Voicemail interface system and method
First Claim
1. An electronic system for providing an interface with a remotely located smart voicemail network, said electronic system comprising:
- computing means for obtaining voicemail message files from said voicemail network, said computing means operating a file storing applet adapted to electronically collect newly received voicemail message files from said voicemail network into a designated file folder;
network connection means for providing electronic communication between said computing means and said voicemail network;
a computing applet operable to interface with said file storing applet and create mechanisms for users to be notified of said collected voicemail message files and to interact with said collected voicemail message files;
an output device for visually displaying notification indicia and audibly playing said voicemail message files; and
means for delivering selected voicemail message files from said designated file folder to said output device upon a user command;
wherein said computing applet and said file storing applet operate collectively to handle notification of, playing of, and management of said voicemail message files so as to provide a unified interface for entertainment and voicemail management.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are inventions that integrate a home television set top box (“STB”) or home media center with a smart voicemail system of a telephone service provider. Smart voicemail features, such as email notification of voicemails, or online playback of voicemails, may be used to obtain digital voicemail audio files that are then stored and maintained in a home computer network. These files can be served over the network via a networked television STB or a media center computer, to a display monitor during normal usage. Embodiments cause new voicemail notifications to be displayed during typical operation of a television with the STB or media center computer and provide users with an interface for responding to new voicemail notifications, and reviewing, managing, and playing back voicemail. Messages received thus can be easily identified and reviewed through an interface with which subscribers are extremely comfortable.
347 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An electronic system for providing an interface with a remotely located smart voicemail network, said electronic system comprising:
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computing means for obtaining voicemail message files from said voicemail network, said computing means operating a file storing applet adapted to electronically collect newly received voicemail message files from said voicemail network into a designated file folder; network connection means for providing electronic communication between said computing means and said voicemail network; a computing applet operable to interface with said file storing applet and create mechanisms for users to be notified of said collected voicemail message files and to interact with said collected voicemail message files; an output device for visually displaying notification indicia and audibly playing said voicemail message files; and means for delivering selected voicemail message files from said designated file folder to said output device upon a user command; wherein said computing applet and said file storing applet operate collectively to handle notification of, playing of, and management of said voicemail message files so as to provide a unified interface for entertainment and voicemail management. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for providing an interface with a remotely located smart voicemail network via a home entertainment system, said method comprising:
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establishing a voicemail box with said smart voicemail network; identifying when one or more incoming voicemail messages are received in said voicemail box; collecting one or more voicemail message audio files corresponding to said incoming voicemail messages from said voicemail network; storing said one or more audio files in a file folder designated for new voicemail message audio files; monitoring said file folder designated for said new voicemail message audio files to identify when said storing occurs; generating a visually detectable notification indicia on an electronic display upon identifying one or more stored audio files; audibly playing said stored audio files via said home entertainment system upon a user command prompted by said visually detectable notification indicia. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An electronic system for providing a television interface with a remotely located smart voicemail network adapted to send new voicemail messages as audio file attachments in email notification messages, said electronic system comprising:
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a television a computer connected to the Internet and configured to receive email messages from said voicemail network, said computer having a file storing applet running thereon that is adapted to identify email messages received from said voicemail network; and a set top box operable to control the operation of said television and networked with said computer; wherein said file storing applet detaches and stores audio files from each said incoming voicemail notification message into a designated file folder, and said set top box has a user interface applet running thereon that monitors said file folder to identify the presence of new audio files in said file folder and causes notification indicia to be displayed by said set top box on said television upon identifying the presence of new audio files so as to provide a unified interface for entertainment and voicemail management.
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Specification