Apparatus, system, and method for providing voicemail service using a packet data messaging system

• US 20050287993A1
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gogic, Aleksandar
• Application Number:
  US11/133,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20050287993A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/658 Means for redirecting recorded messages to other extensions or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method provide voicemail service using a packet data messaging service such as multimedia message service (MMS). Upon detecting that the call has been diverted to the voicemail server, rather than using a real-time voice connection to record a voicemail message, the voicemail message is recorded at an origination mobile station and transmitted in a packet data message through a packet data messaging service center such as a multimedia messaging service center (MMS-C). If the destination device is a destination mobile station subscribing to the packet data messaging service, the packet data message is deposited in the destination mobile station. Where the destination device is a device without access to the service, the packet data message is forwarded to a destination address in a voice mail server associated with the voicemail box of the destination device.

Claims

1. A method performed in an origination mobile station, the method comprising:

receiving a voicemail acknowledgment message indicating that an attempted call to a destination device has been redirected to a voicemail server;

recording a voicemail message at the origination mobile station; and

transmitting a packet data message including the voicemail message from the origination mobile station to a packet data messaging service center.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the packet data message is a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message and the packet data messaging service center is a multimedia messaging service center (MMS-C).

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the call accepted by the voicemail server prior to recording the voicemail message.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, further comprising:

presenting, to an originating party, a greeting transmitted by the voicemail server.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein voicemail message comprises an audio message and the recording comprises storing audio signals in a memory of the originating mobile station.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the voicemail message comprises a video message and the recording comprises storing video signals in a memory of the originating mobile station.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

generating the packet data message to include the voicemail message as an attached file.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the destination device is a destination mobile station.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising:

generating the packet data message to include a destination address of the destination mobile station.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein destination address is an electronic mail (email) address of the destination mobile station.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the email address is an Internet Protocol (IP) format.

12. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

retrieving the destination address from memory, the destination address associated with a phone number of the destination mobile station.

13. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

receiving the destination address from the voicemail server.

14. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

receiving the destination address from the packet data messaging service center.

15. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the destination device is a landline telephone.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising:

generating the packet data message to include a destination address of the landline telephone.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein destination address is an electronic mail (email) address associated with a voicemail box corresponding to the landline telephone.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the email address is an Internet Protocol (IP) format.

19. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

receiving the destination address from the voicemail server.

20. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

receiving the destination address from the packet data messaging service center.

21. A method comprising:

transmitting a voicemail acknowledgement message to an origination mobile station indicating an attempted call initiated by the origination mobile station has been redirected to a voice mail server.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein the voicemail acknowledgment message is transmitted over a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communication link using a session initiation protocol (SIP) extension.

23. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein the voicemail acknowledgment message is transmitted over a circuit switched communication link.

24. A method in accordance with claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a multimedia messaging service invoked (MMS-invoked) message from the origination mobile station indicating that the origination mobile station will submit a voicemail message using multimedia messaging service (MMS).

25. A method in accordance with claim 24, further comprising:

terminating a session with the origination mobile station in response to the MMS-invoked message.

26. A method in accordance with claim 21 further comprising:

receiving a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message comprising a voicemail message recorded at an originating mobile station in response to the voicemail acknowledgment received at the originating mobile station.

27. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein the destination device is a landline telephone, the method further comprising:

providing an alert message indicating a voicemail message has been received for the landline telephone.

28. A method in accordance with claim 27, wherein the MMS message comprises a destination address corresponding to a voicemail box of the destination device.

29. A method in accordance with claim 27, wherein the email address is an internet protocol (IP) format.

30. A method in accordance with claim 26, further comprising:

transmitting audio information to play the voicemail message through the land line telephone.

31. A mobile station comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a voicemail acknowledgment message indicating that a voicemail server has accepted a call to a destination device;

a processor configured to convert an input signal received through an input device into a digital file to record a voicemail message and generate a packet data message comprising the voicemail message; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the packet data message including the voicemail message from the origination mobile station to a packet data messaging service center.

32. A mobile station in accordance with claim 31, wherein the packet data message is a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message and the packet data messaging service center is a multimedia messaging service center (MMS-C).

33. A mobile station in accordance with claim 31, wherein processor is further configured to terminate the call accepted by the voicemail server prior to recording the voicemail message.

34. A mobile station in accordance with claim 31, further comprising an output device configured to present a greeting transmitted by the voicemail server.

35. A mobile station in accordance with claim 31, wherein the voicemail message comprises audio signals, mobile station further comprising a memory for storing the audio signals.

36. A mobile station in accordance with claim 31, wherein the voicemail message comprises video signals, mobile station further comprising a memory for storing the video signals.

37. A mobile station in accordance with claim 31, wherein the packet data message comprises an address of the destination device.

38. A mobile station in accordance with claim 37, wherein the destination address is an electronic mail (email) address of the destination mobile station.

39. A mobile station in accordance with claim 38, wherein the email address in an Internet Protocol (IP) format.

40. A voicemail server configured to transmit a voicemail acknowledgement message to an origination mobile station indicating an attempted call initiated by the origination mobile station has been redirected to a voice mail server.

41. A voicemail server in accordance with claim 40, the voice mail server further configured to transmit the voicemail acknowledgment message over a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication link using a session initiation protocol (SIP) extension.

42. A voicemail server in accordance with claim 40, the voice mail server further configured to transmit the voicemail acknowledgment message over a circuit switched communication link.

43. A voicemail server in accordance with claim 40, the voice mail server further configured to receive a multimedia messaging service invoked (MMS-invoked) message from the origination mobile station indicating that the origination mobile station will submit a voicemail message using multimedia messaging service (MMS).

44. A voicemail server in accordance with claim 40, the voice mail server further configured to terminate the call with the origination mobile station in response to the MMS-invoked message.

45. A voicemail server in accordance with claim 40, the voice mail server further configured to receive a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message comprising a voicemail message recorded at an originating mobile station in response to the voicemail acknowledgment received at the originating mobile station.