METHODS, SYSTEMS AND DEVICES FOR PROVIDING VOICE MAIL CALLER IDENTIFICATION FOR DISPLAY ON A TELEPHONE

• US 20080200151A1
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Lohr, Jonathan Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,194,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message

Abstract

Caller identification information is transmitted from a voice mail server to a telephone in response to receiving a voice mail message for the telephone at the voice mail server, and independent of receiving a request from the telephone to access the voice mail server. Caller identification information for the voice mail message may thereby be provided as a notification that the voice mail message was received at the voice mail server. Related methods, systems and devices are disclosed.

Claims

1. A voice mail method comprising:

transmitting caller identification information from a voice mail server to a telephone in response to receiving a voice mail message for the telephone at the voice mail server and independent of receiving a request from the telephone to access the voice mail server.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting the voice mail message from the voice mail server to the telephone in response to a request from the telephone and subsequent to transmitting the caller identification information from the voice mail server to the telephone.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the caller identification information comprises a telephone number that is associated with the voice mail message for the telephone.

4. A voice mail method according to claim 1 wherein transmitting caller identification information from a voice mail server to a telephone comprises transmitting a text message, a wireless application protocol push message and/or a Session Initiation Protocol message that includes therein the caller identification information, from the voice mail server to the telephone in response to receiving the voice mail message for the telephone at the voice mail server and independent of receiving a request from the telephone to access the voice mail server.

5. A method according to claim 2 wherein transmitting the voice mail message from the voice mail server to the telephone in response to a request from the telephone comprises transmitting the voice mail message from the voice mail server to the telephone in response to a request from the telephone to access the voice mail message and/or a request from the telephone to access all voice mail messages.

6. A voice mail method comprising:

receiving at a telephone from a voice mail server, caller identification information for a voice mail message for the telephone; and

displaying at the telephone, an identification of the caller that is based upon the caller identification information.

7. A method according to claim 6 further comprising:

playing the voice mail message at the telephone in response to selection of the identification of the caller that is displayed at the telephone and/or in response to selection of a voice mail play function at the telephone.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein displaying at the telephone, an identification of the caller that is based upon the caller identification information comprises:

accessing a stored phone book to determine if an identification of the caller is present that corresponds to the caller identification information; and

displaying at the telephone, the identification of the caller if the identification of the caller is present.

9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising:

displaying the caller identification information that was received if the identification of the caller is not present.

10. A method according to claim 6 wherein displaying at the telephone, an identification of the caller that is based upon the caller identification information comprises displaying a pop-up message including the identification of the caller in response to receipt of the caller identification information and/or displaying the identification of the caller in response to receipt of a user request at the telephone to access voice mail.

11. A method according to claim 6 wherein displaying at the telephone, an identification of the caller that is based upon the caller identification information, comprises displaying a narrative message and/or a listing that includes the identification of the caller.

12. A method according to claim 7:

wherein displaying at the telephone, an identification of the caller that is based upon the caller identification information comprises displaying a narrative message and/or a listing that includes the identification of the caller; and

wherein playing the voice mail message at the telephone in response to selection of the identification of the caller that is displayed at the telephone comprises playing the voice mail message at the telephone in response to selection of the identification of the caller from the narrative message and/or from the listing.

13. A voice mail server comprising:

a system that is configured to transmit caller identification information to a telephone in response to receiving a voice mail message for the telephone so as to provide the caller identification information for the voice mail message as a notification that the voice mail message was received at the voice mail server.

14. A server according to claim 13 wherein the system is further configured to transmit the voice mail message to the telephone in response to a request from the telephone and subsequent to transmitting the caller identification information from the voice mail server to the telephone.

15. A server according to claim 13 wherein the caller identification information comprises a telephone number that is associated with the voice mail message for the telephone.

16. A server method according to claim 13 wherein the system is configured to transmit caller identification information to a telephone by transmitting a text message, a wireless application protocol push message and/or a Session Initiation Protocol message that includes therein the caller identification information.

17. A voice mail enabled telephone comprising:

a receiver;

a display; and

a controller that is configured to control the receiver to receive from a voice mail server, caller identification information for a voice mail message for the telephone, and to control the display to display an identification of the caller that is based upon the caller identification information.

18. A telephone according to claim 17 further comprising a speaker, and wherein the controller is further configured to play the voice mail message over the speaker in response to selection of the identification of the caller that is displayed and/or in response to selection of a voice mail play function.

19. A telephone according to claim 17 wherein the controller is further configured to access a stored phone book to determine if an identification of the caller is present that corresponds to the caller identification information, and to control the display to display the identification of the caller if the identification of the caller is present.

20. A telephone according to claim 19 wherein the controller is further configured to display the caller identification information that was received if the identification of the caller is not present.