Methods and apparatus for automatically summarizing messages stored in a unified multimedia mailboxes

• US 20030028603A1
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Aktas, Christoph A., Yates, John W., Meredith, Phillip C.
• Application Number:
  US09/922,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028603A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• 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 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components

Abstract

The invention provides the user of a unified messaging mailbox with efficient, intelligent, media and device sensitive methods and apparatus for automatically summarizing messages stored in a unified multimedia mailbox. Additionally, the invention provides methods and apparatus that convert non-text messages to text to facilitate summarization utilizing predefined keywords and/or lists of keywords, where each list of keywords is linked to one of a message subject and a message sender. Further, the invention provides for the prioritization of messages via the application of filtering techniques.

Claims

1. A multimedia mailbox system, comprising:

a) a message store for storing multimedia messages;

b) conversion means for converting non-text messages to text; and

c) summarization means for automatically summarizing text.

2. A multimedia mailbox system according to claim 1 wherein said summarization means is driven by a list of keywords.

3. A multimedia mailbox system according to claim 1 wherein said summarization means is driven by a plurality of lists of keywords, each list of keywords being linked to one of a message subject and a message sender.

4. A multimedia mailbox system according to claim 1, further comprising:

d) filter means for determining high priority messages; and

e) automatic means for automatically sending a summary of high priority messages to a designated user.

5. A multimedia mailbox system, comprising:

a) a message store for storing multimedia messages;

b) conversion means for converting non-text messages to text; and

c) filter means for determining high priority messages.

6. A multimedia mailbox system according to claim 5 further comprising summarization means for automatically summarizing text.

7. A multimedia mailbox system according to claim 6 wherein said summarization means is driven by a list of keywords.

8. A multimedia mailbox system according to claim 7 wherein said summarization means is driven by a plurality of lists of keywords, each list of keywords being linked to one of a message subject and a message sender.

9. A multimedia mailbox system according to claim 8 further comprising automatic means for automatically sending a summary of high priority messages to a designated user.

10. A method for managing a multimedia mailbox system, comprising the steps of:

a) storing a plurality of multimedia messages in a mailbox;

b) converting non-text messages to text; and

c) automatically summarizing text.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said step of automatically summarizing text is keyword driven.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein said step of automatically summarizing text is keyword driven utilizing a plurality of lists of keywords, each list of keywords being linked to one of a message subject and a message sender.

13. A method according to claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

d) determining which messages have high priority; and

e) automatically sending a summary of high priority messages to a designated user.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said step of determining further comprises the step of filtering to determine message priority.

15. A method for managing a multimedia mailbox system, comprising the steps of:

a) storing a plurality of multimedia messages in a mailbox;

b) converting non-text messages to text; and

c) determining which messages have high priority.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said step of determining further comprises the step of filtering to determine message priority.

17. A method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of automatically summarizing text.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said step of automatically summarizing text is keyword driven.

19. A method according to claim 17 wherein said step of automatically summarizing text is keyword driven utilizing a plurality of lists of keywords, each list of keywords being linked to one of a message subject and a message sender.