Call Management Via Television

Abstract

A telephone call management system and method are disclosed, allowing for call review where a voice mail message being recorded for a specific telephone may be played on a television associated therewith during the time it is being recorded. Optionally, the call may further be retrieved and rerouted to the user telephone responsive to a command entered via the television distribution gateway, and any call may be recorded responsive to commands entered via the gateway.

1 - 27 . (canceled)  
   
   
       28 . A method for call management using a television, comprising the steps of: 
 directing an incoming telephone call to a telephone associated with a user;    displaying on said television associated with said user, information related to said incoming call;    routing said incoming call to a messaging server if said users declines to pick up said incoming call;    having said user select an outgoing message from a plurality of pre-recorded messages, said outgoing message to be played by the messaging server, for an originating caller of said incoming telephone call.    
   
   
       29 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , further comprising the step of disconnecting said caller without recording an incoming message.  
   
   
       30 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , further comprising the steps of, after said outgoing message is played to said caller: 
 Recording an incoming message to at least one of a plurality of voice mailboxes, said mailbox being selected by said user.    
   
   
       31 . A method as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein said selection of mailbox is selected by the selection of said outgoing message.  
   
   
       32 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein said step of having the user select, is performed by instructing said messaging server via a Television-Telephony Gateway.  
   
   
       33 . A method for call management using a television, comprising the steps of: 
 directing an incoming telephone call to a telephone associated with a user, while said user is engaged in an already-established telephone conversation;    displaying on said television associated with said user, information related to said incoming call;    having the user decline to receive said incoming call;    responsive to said decline, routing said incoming call to a messaging server;    Playing a pre-recorded message to the originating caller of said incoming call by the messaging server, said message being selected by said user.    
   
   
       34 . A method as claimed in  claim 33 , further comprising the step of disconnecting said caller without recording a message.  
   
   
       35 . A method for call management using a television, comprising the steps of: 
 directing an incoming telephone call to a telephone associated with a user;    displaying on said television associated with said user, information related to said incoming call;    receiving a command from said user;    responsive to said command, having a Television-Telephony Gateway cause the incoming telephone call to be recorded to an audio capable device.    
   
   
       36 . A method as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein said step of receiving occurs after said incoming telephone call have been answered.