Patent ID: 6940955

Claim:
A method for implementing programmable control based upon message importance in a telephone answering machine including an answering machine controller, said method performed by said answering machine controller comprising the steps of: receiving an incoming call; checking a current message priority; responsive to said identified current message priority, answering said incoming call after a dynamically programmable number of incoming rings determined by said identified current message priority; delivering a recorded message; prompting for a caller selected priority; identifying said caller selected priority; and storing said identified caller selected priority with an incoming message for said incoming call; responsive to delivering said recorded message, identifying an owner interrupt; announcing a current highest priority level; and playing back a highest priority message; checking for another message having a priority level of said current highest priority message played back; and responsive to identifying another message having a priority level of said current highest priority message played back, announcing a current highest priority level; and prompting for a selection to continue.