Method and system for call, facsimile and electronic message forwarding

• US 20060083360A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: King, Kathryn D., Carter, Sharon E., Moore, Darryl Cynthia
• Granted Patent: US 7,466,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.140
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• 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 2203/60 related to security aspects in telephonic communication systems network architectures or network communication protocols for network security H04L63/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• 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: H04M 3/543 Call deflection
• 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 1/00228 Image push arrangements, e.g. from an image reading device to a specific network destination push-based network services H04L67/55
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00302 with a telephonic apparatus, e.g. telephone answering machine or videotex terminal H04N1/00307 takes precedence; telephonic communication H04M
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32704 Establishing a communication with one of a facsimile and another telecommunication apparatus sharing a single line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32713 Data transmission device, e.g. switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32723 speech signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32745 Generating messages, indications or warnings locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system are provided for forwarding telephone calls, facsimile transmissions and electronic messages to a single forwarding telephone number. The telephone calls, fax transmissions and electronic messages are first forwarded to a central forwarding repository by the forwarding party where the fax transmissions, and messages are converted to audio formats. Forwarded telephone calls and audio formatted versions of the fax transmissions and electronic messages are then forwarded directly to a designated forwarding number. If the forwarding party answers at the forwarding number, she will receive forwarded calls, and the audio formatted versions of fax transmissions and electronic messages will be played to her over her telephone. If the forwarding party does not answer the forwarded call, she subsequently may retrieve saved telephone calls, saved telephone messages and saved audio versions of fax transmissions and electronic messages from the central forwarding repository. The forwarding party may retrieve saved messages as a retrieving party from the central forwarding repository after entry of a personal identification number to authenticate the forwarding (retrieving) party'"'"'s permission to retrieve saved calls and messages.

Claims

1. A method of forwarding a facsimile transmission in a telecommunications system, comprising:

designating a forwarding address for the facsimile transmission;

receiving the facsimile transmission directed to a subscriber address;

routing the facsimile transmission to a central forwarding repository;

at the central forwarding repository, converting only an address header of the facsimile transmission to an audio formatted transmission;

retaining a body portion of the facsimile transmission as an image formatted transmission;

saving the audio formatted transmission at the central forwarding repository;

routing only the audio formatted address header to the forwarding address; and

retaining the image formatted body portion of the facsimile transmission at the central forwarding repository.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving the audio formatted transmission from the central forwarding repository.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

prior to retrieving the audio formatted transmission from the central forwarding repository, receiving a personal identification number for authenticating a retrieving party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein designating the forwarding address includes designating a forwarding telephone directory number for receiving the audio formatted message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding the audio-formatted transmission to a second forwarding address.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second forwarding address comprises a facsimile receiving device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the audio formatted transmission at the forwarding address.

8. A method of forwarding a facsimile communication in a telecommunications system from a called address to a forwarding address, comprising:

receiving a facsimile communication directed to the called address;

converting only an address header of the facsimile communication to an audio formatted communication;

storing the audio formatted communication in a storage; and

routing the audio formatted communication to the forwarding address.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

retrieving the audio formatted communication from the storage.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

prior to retrieving the audio formatted communication from the storage, receiving a personal identification number for authenticating a retrieving party.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

designating a forwarding telephone directory number for receiving the communication.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

capturing caller identification information for the communication.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein routing the audio formatted communication to the forwarding address includes providing identification information for the audio formatted communication at the forwarding address.

14. A method of forwarding a facsimile transmission in a telecommunications system, comprising:

designating a forwarding address for the facsimile transmission;

receiving the facsimile transmission directed to a subscriber address;

converting the facsimile transmission from an image formatted transmission to an audio formatted transmission;

storing the audio formatted transmission in a storage; and

routing the audio formatted transmission from to the forwarding address.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein converting the facsimile transmission from an image formatted transmission to an audio formatted transmission includes:

converting only an address header message of the facsimile transmission to an audio formatted transmission;

retaining a body portion of the facsimile transmission as an image formatted transmission; and

wherein routing the audio formatted transmission to the forwarding address includes routing only the audio formatted address header to the forwarding address, and retaining the image formatted body portion of the facsimile transmission.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

retrieving the audio formatted transmission from the storage.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

prior to retrieving the audio formatted transmission, receiving a personal identification number for authenticating a retrieving party.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein designating the forwarding address includes designating a forwarding telephone directory number for receiving the audio formatted message.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

forwarding the audio-formatted transmission to a second forwarding address.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second forwarding address comprises a facsimile receiving device.