SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSTANT VoIP MESSAGING

• US 20090161665A1
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Ayalogic Incorporated
• Inventors: Rojas, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,199,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

There is provided an instant voice messaging system (and method) for delivering instant messages over a packet-switched network, the system comprising: a client connected to the network, the client selecting one or more recipients, generating an instant voice message therefor, and transmitting the selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor over the network; and a server connected to the network, the server receiving the selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor, and delivering the instant voice message to the selected recipients over the network, the selected recipients being enabled to audibly play the instant voice message.

Claims

1. A method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switched network, the method comprising:

transmitting an instant voice message having one or more recipients;

receiving an instant voice message when at least one recipient of the one or more recipients is available; and

receiving a temporarily stored instant voice message when at least one recipient of the one or more recipients becomes available, wherein the instant voice message is temporarily stored when at least one recipient is unavailable.

2. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switched network according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating the instant voice message, wherein generating includes recording the instant voice message in an audio file and attaching one or more files to the audio file.

3. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switched network according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a list of nodes within the packet-switched network, the list of nodes including a connectivity status of each node, said connectivity status being available and unavailable, wherein a node within the list is adapted to be selected as a recipient of an instant voice message; and

displaying said list of nodes.

4. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating the instant voice message; and

controlling a method of generating the instant voice message based upon a connectivity status of said one or more recipient.

5. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 4, wherein said method of generating said instant voice message is selected from a group comprising a record mode and an intercom mode.

6. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 5, wherein said record mode is selected as a default when at least one recipient is unavailable.

7. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 5, wherein said intercom mode is selected as a default when said one or more recipients are available.

8. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 5, wherein said record mode comprises the steps of:

recording the instant voice message;

generating a stop indicator; and

transmitting the recorded instant voice message after the generation of said stop indicator.

9. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 5, wherein said intercom mode comprises the steps of:

buffering each of a plurality of successive portions of the instant voice as the instant message is recorded;

transmitting from each successive buffered portion; and

delivering each successive portion to the recipients wherein the recipients audibly playing each successive portion as it is delivered.

10. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 8, wherein said stop indicator is generated after a lapse of a preset period of time without receiving an audio input.

11. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 8, wherein said stop indicator is generated when a sensor detects that a recording device is in a predetermined position.

12. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 10, further comprising:

detecting an audio input; and

determining when said audio input has stopped.

13. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an indication that an instant voice message has been received; and

playing the instant voice message.

14. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 2, further comprising:

displaying an indication that an instant voice message has been received;

separating the instant voice message into the audio file and the one or more files; and

playing the audio file.

15. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a record start signal.

16. The method for instant voice messaging over a packet-switch network according to claim 15, wherein said record start signal is an audio signal.