Patent ID: 6757363
Filing Date: 2004-06-29
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
An apparatus comprising a telephone unit which includes:a network interface adapted to couple said telephone unit to a network, said network interface being operable to transmit and receive information through said network; a user interface; a control portion coupled to said network interface and to said user interface, said control portion being selectively operable to cause said telephone unit to facilitate a telephony function by transmitting and receiving through said network interface message units of a first digital format, being selectively operable to cause said telephone unit to function as an independent network client capable of communicating directly with a server by transmitting and receiving through said network interface message units of a second digital format and which conform to a public network communication protocol; wherein said telephone unit includes a display which is coupled to said control portion; wherein said control portion is operable to present on said display information received by said telephone unit in message units of said second digital format; and wherein said information received in said message units of said second digital format includes information which identifies whether there are pending voice-mail messages, and which is presented on said display by said control portion.