Patent ID: 6853710

Claim:
A messaging device comprising: processor means including RAM, input control lines, output control lines, a real time clock for generating date/time data consisting of current date and time data and ROM for storing and executing a computer program; electronic display means connected to said output control lines of said processor means for displaying visual information to a user, said display means receiving display data signals from said processor means and producing a display in accordance therewith; input means connected to said processor for receiving input commands from the user and supplying said input commands to said processor means; communications means for establishing a data communications link with other messaging devices; caller ID detection means connected to a telephone line for detecting caller ID data when a telephone call occurs and supplying said caller ID data to said input control lines of said processor means; and wherein said processor means performs the following steps: a) receiving said caller ID data when a telephone call occurs; b) displaying a formatted screen on said electronic display means including said caller ID data, said call date/time data including date/time data obtained from said real time clock and corresponding to the date and time the call was received, and form blanks for the user to enter additional data regarding the telephone call subject matter, said formatted screen also including a check list of predefined messages having blank checkboxes adjacent to each predefined message; c) receiving message data from the user via said input means and displaying same said message data on said formatted screen, said message data including additional information regarding the caller and the users selections of one or more of said checkboxes corresponding to predefined messages and a destination address of a messaging device corresponding to a messaging device used by an intended recipient of the message data; d) receiving a send input from the user via said input means; e) transmitting a message data packet comprised of said caller ID data, the said call date/time data for the call and said message data via said communications means to a recipients messaging device for display thereon; f) receiving and storing message data packets received from other messaging devices via said communications means; g) displaying one of said message data packets received from other messaging devices on said electronic display means; and h) receiving message navigation commands from the user via said input means and displaying one of a plurality of stored message packets on said electronic display means in accordance with said message navigation commands.