Patent ID: 6463145
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A computer-implemented control center for permitting a subscriber of a unified messaging system to customize call forwarding parameters associated with a call forwarding service, said call forwarding service being configured to permit said subscriber to specify whether a call received at a telephone number associated with a given account of said unified messaging system be forwarded to a forwarding telephone number, said call forwarding parameters including a call forwarding enable option and said forwarding telephone number, said computer-implemented control center comprising:a subscriber communication profile database, said subscriber communication profile database having therein said account pertaining to said subscriber, said account including said call forwarding parameters for said subscriber; a computer server coupled to exchange data with said subscriber communication profile database, said computer server being configured to visually display said call forwarding parameters on a display terminal coupled to a data-centric network when said subscriber employs said display terminal to access said computer-implemented control center, said computer server also being configured to receive from said subscriber via said display terminal a first change to said call forwarding parameters and to update said first change to said account in said subscriber communication profile database, wherein subsequent calls to said given account are handled in accordance with parameters present in said subscriber communication profile database after said update; and wherein when said call forwarding enable option is enabled and a call is received at the telephone number associated with the given account of said unified messaging system, said computer server obtains digital data corresponding to a telephone signal associated with said received call, and said computer server automatically determines whether said received call is a voice call made to said associated telephone number or a facsimile call made to said associated telephone number on the basis of said obtained digital data, and automatically forwards said voice call, but not said facsimile call, to said forwarding telephone number.