Patent ID: 6137864
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A method for manipulating voice messages from a caller to a callee, comprising the steps of:(a) transmitting to the caller an outgoing message, during a telephone call placed on behalf of the caller in an attempt to communicate with the callee, indicating that the callee is not available to answer the telephone call;(b) storing a voice message from the caller during the telephone call, in response to the outgoing message, in a memory location accessible by the callee;(c) assigning a user-specified retention time for retaining the stored voice message in the callee's memory location, wherein the callee can access the stored voice message in the callee's memory location at any time prior to expiration of the retention time; and(d) automatically deleting the stored voice message from the callee's memory location after expiration of the retention time.