Electronic mail distribution system for integrated electronic communications

• US 20050002503A1
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cranberry Properties, LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Finney, Michael S., Snider, Michael L., Wright, Randall S., Paynter, James W., Bard, Robin R., Owens, Stephen J.H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,116,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.240
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/301 Management of recordings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00214 details of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00217 only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP communication protocol aspects and techniques in packet data networks H04L69/00; network-specific arrangements or communication protocols supporting networked applications H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32416 Storage of instructions or retrieval of prestored instructions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A system is disclosed for integrated electronic mail, voice mail, and fax mail messaging. A common message format is defined for use by an electronic mail service and a telecommunications service so electronic mail messages that may include voice and fax mail attachments may be exchanged between the services. Message senders and receivers may choose from a variety of filter and forward options that allow them to manage their communications and specify a preference for receiving messages at the electronic mail or telecommunications service. Forwarding and conversion of messages is performed automatically. The options are used to define a set of rules to be applied to inbound and outbound messages so that messages are sent and received in accordance with the preferences of the senders and receivers.

Claims

1. An electronic communications system including an electronic mail gateway for facilitating cross-media messaging between an electronic mail messaging system and a telecommunications switch, comprising:

a first telephone number associated with a first user of the electronic communications system to which incoming voice calls are directed via the telecommunications switch;

a second telephone number associated with the first user for retrieval of voicemail messages;

a first host computer in communication with the telecommunications switch for storing a voicemail message from a first incoming voice call and for generating a first electronic mail message with an attachment comprising the voicemail message, the first host computer also in communication with the electronic mail messaging system;

a second host computer in communication with the electronic mail messaging system for receiving from the first host computer the first electronic mail message with the voicemail attachment containing the voicemail message; and

a retrieval mechanism for allowing the first user to retrieve the voicemail message either by calling the second telephone number via the telecommunications switch, or by receiving from the second host computer the first electronic mail message with the voicemail attachment.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first host computer forwards the first electronic mail message to the electronic mail messaging system according to service routing information stored in a service routing information database.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first host computer forwards the first electronic mail message to the electronic mail messaging system according to a message receiver profile for the first user.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the message receiver profile for the first user comprises a name for the electronic mail messaging system.

5. An electronic communications system including an electronic mail gateway for facilitating cross-media messaging between an electronic mail messaging system and a telecommunications switch, comprising:

a first telephone number associated with a first user of the electronic communications system to which incoming faxes are directed via the telecommunications switch;

a first host computer in communication with the telecommunications switch for storing a first incoming fax message and for generating a first electronic mail message with an attachment comprising the fax message, the first host computer also in communication with the electronic mail messaging system;

a second host computer in communication with the electronic mail messaging system for receiving from the first host computer the first electronic mail message with the fax attachment containing the fax message; and

a retrieval mechanism for allowing the first user to retrieve from the second host computer the first electronic mail message with the fax attachment.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the first host computer forwards the first electronic mail message to the electronic mail messaging system according to service routing information stored in a service routing information database.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the first host computer forwards the first electronic mail message to the electronic mail messaging system according to a message receiver profile for the first user.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the message receiver profile for the first user comprises a name for the electronic mail messaging system.

9. A method for distributing electronic mail messages received at an electronic mail service comprising:

a) receiving at an electronic mail distributor at the electronic mail service an incoming electronic mail message;

b) determining a message receiver for the electronic mail message;

c) retrieving from a message receiver profile database rules defined by the message receiver for processing the electronic mail message;

d) examining the rules defined by the message receiver to determine if the message receiver has specified a preference to receive the electronic mail message at a telecommunications service; and

e) if the message receiver has specified a preference to receive the electronic mail message at a telecommunications service;

i. determining the message receiver'"'"'s preferred telecommunications service;

ii. modifying the electronic mail message to include routing information for the message receiver'"'"'s preferred telecommunications service; and

iii. forwarding the electronic mail message to the message receiver'"'"'s preferred telecommunications service.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein forwarding the electronic mail message to the message receiver'"'"'s preferred telecommunications service comprises forwarding the electronic mail message to a telecommunications service mailbox.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising forwarding the electronic mail message from the telecommunications service mailbox to an electronic mail service network node at the telecommunications service.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising allowing the message receiver to retrieve the electronic mail message via a telephone.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein allowing the message receiver to retrieve the electronic mail message via a telephone comprises allowing the message receiver to call the telecommunications service and to request access to the electronic mail message wherein a text-to-speech operation is performed on the electronic mail message so the message receive may hear the message.