Instant messaging voice mail

• US 20090037536A1
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Braam, Carl A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable

Abstract

A method, system and computer usable medium are disclosed for delivering an electronic message. In various embodiments of the invention a first computer is used to receive voice data from a user and to generate a message data file therefrom. A test is then conducted to determine whether a predetermined second computer is operably coupled to the communication network. If the result of the test indicates that the second computer is not coupled to the communication network, the message data file is forwarded to a predetermined storage location in an electronic messaging system. In various embodiments of the invention, the message data file is subsequently retrieved from the predetermined storage location by the predetermined second computer. In embodiments of the invention, the message data file is processed to comprise text data or voice mail data prior to forwarding to the predetermined storage location in the electronic messaging system.

Claims

1. A computer-implementable method for delivering an electronic message, comprising:

coupling a first computer to a communication network;

executing an instant message system client program on a first computer, thereby enabling said first computer to process instant message files;

using said first computer to receive voice data from a user and to generate a message data file therefrom;

conducting a test to determine whether a predetermined second computer is operably coupled to said communication network; and

forwarding said message data file to a predetermined storage location in an electronic messaging system if the result of said test indicates that said predetermined second computer is not operably coupled to said communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said message data file is subsequently retrieved from said predetermined storage location by said predetermined second computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said message data file is processed to comprise text data prior to forwarding to said predetermined storage location in said electronic messaging system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein text data in said message data file is displayed on a user interface device coupled to said first computer prior to being forwarded to said predetermined storage location in said electronic messaging system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said message data file is processed to comprise voicemail data prior to forwarding to said predetermined storage location in said electronic messaging system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said voicemail data is formatted to comprise a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) format prior to forwarding to said predetermined storage location.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said message data file is processed to comprise text data prior to forwarding to said predetermined storage location in said electronic messaging system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein text data in said message data file is displayed on a user interface device coupled to said first computer prior to being forwarded to said predetermined storage location in said electronic messaging system.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said message data file is processed to comprise voicemail data prior to forwarding to said predetermined storage location in said electronic messaging system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said voicemail data is formatted to comprise a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) format prior to forwarding to said predetermined storage location.

7. A system for delivering an electronic message using a first computer operably connected to a communication network, said first computer comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer-usable medium being coupled to the data bus, the computer program code for delivering an electronic message and comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for;

executing an instant message system client program on said first computer, thereby enabling said first computer to process instant message files;

using said first computer to receive voice data from a user and to generate a message data file therefrom;

conducting a test to determine whether a predetermined second computer is operably coupled to said communication network; and

forwarding said message data file to a predetermined storage location in an electronic messaging system if the result of said test indicates that said predetermined second computer is not operably coupled to said communication network.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said message data file is subsequently retrieved from said predetermined storage location by said predetermined second computer.

13. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code for use by a first computer operably coupled to a communication system, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

using said first computer to receive voice data from a user and to generate a message data file therefrom;

conducting a test to determine whether a predetermined second computer is operably coupled to said communication network; and

forwarding said message data file to a predetermined storage location in an electronic messaging system if the result of said test indicates that said predetermined second computer is not operably coupled to said communication network.

14. The computer-usable medium of claim 13, wherein said message data file is subsequently retrieved from said predetermined storage location by said predetermined second computer.

15. The computer-usable medium of claim 13, wherein said message data file is processed to comprise text data prior to forwarding to said predetermined storage location in said electronic messaging system.

16. The computer-usable medium of claim 15, wherein text data in said message data file is displayed on a user interface device coupled to said first computer prior to being forwarded to said predetermined storage location in said electronic messaging system.

17. The computer-usable medium of claim 13, wherein said message data file is processed to comprise voicemail data prior to forwarding to said predetermined storage location in said electronic messaging system.

18. The computer-usable medium of claim 17, wherein said voicemail data is formatted to comprise a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) format prior to forwarding to said predetermined storage location.

19. The computer usable medium of claim 31, wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a server at a remote location.

20. The computer usable medium of claim 31, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.