Voice-messaging with attachments

• US 20070286363A1
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frederick Burg, John Lucas, Vivian Pressley-Harris
• Original Assignee: Frederick Burg, John Lucas, Vivian Pressley-Harris
• Inventors: Burg, Frederick, Pressley-Harris, Vivian, Lucas, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,466,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.180
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A network method for using a network telephone voice-mail service, by which a caller may leave a voice-message that includes the identification of an attachment, which may include, as examples only, audio, video, text, programs, spreadsheets and graphic attachments. A video, text, spreadsheet or graphic attachment may be converted to an audible attachment to the voice-mail at the caller'"'"'s or the voice-mail subscriber'"'"'s request. Such entries may be made, after receiving an automated prompt for leaving an attachment identifier or conversion request, audibly or by using a keypad entry. A network method is also provided for using a network telephone voice-mail service, by which the voice-mail service may detect an attachment to a voice-mail message and provide access to the attachment to the voice-mail message.

Claims

1. A method of storing and retrieving voice-messages with attachments, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a receiver of the called party a voice-mail message;

receiving at a receiver of the called party an attachment to the voice-mail message;

storing at a receiver of the called party the attachment to the voice-mail message with the voice-mail message,

providing access for the called party to the voice-mail message,

detecting by the called party the attachment to the voice-mail message; and

providing access for called party to the attachment to the voice-mail message,

wherein the attachment is separate from the voice-mail message and the step of providing access for the called party to the voice-mail message is separate from the step of providing access for the called party to the attachment to the voice-mail message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein after said step of receiving the voice-mail message, said method comprises the further step of issuing a prompt to leave the attachment to the voice-mail message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving the attachment to the voice-mail message includes the sub-steps of:

receiving a location of the attachment to the voice-mail message; and

retrieving the attachment to the voice-mail message from the received location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of receiving the location of the attachment to the voice-mail message includes verbally receiving the location of the attachment to the voice-mail message.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of receiving the location of the attachment to the voice-mail message includes receiving the location via a keypad.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the keypad includes any one of a mobile terminal keypad, a computer keyboard or a terminal touch screen.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the location of the attachment to the voice-mail message includes a uniform resource identifier (URI).

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the location of the attachment to the voice-mail message includes an address on a public network.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the location of the attachment to the voice-mail message includes an address on a private network.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein after said step of receiving a location of the attachment to the voice-mail message, said method comprises the further step of determining a content-type of the attachment to the voice-mail message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determined content-type of the attachment to the voice-mail message includes at least one of text, audio, graphics and video.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting an attachment to the voice-mail message includes detecting a received location of the attachment to the voice-mail message.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises the further step of determining a content-type of the attachment to the voice-mail message.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the received location of the attachment to the voice-mail message includes an address in the form of at least one of a URI address, a public network address and a private network address.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the content-type of the attachment to the voicemail message includes at least one of text, audio, graphics and video.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the content of the attachment is located remotely from the receiver of the called party.

16. A method of providing a voice-mail message with an attachment, said method comprising the steps of:

issuing a prompt for an attachment to a voice-mail message;

receiving a location of the attachment to the voice-mail message;

storing the location of the attachment to the voice-mail message with the voice-mail message;

receiving a request to allow access to the attachment to the voice-mail message; and

providing access to the attachment to the voice-mail message.

17. A method of providing a voice-mail message with an attachment, said method comprising the steps of:

issuing a prompt for an attachment to a voice-mail message;

receiving an attachment to the voice-mail message;

storing the attachment to the voice-mail message with the voice-mail message;

receiving a request to allow access to the attachment to the voice-mail message; and

providing access to the attachment to the voice-mail message.