Method and system for delivering a voice mail notification to a subscriber using cellular phone network

• US 20060234683A1
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Amin, Umesh J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method and system of the present invention delivers a voice mail notification to a subscriber of a voice mail system to indicate that a voice mail message is waiting in the subscriber mailbox. The voice mail system cellular phone network. The voice mail notification typically includes the calling party number and the name of the calling party if available, and an index. This is forwarded through the cellular phone network to the subscriber to indicate that a voice mail message is waiting in a subscriber mailbox. Subscribers can retrieve a specific message from the Voice Mail System.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone network comprising:

a cellular base station, wherein the base station is configured to;

forward a voice mail notification associated with a voice mail message to a first mobile device configured to display the voice mail notification, wherein the voice mail notification identifies the calling party; and

forward the voice mail notification to a second mobile device configured to display the voice mail notification.

2. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the cellular base station is a private base station.

3. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the voice mail notification further comprises a number of the calling party and an index.

4. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the voice mail notification is forwarded to the mobile device along a digital control channel.

5. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the base station provides a voice mailbox for the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

6. The cellular telephone network of claim 5, wherein the base station stores a first mailbox greeting for the first mobile device and a second mailbox greeting for the second mobile device.

7. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the cellular base station is further configured to forward the voice mail message associated with the voice mail notification to the first mobile device in response to receiving a retrieval indicator from the first mobile device.

8. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the cellular base station is configured to provide a specific ringtone to the first mobile device according to an association between the specific ringtone and a specific calling party.

9. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device comprises a display and a storage device.

10. The cellular telephone network of claim 9, wherein the display is configured to display two or more voice mail notifications.

11. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, further comprising a mobile switching center, wherein the mobile switching center is configured to forward the voice mail notification to the cellular base station.

12. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the voice mail notification further comprises a name associated with the calling party.

13. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device and the second mobile device are configured to transmit a request for the voice mail message.

14. The cellular telephone network of claim 13, wherein the first mobile device is configured to transmit the request for the voice mail message in response to a user input.

15. The cellular telephone network of claim 14, wherein the first mobile device comprises a soft key, and wherein the user input comprises a soft key being depressed twice.

16. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device and the second mobile device are configured to display a list of forwarded voice mail notifications.

17. The cellular telephone network of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device includes a storage device and a display.

18. The cellular telephone network of claim 17, wherein the first mobile device is configured to display two or more voice mail notifications.

19. The cellular telephone network of claim 18, wherein the first mobile device displays an index associated with the two or more voice mail notifications.

20. The cellular telephone network of claim 17, wherein the first mobile device is configured to store one or more voice mail notifications.

21. A mobile device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a voice mail notification associated with a message, wherein the voice mail notification comprises an identifier associated with a calling party, the identifier comprising a name associated with the calling party;

a display configured to display the voice mail notification; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a request for delivery of the message based on the displayed voice mail notification.

22. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the message.

23. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the voice mail notification includes an index, and the request for delivery of the message is based on the index.

24. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the voice mail notification on a digital channel.

25. The mobile device of claim 23, when the receiver is configured to receive the voice mail;

and

notification on a traffic channel.

26. The mobile device of claim 23, when the receiver is configured to receive the voice mail;

and

notification on a control channel.

27. A voice mail system, comprising:

a subscriber mailbox configured to receive a message from a calling party;

a notification unit, configured to deliver a voice mail notification associated with the message in the subscriber mailbox, wherein the voice mail notification includes an identifier associated with the calling party, the identifier being recorded in response to receipt of the message by the mailbox.

28. The voice mail system of claim 27, wherein the voice mail notification includes a number associated with the calling party and an index associated with the message.

29. The voice mail system of claim 27, further comprising an input configured to receive a request for delivery of the message.

30. The voice mail system of claim 27, wherein the request for delivery of the message is based on the index associated with the voice mail message.

31. The voice mail system of claim 30, further comprising a message output configured to deliver the voice mail message in response to the request for delivery of the voice mail message.