초록 ▼

A voice messaging system. The voice messaging system includes a set of geographically distributed devices in which voice messages are stored and logic that causes voice messages to be stored in respective devices in the set of devices from which messages can be efficiently retrieved. The logic may c

A voice messaging system. The voice messaging system includes a set of geographically distributed devices in which voice messages are stored and logic that causes voice messages to be stored in respective devices in the set of devices from which messages can be efficiently retrieved. The logic may cause voice messages to be stored in a device from the set of devices closest to a location from which the user has retrieved messages. A voice message system comprising logic that receives and stores messages from callers for respective users and logic that selects and plays a message not left by a caller to a user. The message is selected based on information about the user, and the message not left by a caller may comprise an advertisement. A method of storing messages in a voice messaging system that has a plurality of voice mail boxes associated with a plurality of subscribers. An incoming call is received and responded to based on a data field in an incoming call that identifies the subscriber's telephone number.

대표청구항 ▼

A voice messaging system. The voice messaging system includes a set of geographically distributed devices in which voice messages are stored and logic that causes voice messages to be stored in respective devices in the set of devices from which messages can be efficiently retrieved. The logic may c

A voice messaging system. The voice messaging system includes a set of geographically distributed devices in which voice messages are stored and logic that causes voice messages to be stored in respective devices in the set of devices from which messages can be efficiently retrieved. The logic may cause voice messages to be stored in a device from the set of devices closest to a location from which the user has retrieved messages. A voice message system comprising logic that receives and stores messages from callers for respective users and logic that selects and plays a message not left by a caller to a user. The message is selected based on information about the user, and the message not left by a caller may comprise an advertisement. A method of storing messages in a voice messaging system that has a plurality of voice mail boxes associated with a plurality of subscribers. An incoming call is received and responded to based on a data field in an incoming call that identifies the subscriber's telephone number. preassigned identifier; determining whether said preassigned identifier corresponds to one of said email addresses; controlling a state of said hardware switch in order to direct said signal through said single modem to either said first or said second communications networks; converting said fax signal to an email signal, if said one email address corresponds to said preassigned identifier; sending said email signal to said corresponding one of said email addresses through said first connection and across said first communications network; and routing said fax signal through said second connection and across said second communications network, if said one email address does not correspond to said preassigned identifier. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said preassigned identifier is a telephone number. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of converting said fax signal to an email signal comprises the steps of: demodulating said fax signal; converting said demodulated fax signal to a TIFF-image; and mail encoding said TIFF-image, thereby generating said email signal. 4. A fax interface apparatus for communicating information from a local fax machine, comprising: a single modem; a hardware switch adapted to selectively route a signal from said local fax machine to either a first communications network or a second communications network; memory for storing a plurality of email addresses; and logic configured to receive, from said local fax machine, a preassigned identifier associated with said signal, said logic configured to determine whether said preassigned identifier corresponds to at least one of said email addresses, said logic further configured to control said hardware switch such that said signal is routed through said single modem and across said first communications network if said logic identifies a corresponding email address; wherein said single modem is configured to demodulate said signal into a demodulated signal, and wherein said logic is configured to convert said demodulated signal into an email signal and to send said email signal to said corresponding email address. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said preassigned identifier is a telephone number. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said logic controls said hardware switch such that said signal is routed through said single modem and across said second communications network if said logic fails to identify a corresponding email address. 7. A fax interface apparatus, comprising: a hardware switch; a first connection coupled to a local fax machine; a second connection coupled to a first communications network and to said hardware switch; a third connection coupled to a second communications network and to said hardware switch; memory for storing a plurality of email addresses; and logic configured to receive a preassigned identifier transmitted across said first connection from said local fax machine, said logic further configured to determine whether said received preassigned identifier corresponds to one of said plurality of email addresses, said logic further configured to convert a signal from said local fax machine into an email signal if said logic identifies a corresponding email address and to route said email signal through said hardware switch and across said second connection to said first communications network, said logic still further configured to control said hardware switch such that said signal is routed through said hardware switch and across said third connection to said second communications network if said logic fails to identify a corresponding email address. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said logic is further configured to send said email signal over said first communications network to said corresponding email address. 9. A fax interface apparatus, comprising: a hardware switch; a first connection coupled to a local fax machine; a second connection coupled to a first communicat