METHOD, TERMINAL AND VOICE MEMORY FOR STORING VOICE MESSAGES IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20100255818A1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Tietsch, Michael, Prange, Holger, Klaghofer, Karl, Bozionek, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53316 Messaging centre selected by message originator
• 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: 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

After the input of a subscriber (TLN1) of the first terminal (EG1), a connection to a temporarily available voice memory (SPS) is signalized by the same, and subsequently a voice message (spn) and at least one piece of retrieval information (ai) identifying the second terminal (EG2) is transmitted and stored at that location. Subsequently, the connection is terminated and the second terminal (EG2) is informed of the presence of a retrievable voice message (spn) in the voice memory (SPS) via the voice memory (SPS) by means of the at least one piece of retrieval information (ai), and the voice message (spn) can be retrieved from the second terminal (EG2) by means of the transmitted retrieval information (ai), or is transmitted to the second terminal (EG2) by the voice memory (SPS). In this manner voice messages (spn) can be stored for terminals (EG2) and retrieved by the same, regardless of whether one or no voice memories—such as an answering machine—is associated with these terminals (EG2).

Claims

1. Process for storing voice messages in a communication network for potential transmission or retrieval,

a) obtaining an input from a subscriber for a first terminal;

signaling a connection from said first terminal to a temporarily available voice memory and transmitting a voice message and at least one piece of retrieval information identifying a second terminal from said first terminal for storage in said voice memory, then ending the connection,

b) informing the second terminal by means of at least one piece of retrieval information of the existence of a retrievable voice message in the voice memory, and

c) by means of the transmitted retrieval information retrieving the voice message by the second terminal or sending the voice message to to the second terminal by the voice memory.

2. The process of claim 1, comprising, after successful establishment of a connection between the voice memory and the second terminal, transmitting the stored voice message by the voice memory to the second terminal using at least one piece of retrieval information.

3. The process of claim 1, comprising

as part of a connection signaling process or an existing connection from a first terminal to a second terminal, the first and/or second terminal and/or the communication network determining that no voice memory is associated with the second terminal, wherein said determination is made by at least one of first terminal, second terminal, and communication network and

following that determination, signaling a connection to a temporarily available voice memory, either by input from the subscriber or automatically.

4. The process of claim 1, comprising informing the second terminal through the communication network or by a subscriber associated with the second terminal that there is a voice message that can be retrieved through other communication networks.

5. The process of claim 1, comprising

when the connection is signaled by the first terminal, selecting the temporarily usable voice memory from a voice memory pool, or

when the connection is signaled by the first terminal, selecting the voice memory of the first terminal for temporary use, wherein the voice memory of the first terminal is of a type such that the second terminal, using the transmitted retrieval information, can be informed of the existence of a stored voice message and/or the stored voice message can be transmitted to the second terminal.

6. The process of claim 1, comprising initiating the connection signaling the first terminal to the temporarily usable voice memory during a condition selected from the group consisting of

while ringing the second terminal, or

while ringing the second terminal, with a notification that no voice memory is associated with the second terminal,

while the second terminal is busy,

during a conversation with the second terminal, and

when the first terminal cannot establish a connection.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the retrieval information is represented in a way selected from the group consisting of

a timeslot-oriented communication network, by a telephone number,

a packet-oriented communication network, by a communication network address select an Internet address, intranet address, or e-mail address or a SIP URI address or telephone URI address, or

a mobile wireless communication network, by a mobile wireless telephone number.

8. The process of claim 1, comprising informing a terminal belonging to the subscriber for the second terminal of the existence of a stored voice message by the voice memory, using the stored retrieval information

a packet-oriented network, by an e-mail message or a Message Waiting message, on a network selected from the group consisting of

a wireless communication network, by an SMS message,

and comprising the voice memory for access to packet-oriented, timeslot-oriented, and wireless communication networks.

9. The process of claim 1, comprising transmitting the retrieval information regarding the existence of a retrievable voice message to the second terminal or to the subscriber associated with the second terminal, and providing in the retrieval information a network-specific address and/or telephone number as well as a message-specific identification and/or piece of authentication information for retrieval of the stored voice message from the voice memory via a communication network

10. The process of claim 1, comprising converting the voice message into a text message and sending it to a subscriber for the second terminal using the voice memory on a network selected from the group consisting of

a wireless network, as an SMS message, and

a packet-oriented communication network, as an e-mail message.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the subscriber for the first terminal enters input by a method selected from the group consisting of pressing a voice memory key, entering prefix information, entering a network-specific address, and by selecting from a displayed menu.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein signaling a connection is represented by at least one of setting up a connection in a communication network and by opening a session.

24. A communication network comprising terminals and a voice memory carrying out the other process of claim 1.

25. The communication network of claim 24, wherein the communication network uses the SIP protocol, including SIP extension protocols that expand the SIP protocol with additional mechanisms, or the H.323 protocol, said communication network further comprising a SIP server or an H.323 server for controlling connections between the terminals and the voice memory.

13. Terminal for storing voice messages in a communication network, comprising

a) a connection controller for signaling connections from a terminal to a temporarily usable voice memory and for transmitting a voice message and at least one piece of retrieval information identifying the second terminal to the voice memory, and for terminating the connection after the voice message is stored in the voice memory,

b) wherein the second terminal, by means of at least one piece of retrieval information, is informed of the existence of a retrievable voice message in the voice memory, and

c) the voice message can be retrieved by the second terminal using the transmitted retrieval information or is transmitted by the voice memory to the second terminal.

14. The terminal as in claim 13, wherein the connection controller (TCP/IP-PS) is of a type such that

as part of the process by which a first terminal signals a connection to a second terminal, it is determined that no voice memory is associated with the second terminal, and

a connection to a temporarily available voice memory is then signaled, either by an input from the subscriber or automatically.

15. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the connection controller (TCP/IP-PS) is of a type such that

when the first terminal signals a connection, the temporarily usable voice memory is selected from a voice memory pool, or

the terminal selects the voice memory of the first terminal for temporary storage.

16. The terminal of claim 15, further comprising

a voice memory controller for storing a voice message in the voice memory of the first terminal, and wherein

the connection controller is of a type such that

a piece of retrieval information is sent to the second terminal concerning the existence of a stored voice message, and/or

the stored voice message is sent to the second terminal using the transmitted retrieval information.

17. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the connection controller is of a type such that the terminal can signal a connection to the temporarily usable voice memory during a time selected from the group consisting of

while ringing the second terminal, or

while ringing the second terminal, with a notification that no voice memory is associated with the second terminal,

while the second terminal is busy,

during a conversation with the second terminal, and

when the first terminal cannot establish a connection.

18. Voice memory for storing voice messages in a communication network, comprising a connection controller and memory controller said voice memory activated by

connection signaling by a first terminal to voice memory;

said first terminal receiving and storing a voice message and at least one piece of retrieval information identifying a second terminal, as well as terminating the connection, and

said voice memory informing the second terminal, using the retrieval information, of the existence of a retrievable voice message through a communication network and for having the second terminal retrieve the voice message using the transmitted retrieval information or having the voice memory transmit the voice message to the second terminal.

19. The voice memory of claim 18, wherein the connection controller is of a type such that after successful establishment of a connection between the voice memory and the second terminal, the stored voice message is transmitted by the voice memory to the second terminal using at least one piece of retrieval information.

20. The voice memory of claim 18, wherein the connection controller and a network adaptor unit are of a type such that a the subscriber associated with the second terminal is informed of the existence of a retrievable voice message through other communication networks.

21. The voice memory of claim 18, wherein the connection controller and the network adaptor unit for accessing packet-oriented, timeslot-oriented, and wireless communication networks are of a type such that a terminal belonging to the subscriber for the second terminal is informed of the existence of a stored voice message, using the stored retrieval information on a network selected from the group consisting of,

a packet-oriented network, by an e-mail message or Message Waiting message, and

a wireless communication network, by an SMS message.

22. The voice memory of claim 18, wherein the connection controller and the memory controller are of a type such that a piece of retrieval information concerning the existence of a retrievable voice message is transmitted to the second terminal or to a subscriber associated with the second terminal, and at least one of a network-specific address, a telephone number, a message-specific identification, and a piece of authentication information for retrieving the stored voice message from the voice memory via a communication network is provided in the retrieval information.

23. The voice memory of claim 18, wherein the voice message is converted by the voice memory into a text message which is transmitted to the subscriber for the second terminal over a network selected from the group consisting of

a wireless network, as an SMS message, and

a packet-oriented communication network, as an e-mail message.