Audio file transmission method

• US 20010055371A1
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kelly D Stephens Law Office, Weerawan Wongmanee
• Original Assignee: Jr., John Francis Baxter
• Inventors: Baxter, John Francis Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,765,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/65 Recording arrangements for recording a message from the calling party in the exchange H04M3/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/45 using multi-frequency signalling H04Q1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

A computer implemented method of transmitting electronic voice messages including the steps of establishing a caller identity associated with a first telephone connection, recording a first audio clip from the first telephone connection, establishing an email target string, encapsulating the first audio clip, the caller identity and the email target string into a first email attachment, transmitting the first email attachment to a first email account associated with the email target string, broadcasting the first audio clip to a second telephone connection, prompting the second telephone connection for a reply recording, responsive to a record signal, recording a second audio clip from the second telephone connection, encapsulating the second audio clip and the caller identity into a second email attachment, and transmitting the second email attachment to a second email account associated with the caller identity.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of transmitting electronic voice messages comprising the steps of:

establishing a caller identity associated with a first telephone connection;

recording a first audio clip from the first telephone connection;

establishing an email target string;

encapsulating the first audio clip, the caller identity and the email target string into a first email attachment;

transmitting the first email attachment to a first email account associated with the email target string;

broadcasting the first audio clip to a second telephone connection;

prompting the second telephone connection for a reply recording;

responsive to a record signal, recording a second audio clip from the second telephone connection;

encapsulating the second audio clip and the caller identity into a second email attachment;

transmitting the second email attachment to a second email account associated with the caller identity.

2. The method of

claim 1

further comprising the step of encapsulating the email target string into the second email attachment.

3. The method of

claim 1

wherein the first audio clip is appended to the second audio clip to form a message thread.

4. The method of

claim 1

wherein a date/time stamp representing the recording time of the first audio clip is encapsulated into the first email attachment.

5. The method of

claim 4

wherein the date/time stamp is encoded in alphanumeric characters appended to the text of the first email message.

6. The method of

claim 4

wherein the date/time stamp is encoded as a synthesized speech audio file appended to the first audio clip of the first email attachment.

7. The method of

claim 1

wherein the step of establishing the caller identity associated with the first telephone connection further comprises receiving a PASSWORD entry from the first telephone connection and associating the PASSWORD entry against a preexisting caller account.

8. The method of

claim 7

wherein the step of receiving the PASSWORD entry comprises interpreting at least one DTMF signal responsive to the keying of buttons on a touch-tone telephone.

9. The method of

claim 7

wherein the step of receiving the PASSWORD entry comprises interpreting at least one alphanumeric character as spoken into the telephone.

10. The method of

claim 1

wherein the step of establishing the caller identity associated with the first telephone connection further comprises the steps of receiving a call phrase, reducing the call phrase to a voice pattern, and associated the voice pattern against a preexisting caller account by a speech identification means.

11. The method of

claim 1

wherein the step of establishing the email target string further comprises the steps of interpreting a plurality of DTMF signals responsive to the keying of buttons on a touch-tone telephone.

12. The method of

claim 1

wherein the step of establishing the email target string further comprises the steps of receiving a plurality of individually spoken alphanumeric characters representative of the email target string and translating the spoken characters to their binary equivalent by a speech identification means.

13. The method of

claim 1

further comprising the step of encrypting the first email attachment.

14. The method of

claim 13

wherein the step of encrypting the first email attachment further comprises the steps of establishing a hash of the first email attachment and storing the hash in a secure storage means.

15. A computer implemented method of transmitting electronic voice messages comprising the steps of:

establishing a first SMTP email address, the first SMTP email address having a distinct prefix address and a domain address;

establishing a primary telephone number;

establishing an extension to the primary telephone number, the extension containing alphanumeric characters identical to the distinct prefix address;

establishing a text-to-speech synthesizer responsive to a call to the primary telephone number and extension wherein email messages sent to the first SMTP address are synthesized into computer-generated speech;

establishing a voice digitizing means wherein reply messages spoken to the primary telephone number and extension are converted into an audio computer file and transmitted to a second SMTP address as an email attachment.

16. The method of

claim 15

further comprising the step of broadcasting a commercial to callers of the first SMTP email address.

17. The method of

claim 15

further comprising the step of surveying callers to the primary telephone number regarding caller demographics.

18. The method of

claim 17

further comprising the step of broadcasting demographically targeted commercials to callers according to survey results.

19. The method of

claim 17

further comprising the step of offering prize incentives for engaging in survey activities.

20. The method of

claim 19

further comprising the step of offering long distance telephone credits for engaging in survey activities.

21. The method of

claim 20

wherein the long distance telephone credits are assigned to a preexisting long distance calling card.

22. A computer implemented method of transmitting electronic voice messages comprising the steps of:

establishing a voice command zone;

establishing an array of voice command instructions relating to the operation of an electronic message system;

receiving the voice command instructions by a microphone input means; and

responsive to a record command encapsulating an audio message received by the microphone inputs means into an email attachment and transmitting the email attachment to a predetermined SMTP address;

The method of

claim 22

further comprising the step of establishing a play command that broadcasts audio files attached to email messages through a speaker means.

23. The method of

claim 22

further comprising the steps of establishing a text-to-voice synthesizer, synthesizing text messages into speech, and establishing a play command that broadcasts the synthesized speech through a speaker means.

24. The method of

claim 22

wherein the voice command zone is established in an automobile passenger compartment.

25. The method of

claim 22

wherein the voice command zone is established in a human-inhabitable dwelling.

26. The method of

claim 22

wherein the microphone input means is omni-directional.

27. The method of

claim 22

wherein the microphone input means further comprises:

a target location sensor means;

a target acquisition means communicatively coupled to the target location sensor means; and

a unidirectional microphone input means affixed to the target acquisition means.

28. A computer implemented method of transmitting electronic voice messages comprising the steps of:

establishing a caller identity associated with a telephone connection;

recording an audio clip from the first telephone connection;

establishing an email target string;

encapsulating the audio clip, the caller identity and the email target string into an email attachment;

transmitting the email attachment to an email account associated with the email target string; and

storing the email attachment in a sent items repository.

29. The method of

claim 29

further comprising the step of storing the email target string in association with the email attachment in the sent items repository.

30. The method of

claim 30

further comprising the step of storing a date-time stamp string in association with the email target string and email attachment in the sent items repository.

31. A computer implemented method of transmitting electronic voice messages comprising the steps of:

establishing a caller identity associated with a telephone connection;

recording an audio clip from the telephone connection;

establishing an email target string;

establishing a broadcast time;

encapsulating the audio clip, the caller identity and the email target string into an email attachment;

holding the email attachment in a queue until the broadcast time; and

transmitting the email attachment to an email account associated with the email target string.

32. The method of

claim 32

further comprising the steps of associating the email target string with a time zone associated with the physical location of the intended recipient and calculating the broadcast time relative to the time zone.