Message storage and retrieval systems employing selective caller processing

摘要

There is disclosed a voice message system (104) that employs the automatic number identification, ANI, associated with a calling party. This information is transmitted from a switching system, such as a private branch exchange (102) or central office to the voice message system (104). The calling party's ANI is transferred and stored in an ANI register (111) of the voice message system and is compared with pre-stored numbers contained in a memory and selectively entered therein by a voice message subscriber. If a favorable comparison is made between the stored ANI and a number stored in memory, as inserted by the subscriber, a number of unique control features will be implemented by the system based on the confirmation that the ANI number, as derived from the calling party, compares favorably with the stored number entered by the system subscriber. In this manner the system, by making such a favorable comparison, can now implement special features whereby the message stored by the calling party will receive a priority status. One special feature is controlled playback to the subscriber representing an urgent message status for desired calling party priority. The subscriber can further implement message playback whereby the calling party's actual name is announced to the subscriber during the playback of the message. In another special feature, the subscriber can receive his voice mail or messages from a number of locations other than the subscriber's actual extension, which numbers are stored in memory as entered by the subscriber. In another special feature, the subscriber can implement greetings whereby the calling party receives a greeting recorded specifically for them. In yet another special feature, the subscriber can initiate a callback to the original calling party by pressing a single digit.