SELF-PROVISIONING, NOTIFICATION, RETRIEVAL, AND SUBMISSION OF VISUAL VOICE MAIL

• US 20090154663A1
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Corporate Resources Group LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Berger, Joseph E. JR., THAPER, Atul
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.110
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2073 Multipoint, e.g. messaging, broadcast or group SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• 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

A method includes receiving from a visual voice mail (VVM) client a request to access VVM services and determining whether VVM services have been previously activated. The method further includes providing a negative response to the VVM client if it is determined that VVM services have not been activated and receiving, from the VVM client, a self-provisioning request to initialize VVM services. The method may also include configuring VVM services based on the self-provisioning request and providing, to the VVM client, an indication that VVM services have been configured. The method may additionally include providing notifications and retrieval of voice mail messages, and submitting voice mail messages from the user device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a visual voice mail (VVM) client, a request to access VVM services;

determining whether VVM services have been previously activated;

providing a negative response to the VVM client if it is determined that VVM services have not been activated;

receiving, from the VVM client, a self-provisioning request to initialize VVM services;

configuring VVM services based on the self-provisioning request; and

providing, to the VVM client, an indication that VVM services have been configured.

2. The method of claim 1, where the request includes authentication information, and the determining comprises:

utilizing the authentication information to access a VVM system; and

receiving, from the VVM system, the negative response based on the authentication information and authorization status.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the VVM client, a user selection to self-provision VVM services; and

transmitting the self-provisioning request.

4. The method of claim 1, where the configuring comprises:

receiving, from the VVM client, a user selection of VVM services; and

configuring the user selection of VVM services on a VVM system.

6. The method of claim 1, where the notifying comprises notification information that includes at least one of caller ID information, duration of new voice mail message, size of new voice mail message, or whether a new voice mail message is private or urgent.

7. The method of claim 1, where the notifying comprises:

receiving, from a VVM system, a notification of the VVM event; and

forwarding, by a VVM server, the notification to the VVM client.

5. A method, comprising:

determining that a visual voice mail (VVM) event requiring notification to a subscriber occurred;

notifying a VVM client of the VVM event;

receiving, from the VVM client, location information that identifies which VVM system or VVM box is associated with the VVM client;

utilizing the location information to synchronize the VVM box and the VVM client; and

providing VVM services corresponding to the VVM event to the VVM client.

8. A method, comprising:

recording an audio voice mail message on a user device having a visual voice mail (VVM) client;

transmitting the audio voice mail message with destination information to a VVM server;

determining, by the VVM server, which voice mail (VM) box to deposit the audio voice mail message based on the destination information; and

depositing the audio voice mail message in the determined VM box, where the method is performed without the user device having to call another user device associated with VM box.

9. A system comprising:

a visual voice mail (VVM) client residing on a user device configured to;

transmit a request containing authentication information to access VVM services;

receive a response to the transmitted request to access VVM services;

provide a user interface to receive a user selection to self-provision VVM services when the response includes an authorization failure;

transmit subscription information to a self-provisioning system to configure VVM services when the user selection indicates an acceptance to self-provision; and

receive an indication that VVM services have been configured.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a VVM server configured to;

receive the authentication information;

transmit the authentication information to a VVM system;

receive a response from the VVM system based on the authentication information and authorization status; and

provide the response that includes the authorization failure to the VVM client.

11. The system of claim 9, where the self-provisioning system is further configured to configure VVM services on a voice mail (VM) system based on the subscription information.

12. The system of claim 9, where the VVM client is further configured to:

provide an indication to a user to restart the VVM client when the indication that VVM service has been activated.

13. The system of claim 9, where the VVM client is further configured to:

provide location information of a voice mail box or voice mail system associated with the user device when the VVM client receives notification of a voicemail.

14. The system of claim 9, where the VVM client is further configured to:

record an audio voice mail message; and

transmit the audio voice mail message and destination information to a VVM server for deposit in a voice mail box.

15. The system of claim 14, where the audio voice mail message is deposited in the voice mail box without calling a user device associated with the voice mail box.

16. The system of claim 9, where the user device includes a wireless telephone.

17. A computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by a processor, the computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions for:

receiving a first user input that includes authentication information for accessing visual voice mail (VVM) services;

transmitting the authentication information and a mobile directory number (MDN);

interpreting a response to the transmitted authentication information and the MDN;

receiving a second user input to self-provision VVM services when the response includes an authorization failure;

transmitting subscription information to configure VVM services; and

receiving an indication that VVM services have been configured.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising one or more instructions for:

receiving a notification that a new voice mail message is in a voice mail box;

transmitting information that identifies a voice mail system that includes the voice mail box or information that identifies the voice mail box; and

synchronizing with the voice mail box to retrieve the new voice mail message.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising one or more instructions for:

recording and storing a new voice mail message; and

transmitting the new voice mail message to deposit in a voice mail box.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the computer-readable medium resides in a user device having telephone capabilities.