Patent ID: 6529737
Filing Date: 2003-03-04
Classification: H04M,H04W

Abstract:
A telephony system for enabling an originator of a telephone call on an originating telephone to send a customized message to a telephony subscriber on a terminating telephone and selectively establish a direct operative connection therewith within the same telephone call, said system comprising:a telecommunications switch for receiving a telephone call from an originating telephone intended for a telephony subscriber on a terminating telephone, said telecommunications switch capable of being communicably connected with said terminating telephone; a Short Message Service (SMS) device, operably connected with said telecommunications switch, for sending an SMS message to said terminating telephone if said telephony subscriber chooses not to receive said telephone call, said SMS device capable of receiving a customized SMS message from said originating telephone, sending said SMS message to said terminating telephone, said SMS device also capable of routing said response to said originating telephone; a connection implementing module operably connected with said telecommunications switch, said connection implementing module capable of selectively establishing a direct operative connection between said originating telephone and said terminating telephone once said telephony subscriber chooses to receive said call such that said direct operative connection between said originating telephone and said terminating telephone is established within the same telephone call that was initially placed by said originating telephone; a voice mail device operably connected with said SMS device and said telecommunications switch, said voice mail device capable of operating a voice mail service and interacting with said originating telephone, said voice mail device allowing said originator to use said originating telephone to select an option within said voice mail system; and a call forwarding device operably connected with said telecommunications switch, said voice mail device, and said SMS device and capable of routing said telephone call therebetween; wherein said call forwarding device routes said telephone call from said telecommunications switch to said voice mail device after said telephony subscriber has chosen not to receive said telephone call; wherein the option which said voice mail device allows said originator to choose is selected from the group consisting of leaving a voice message for said subscriber, sending an SMS message to said terminating telephone, terminating said telephone call, and reviewing said group of options; and wherein said call forwarding device routes said telephone call from said voice mail device to said SMS device upon selection of the option to send an SMS message to said terminating telephone.