Communications network and method with appointment information communication capabilities

Patent 4969136 Issued on November 6, 1990. Estimated Expiration Date:

November 6, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

3903369

3914551

3916121

3920926

Electronic diary
Patent #: 3999050
Issued on: 12/21/1976
Inventor: Pitroda

Dictation-transcription method and system
Patent #: 4007491
Issued on: 02/08/1977
Inventor: Bolick, Jr. , et al.

Tape cassette drive
Patent #: 4057839
Issued on: 11/08/1977
Inventor: Banks

Reminder system
Patent #: 4115846
Issued on: 09/19/1978
Inventor: Laine

Fast rewind mechanism for bidirectional tape transports for cassettes
Patent #: 4212438
Issued on: 07/15/1980
Inventor: Schatteman

Automatic telephone answering and recording apparatus
Patent #: 4263481
Issued on: 04/21/1981
Inventor: Ho , et al.

More ...

Inventors

Application

No. 895002 filed on 08/08/1986

US Classes:

369/29.01, Remote station369/25.01, Dictation or transcribing379/75, Remote dictation379/84, At switching facility (e.g., central office, switchboard)379/93.14, Having switching station379/93.17, Having station display379/914, PROGRAMMABLE TELEPHONE COMPONENT379/915"Soft" key

Examiners

Primary: Levy, Stuart S.
Assistant: Tomassini, James E.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Whisker; Robert H., Scolnick; Melvin J., Pitchenik; David E.

Foreign Patent References

2155278 GB. 01/20/1984
2156186 GB. 03/20/1984

International Classes

H04M 011/10
H04M 001/65

Abstract

The network is particularly useful in office communications. The network includes a plurality of transceiver units, each of which can be used as a telephone, or as a dictation terminal, or optionally as an automatic telephone answering machine. The network includes a personal computer for performing various communications and communication control functions. Preferably, each transceiver unit includes a visual display for displaying messages. The computer stores and retrieves information regarding appointments that the users of the network may have. Daily, weekly and monthly appointment calendars are provided for every user of the network. The user is given a reminder message through the network at a predetermined time prior to the appointment. Appointment schedules for current, prior and future time periods can be viewed.