On Demand Visual Voicemail-To-Text System And Method

• US 20110305327A1
• Filed: 06/14/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• 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: Shaw, Venson
• Granted Patent: US 8,565,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving 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

Abstract

Voicemail messages are transcribed to text in accordance with a subscriber preference. When a new voicemail message is detected or a request to retrieve a voicemail message is detected, a voicemail to text device may alter its behavior based on the voicemail to text subscriber preference and a mobile device status. Subscriber preferences can comprise location (e.g., GPS, AGPS, roaming, international, or national boundaries), date, time, and network resources. Voicemail to text can automatically be re-enabled/disabled based on subscriber preferences set by a subscriber or network provider. A subscriber or network provider can initiate a state change (enable/disable) of voicemail to text.

Claims

1. A method for on demand voicemail to text, the method comprising:

determining a voicemail status triggering event;

responsive to the voicemail status triggering event, determining a device status of a device;

determining a voicemail to text subscription preference; and

determining whether to transcribe, from audio to text, a voicemail message based on the voicemail to text subscription preference and the device status of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the voicemail status triggering event is receiving a voicemail message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the voicemail status triggering event is receiving a request from the device to retrieve the voicemail message.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the device comprises a default device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the device comprises a device that is retrieving the voicemail message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription preference comprises at least one of a time of day or date.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a voicemail to text descriptor with a visual voicemail message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription preference comprises a status of network resources.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription preference comprises a combination of a subscriber device location and a time of day.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription preference comprises an importance indicator.

11. A VMTT device configured to:

determine a voicemail status triggering event;

responsive to the voicemail status triggering event, determining a device status of a device;

determine a voicemail to text subscription preference; and

determine whether to transcribe, from audio to text, a voicemail message based on the voicemail to text subscription preference and the device status of the device.

12. The VMTT device of claim 11, wherein the voicemail status triggering event is receiving a voicemail message.

13. The VMTT device of claim 11, wherein the voicemail status triggering event is receiving a request from the device to retrieve the voicemail message.

14. The VMTT device of claim 12, wherein the device comprises a default device.

15. The VMTT device of claim 13, wherein the device comprises a device that is retrieving the voicemail message.

16. The VMTT device of claim 11, wherein the subscription preference comprises at least one of a time of day or date.

17. The VMTT device of claim 11, wherein the subscription preference comprises a network resources status.

18. The VMTT device of claim 11, wherein the subscription preference comprises an importance indicator.

19. The VMTT device of claim 11, wherein the subscription preference comprises a recipient device identifier.

20. The VMTT device of claim 11, further comprising the device configured to transmit a voicemail to text descriptor with a visual voicemail message.