MESSAGE TRANSFER SYSTEM

• US 20020039407A1
• Filed: 11/02/1998
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: FLORENCE, LLOYD, OʼDONOVAN, JOHN JOSEPH, WILLLIAMS, JEFF, CRUICKSHANK, BRIAN
• Granted Patent: US 6,396,908 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/908 Multimedia

Abstract

An apparatus and method for transferring a message from a calling party to an unavailable telephonically called party. The method comprises the steps of inititating a call to the called party over a communications channel, identifying that the called party is not available and instructing the calling entity to record the message at the calling entity and after recording to transmit the message to the called entity as a data message via a data channel for reception by the called entity. The system reduces the use of the voice/telephone communications networks by allowing a voice message to be transmitted through data channels, reducing the amount of voice traffic on the voice communication lines. The fact that the original voice message was actually stored with the calling entity after the telephone voice communication had been discontinued is transparent to both the calling party and the called party. Greetings for the called party can be stored at a messaging system of the calling entity.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a message from a calling party at a calling entity to a called entity comprising the steps of:

initiating a call to a called party at the called entity over a communications channel;

identifying that the called party is not available; and

recording the message at the calling entity and after recording transmitting the message as a data message via a data channel for reception by the called entity.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the calling entity is capable of local recording and transmission of messages to the called entity; and

where the called party is not available and where the calling entity is capable of local recording and transmission to the called entity, instructing the calling entity to perform the steps of recording and transmitting.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining whether the local messaging system is capable of local recording and transmission of messages comprises determining whether the local messaging system is connected over a data network with the remote messaging system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

monitoring the call at the calling entity; and

where the called party is not available and where the calling entity is capable of local recording and transmission to the called entity, performing the steps of recording and transmitting at the calling entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein greetings associated with the called parties are stored by the calling entity, and the method includes the step of playing a greeting at the calling entity.

6. The method of claim 5, where the greeting which is played is associated with the called party.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the sending step comprises sending a signal indicating one of a busy and a no answer condition and wherein the greeting which is played is appropriate to the condition of the call.

8. The method of claim 1 including the step of, responsive to identifying that the called party is not available, dropping the call over the communications channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein greetings associated with the called parties are stored by the called entity, and the method includes the step of playing a greeting at the called entity.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the greeting which is played is associated with the called party.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the greeting which is played is appropriate to the condition of the call.

12. The method of claim 9 including the step of, at the called entity, responsive to the step of playing a greeting, prompting the called entity to drop a connection with the calling entity in respect of the call.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a signal to the calling entity which indicates an address of the called party to which the data message can be sent.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the data message received via the data channel is stored at the called entity at a location indicated by the address of the called party.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is initiated through a public switched telephone network.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is initiated through a data network.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the data network is the internet and the communications channel is a voice over internet channel.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the calling entity comprises a messaging system and a communications switch.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is a voice message.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is a video message.

21. A messaging system for transferring a message from a calling party at a calling entity to a called party at a called entity comprising

means for initiating a call to the called party at the called entity over a communications channel;

means for identifying that the called party is not available; and

means for recording the message at the calling entity and after recording for transmitting the recorded message as a data message via a data channel for reception by the called entity.

22. A method for handling an incoming call at a called entity, the call being from a calling party at a calling entity, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the incoming call at the called entity;

identifying that the called party is not available;

determining whether a local messaging system associated with the calling entity is capable of local recording and transmission of messages to a remote messaging system at the called entity;

if the determining step determines that the local messaging system is capable of local recording and transmission, instructing the local messaging system to record a message and after recording to transmit the message as a data message via a data channel for reception by the called entity.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of playing a greeting, at the calling entity, of the called party.

23. Apparatus for handling an incoming call at a called entity, the call being from a calling party at a calling entity, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving the incoming call at the called entity;

means for identifying that the called party is not available;

means for determining whether a local messaging system associated with the calling entity is capable of local recording and transmission of messages to a remote messaging system at the called entity;

means instructing, if the determining step determines that the local messaging system is capable of local recording and transmission, the local messaging system to record a message and after recording to transmit the message as a data message via a data channel for reception by the called entity.

24. A method for handling an outgoing call from a calling party at a calling entity, the call being intended for a called party at a called entity, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction from the called entity for a local messaging system associated with the calling entity to record a message;

dropping the call with the called entity; and

recording the message at the calling entity and after recording transmitting the message as a data message via a data channel for reception by the called entity.

26. Apparatus for handling an outgoing call from a calling party at a calling entity, the call being intended for a called party at a called entity, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving an instruction from the called entity for a local messaging system associated with the calling entity to record a message;

means for dropping the call with the called entity; and

means for recording the message at the calling entity and after recording transmitting the message as a data message via a data channel for reception by the called entity.

27. A method for handling an outgoing call from a calling party at a calling entity, the call being intended for a called party at a called entity, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring the call to the called entity;

if the monitoring indicates that the called party is not available, performing the steps of;

dropping the call with the called entity; and

recording the message at the calling entity and after recording transmitting the message as a data message via a data channel for reception by the called entity.

28. Apparatus for handling an outgoing call from a calling party at a calling entity, the call being intended for a called party at a called entity, the apparatus comprising:

means for monitoring the call to the called entity;

if the monitoring indicates that the called party is not available, performing the steps of;

means for dropping the call with the called entity; and

means for recording the message at the calling entity and after recording transmitting the message as a data message via a data channel for reception by the called entity, wherein the dropping and recording means are responsive to an indication by the monitoring means that the called party is unavailable.