Methods and system for instant voice messaging and instant voice message retrieval

• US 20060268750A1
• Filed: 05/02/2004
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vimplicity Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Vimplicity Ltd.
• Inventors: Weiner, Moshe
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/205 Broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4563 Voicemail monitoring during recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• 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: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting
• 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: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A system for instant voice messaging comprising an IVM server operative to essentially simultaneously receive from an initiating user at least one voice message fragment and stream the at least one voice fragment to at least one target user; and a switch coupled to the IVM server and operative to effect communications between the initiating user and each target user and the IVM server, as well as between the users themselves. The streaming operation ends with an entire instant voice message being transmitted to the target user(s). Each target user may instantly retrieve a message by using a smart notification provided by the IVM server. Special numbering systems facilitate both the instant voice messaging and the instant message retrieval aspects.

Claims

1. In a communications network, a system for instant voice messaging comprising:

a. an instant voice messaging (IVM) server operative to essentially simultaneously receive from an initiating user at least one voice message fragment and stream said at least one voice fragment to at least one target user, and

b. a switch coupled to said IVM server and operative to effect communications between said initiating user and each said at least one target user and said IVM server, as well as between said initiating and said at least one target users;

whereby each voice message originating from said initiating user may be instantly transmitted over the communications network to said at least one target user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication network is selected from the group consisting of a telephony network and a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) network telephony network, and wherein said switch is respectively selected from the group consisting of a telephony switch and a VoIP switch.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said IVM server includes a fragment storage and streaming module operative to provide said essentially simultaneous reception and transmission of said at least one voice fragment.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said telephony network is selected from the group consisting of a cellular network and a wire-line network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said cellular network implements a technology selected from the group consisting of a 1^st generation (1G), 2^nd generation (2G), 2.5 generation (2.5G), and 3^rd generation (3G) cellular technology.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said operativeness of said switch to effect communications between each said initiating and target users and said IVM server is facilitated by an IVM number assigned to each said user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said IVM number is selected from the group of an individual user IVM number and a multiple target user IVM number.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each said individual user IVM number includes a session identifier and a telephone number or Internet Protocol (IP) address.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said multiple target user IVM number includes, in order, an IVM session identifier, a multiple target user identifier, and a telephone number or IP address of each said at least one target user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said IVM session identifier is a three-digit number.

13. The system of claim 2, further comprising an instant retrieval module preferably included in said IVM server and operative to provide a first smart notification to said at least one target user in case said pushing of said instant voice message fails, and a second notification to said initiating user about a status of said message.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said status is selected from a rejection of said message by said at least one target user and acceptance of said message by said at least one target user.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a short messaging service center coupled to said IVM server and said switch, wherein said smart notification is selected from the group consisting of a short message service (SMS) notification and a smart caller identification (ID).

16. The system of claim 4, further comprising a presence status subsystem coupled to said IVM server and operative to provide a status parameter of said at least one target user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said presence status subsystem is selected from the group of a presence status module included in said IVM server and an external presence status server coupled to said IVM server.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said cellular network is a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, and wherein said presence status server is further coupled to a home location register.

19. The system of claim 2, further comprising a paging system selected from the group consisting of a text paging system and a voice paging system, said paging system coupled to said IVM server, wherein said IVM server further includes

i. a voice recognition module operative to convert voice messages into voice paging messages, and

ii. a text-to-speech recognition module operative to convert voice messages into text messages,

and wherein said paging system is operative to communicate said voice paging messages and said text messages to a pager belonging to said at least one target user.

20. The system of claim 2, further comprising a push-to-talk (PTT) module included in said IVM server and operative to facilitate instant voice messaging between said initiating user and said at least one PUT target user

9. The system of claim 9, wherein said session identifier is selected from the group consisting of a prefix located before said telephone number or IP address and a suffix located after said telephone number or IP address.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said prefix and said suffix each include a three-digit number.

21. A method for relaying an instant voice message from an initiating user to at least one target user over a communications network, comprising the steps of:

a. at an instant voice messaging (IVM) server, receiving at least one voice message fragment from an initiating user; and

b. essentially simultaneously with said step of receiving, streaming said at least one voice fragment to at least one target user.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of receiving at least one voice message fragment from an initiating user includes

i. providing a switch coupled to the IVM server and operative to effect communications between each said initiating and target users and said IVM server, as well as between said initiating user and said at least one of target user;

ii. providing a unique instant voice messaging (IVM) number to each target user, and

iii. accessing said IVM server, and wherein said step of streaming said at least one voice fragment to at least one target user, until the entire instant voice message is relayed to said at least one target user includes

iv. at said IVM server, starting to record and store fragments of said instant voice message while accessing said target user;

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

c. if said at least one target user answers said IVM server, streaming already stored fragments of said instant voice message to said at least one target user until the entire message is transmitted;

or

d. if said at least one target user does not answer said IVM server, processing said instant voice message at the IVM server according to predetermined rules.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said at least one target user is a single target user, and wherein said step of providing an IVM number to said single target user includes providing an individual two-part number that includes an IVM session identifier and a telephone number or IP address that uniquely identifies said target user.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said at least one target user includes a plurality of target users, and wherein said step of providing an IVM number to said plurality of target users includes providing a three-part, multiple target user number that includes an IVM session identifier, a multiple target user identifier, and a telephone number or IP address of each of said target users.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of streaming already stored fragments is followed by an operation selected from the group of, by said at least one target user, moving to full-duplex session with said initiating user and further processing said instant voice message.

27. A method for instant retrieval of a voice message sent from an initiating user to a target user through an instant voice messaging (IVM) server, comprising the steps of:

a. by the target user, receiving a smart notification from the IVM server that said target user is provided with a particular instant voice message; and

b. by said target user, directly accessing said particular message.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of receiving a smart notification includes receiving a notification selected from the group consisting of a caller ID notification and a short message service (SMS) notification.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of receiving a caller ID notification further includes receiving a notification comprising an access code to an IVM instant retrieval module, a unique identification code for said particular instant voice message, and a message type.

30. The of claim 29, wherein said message type is selected from the group consisting of an instant voice message, a voice-mail, a multi-media service message and a unified message.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of directly accessing said particular message includes accessing said message while said message is being sent by an initiating user.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of directly accessing said particular message includes accessing said message after said message has been sent in its entirety by an initiating user.

33. An instant voice messaging (IVM) server comprising:

a. a mechanism for receiving at least one voice message fragment from a first user and for essentially simultaneously streaming said at least one voice message fragment to at least one second user; and

b. a communication mechanism to communicate with said first user and said at least one second user.

34. The IVM server of claim 33, wherein said mechanism for reception and essentially simultaneous streaming of said at least one voice fragment includes a fragment streaming and storage module operative to recognize the format of said voice message and to save said message in fragments of a given size.

35. The IVM server of claim 33, further comprising an instant retrieval module operative to provide a smart notification to said at least one second user that said instant voice message is being sent to said at least one second user.

36. In a communications network, a system for instant voice messaging comprising:

a. an instant voice messaging (IVM) server operative to essentially simultaneously receive from an initiating user having an initiating user handset at least one voice message fragment and stream said at least one voice fragment to at least one target user having a respective target user handset; and

b. a switch coupled to said IVM server and operative to effect communications between said initiating user and each said at least one target user and said IVM server, as well as between said initiating and said at least one target users;

c. a mechanism included in each said handset for allowing a one-push access to said server for sending or listening to said voice message,

whereby each voice message originating from said initiating user may be instantly transmitted over the communications network to said at least one target user.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said mechanism includes at least one button, and wherein said one-push operation includes activation of said at least one button.