System and method for associating due dates with messages

• US 20060285661A1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Labhesh, Jabbour, Fadi R., Lee, David C., Lee, Johnny H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,077,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.160
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5335 Message type or catagory, e.g. priority, indication
• 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

Abstract

A method for providing communication service includes determining that a call was not answered by an intended recipient of the call and determining a due date associated with the call. The method also includes communicating the due date to the intended recipient.

Claims

1. A method for providing communication service, comprising:

determining that a call was not answered by an intended recipient of the call;

determining a due date associated with the call; and

communicating the due date to the intended recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the due date associated with the call comprises:

prompting a caller to provide the due date; and

receiving the due date from the caller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the due date comprises:

prompting a caller of the call to provide a priority level associated with the call;

receiving the priority level from the caller; and

generating the due date based on the priority level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the due date comprises:

receiving a caller identifier that identifies a caller of the call; and

determining the due date based on the caller identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the due date comprises:

receiving a device identifier that identifies a device used by a caller to place the call; and

determining the due date based on at least a portion of the device identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the due date comprises determining the due date based on a destination device associated with the call.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the due date has expired; and

in response to determining that the due date has expired, forwarding to another recipient a recorded voicemail message associated with the call.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the due date comprises:

determining whether a caller of the call specified a due date associated with the call; and

in response to determining that the caller did not specify a due date, determining a default due date.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the default due date comprises determining the default due date based on a time at which the call was placed to the intended recipient.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the due date comprises:

receiving the due date from a caller of the call;

storing, for the intended recipient, a recorded voicemail message from the caller; and

associating the received due date with the recorded voicemail message.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically scheduling a task for the intended recipient based on the due date.

12. A device for providing communication service comprising:

a memory operable to store processor instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to;

determine that a call was not answered by an intended recipient of the call;

determine a due date associated with the call; and

communicate the due date to the intended recipient.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is operable to determine the due date associated with the call by:

prompting a caller to provide the due date; and

receiving the due date from the caller.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is operable to determine the due date by:

prompting a caller of the call to provide a priority level associated with the call;

receiving the priority level from the caller; and

generating the due date based on the priority level.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is operable to determine the due date by:

receiving a caller identifier that identifies a caller of the call; and

determining the due date based on the caller identifier.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is operable to determine the due date by:

receiving a device identifier that identifies a device used by a caller to place the call; and

determining the due date based on at least a portion of the device identifier.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is operable to determine the due date by determining the due date based on a destination device associated with the call.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine that the due date has expired; and

forward a recorded voicemail message associated with the call to another recipient, in response to determining that the due date has expired.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is operable to determine the due date by:

determining whether a caller of the call specified a due date associated with the call; and

in response to determining that the caller did not specify a due date, determining a default due date.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the processor is operable to determine the default due date by determining the default due date based on a time at which the call was placed to the intended recipient.

21. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is operable to determine the due date by:

receiving the due date from the caller;

storing, for the intended recipient, a recorded voicemail message from the caller; and

associating the received due date with the voicemail message.

22. The device of claim 12, wherein processor is further operable to automatically schedule a task for the intended recipient based on the due date.

23. A system for providing communication service comprising:

a first communication device operable to initiate a call to a second communication device;

the second communication device;

a call manager operable to forward the call to a messaging server if a recipient associated with the second communication device does not answer the call;

a messaging server operable to;

determine that the call was not answered by the recipient associated with the second communication device;

determine a due date associated with the call; and

communicate the due date to the intended recipient; and

a scheduling device operable to communicate the due date to the intended recipient.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the due date associated with the call by:

prompting a caller to provide the due date; and

receiving the due date from the caller.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the due date associated with the call by:

prompting a caller of the call to provide a priority level associated with the call;

receiving the priority level from the caller; and

generating the due date based on the priority level.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the due date associated with the call by:

receiving a caller identifier that identifies a caller of the call; and

determining the due date based on the caller identifier.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the due date by determining the due date based on a destination device associated with the call.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the due date by:

receiving a device identifier that identifies a device used by a caller to place the call; and

determining the due date based on at least a portion of the device identifier.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the messaging server is further operable to:

determine that the due date has expired; and

forward a recorded voicemail message associated with the call to another recipient, in response to determining that the due date has expired.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the due date by:

determining whether a caller of the call specified a due date associated with the call; and

in response to determining that the caller did not specify a due date, determining a default due date.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the default due date by determining the default due date based on a time at which the call was placed to the intended recipients.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the due date by:

receiving the due date from the caller;

storing, for the intended recipient, a recorded voicemail message from the caller; and

associating the received due date with the voicemail message.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the messaging server is further operable to automatically schedule a task for the intended recipient based on the due date.

34. A system for providing communication service comprising:

means for determining that a call was not answered by an intended recipient of the call;

means for determining a due date associated with the call; and

means for communicating the due date to the intended recipient.