Method and system for providing real-time announcements

1. A method for generating real-time announcements in a digital packet-based telecommunications network wherein data is transferred from a source to a destination in packets for receipt by the destination, and wherein the packets include a header containing address and sequencing information, the method comprising:

sensing a predetermined trigger event;

inserting a priority indicator into the header of a packetized announcement indicating high priority for the packetized announcement;

transmitting the packetized announcement with the data for receipt by the destination upon sensing the predetermined trigger event; and

processing the packetized announcement immediately for receipt by the destination in real-time;

wherein processing includes suspending processing of the data until the packetized announcement has been processed.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein transmitting the packetized announcement comprises merging the packetized announcement with the data.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the announcement is an audible announcement.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the announcement is a pre-recorded voice announcement.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the announcement is a synthesized announcement.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the announcement is a visual announcement.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the visual announcement is a graphical announcement.

8. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the visual announcement is a textual announcement.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the announcement is a vibratory signal.

10. A method for generating real-time announcements in a digital packet-based telecommunications network wherein data is transferred from a source to a destination in packets for receipt by the destination, and wherein the packets include a header containing address and sequencing information, the method comprising:

sensing a predetermined trigger event;

inserting a priority indicator into the header of a packetized announcement indicating high priority for the packetized announcement;

transmitting the packetized announcement with the data for receipt by the destination upon sensing the predetermined trigger event; and

processing the packetized announcement immediately for receipt by the destination in real-time;

wherein transmitting the packetized announcement comprises dropping the data and transmitting only the packetized announcement.

11. A method for generating real-time announcements in a digital packet-based telecommunications network wherein data is transferred from a source to a destination in packets for receipt by the destination, and wherein the packets include a header containing address and sequencing information, the method comprising:

sensing a predetermined trigger event;

inserting a priority indicator into the header of a packetized announcement indicating high priority for the packetized announcement;

transmitting the packetized announcement with the data for receipt by the destination upon sensing the predetermined trigger event; and

processing the packetized announcement immediately for receipt by the destination in real-time;

wherein sensing the predetermined trigger event includes sensing a predetermined amount of time.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein processing the announcement includes generating an announcement identifying an amount of time elapsed.

13. A system for generating real-time announcements in a digital packet-based telecommunications network wherein data is transferred from a source to a destination in packets for receipt by the destination, and wherein the packets include a header containing address and sequencing information, the system comprising:

an announcement server for sensing a predetermined trigger event and for inserting a priority indicator into the header of a packetized announcement indicating high priority for the packetized announcement;

a packet-based network in communication with the announcement server for transmitting the packetized announcement with the data for receipt by the destination upon the predetermined trigger event being sensed; and

a processing device in communication with the packet-based network for receiving and processing the packetized announcement immediately for receipt by the destination in real-time;

wherein the processing device, in processing the packetized announcement, is further operative to suspend processing of the data until the packetized announcement has been processed.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the packet-based network, in transmitting the packetized announcement, is further operative to merge the packetized announcement with the data.

15. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the announcement is an audible announcement.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the announcement is a pre-recorded voice announcement.

17. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the announcement is a synthesized announcement.

18. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the announcement is a visual announcement.

19. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the visual announcement is a graphical announcement.

20. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the visual announcement is a textual announcement.

21. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the announcement is a vibratory signal.

22. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the processing device is a wireless handset.

23. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the processing device is a component of a wireless network.

24. A system for generating real-time announcements in a digital packet-based telecommunications network wherein data is transferred from a source to a destination in packets for receipt by the destination, and wherein the packets include a header containing address and sequencing information, the system comprising:

an announcement server for sensing a predetermined trigger event and for inserting a priority indicator into the header of a packetized announcement indicating high priority for the packetized announcement;

a packet-based network in communication with the announcement server for transmitting the packetized announcement with the data for receipt by the destination upon the predetermined trigger event being sensed; and

a processing device in communication with the packet-based network for receiving and processing the packetized announcement immediately for receipt by the destination in real-time;

wherein the packet-based network, in transmitting the packetized announcement, is further operative to drop the data and transmit only the packetized announcement.

25. A system for generating real-time announcements in a digital packet-based telecommunications network wherein data is transferred from a source to a destination in packets for receipt by the destination, and wherein the packets include a header containing address and sequencing information, the system comprising:

an announcement server for sensing a predetermined trigger event and for inserting a priority indicator into the header of a packetized announcement indicating high priority for the packetized announcement;

a packet-based network in communication with the announcement server for transmitting the packetized announcement with the data for receipt by the destination upon the predetermined trigger event being sensed; and

a processing device in communication with the packet-based network for receiving and processing the packetized announcement immediately for receipt by the destination in real-time;

wherein the announcement server, in sensing the predetermined trigger event, is further operative to sense a predetermined amount of time.

26. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the processing device, in processing the announcement, is further operative to generate an announcement identifying an amount of time elapsed.