System and method for providing multi-party message-based voice communications

• US 20040102186A1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellisist, Inc. dba Spoken Communications (Avaya Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intellisist, Inc. dba Spoken Communications (Avaya Incorporated)
• Inventors: Odinak, Gilad
• Granted Patent: US 7,496,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• 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 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/187 combining circuit and packet-switched, e.g. GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for providing flexible message-based communications between two or more individuals logically interconnected over a centralized messaging infrastructure. A voice message server interfaces to a plurality of personal communication devices (PCDs) over a wireless data network. Each PCD includes an “Attention” button that alerts the PCD to begin processing voice messages. Voice messages are forwarded to the voice message server and are queued, stored and played to the user of the receiving PCD. Each user must be signed on in a voice messaging session and can participate in one or more moderatable and simultaneous discussion groups.

Claims

1. A system for providing flexible message-based communications over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:

a controller to process a plurality of symmetric digital voice messages; and

a voice message server to centrally transact one or more voice message sessions over a digital data network, comprising;

a message queue to transiently store each such digital voice message; and

a queue manager to logically interconnect a plurality of devices by routing each transiently stored digital voice message between the interconnected devices.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a session manager to manage each voice message sessions, comprising;

an authentication component to process an operation by at least one such device selected from the group comprising at least one of a sign-in and a sign-out; and

a message router to perform store-and-forward processing of the transiently stored digital voice messages.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a security manager to provide security between the voice message sessions by authenticating each such device into the voice message session.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the devices are grouped in a relationship selected from the group comprising one of a one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-many.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a session manager to form a plurality of voice message sessions, wherein each such voice message session comprises one or more discussion groups, further comprising;

a database manager to associate an identifier selected from the group comprising at least one of a user identifier and a discussion group identifier with each such digital voice message; and

a message router to provide logical participation in a plurality of such discussion group through routing the digital voice messages by identifier.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage device to persistently store each such digital voice message.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a voice processing component to process analog voice into the digital voice messages.

8. A system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a speech recognition component to transcribe the digital voice messages using the device.

9. A system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a speech recognition component to transcribe the digital voice messages using a proxy voice server interfaced to the device over a voice network.

10. A system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a speech recognition component to transcribe the digital voice messages using translation logic integrated into the device.

11. A system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a voice communications interface to concurrently transact voice communications over a voice network relative to the voice message session.

12. A method for providing flexible message-based communications over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:

processing a plurality of symmetric digital voice messages; and

centrally transacting one or more voice message sessions over a digital data network, comprising;

transiently storing each such digital voice message; and

logically interconnecting a plurality of devices by routing each transiently stored digital voice message between the interconnected devices.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

managing each voice message sessions, comprising;

processing an operation by at least one such device selected from the group comprising at least one of a sign-in and a sign-out; and

performing store-and-forward processing of the transiently stored digital voice messages.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

providing security between the voice message sessions by authenticating each such device into the voice message session.

15. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

grouping the devices in a relationship selected from the group comprising one of a one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-many.

16. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

forming a plurality of voice message sessions, wherein each such voice message session comprises one or more discussion groups, further comprising;

associating an identifier selected from the group comprising at least one of a user identifier and a discussion group identifier with each such digital voice message; and

providing logical participation in a plurality of such discussion group through routing the digital voice messages by identifier.

17. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

persistently storing each such digital voice message.

18. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

processing analog voice into the digital voice messages.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

converting analog voice signals into the digital voice messages using the device.

20. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

transcribing analog voice signals into the digital voice messages using a proxy voice server interfaced to the device over a voice network.

21. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

transcribing analog voice signals into the digital voice messages using translation logic integrated into the device.

22. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

concurrently transacting voice communications over a voice network relative to the voice message session.

23. A computer-readable storage medium holding code for performing the method according to claim 12.

24. An apparatus for providing flexible message-based communications over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:

means for processing a plurality of symmetric digital voice messages; and

means for centrally transacting one or more voice message sessions over a digital data network, comprising;

means for transiently storing each such digital voice message; and

means for logically interconnecting a plurality of devices by means for routing each transiently stored digital voice message between the interconnected devices.

25. A system for providing flexible message-based communications with personal communication devices over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:

a plurality of personal communication devices to originate digital voice messages comprising digitized voice;

a voice message server to communicatively interface to the one or more personal communication devices over a digital data network; and

a queue manager to process the digital voice messages, comprising;

a receiver to receive each digital voice message from at least one such personal communication device;

a message queue to transiently store the digital voice message; and

a sender to send the digital voice message to at least one such personal communication device identified in the digital voice message.

26. A system according to claim 25, further comprising:

a database manager to interface to a plurality of databases, comprising;

a user and discussion group database to store session information;

a personal information database to store personal information;

a control module to provide an interface authenticating at least one personal communication device against the personal information; and

a queue manager to stage each such digital voice message and to forward the digital voice message based on the session information.

27. A system according to claim 25, further comprising:

a proxy message server to communicatively interface a personal communication device with the voice message server.

28. A system according to claim 25, further comprising:

a cellular telephone to integrate with at least one such personal communication device.

29. A system according to claim 25, wherein the one or more personal communication devices further comprise:

a voice message module to digitize the voice messages;

a message storage module to store transient voice messages, comprising;

a buffer to assemble outgoing voice messages;

a message queue to transitorily store the outgoing voice messages; and

a message store to persistently store saved voice messages.

30. A method for providing flexible message-based communications with personal communication devices over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:

originating digital voice messages comprising digitized voice through a plurality of personal communication devices;

communicatively interfacing the one or more personal communication devices over a digital data network; and

processing the digital voice messages, comprising;

receiving each digital voice message from at least one such personal-communication device;

transiently storing the digital voice message; and

sending the digital voice message to at least one such personal communication device identified in the digital voice message.

31. A method according to claim 30, further comprising:

interfacing to a plurality of databases, comprising;

maintaining a user and discussion group database to store session information;

maintaining a personal information database to store personal information;

providing an interface authenticating at least one personal communication device against the personal information; and

staging each such digital voice message and to forward the digital voice message based on the session information.

32. A method according to claim 30, further comprising:

communicatively interfacing a personal communication device with the voice message server through a proxy message server.

33. A method according to claim 30, further comprising:

integrating a cellular telephone with at least one such personal communication device.

34. A method according to claim 30, wherein the one or more personal communication devices further comprise:

digitizing the voice messages;

storing transient voice messages, comprising;

assembling outgoing voice messages;

transitorily storing the outgoing voice messages; and

persistently storing saved voice messages.

35. A computer-readable storage medium holding code for performing the method according to claim 30.

36. An apparatus for providing flexible message-based communications with personal communication devices over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:

means for originating digital voice messages comprising digitized voice through a plurality of personal communication devices;

means for communicatively interfacing the one or more personal communication devices over a digital data network; and

means for processing the digital voice messages, comprising;

means for receiving each digital voice message from at least one such personal communication device;

means for transiently storing the digital voice message; and

means for sending the digital voice message to at least one such personal communication device identified in the digital voice message.