Voicemail messaging with dynamic content

• US 20080089489A1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jain, Mukul, Kumar, Sanjeev, Patel, Labhesh, Katkam, Vinod
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

In one embodiment, a voicemail messaging system provides a user with the ability to record a voicemail message that includes at least one static portion and a dynamic content portion. When the voicemail message is accessed for listening by a recipient the dynamic content portion is filled with information retrieved via a URL link. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a voicemail mailbox; and

means for recording a voicemail message that includes a dynamic content portion and for storing the voicemail message in the voicemail mailbox, the means also for retrieving and inserting the dynamic content portion in the voicemail message.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the dynamic content portion is inserted in the voicemail message at a time when the voicemail message is accessed by a recipient.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the dynamic content portion is inserted in the voicemail message periodically according to a predetermined configuration of the system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the dynamic content portion includes a conditional rule that specifies an action to be taken in the event that a condition is met.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the condition comprises a logical evaluation of a variable.

6. A method comprising:

recording a voicemail message that includes at least one static portion and a dynamic content portion; and

retrieving information to fill the dynamic content portion when the voicemail message is accessed for listening by a recipient.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the information comprises a variable or query.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the retrieving comprises accessing a server referenced by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the variable or query is predefined.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the variable or query comprises a database query, a web query, a calendar query, or an address book query.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the dynamic content portion includes a conditional rule that specifies an action to be taken in the event that a condition is met.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising executing the action.

13. A method comprising:

recording a voicemail message that includes at least one static portion and a dynamic content portion; and

monitoring a variable included in the dynamic content portion;

sending the voicemail message to a recipient in the event that the variable satisfies a preset conditional rule.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the sending comprises storing the voicemail message in a voicemail mailbox assigned to the recipient.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein monitoring the variable comprises accessing a server that stores a current value of the variable.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the preset conditional rule comprises a logical expression that contains the variable.

17. A method comprising:

recording, in a first mode, speech of a user as a first portion of a voicemail message;

recording, in a second mode, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link as a second portion of the voicemail message; and

either periodically or at a time when the voicemail message is listened to by a recipient, retrieving a variable or expression from the URL link and inserting the variable or expression into the voicemail message.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the variable or expression is inserted into the voicemail message as speech.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the URL link comprises a link to a server, client program, or database entry.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising switching from the first mode to the second mode in response to first input received from an endpoint device associated with the user.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

switching from the second mode to the first mode in response to second input received from the endpoint device; and

recording, in the first mode, speech of a user as a third portion of the voicemail message.

22. Logic encoded in one or more media for execution and when executed is operable to:

record, in a first mode, speech of a user as a first portion of a voicemail message;

record, in a second mode, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link as a second portion of the voicemail message; and

either periodically or at a time when the voicemail message is listened to by a recipient, retrieve a variable or expression from the URL link and insert the variable or expression into the voicemail message.

23. The logic of claim 22 wherein the variable or expression is inserted into the voicemail message as speech.

24. The logic of claim 22 wherein the URL link comprises a link to a server, client program, or database entry.

25. The logic of claim 22 wherein the media, when executed, is further operable to switch from the first mode to the second mode in response to first input received from an endpoint device associated with the user.

26. Logic encoded in one or more media for execution and when executed is operable to:

record a voicemail message that includes at least one static portion and a dynamic content portion; and

monitor a variable included in the dynamic content portion;

send the voicemail message to a recipient in the event that the variable satisfies a preset conditional rule.