SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING MESSAGE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS VIA A CENTRALIZED VOICE MESSAGE SERVER

• US 20090161841A1
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilad Odinak
• Original Assignee: Gilad Odinak
• Inventors: Odinak, Gilad
• Granted Patent: US 8,218,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/187 combining circuit and packet-switched, e.g. GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system and method for providing message-based communications via a centralized voice message server is provided. A plurality of communication devices are interfaced over a data network. A session is initiated upon receipt of a sign-in request from one of the communication devices. An identity of a user associated with that communication device is verified. The user is assigned to at least one discussion group, which includes one or more other signed-in users each associated with an other communication device located at a location removed from the communication device. A voice message is received on a message server from the user. The voice message is encrypted for each of the other signed-in users using keys unique to the other communication devices associated with the other signed-in users. The encrypted voice message is provided from the message server to the other signed-in users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for providing message-based communications via a centralized voice message server, comprising:

a plurality of communication devices; and

a voice message server interfaced with the communication devices over a data network, comprising;

a control module initiating a session upon receipt of a sign-in request from one of the communication devices, verifying an identity of a user associated with that communication device, and assigning the user to at least one discussion group during the session, the discussion group comprising one or more other signed-in users each associated with an other communication device located at a location removed from the communication device;

a security module receiving a voice message from the user via the communication device and encrypting the voice message for each of the other signed-in users in the discussion group using keys unique to the other communication devices associated with the other signed-in users;

a voice processing module providing the encrypted voice message to the other signed-in users in the discussion group via the other communication devices; and

a processor to execute the modules.

2. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, wherein the communication device encrypts the voice message using a key unique to the communication device prior to receipt of the voice message on the message server and further wherein the message server decrypts the voice message prior to encryption with the keys unique to the other communication devices.

3. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, wherein the session is terminated upon receipt of a sign-out request from the communication device.

4. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an identification module generating a group identification for the discussion group and assigning the group identification to the voice message upon receipt by the message server; and

a queue module providing the voice message to a queue based on the group identification.

5. A computer-implemented system according to claim 4, wherein the voice message is transiently stored in the queue prior to transmission to the other communication devices.

6. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a selection module selecting a moderator for the discussion group and providing the voice message to the moderator;

an approval module receiving approval of the voice message from the moderator; and

a transmission module transmitting the voice message to the other communication devices in the discussion group based on the approval from the moderator.

7. A computer-implemented system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a receipt module receiving annotations from the moderator; and

an annotation module applying the annotations to the voice message prior to transmission to the other communication devices.

8. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a list module maintaining a list of users for the discussion group;

a request module receiving a request from the user to join the discussion group; and

an entry module adding an entry for the user in the list of users.

9. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an identification module associating the voice message with at least one of a user identification, a discussion group identification, a message identification, and a time-stamp.

10. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transformation module performing at least one of decompressing the voice message, decrypting the voice message, concatenating the voice message, and converting the voice message into an electrical signal.

11. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1 wherein the other communication devices each perform at least one of playing the voice message, skipping the voice message, and replaying the voice message.

12. A computer-implemented method for providing message-based communications via a centralized voice message server, comprising:

interfacing a plurality of communication devices over a data network;

initiating a session upon receipt of a sign-in request from one of the communication devices and verifying an identity of a user associated with that communication device;

assigning the user to at least one discussion group during the session, the discussion group comprising one or more other signed-in users each associated with an other communication device located at a location removed from the communication device;

receiving on a message server, a voice message from the user via the communication device and encrypting the voice message for each of the other signed-in users in the discussion group using keys unique to the other communication devices associated with the other signed-in users; and

providing the encrypted voice message from the message server to the other signed-in users in the discussion group via the other communication devices.

13. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, wherein the communication device encrypts the voice message using a key unique to the communication device prior to receipt of the voice message on the message server and further wherein the message server decrypts the voice message prior to encryption with the keys unique to the other communication devices.

14. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising:

terminating the session upon receipt of a sign-out request from the communication device.

15. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising:

generating a group identification for the discussion group;

assigning the group identification to the voice message upon receipt; and

providing the voice message to a queue based on the group identification.

16. A computer-implemented method according to claim 15, further comprising:

transiently storing the voice message in the queue prior to transmission to the other communication devices.

17. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising:

selecting a moderator for the discussion group and providing the voice message to the moderator;

receiving approval of the voice message from the moderator; and

transmitting the voice message to the other communication devices in the discussion group based on the approval from the moderator.

18. A computer-implemented method according to claim 17, further comprising:

receiving annotations from the moderator; and

applying the annotations to the voice message prior to transmission to the other communication devices.

19. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising:

maintaining a list of users for the discussion group;

receiving a request from the user to join the discussion group; and

adding an entry for the user in the list of users.

20. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising:

associating the voice message with at least one of a user identification, a discussion group identification, a message identification, and a time-stamp.

21. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

decompressing the voice message;

decrypting the voice message;

concatenating the voice message; and

converting the voice message into an electronic signal.

22. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, wherein the other communication devices each perform at least one of:

playing the voice message;

skipping the voice message; and

replaying the voice message.