Voice mail in a voice over IP telephone system

• US 20040022373A1
• Filed: 08/02/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Estech Systems IP, LLC (Estech Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Estech Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: E. A. Hansen, Harold II, Suder, Eric G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,123,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

In a voice over IP system, an IP telephone includes an LED lamp that indicates a voice message has been stored in a remote voice mail system. The IP telephone can then access that voice message. The message can also be moved from one remote site to another.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system comprising:

a first local area network (“

LAN”

);

a second LAN;

a wide area network (“

WAN”

) coupled to the first and the second LANs, wherein the first LAN, the second LAN, and the WAN operate under a network protocol;

a voice mail system within the second LAN, the voice mail system comprising a voice mail box for storing a voice message; and

a telephone within the first LAN, the telephone comprising a sensory indication of the existence of the voice message stored in the voice mail box of the voice mail system within the second LAN.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensory indication is auditory.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensory indication is visual.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the voice mail system sends a data message to the telephone to illuminate a light indicating the existence of the voice message stored in the voice mail box.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for implementing an ability for the telephone to access the voice mail system within the second LAN to listen to the voice message stored in the voice mail box.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the implementing circuitry further comprises:

a channel between the first and second LANs over the WAN;

an audio path over the channel between the telephone and the voice mail box; and

voice data containing the voice message streaming from the voice mail box to the telephone over the audio path.

7. In a telecommunications system, a method comprising the steps of:

storing a voice mail message in a voice mail box in a voice mail system within a first LAN;

coupling a second LAN to the first LAN over a WAN, wherein the first LAN, the second LAN, and the WAN operate under a routable network protocol;

providing a sensory indication on a telecommunications device within the second LAN that the voice message is stored in the voice mail box within the first LAN.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the sensory indication is auditory.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the sensory indication is visual.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the telecommunications device is an IP telephone, and the WAN operator under a TCP/IP protocol.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the providing step further comprises the step of the voice mail system sending a data message to the EP telephone to illuminate a light indicating the existence of the voice message stored in the voice mail box.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of:

the telecommunications device accessing the voice mail system within the first LAN to listen to the voice message stored in the voice mail box.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the step of the telecommunications device accessing the voice mail system within the first LAN to listen to the voice message stored in the voice mail box further comprises the steps of:

establishing a channel between the first and second LANs over the WAN;

coupling an audio path over the channel between the telecommunications device and the voice mail box; and

streaming voice data containing the voice message from the voice mail box to the telecommunications device over the audio path.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of playing the voice message over a speaker on the telecommunications device.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the establishing step further comprises the steps of:

in response to an input at the telecommunications device, sending a user mail box connection message from the second LAN to the first LAN requesting a channel, wherein the user mail box connection message includes an extension associated with the telecommunications device and an identification of the voice mail box;

assigning the channel by the first LAN; and

sending a connection established message from the first LAN to the second LAN.

16. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of:

in response to storing of the voice message in the voice mail box, determining that the telecommunications device in the second LAN is associated with the voice mail box.

17. In an information handling system comprising a first LAN, a second LAN, and a WAN coupling the first LAN to the second LAN using a TCP/IP protocol, a method comprising the steps of:

in response to selection of a voice mail access input and selection of a direct station select input at an IP telephone within the first LAN, sending a request from the first LAN to the second LAN over the WAN to establish a connection between the first LAN and the second LAN, wherein the direct station select input identifies a voice mail box within the second LAN;

establishing an audio path over the connection between the voice mail box and the IP telephone; and

playing a voice message stored in the voice mail box over a speaker in the IP telephone as a result of sending audio data containing the voice message over the audio path.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of:

moving the voice mail message from the voice mail box in the second LAN to a voice mail box in the first LAN in response to user inputs at the IP telephone.

19. A telecommunications system comprising:

means for storing a voicemail message in a voicemail box in a voicemail system within a first LAN;

means for coupling a second LAN to the first LAN over a WAN, wherein the first LAN, the second LAN, and the WAN operate under a network protocol;

means for providing a sensory indication on a telecommunications device within the second LAN that the voice message is stored in the voicemail box within the first LAN.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the sensory indication is auditory.

21. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the sensory indication is visual.

22. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the telecommunications device is a telephone.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein the providing means further comprises means for sending a data message to the telephone to illuminate a light indicating the existence of the voice message stored in the voicemail box.

24. The system as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

means for accessing the voicemail system within the first LAN to listen to the voice message stored in the voicemail box.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the means for accessing the voicemail system within the first LAN to listen to the voice message stored in the voicemail box further comprises:

means for establishing a channel between the first and second LANs over the WAN;

means for coupling an audio path over the channel between the telephone and the voicemail box; and

means for streaming voice data containing the voice message from the voicemail box to the telephone over the audio path.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, further comprising means for playing the voice message over a speaker on the telephone.

27. An information handling system comprising a first LAN, a second LAN, and a WAN coupling the first LAN to the second LAN using a network protocol, the system comprising:

means for sending a request from the first LAN to the second LAN over the WAN to establish a connection between the first LAN and the second LAN in response to selection of a voice mail access input and selection of a direct station select input at a telephone within the first LAN, wherein the direct station select input identifies a voice mail box within the second LAN;

means for establishing an audio path over the connection between the voice mail box and the telephone; and

means for playing a voice message stored in the voice mail box over a speaker in the telephone as a result of sending audio data containing the voice message over the audio path.

28. The system as recited in claim 27, further comprising:

means for moving the voice mail message from the voice mail box in the second LAN to a voice mail box in the first LAN in response to user inputs at the telephone.

29. A telecommunications system comprising:

a first voicemail system;

a second voicemail system;

a wide area network (“

WAN”

) coupled to the first and the second voicemail systems, wherein the first voicemail system, the second voicemail system, and the WAN operate under a network protocol;

the second voicemail system comprising a voice mail box for storing a voice message; and

a telephone within the first voicemail system, the telephone comprising a sensory indication of the existence of the voice message stored in the voice mail box of the second voicemail system.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the sensory indication is auditory.

31. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the sensory indication is visual.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the second voice mail system sends a data message to the telephone to illuminate a light indicating the existence of the voice message stored in the voice mail box.

33. The system as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

circuitry for implementing an ability for the telephone to access the second voicemail system to listen to the voice message stored in the voice mail box.

34. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein the implementing circuitry further comprises:

a channel between the first and second voicemail systems over the WAN;

an audio path over the channel between the telephone and the voice mail box; and

voice data containing the voice message streaming from the voice mail box to the telephone over the audio path.