Wireless messaging system

• US 20030194990A1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wireless Science LLC
• Original Assignee: Wireless Science LLC
• Inventors: Helferich, Richard J.
• Application Number:
  US10/445,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20030194990A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6421 Medium of transmission, e.g. fibre, cable, radio, satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6472 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6475 N-ISDN, Public Switched Telephone Network [PSTN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6483 Video, e.g. MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/06 Message adaptation to terminal or network requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• 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: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/022 Paging systems personal calling arrangements or devices G08B3/1008; selective calling networks H04W84/022
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/658 Combination of voice calls and paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 : Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 : Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 : for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 : Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 : Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/025 : with acknowledge back capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/022 : Selective call receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/023 : with message or information receiving capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 : Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A messaging system for selectively performing an action on information, for remote retrieval of messages, for performing action on information at different times, for selective paging, for providing a user interface for message access and having integrated audio visual messaging.

Claims

1. A method for providing direct message access to a user having a wireless messaging device configured to receive text messages, comprising the steps of:

receiving a message intended for the user;

storing the message;

assigning a unique message identifier to the message, said unique message identifier being a callback telephone number; and

transmitting to the wireless messaging device a message comprising the unique message identifier.

2. A method for notifying a user that the user has a voice message and for providing the user with direct access to the voice message, wherein the user has a mobile phone configured to receive text messages, comprising the steps of:

storing the voice message;

generating a text message;

associating a message code with the voice message;

including said message code in said text message;

transmitting said text message to the mobile phone;

receiving at a voice message processor a telephone call placed from the mobile phone;

receiving the message code from the mobile phone;

using the message code transmitted from the mobile phone to retrieve the stored voice message; and

streaming the voice message to the mobile phone for real time reproduction of the voice message.

3. A method for notifying a user that the user has a voice message and for providing the user with direct access to the voice message, wherein the user has a mobile phone configured to receive text messages, comprising the steps of:

storing the voice message;

generating a text message;

associating a message code with the voice message, said message code being a callback telephone number;

including said message code in said text message;

transmitting said text message to the mobile phone;

receiving at a voice message processor a telephone call placed from the mobile phone, wherein the telephone number associated with the telephone call is said callback telephone number;

using the callback telephone number to retrieve the stored voice message; and

streaming the voice message to the mobile phone for real time reproduction of the voice message.

4. A method for enabling a user having a wireless messaging device capable of receiving text messages and making telephone calls to create a voice message in reply to a message intended for the user and to have the voice message transmitted to the originator of the message intended for the user, comprising the steps of:

receiving the message intended for the user, wherein the message intended for the user comprises a body and a header;

storing the message intended for the user;

assigning a message identifier to the message intended for the user;

transmitting the message identifier and at least part of the message header to the wireless messaging device;

receiving, at a message processor, a phone call placed by the wireless messaging device;

prompting the user of the wireless messaging device to transmit the message identifier to said message processor;

prompting the user of the wireless messaging device to dictate a voice message;

recording said voice message dictated by the user;

using said message identifier transmitted to said message processor to determine an address associated with the originator of the message intended for the user; and

transmitting said recorded voice message to said address.

5. A method for enabling a user having a wireless messaging device capable of receiving text messages and making telephone calls to create a voice message in reply to a message intended for the user and to have the voice message transmitted to the originator of the message intended for the user, comprising the steps of:

receiving the message intended for the user, wherein the message intended for the user comprises a body and a header;

storing the message intended for the user;

assigning a message identifier to the message intended for the user, said message identifier being a callback telephone number;

transmitting the message identifier and at least part of the message header to the wireless messaging device;

receiving, at a message processor, a telephone call placed by the wireless messaging device, wherein the telephone number associated with the telephone call is said callback telephone number;

prompting the user of the wireless messaging device to dictate a voice message;

recording said voice message dictated by the user;

using said callback telephone number to determine an address associated with the originator of the message intended for the user; and

transmitting said recorded voice message to said address.

6. A method for sending message to a messaging device, comprising the steps of:

configuring an email server with instant messenger software, wherein said software provides notification when the messaging device is on line;

receiving at said email server a message for the messaging device;

detecting when the messaging device is on line; and

delivering said message to the messaging device only after detecting that said messaging device is on line.

7. A method for sending messages to a mobile phone, comprising the steps of:

receiving at an email server a message intended for the mobile phone;

holding said message at said email server until the mobile phone is on line;

detecting that the mobile phone is on line by interfacing a home location register (HLR) to said email server; and

delivering said message to the mobile phone only after detecting that the mobile phone is on line.

8. A communication system for integrating audio and visual messaging comprising:

a first messaging device for transmitting a first message and receiving a second message in reply, wherein said first message includes a visual message and said second message includes an audio message;

a second messaging device for receiving said first message and, in response thereto, transmitting reply messaging data including said audio message and addressing information associated with a recipient of said audio message; and

a network for enabling communication between said first and second messaging devices, wherein said network includes an integrated mail gateway for receiving said reply messaging data and, based on said reply messaging data, generating said second message for transmission to said first messaging device.

9. A device for allowing a user to access messages stored in a plurality of locations using a single interface, comprising:

a radio transceiver to communicate by means of a radio frequency link with at least one remote storage device adapted to store a first plurality of messages;

memory capacity coupled to said transceiver and adapted to store a second plurality of messages;

a processor coupled to said transceiver and said memory capacity, said processor adapted to control operation of said transceiver and said memory capacity; and

an interface coupled to said processor, said interface adapted to be manipulated by said user and adapted to provide signals to said processor for causing said processor to access messages in said memory capacity and in said at least one remote storage device, wherein

said interface is further adapted to control a process that plays said messages stored in said memory capacity upon actuation of said interface by said user, and is further adapted to control a process that automatically plays said messages stored in said at least one remote device whether or not said transceiver is on-line with said at least one remote device, and

said process that plays said messages stored in said at least one remote device automatically accesses and plays said messages when said transceiver is on-line with said at least one remote device, and when not on-line, automatically initiates a session by means of said radio frequency link with said at least one remote device in order to access and play said messages stored on said at least one remote device.

10. A transmitting and receiving device for transmitting data to and receiving data from a communication system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a selective call signal comprising a message identifier identifying a message, said receiver adapted to receive the message identifier without the identified message regardless of the size of the message;

a transmitter for transmitting signals;

a user interface for receiving from a user an input specifying an action to be performed on the message; and

a processor for detecting the occurrence of a certain event and for generating a request signal in response to the user interface receiving the input from the user, wherein the request signal comprises an action identifier identifying the action, and when the processor detects the occurrence of the certain event, the processor directs the transmitter to transmit the request signal to the communication system.

11. A transmitting and receiving device for transmitting data to and receiving data from a communication system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a selective call signal comprising a message identifier that identifies a message intended for the transmitting and receiving device, wherein the message is (a) stored in a system remote from the transmitting and receiving device, (b) not included in the selective call signal regardless of the size of the message, and (c) not stored in the transmitting and receiving device at the time the selective call signal is received;

a processor for generating a request signal indicating an action and indicating the message; and

a transmitter for transmitting to the system the request signal, whereupon receiving the signal, the system performs the action on the message.

12. A system, comprising:

a storage and retrieval unit for storing a message intended for a transmitting and receiving device;

signal generating means for generating a signal comprising a message identifier that identifies the message, wherein the signal generating means does not include the message in the signal regardless of the size of the message;

means for sending the signal to the transmitting and receiving device, wherein, at the time the signal is sent to the transmitting and receiving device, the message is not stored in the transmitting and receiving device;

means for receiving a request signal generated by the transmitting and receiving device, wherein the request signal specifies an action to be performed on the message stored in the storage and retrieval unit; and

means for performing the action in response to the receiving means receiving the request signal.

13. In a transmitting and receiving device, a method for transmitting and receiving information, comprising the steps of:

receiving a selective call signal including identification information identifying message information that is stored in a system;

storing the received identification information in a memory;

transmitting a retrieve signal to the system, the retrieve signal for directing the system to transmit to the device the message information identified by the identification information;

receiving the message information transmitted from the system;

storing the received message information in the memory;

receiving an erase command from a user of the device; and

in response to receiving the command, flagging the message information stored in the memory for erasure, without flagging the identification information stored in the memory for erasure.