SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING MESSAGES IN A PACKETIZED VOICE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20100091957A1
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edmon, Eugene L., Ying, Goangshiuan Shawn
• Granted Patent: US 8,467,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party

Abstract

A particular voice management method includes invoking an updatable call completion rule in a memory of an answering machine module in customer premises equipment. The answering machine module receives an incoming call signal for a session initiation protocol user agent. The session initiation protocol user agent has a first address and the answering machine module has a second address different from the first address. The method further includes saving a message received from a calling party associated with the incoming call signal to the memory via the answering machine module. The method also includes sending a graphical user interface from the answering machine module to a display of the customer premises equipment to present information about the incoming call.

Claims

1. A voice message management method, comprising:

invoking an updatable call completion rule in a memory of an answering machine module in customer premises equipment, the answering machine module to receive an incoming call signal for a session initiation protocol user agent, wherein the session initiation protocol user agent has a first address and the answering machine module has a second address different from the first address;

saving a message received from a calling party associated with the incoming call signal to the memory via the answering machine module; and

sending a graphical user interface from the answering machine module to a display of the customer premises equipment to present information about the incoming call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming call signal arrives via a data link comprising at least one of a global packet radio services link, an enhanced data groupe special mobile environment link, a cable modem link, a satellite link, and a digital subscriber line link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the session initiation protocol user agent is engaged in processing a second call when the updatable call completion rule is invoked.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the answering machine module a request to receive a copy of a stored voicemail message from a network located voicemail box; and

transferring from the network located voicemail box to the memory the copy of the stored voicemail message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the answering machine module a request to store a copy of one or more messages stored in the memory to a network located voicemail box; and

transferring the copy of the one or more messages from the memory to the network located voicemail box.

6. A messaging system, comprising:

a processor;

at least one memory accessible to the processor;

an interface to facilitate communicatively coupling the processor to a premises network;

a session initiation protocol user agent application in the at least one memory and operable to be executed by the processor to receive an incoming voice over internet protocol call directed to a first address;

an answering machine module in the at least one memory, the answering machine module including processor-readable instructions executable by the processor to play a recorded announcement to a calling party of the incoming voice over internet protocol call and to record a message communicated from the calling party in response to the recorded announcement in the at least one memory upon fulfillment of at least one updatable call completion rule; and

a display;

wherein the answering machine module includes additional processor-readable instructions executable by the processor to present a graphical user interface to display information about one or more messages recorded in the at least one memory by the answering machine module at the display.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising an answering machine module interface to allow the answering machine module to be removably coupled to the processor.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the session initiation protocol user agent comprises a voice over internet protocol telephone station.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the voice over internet protocol telephone station comprises a housing component at least partially defining an interior cavity, and wherein the answering machine module is at least partially located within the interior cavity.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the voice over internet protocol telephone station comprises a housing component at least partially forming a mating interface for removably coupling the voice over internet protocol telephone station and the answering machine module.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the voice over internet protocol telephone station comprises a premises wiring interface for communicatively coupling the voice over internet protocol telephone station with the premises network.

12. The system of claim 6, further comprising a selector responsive to a user interface, the selector operable to place the answering machine module in an active state in response to receipt of an enable signal via the user interface.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the session initiation protocol user agent application has a first internet protocol address and the answering machine module has a second internet protocol address different from the first internet protocol address.

14. A voicemail messaging method, comprising:

receiving a signal indicating a request to complete a voice over internet protocol call from a calling party to a voice over internet protocol device of a called party;

communicating an incoming call signal to a device address associated with the voice over internet protocol device of the called party;

receiving a connect call request from an answering machine module coupled to the voice over internet protocol device upon fulfillment of at least one updatable call completion rule;

connecting the calling party and the answering machine module;

maintaining information about the called party in a network repository, the information comprising a mailbox address for a network-based voicemail box;

saving a voicemail message in the network-based voicemail box;

receiving a transfer request from the answering machine module requesting that a copy of the saved voicemail message be communicated to the answering machine module; and

bridging a first communication channel of the answering machine module with a network-based voicemail box channel to facilitate communication of the copy of the saved voicemail message to the answering machine module.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising connecting the call by bridging a channel of the calling party with a second communication channel of the answering machine module.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the connect call request has a format that complies with a session initiation protocol message format.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a second call signal from the answering machine module; and

establishing a communication link with the answering machine module in response to the indication.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the transfer request comprises executing a session initiation protocol application.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the voice over internet protocol device is a voice over internet protocol telephone station.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising utilizing a session initiation protocol server in connection with performing at least the communicating of the incoming call signal.