Interactive voice and text message system
First Claim
1. A method for enabling a user of a portable electronic device to communicate with a user of an office-based terminal by voice, comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a text email message;
(b) parsing the name of an intended recipient;
(c) determining if the intended recipient is an authorized user;
(d) if the intended recipient is authorized, assigning a message-specific indicia to the message;
(e) if the intended recipient is authorized, appending a reply notice with the message-specific indicia to the message;
(f) if a reply notice is appended, saving the email message with the reply notice appended thereto; and
(g) if the intended recipient is authorized, transmitting the email message with the reply notice to the intended recipient.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for a user of a portable electronic device to respond to a received electronic message. Instructions for reply and message identification are appended to the electronic message to enable a response. The recipient replies by placing a telephone call to a server phone number. After authentication, a voice message is recorded, and, once approved by the sender, the message is converted to an archivable form. The recorded message is sent as an attachment to a text email message to the sender of the original electronic message.
-
Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A method for enabling a user of a portable electronic device to communicate with a user of an office-based terminal by voice, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) receiving a text email message;
(b) parsing the name of an intended recipient;
(c) determining if the intended recipient is an authorized user;
(d) if the intended recipient is authorized, assigning a message-specific indicia to the message;
(e) if the intended recipient is authorized, appending a reply notice with the message-specific indicia to the message;
(f) if a reply notice is appended, saving the email message with the reply notice appended thereto; and
(g) if the intended recipient is authorized, transmitting the email message with the reply notice to the intended recipient. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A method for enabling a user of a portable electronic device to communicate with a user of an office-based terminal by voice, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) extracting message header information from a received text email message;
(b) dividing the message header information into components thereof;
(c) analyzing the components of the message header;
(d) assigning a message-specific indicia to the message;
(e) appending a reply notice comprising an instruction to the recipient that in order to reply to the text email by phone the recipient must initiate a telephone call to a selected phone number and enter the assigned message-specific indicia;
(f) saving the email message with the reply notice appended thereto; and
(g) transmitting the email message with the reply notice to the intended recipient. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
-
-
6. A method for enabling a user of a portable electronic device to communicate with a user of an office-based terminal by voice, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) receiving a call in an email server from the user of the portable electronic device;
(b) determining if the caller is registered as a user of the email server;
(c) obtaining a pre-assigned message-identifying code from the caller;
(d) authenticating the message-identifying code;
(e) requesting the caller to record a voice message;
(f) recording the voice message; and
(g) transmitting the voice message to the user of the office-based terminal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for enabling a user of a portable electronic device to communicate with a user of an office-based terminal by voice, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) receiving a call in an email server from the user of the portable electronic device;
(b) determining if the caller is registered as a user of the email server;
(c) obtaining a pre-assigned message-identifying code from the caller;
(d) authenticating the message-identifying code;
(e) requesting the caller to record a voice message;
(f) recording the voice message;
(g) converting the recorded voice message into MP-3 format; and
(h) transmitting the voice message to the user of the office-based terminal.
-
Specification