Apparatus and method for instant voice messaging

• US 20070116192A1
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Justin Cutshall, Kirk Steffke
• Original Assignee: Justin Cutshall, Kirk Steffke
• Inventors: Steffke, Kirk, Cutshall, Justin
• Application Number:
  US11/254,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20070116192A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/67.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64

Abstract

A mobile telephone with which a user may send a voice message to another subscriber instantly and independently of any other functions. In facilitation of the invention, a dedicated key is provided on the telephone. In an alternative embodiment, innovative menus are provided to support a method of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of sending an instant voice message from a first telephone to at least one second telephone on a telephone network, comprising the steps of

a. providing a menu option on the first telephone for a user to request sending of an instant voice message;

b. accepting and storing at the first telephone the instant voice message from the user;

c. accepting in the first telephone and associating with the instant voice message at least one telephone number, each identifying one certain second telephone;

d. providing the instant voice message and at least one telephone number to the telephone network;

e. informing a recipient at a certain second telephone of the instant voice message;

f. accepting from the recipient a request to play the instant voice message on the certain second telephone;

g. retrieving the instant voice message to the certain second telephone; and

h. playing the instant voice at the certain second telephone.

2. The telephone according to claim 1 wherein:

in step d. the instant voice message is stored in the telephone network; and

in step g. the instant voice message is retrieved from the telephone network.

3. The telephone according to claim 1 wherein:

in step d. the instant voice message is stored in the certain second telephone; and

in step g. the instant voice message is retrieved from the second certain telephone.

4. A first telephone for sending an instant voice message over a telephone network to at least one second telephone, the first telephone comprising

requesting means for requesting entry by a user of an instant voice message;

first accepting means for accepting from the user a spoken instant voice message;

second accepting means for accepting from the user an indication of completion of the spoken instant voice message;

third accepting means for accepting from the user at least one telephone number, each identifying a certain second telephone; and

sending means for sending the instant voice message over the telephone system to each certain second telephone.

5. The first telephone of claim 4, wherein

the requesting means comprises a dedicated key.

6. The first telephone of claim 5, wherein

the second accepting means comprises means for detecting release by the user of the dedicated key.

7. A first telephone for sending an instant voice message over a telephone network to at least one second telephone, the first telephone comprising

a dedicated key for requesting entry by a user of an instant voice message;

first accepting means for accepting from the user a spoken instant voice message;

second accepting means for accepting from the user an indication of completion of the spoken instant voice message;

third accepting means for accepting from the user at least one telephone number, each identifying a certain second telephone; and

sending means for sending the instant voice message over the telephone system to each certain second telephone.

8. The first telephone of claim 7 wherein

the second accepting means comprises means for detecting release by the user of the dedicated key.