Visual Voicemail Method for Managing Deleted Messages

• US 20100149300A1
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sigmund, William J., Rainer, Brian, Zubas, Michael Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,369,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/36 Memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• 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 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A method for managing visual voicemail messages includes displaying a list of voicemail messages on a telecommunications handset, receiving user commands for operating on the voicemail messages including a delete message command and in response to a delete message command, marking a voicemail message for deletion with a delete timestamp and moving the voicemail message to a Deleted Messages folder. A Deleted Message Age Indicator function processes to control permanent deletion of voicemail messages in the Deleted Messages folder based on delete timestamps and a global Delete Time value in cooperation with a visual voicemail platform.

Claims

1. A method for managing visual voicemail messages, comprising:

receiving user commands for operating on visual voicemail messages including a delete message command;

in response to the delete message command, marking a voicemail message for deletion with a delete timestamp and moving the voicemail message to a Deleted Messages folder; and

processing by a Deleted Message Age Indicator function in cooperation with a visual voicemail platform to control permanent deletion of voicemail messages in the Deleted Messages folder based on the delete timestamps and a global Delete Time value.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processing includes providing the voicemail platform access to delete timestamps of messages in the Deleted Messages folder during a synchronization operation.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processing by the Deleted Message Age Indicator function occurs at the telecommunications handset.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processing occurs at the visual voicemail platform.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, including preconfiguring the visual voicemail platform with a global Delete Time value.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the processing enables the telecommunications handset to override, extend or shorten the global Delete Time value.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processing enables the visual voicemail platform to delete messages with timestamps that equal the global Delete Time value during a synchronization operation.

8. A computer readable medium encoded with computer program instructions for managing visual voicemail messages, the computer program instructions comprising:

receiving user commands for operating on visual voicemail messages including a delete message command;

in response to the delete message command, marking a voicemail message for deletion with a delete timestamp and moving the voicemail message to a Deleted Messages folder; and

processing by a Deleted Message Age Indicator function in cooperation with a visual voicemail platform to control permanent deletion of voicemail messages in the Deleted Messages folder based on the delete timestamps and a global Delete Time value.

9. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions coordinate the processing to provide the voicemail platform access to timestamps of messages in the Deleted Messages folder during a synchronization process.

10. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions implement the processing on the telecommunications handset.

11. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions implement the processing on the visual voicemail platform.

12. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions provide for configuring the visual voicemail platform with the global Delete Time value.

13. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the computer program instructions implement the processing at the handset to enable a user to override, extend or shorten the global Delete Time.

14. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions implement the processing to cooperate with the visual voicemail platform to delete messages with timestamps equal to the global Delete Time value.

15. A visual voicemail message management system, comprising:

a server including a processor and a memory, wherein the processor operates a visual voicemail management platform; and

a telecommunications handset, the telecommunications handset comprising;

an interactive display for displaying a list of voicemail messages stored in the handset that allows a handset user to input commands for operating on the displayed voicemail messages;

a memory for storing voicemail messages; and

a processor for responding to the commands and operating on voicemail messages;

wherein the visual voicemail management system operates a Deleted Message Age Indicator function that monitors an age of voicemail messages stored in the handset memory and permanently deletes those voicemail messages whose age equals a global Delete Time value.

16. The visual voicemail message management system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the handset processor is adapted to respond to a command to delete a displayed voicemail message by tagging the message with a delete timestamp and moving the message into the Deleted Messages folder.

17. The visual voicemail message management system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the processor on the telecommunications handset is adapted to control the Deleted Message Age Indicator function.

18. The visual voicemail message management system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the processor on the server is adapted to control the Deleted Message Age Indicator function.

19. The visual voicemail message management system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the server is preconfigured with a global Delete Time value.

20. The visual voicemail message management system as set forth in claim 19, wherein the processor on the telecommunications handset is adapted to override, extend or shorten a global Delete Time value.

21. The visual voicemail message management system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the Deleted Message Age Indicator function is adapted to synchronize the visual voicemail platform with Deleted Messages folder, allowing the visual voicemail platform to access message timestamps for comparison with the global Delete Time value.