Method, system and telephone answering device for processing control scripts attached to voice messages

• US 20050276393A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McBrearty, Gerald Francis, Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han, Keohane, Susan Marie, Murillo, Jessica Kelley, Mullen, Shawn Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.130
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2477 for selecting a function from a menu display H04M1/2474 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A method, system and telephone answering device for processing control scripts attached to voice messages provides a mechanism by which a caller can leave an interactive list of contact information. The scripts provide for control of a display and input responses from a keypad or other input device so that an entry on the contact information list can be activated in response to user input, thus returning the call. The list information displayed may be arbitrary textual associations with the underlying contact number. The contact information may also include e-mail addresses, so that activation of an e-mail list element will activate a text messaging service, if available. For wireless telephone devices, the method implementing the present invention may be operable at the service provider only, so that standard wireless telephones may be programmed to provide the interactive list from a provider-side interpretation of the scripts.

Claims

1. A method for providing a caller-generated interactive multiple contact identifier list to a recipient of a voice message, the method comprising:

receiving a voice message from a caller, said voice message including an attached script for generating said multiple contact identifier list having contact identifiers each associated with a contact information entry;

decoding said attached script to determine said contact identifiers and said associated contact information entries; and

displaying a list of said contact identifiers on a display visible to said recipient of said voice message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating each of said contact identifiers with a user input option;

receiving a user input from said recipient of said voice message, said user input indicating selection of a particular one of said contact identifiers; and

activating a service with a particular contact information entry associated with said particular contact identifier, whereby said voice message is responded to by said recipient of said voice message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said contact information entries comprise telephone numbers, and wherein said activating comprises dialing a particular telephone number.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said contact information entries comprise e-mail addresses, and wherein said activating comprises activating a text messaging service.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said contact identifiers comprise pronouns and names of contact entities, whereby said recipient may select said particular contact information entry by association with an identity of a particular contact.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said contact identifiers are said contact information entries, whereby said displaying displays a list of said contact information entries.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving records said voice message and receives said attached script at a service provider, and further comprising transmitting said voice message and said attached script to a user telephone device in response to said recipient retrieving said voice message from said service provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving records said voice message and receives said attached script at a service provider, wherein said decoding decodes said attached script at said service provider, and further comprising transmitting said voice message, said contact information entries and said contact identifiers to a user telephone device in response to said recipient retrieving said voice message from said service provider.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising building said attached script on user interface of a telephone set used by said caller to originate said voice message, whereby said script may be attached to said voice message.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving said attached script from storage of a telephone set used by said caller to originate said voice message, whereby said script may be attached to said voice message.

11. A wireless telephone network control system for controlling a wireless telephone network, said control system including a memory for storing program instructions and data for providing a caller-generated interactive multiple contact information list to a recipient of a voice message, and a processor for executing said program instructions, and wherein said program instructions comprise program instructions for:

receiving a voice message from a caller, said voice message including an attached script for generating said multiple contact identifier list having contact identifiers each associated with a contact information entry;

decoding said attached script to determine said contact identifiers and said associated contact information entries; and

displaying a list of said contact identifiers on a display visible to said recipient of said voice message.

12. The wireless telephone network control system of claim 11, wherein said telephone is a wireless telephone, wherein said program instructions for transmitting transmit only said contact identifiers to said wireless telephone, and wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

associating each of said contact information entries with a user input option;

receiving a user input from said wireless telephone indicating selection of a particular one of said contact identifiers; and

activating a service with a particular contact information entry associated with said particular contact identifier, whereby said voice message is responded to by said recipient of said voice message.

13. The wireless telephone network control system of claim 11, wherein said telephone is a wireless telephone, wherein said program instructions for transmitting transmit said contact identifiers and contact information entries to said wireless telephone, and wherein said wireless telephone associates each of said contact information entries with a user input option, receives a user input indicating selection of a particular one of said contact identifiers and transmits a request to said to said wireless telephone network to activate a service with said particular contact information entry, whereby said voice message is responded to by said recipient of said voice message.

14. The wireless telephone network control system of claim 11, wherein said program instruction for transmitting further comprise program instructions for:

determining whether or not said telephone is an analog telephone connected via a PSTN telephone network to said wireless telephone network; and

in response to determining that said telephone is an analog telephone, sending said contact identifiers and contact information entries over an analog connection to said analog telephone.

15. The wireless telephone network control system of claim 14, wherein said program instructions for sending comprise program instructions for:

determining whether or not said analog telephone has a facility for processing said attached script; and

responsive to determining that said analog telephone has said facility, transmitting said script via modem signal to said facility.

16. The wireless telephone network control system of claim 14, wherein said program instructions for sending comprise program instructions for:

generating a voice-synthesis representation of said conatct identifiers; and

sending said voice-synthesis representation of said contact identifiers along with said voice message to said analog telephone.

17. The wireless telephone network control system of claim 11, wherein a caller telephone of said caller is a wireless telephone, and wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for interacting with a said caller on a user interface of said caller telephone for building said attached script, whereby said script may be attached to said voice message.

18. The wireless telephone network control system of claim 11, wherein said a caller telephone of said caller is a wireless telephone, and wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for retrieving said attached script from a storage in response to a user input received from said caller telephone, whereby said script may be attached to said voice message.

19. A wireless telephone for connection to a wireless network providing services to said wireless device, said wireless device comprising:

a processor for executing program instructions providing features of said wireless device in conjunction with said services;

a memory for storing said program instructions coupled to said processor;

a display for displaying information to a user of said wireless telephone; and

an input device for receiving user input from said user, and wherein said program instructions comprise program instructions for;

receiving a script attached to a voice message from a caller, said script for generating a display of multiple contact identifiers each associated with a contact information entry,

decoding said attached script to determine said contact information entries and associated contact identifiers, and

displaying said contact identifiers on a display of said wireless telephone, whereby a list of said contact identifiers is provided to said recipient.

20. The wireless telephone of claim 19, wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

receiving a user input from said input device indicating selection of a particular one of said contact identifiers; and

initiating activation of a service on said wireless network with a particular contact information entry associated with said particular contact identifier, whereby said voice message is responded to by said recipient of said voice message.

21. The wireless telephone of claim 19, wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for interacting with said user on said input device and said display for building scripts, whereby scripts may be made and attached to voice messages.

22. A telephone answering device comprising:

a line interface for interfacing said telephone answering device to a telephone voice connection;

a processor for executing program instructions providing features of said telephone answering device, said processor coupled to said line interface;

a memory for storing said program instructions coupled to said processor;

a display for displaying information to a user of said telephone answering device, and wherein said program instructions comprise program instructions for;

receiving a script attached to a voice message from said line interface, said script for generating a display of multiple contact identifiers each associated with a contact information entry,

decoding said attached script to determine said contact information entries and said contact identifiers, and

displaying said contact identifiers on said display, whereby a contact information list is provided to said recipient.

23. The telephone answering device of claim 22, further comprising an input device for receiving user input from said user for selecting one of said contact identifiers, and wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

receiving a user input on said input device indicating selection of a particular one of said contact identifiers; and

dialing a telephone number associated with said particular contact identifier, whereby said voice message is responded to by said recipient of said voice message.

24. The telephone answering device of claim 22, further comprising program instructions for:

interacting with said user on said input device and said display for building another script;

coding said other script in conformity with said interacting, said other script containing contact identifiers and associated contact information entries for building a list of multiple contacts; and

attaching said other script to a voice message.