Patent ID: 6891931

Claim:
A system for enabling a subscriber, having established communication with a voice mail system (VMS), to interrupt a review of recorded messages in the VMS to make a new call, and then return to a position occupied by the subscriber at the interruption of the review of recorded messages in the VMS, comprising: the VMS being operative to transmit a release message indicating at least a telephone number to which the new call is to be directed, the release message further including a copy of an identifier marking the position occupied by the subscriber at the interruption of the review of recorded messages in the VMS; a service control point (SCP) operative to receive the release message, and to cause said established communication to be terminated to an intelligent network element (INE) with the INE being provided with the telephone number for the new call; the INE being operative, in response to termination of said established communication to the INE, to initiate an INE call to the telephone number, to bridge said established communication and the INE call to form the new call from the subscriber, to monitor the new call for a disconnect signal, and in response to the disconnect signal, to dismantle the bridge so as to disconnect the INE call and to release said established communication; the SCP being further operative, in response to a notice of release of said established communication by the INE, to cause said established communication to be routed to the VMS and to include the copy of the identifier; and the VMS being further operative, in response to receipt of said established communication and the copy of the identifier, to use the copy of the identifier to return the subscriber to the position occupied by the subscriber at the interruption of the review of recorded messages in the VMS.