Telephonic voice message transmission control method

• US 20040228458A1
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eidos Communications LLC
• Original Assignee: WorldVoice Licensing, Inc.
• Inventors: Finnigan, Paul F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,221,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/301 Management of recordings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53316 Messaging centre selected by message originator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of controlling transmission of voice messages or information via telephonic voice message systems, which are sometimes referred to as Voice Mail Systems. Users of the system selectively specify voice message transmission instructions for controlling transmission of voice messages directed to them. Upon receipt of a user'"'"'s voice message address, the voice message system determines whether the destination voice message address has a specified voice message transmission instruction previously selected by the recipient and processes the voice message in accordance with the instruction.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a transmission of telephonic voice message data from a sender having an origination voice message address to a potential recipient having a destination voice message address, the method comprising:

selectively providing by the potential recipient for storage in the telephonic voice message apparatus a specified voice message transmission instruction for controlling transmission of telephonic voice message data directed to the destination voice message address;

directing the telephonic voice message data associated with the origination voice message address to the destination voice message address;

determining within the telephonic voice message apparatus in response to the directing of telephonic voice message data to the destination voice message address whether the stored specified voice message transmission instruction for controlling transmission of the telephonic voice message data corresponds to the destination voice message address; and

upon determining that the specified voice message transmission instruction corresponds to the destination voice message address, processing the telephonic voice message data in accordance with the specified voice message transmission instruction.

2-12. -12. (Cancelled)

13. A method of controlling a transmission of telephonic voice message data in a telephonic voice message network sub-system from a first voice message network sub-system (50) associated with an origination voice message address and directed through a communication medium (64) of a voice message system network (54) to a second voice message network sub-system (52) associated with a destination voice message address, the method comprising the steps of:

selectively storing by the potential recipient in the second voice message network sub-system (52) a specified voice message transmission instruction for controlling transmission of telephonic voice message data directed to the destination voice message address;

directing from the first voice message network sub-system (50) telephonic voice message data for transmission through the communication medium (64) to the destination voice message address;

transmitting through the communication medium (64) from the first voice message network sub-system (50) to the second voice message network sub-system (52) the destination voice message address;

determining within the second voice message network sub-system (52) in response to the destination voice message address (58) whether the destination voice message address corresponds to the stored specified voice message transmission instruction for controlling transmission of the telephonic voice message data; and

upon determining that the second voice message address corresponds to the specified voice message transmission instruction, providing a signal through the communication medium (64) from the second voice message network sub-system (52) to the first voice message network sub-system (50) to enable processing of the telephonic voice message data in accordance with the specified voice message transmission instruction.

14-18. -18. (Cancelled)