Device and method that enables voice mailbox in internet communication products

• US 20030131074A1
• Filed: 01/07/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Tu, Xu-Wei, Song, Qiang-Hua, Lai, Cheng-Shing
• Application Number:
  US10/036,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20030131074A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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 51/10 Multimedia information

Abstract

A device and method that enables Internet communication products equipped with Web linkage functions to have the functions of a voice mailbox available only in general telecommunication systems or voice telephones through the multimedia service of the Internet. The invention uses the sound recording, playing functions and Internet communication of Internet communication products to turn voice data recorded and receiver'"'"'s data into a voice message packet which is then sent to a Web server for storage, so that voice message can be retrieved from the voice mailbox when receiver'"'"'s Internet communication products are linked to the Web server by Internet, to receive and send voice mail as well as use the voice mailbox.

Claims

1. A device that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products, allowing Internet communication products that possess the function of Web linkage to enable the function of voice mailbox through the Web servers of Internet. It comprises:

An Internet connection port for connecting with Internet and thus creating Internet communication paths;

A microphone for picking up a user'"'"'s message and converting it into an electrical signal;

A speaker for playing a voice message downloaded from Internet;

A modem chip for linking to Internet so as to facilitate the transmission and receipt of data;

A register for storing the data of a voice message;

A microprocessor unit that comprises a built-in Internet communication program, a built-in sound recording program and a built-in sound playing program. The built-in Internet communication program, when executed, enables the modem chip to upload or download data via Internet. The built-in sound recording program enables the modem chip to start converting a voice message picked up by the microphone into a voice file, then turn the voice file and receiver'"'"'s information into a voice message packet, and finally store the voice message packet in the register. The built-in sound playing program enables the modem chip to start disassembling the voice message packets downloaded from the Web server, and then playing the voice message through the speaker; and

An input unit that allows users to control the microprocessor unit in sending or receiving voice messages.

2. A device that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products of claim 1, wherein the Internet connection port is selected from the group consisting of a RJ11 connector and a RJ45 connector.

3. A device that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products of claim 1, wherein the input unit is selected from the group consisting of a touch screen and a keyboard.

4. A device that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products of claim 1, wherein it also comprises a display unit controlled by the microprocessor unit, for displaying a prompt message.

5. A device that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products of claim 4, wherein the display unit is selected from the group consisting of a touch screen, a liquid crystal display and a pilot lamp.

6. A method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products, allowing Internet communication products that possess the function of Web linkage to enable the function of voice mailbox through the Web servers of Internet in accordance with the steps mentioned below. It comprises:

A. The step of creation of a voice message packet. It turns sender'"'"'s voice message and recipient'"'"'s information into a voice message packet by means of the sound recording function of an Internet communication product;

B. The step of sending a voice message packet. It sends a voice message packet to a Web server by means of the Internet communication function of an Internet communication product;

C. The step of downloading a voice message packet. Recipient uses the Internet communication function of an Internet communication product to link up itself with a Web server through Internet, and from the Web server it downloads a corresponding voice message packet to recipient'"'"'s Internet communication product; and

D. The step of playing a voice message packet. It uses the sound playing function of recipient'"'"'s Internet communication product to disassemble and play the voice message packet downloaded.

7. The method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products as claimed in claim 6, wherein the recipient'"'"'s information is selected from the group consisting of the recipient'"'"'s identification data and the recipient'"'"'s email address.

8. The method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of creation of a voice message packet also comprises the step of using an built-in modem chip of an Internet communication product to convert a voice message picked up by a microphone into a voice file and then turn the voice file and recipient'"'"'s information into a voice message packet.

9. The method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of creation of a voice message packet also comprises:

I. Start and initialize the modem chip in order to keep the modem chip in a preparation status;

II. Set the modem chip to the voice mode;

III. Start the connection mode of the microphone and the modem chip;

IV. Display a prompt message about starting sound recording;

V. Start a sound recording program, and cause the modem chip to convert the voice message picked up by the microphone into a voice file; and

VI. Turn the recipient'"'"'s information and the voice file into a voice message packet, and store the voice message packet in the register.

10. The method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products as claimed in claim 9, wherein the prompt message is selected from the group consisting of a text message and a glittering light.

11. The method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of sending a voice message packet also comprises uploading a voice message packet to a Web server by means of an built-in model chip of an Internet communication product.

12. The method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of downloading a voice message packet comprises:

I. Start connecting a modem chip to Internet;

II. Connect to a Web server;

III. Look for a voice message packet stored in the Web server;

go to next step whenever a corresponding voice message packet is found, otherwise end Internet connection;

IV. Download the voice message packet stored in the Web server;

V. Delete the voice message packet stored in the Web server; and

VI. End Internet connection.

13. The method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products as claimed in claim 12, wherein a corresponding voice message packet is looked for according to default recipient'"'"'s information.

14. The method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of playing a voice message packet also comprises using an built-in modem chip of an Internet communication product to disassemble a downloaded voice message packet and then playing the voice message through a speaker.

15. The method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of playing a voice message packet comprises:

I. Start and initialize the modem chip in order to keep the modem chip in a preparation status;

II. Set the modem chip to the voice mode;

III. Start the connection mode of the speaker and the modem chip;

IV. Display a prompt message about starting to play a voice message; and

V. Start a sound playing program, and cause the modem chip to disassemble a voice message packet, and then play the voice message through speaker.

16. The method that enables voice mailbox in Internet communication products as claimed in claim 15, wherein the prompt message is selected from the group consisting of a text message and a glittering light.