METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BULLETIN BOARD MESSAGING IN A VOICE MAIL SYSTEM

• US 20080123824A1
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Piatt, Kathy Goode, Boyd, Martha Karen
• Granted Patent: US 8,098,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

The present invention provides an option to record messages that can be geared to specific audiences, using PIN-restricted access as needed. The present invention provides a method and apparatus way for subscribers to record a number (more than one) of personalized messages or greetings geared towards specific callers or audiences in a plurality of bulletin boards associated with a single telephone number. The personalized greetings comprise public messages, private messages, public comments and private comments. The method and apparatus of the present invention also ensures customer privacy and increases the level of security by providing an option to PIN-protect the content and access to the content for each of the public and private recorded messages and comments.

Claims

1. A method of providing a bulletin board messaging system associated with a subscriber telephone, comprising:

sending a prompt to enter a first personal identification number (PIN) to select an option associated with a bulletin board that will allow recording of a private message; and

allowing recording of the private message upon receiving a PIN that corresponds to a prescribed PIN.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a prompt to enter a second PIN to listen to the recorded private message.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending a prompt to enter a third PIN to record a private comment in response to the private message.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising,

sending a prompt to enter a fourth PIN to listen to the private comment.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second PINs are different.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the second and third PINs are the same.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and fourth PINs are the same.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the first, second, third and fourth PINs are different.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and fourth PINs are the same, the second and third PINs are the same and the first and second PINs are different.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the second and third PINs are the same.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a prompt to listen to a recorded public message.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a prompt to record a public comment in response to the recorded public message.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sending a prompt to listen to the recorded public comment.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a prompt to select a bulletin board from a plurality of bulletin boards associated with a subscriber telephone number.

15. A computer readable containing instructions that when executed by a computer perform a method of providing a bulletin board messaging system associated with a subscriber telephone, the method comprising:

prompting the caller for a caller input to select a bulletin board;

sending a prompt to enter a first personal identification number (PIN) to select an option associated with the bulletin board that will allow recording of a private message; and

allowing recording of the private message upon receiving a PIN that corresponds to a prescribed PIN.

16. The medium of claim 15, the method further comprising,

sending a prompt to enter a second PIN to listen to the recorded private message.

17. The medium of claim 16, the method further comprising,

sending a prompt to enter a third PIN to record a private comment in response to the private message.

18. The medium of claim 17, the method further comprising,

sending a prompt to enter a fourth PIN to listen to the private comment.

19. The medium of claim 16, the method further comprising:

setting the first different form the second PIN.

20. The medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

setting the second equal to the third PIN.

21-41. -41. (canceled)