Integrated System Providing Proxy Voice mail and Switching Functionality

• US 20070211868A1
• Filed: 03/12/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel USA Marketing Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NetDevices, Inc (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Banda, Seenu, Valluru, Sudhakar
• Application Number:
  US11/308,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20070211868A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/67.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems

Abstract

Integrating proxy voice mail server (PVMS) and a switch/router into a single unit. According to another aspect, the PVMS downloads voice mail messages (related to users served in PVMS) when bandwidth utilization is below a pre-specified threshold. According to another aspect, previously recorded voice mail messages are uploaded to a central VMS (CVMS) also when the bandwidth utilization is below a pre-specified threshold. According to one more aspect, the voice mail messages stored locally in a PVMS are provided to a user (instead of from the CVMS) when the bandwidth utilization is above a threshold.

Claims

1. An integrated server comprising:

a switching block receiving a plurality of packets and determining a specific one of a plurality of paths on which to forward each of said plurality of packets; and

a proxy voice mail server block (PVMS block) operating as a backup to a central voice mail server (CVMS), wherein said PVMS block receives some of said plurality of packets from said PVMS via said switching block.

2. The integrated server of claim 1, wherein said PVMS block retrieves a plurality of voice mail message stored in said CVMS and provides said plurality of voice mail messages to a user said PVMS is configured to serve.

3. The integrated server of claim 2, wherein said PVMS block is connected to said CVMS by a communication link, wherein said PVMS synchronizes voice mail messages when bandwidth utilization on said communication link is below a threshold.

4. The integrated server of claim 3, further comprising a memory to store said voice mail messages, wherein said PVMS block receives a request to access a voice mail message from a user and forwards said request to said CVMS only when bandwidth utilization on said communication is below a threshold.

5. A method of providing voice mail services to a user, said method being performed in a proxy voice mail server (PVMS) which operates as a backup to a central VMS (CVMS), said method comprising:

monitoring a bandwidth utilization on a communication path connecting said PVMS to said CVMS; and

downloading a plurality of voicemail messages from said CVMS if said bandwidth utilization is below a threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a call to said user, wherein said call is terminated at said PVMS when said CVMS is not accessible to terminate said call;

recording a voice mail message on said PVMS; and

uploading said voice mail message to said CVMS if said bandwidth utilization is below said threshold.

7. A method of providing voice mail services to a user, said method being performed in a proxy voice mail server (PVMS) which operates as a backup to a central VMS (CVMS), said method comprising:

monitoring a bandwidth utilization on a link connecting said PVMS to said CVMS;

receiving a request from said user to access a plurality of voicemail messages; and

forwarding said request to said CVMS if said bandwidth utilization is below a threshold and providing a plurality of messages to said user from a local secondary storage otherwise.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said plurality of voicemail messages are downloaded from said CVMS when said bandwidth utilization is below another threshold.