System and method for transmitting messages to a wireless communication device

• US 20070066284A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chestnut, Kevin, Gatzke, Alan, Belcher, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• 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

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for communicating information to a user includes transmitting a plurality of indicator messages to a communication device associated with a particular user, each indicator message associated with an audio message for the user. The method also includes receiving, from the communication device, information indicating an order for two or more of the audio messages. Additionally, the method includes transmitting the audio messages to the communication device in the order indicated by the information indicating the order.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information to a user, comprising:

transmitting a plurality of indicator messages to a communication device associated with a particular user, each indicator message associated with an audio message for the user;

receiving, from the communication device, information indicating an order for two or more of the audio messages; and

transmitting the audio messages to the communication device in the order indicated by the information indicating the order.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the plurality of indicator messages to the communication device comprises transmitting the indicator messages to the communication device over a first network and wherein transmitting the audio messages to the communication device comprises transmitting the audio messages to the communication device over a second network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first network supports communication in accordance with a packet-based communication protocol and wherein the second network supports communication in accordance with a circuit-switched communication protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the audio messages to the communication device comprises:

initiating a voice communication session with the communication device; and

transmitting the audio messages to the communication device as part of the voice communication session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the audio messages to the communication device comprises:

storing the messages in a queue in an order that is based on the information indicating the order, and

transmitting the audio messages from the queue in the order in which the audio messages were stored in the queue.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the plurality of indicator messages comprises:

receiving, from a voicemail server, a plurality of indicator messages, each indicator message indicating the voicemail server has recorded an audio message for the user; and

adding information identifying a storage location associated with the audio message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein adding information identifying the storage location comprises adding a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the audio message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting one or more indicator messages comprises:

receiving, from a voicemail server, a plurality of indicator messages, each indicator message indicating the voicemail server has recorded an audio message for the user; and

adding a message identifier associated with the audio message and a communication address associated with the communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the audio messages to the communication device comprises:

initiating a communication session with the communication device based on the communication address; and

transmitting the audio messages to the communication device as part of the communication session.

10. A device for communicating information to a user, the device comprising:

a memory operable to store processor instructions; and

a processor operable to;

transmit a plurality of indicator messages to a communication device associated with a particular user, each indicator message associated with an audio message for the user;

receive, from the communication device, information indicating an order for two or more of the audio messages; and

transmit the audio messages to the communication device in the order indicated by the information indicating the order.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to transmit the plurality of indicator messages to the communication device by transmitting the indicator messages to the communication device over a first network, and wherein the processor is operable to transmit the audio messages to the communication device by transmitting the audio messages to the communication device over a second network.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first network supports communication in accordance with a packet-based communication protocol and wherein the second network supports communication in accordance with a circuit-switched communication protocol.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to transmit the audio messages to the communication device by:

initiating a voice communication session with the communication device; and

transmitting the audio messages to the communication device as part of the voice communication session.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to transmit the audio messages to the communication device by:

storing the messages in a queue in an order that is based on the information indicating the order, and

transmitting the audio messages from the queue in the order in which the audio messages were stored in the queue.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to transmit the plurality of indicator messages by:

receiving, from a voicemail server, a plurality of indicator messages, each indicator message indicating the voicemail server has recorded an audio message for the user; and

adding information identifying a storage location associated with the audio message.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the processor is operable to add information identifying the storage location by adding a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the audio message.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to transmit one or more indicator messages by:

receiving, from a voicemail server, a plurality of indicator messages, each indicator message indicating the voicemail server has recorded an audio message for the user; and

adding a message identifier associated with the audio message and a communication address associated with the communication device.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to transmit the audio messages to the communication device by:

initiating a communication session with the communication device based on the communication address; and

transmitting the audio messages to the communication device as part of the communication session.

19. A system for communicating information to a user, comprising:

a mobile communication device associated with a user;

a wireless service server operable to selectively communicate information received from a messaging server to the mobile communication device through a first network and a second network;

the first network operable to support communication of voice information between the mobile communication device and the wireless service server;

the second network operable to support communication of data between the mobile communication device and the wireless service server; and

a messaging server operable to;

transmit a plurality of indicator messages to the communication device over the first network, each indicator message associated with an audio message for the user;

receive, from the communication device, information indicating an order for two or more of the audio messages; and

transmit the audio messages to the communication device over the second network in the order indicated by the information indicating the order.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first network supports communication in accordance with a packet-based communication protocol and wherein the second network supports communication in accordance with a circuit-switched communication protocol.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the messaging server is operable to transmit the audio messages to the communication device by:

initiating a voice communication session with the communication device; and

transmitting the audio messages to the communication device as part of the voice communication session.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the messaging server is operable to transmit the audio messages to the communication device by:

storing the messages in a queue in an order that is based on the information indicating the order, and

transmitting the audio messages from the queue in the order in which the audio messages were stored in the queue.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising a push server operable to:

receive a plurality of indicator messages, each indicator message indicating that the messaging server has recorded an audio message for the user;

add to each indicator message information indicating a storage location at which an audio message associated with that indicator message is stored, and

transmit the indicator messages to the wireless server.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the push server is operable to add information identifying the storage location by adding a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the audio message.

25. The system of claim 19, further comprising a push server operable to:

receive a plurality of indicator messages, each indicator message indicating that the messaging server has recorded an audio message for the user;

add to each indicator message a communication address associated with the communication device and information indicating a storage location at which an audio message associated with that indicator message is stored, and

transmit the indicator messages to the wireless server.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the messaging server is operable to transmit the audio messages to the communication device by:

initiating a communication session with the communication device based on the communication address; and

transmitting the audio messages to the communication device as part of the communication session.

27. A system for communicating information to a user, comprising:

means for transmitting a plurality of indicator messages to a communication device associated with a particular user, each indicator message associated with an audio message for the user;

means for receiving, from the communication device, information indicating an order for two or more of the audio messages; and

means for transmitting the audio messages to the communication device in the order indicated by the information indicating the order.

28. A method for communicating information to a user, comprising:

transmitting a first indicator message to a communication device associated with a particular user, the first indicator message indicating receipt of a first audio message for the user;

after transmitting the first indicator message, transmitting a second indicator message to a communication device associated with a particular user, the second indicator message indicating receipt of a second audio message for the user;

receiving a first playback request requesting playback of the second audio message;

in response to receiving the first playback request, storing audio data associated with the second audio message in a queue;

transmitting audio data associated with the second audio message to the communication device from the queue;

receiving a second playback request requesting playback of the first audio message;

in response to receiving the second playback request, storing audio data associated with the first audio message in the queue while transmitting audio data associated with the second audio message to the communication device from the queue; and

after completing transmission of the audio data associated with the second audio message to the communication device, transmitting audio data associated with the first audio message to the communication device from the queue.

29. A device for communicating information to a user, comprising:

a memory operable to store processor instructions; and

a processor operable to;

transmit a first indicator message to a communication device associated with a particular user, the first indicator message indicating receipt of a first audio message for the user;

after transmitting the first indicator message, transmit a second indicator message to a communication device associated with a particular user, the second indicator message indicating receipt of a second audio message for the user;

receive a first playback request requesting playback of the second audio message;

in response to receiving the first playback request, store audio data associated with the second audio message in a queue;

transmit audio data associated with the second audio message to the communication device from the queue;

receive a second playback request requesting playback of the first audio message;

in response to receiving the second playback request, store audio data associated with the first audio message in the queue while transmitting audio data associated with the second audio message to the communication device from the queue; and

after completing transmission of the audio data associated with the second audio message to the communication device, transmit audio data associated with the first audio message to the communication device from the queue.