System and method for message delivery to a busy called party

• US 20050031094A1
• Filed: 04/14/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Quenton L.
• Application Number:
  US10/824,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20050031094A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.140
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10009 Improvement or modification of read or write signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0685 Clock or time synchronisation in a node; Intranode synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet

Abstract

A method of routing a text message to a second destination associated with a called party where a first destination is unavailable is disclosed. The method comprises the step of receiving a call to a first destination associated with a called party initiated by a calling party, wherein the first destination is unavailable. Due to the unavailability of the first destination, a voice message is received from the calling party. The voice message is then converted to a text message and forwarded to the second destination associated with the called party.

Claims

1. A method of routing a text message to a second destination associated with a called party where a first destination is unavailable comprising the steps of:

receiving a call to the first destination associated with a called party initiated by a calling party, wherein the first destination is unavailable;

based on the unavailability of the first destination, requesting a voice message from the calling party;

receiving the voice message provided by the calling party;

converting the voice message into a text message based on determining an appropriate text format required by the second destination; and

forwarding the text message to the second destination associated with the called party, wherein the second destination can be any one of a plurality of communications devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication devices are capable of receiving text messages.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of communication devices can be any one of a paging device, a mobile telephone, an electronic mail device, a facsimile machine, a modem, or a computer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving additional information from the calling party.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the additional information comprises routing information of the second destination associated with the called party.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the additional information comprises an identification of the calling party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting step is performed in response to a Busy/No Answer trigger.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving routing information of the second destination from the called party.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of disconnecting the calling party after receiving the voice message provided by the calling party.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a personal identification number, wherein the personal identification number determines which one of the plurality of alternate destinations comprises the second destination.

10. (Canceled).

12. A system for routing a text message to a second destination associated with a called party where a first destination is unavailable comprising:

a first switch for receiving a call to a first destination associated with a called party initiated by a calling party, wherein the first destination is unavailable;

a network element, coupled to the first switch, for requesting a voice message from the calling party based on the unavailability of the first destination and receiving the voice message provided by the calling party;

a voice recognition means, coupled to the network element, for converting the voice message to a text message based on determining an appropriate text format required by the second destination; and

a second switch, coupled to the network element, wherein the network element forwards the text message to a second destination associated with the called party via the second switch, wherein the second destination can be any one of a plurality of communications devices.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the network element comprises a service node.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second destination is communication device capable of receiving text messages.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the communication device can be any one of a paging device, a mobile telephone, an electronic mail device, a facsimile machine, a modem, or a computer.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the network element further performs the function of receiving additional information from the calling party.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the additional information comprises an identification of the calling party.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the additional information comprises routing information of the second destination associated with the called party.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising a memory coupled to the network element, wherein the network element receives routing information of the second destination from the called party and stores the routing information in the memory.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the network element disconnecting disconnects the calling party after receiving the voice message provided by the calling party.

21. (Canceled).