Voicemail filtering software

• US 20070280205A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Howell, David A., Criddle, Linda, Milstein, David, Chu, Lon-Chan, Malueg, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,467,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention are directed to software that allows a callee to access and filter data related to a voicemail message. In accordance with one embodiment, searchable index key(s) are identified that are associated with a selected voicemail message. Then, a search is performed to identify data that is related to the selected voicemail message using the index key(s). Once the search is performed, a user interface is presented that references data identified as being related to the voicemail message. As a result, a callee may easily access and review data related to a voicemail message without being required to use multiple software applications.

Claims

1. In a digital voice communication environment operative to transmit a voicemail message to a client associated with a callee, a method of providing the callee with access to data related to the voicemail message, the method comprising:

using contextual information included with the voicemail message to identify data available from the client that is related to the voicemail message; and

providing a user interface where the callee may access the data identified as being related to the voicemail message.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data identified as being related to the voicemail message that is accessible from the user interface may be in different electronic formats.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein using contextual information included with the voicemail message to identify data available from the client that is related to the voicemail message, includes:

extracting an index key from a file that stores the voicemail message;

wherein the index key may be defined by the callee; and

causing an information retrieval program to perform a search using the index key as a search term.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein extracting an index key from a file that stores the voicemail message includes using a search expression to parse contextual data in the file.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein causing an information retrieval program to perform a search using the index key as a search term includes:

generating a query designed to identify data that matches the index key; and

receiving the search results of the query.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of display areas that present the index key used to perform the search and the search results of the query.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing a user interface where the callee may access the data identified as being related to the voicemail message includes:

identifying the search result that is the most relevant to the voicemail message; and

highlighting the data that was identified as being the most relevant to the voicemail message on the user interface.

8. A computer-readable medium containing computer-readable instructions which, when executed in a client that receives a voicemail message over an Internet telephony environment, performs a method of providing a callee with access to data related to the voicemail message, the method comprising:

identifying an index key associated with the voicemail message;

performing a search for data that is related to the voicemail message using the index key as a search term; and

generating a user interface that references data identified as being related to the voicemail message.

9. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, further comprising handling an event received by the user interface to perform an additional search for data that is related to the voicemail message.

10. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein identifying an index key associated with the voicemail message includes:

parsing contextual data included with the voicemail message; and

determining whether multiple index keys are included in the contextual data.

11. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein if multiple index keys are included in the contextual data, using the multiple index keys as search terms to identify data that is related to the voicemail message.

12. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein performing a search for data that is related to the voicemail message includes assigning a relevance score to a search result;

and

wherein a search result is presented to the callee if the assigned relevance score is higher than a predetermined threshold value.

13. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the search results presented to the callee on the user interface includes data identified as a match to all of the multiple index keys.

14. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein performing a search for data that is related to the voicemail message includes:

generating a query designed to identify data that matches an index key; and

issuing the query to an information retrieval program.

15. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein data that is identified as being related to the voicemail message includes word processing documents and e-mails.

16. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the user interface provides controls to initiate a call to a specified contact;

and

wherein the callee may include contextual data with the call by identifying the contextual data from the user interface.

17. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the user interface highlights data from a file identified as being the most relevant to a voicemail message.

18. A software system implemented in a client communicatively connected to a digital voice communication environment that provides a callee with access to data related to a voicemail message, the software system comprising:

an information retrieval program that identifies data that is related to a voicemail message in response to receiving a query;

a dashboard generation routine operative to provide a user interface where the callee may access data that is related to a voicemail message; and

a smart filtering subroutine operative to;

issue a query to the information retrieval program to identify data accessible from the client that is related to the voicemail message; and

filter the results of the query for presentation on the user interface.

19. The software system as recited in claim 18, wherein the smart filtering subroutine is further configured to:

obtain information related to a contact from a database; and

cause the contact information to be presented on the user interface.

20. The software system as recited in claim 18, wherein the dashboard generation routine is further configured to handle events accepted at the user interface, including events to:

cause a search to be performed using a callee-defined index key;

initiate a call to a specified contact; and

transmit data over an existing communication channel.