber is in an existing active call with at least one other party. The call is placed or received by the subscriber at a first device. At least one service feature of the calling plan is invoked during the active call. This service feature includes an add callers feature for adding at least one additional party to the existing active call between the subscriber and the other party. The service feature additionally includes a transfer devices feature for transferring the existing active call to at least one additional device of the subscriber and hanging up on the first device by the subscriber to confirm the transfer of the call to the additional device.

A telecommunication service is disclosed which allows customers to prepay a telephone service to allow them to receive inbound calls forwarded anonymously to a destination number. The inbound call routes to a forwarding number using an inbound access number and an access code. The call is routed to a number chosen by the customer or, alternatively, a preset voice announcement can be utilized. Billing for the call can be charged against a prepaid amount, and the service can be sold in the same manner as prepaid calling cards. The forwarding number is advantageously unknown to the caller, thus enabling anonymous phone calling prepaid by the called party. Multiple access codes can be easily provisioned and purchased to permit the called party flexibility in how and when other parties contact the called party. The service is of particular benefit for those wishing to transact business with another party on a short-term basis without the other party knowing the subscriber's long term telephone number.

A method for placing a call intended for an enhanced network user on hold is disclosed. A calling party is enabled to select the type of information which is provided to the calling party while the calling party is on hold by using a Distributed Feature Network (DFN) architecture. The DFN includes a plurality of feature boxes with each feature box being created for the purpose of enabling a particular communication feature. A call intended for one of a group of ENUs is received by the DFN and an estimated hold time is determined for the call. The hold time is communicated to a caller associated with the call and the caller is provided with a list of options for information to be received by the caller while the caller is on hold. The caller's selection of a hold option is received by the DFN. A feature box is created for providing the caller with the selected information option, and the call is connected to the created feature box. When the DFN determines that one of the group of ENUs is available, the call is rerouted from the created feature box to the available ENU.