Electronic audio communication system

• US 4,371,752 A
• Filed: 11/26/1979
• Issued: 02/01/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Glenayre Electronics Incorporated (EDCI Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ECS Telecommunications Incorporated
• Inventors: Matthews, Gordon H., Fannin, Michael L., Tansil, Thomas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Thomas W.
• Application Number:
  US06/097,240
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 179/18 B, 179/18 BF, 179/5 P, 179/18 ES, 179/1 SM, 179/7.1 TP, 179/18 DA, 179/6.01, 179/6.02, 179/6.05, 179/6.2, 179/6.17, 360/32, 360/12, 370/61, 370/60, 370/94, 370/67, 370/85, 370/62, 370/86
• US Class Current: 379/88.26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2083 Confirmation by serviced party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53316 Messaging centre selected by message originator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53341 Message reply
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5335 Message type or catagory, e.g. priority, indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks

Abstract

An advanced electronic telecommunication system is provided for the deposit, storage and delivery of audio messages. A Voice Message System (10) interconnects multiple private branch exchanges (12) of a subscriber with a central telephone office (22). Individual subscriber users may access the Voice Message System (10) through ON NET telephones (18) or OFF NET telephones (24). The Voice Message System (10) includes an administrative subsystem (60), call processor subsystem (62) and a data storage subsystem (64). The Voice Message System (10) enables the user to deposit a message in data storage subsystem (64) for automatic delivery to other addressees connected to the system. The Voice Message System (10) also enables a user to access the system to determine if any messages have been in the data storage subsystem (64) for him. Pre-recorded instructional messages are deposited in the data storage subsystem (64) for instructing a user on his progress in using the system. A Universal Control Board is a programmable electronic digital signal processing means for controlling certain functions of the administrative subsystem (60), call processor subsystem (62) and data storage subsystem (64).

Claims

1. An electronic communication message system for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages from users'"'"' telephone facilities, comprising:

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of the message system;

digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representations of the audio messages;

means for enabling an originator to access the message system through signals transmitted from a telephone station;

means for controlling unauthorized user access to the message system;

means for storing in said memory means digital representations of audio messages from the telephone station of the originator;

said electronic digital signal processing means including means for timing a predetermined period of time so that the originator may generate an audio message and store digital representations of said audio message in said memory means;

means for storing selected recipient telephone station addresses for digital representations of audio messages stored in said memory means;

means for accessing said stored digital representations associated with particular telephone station addresses;

means for reproducing the audio messages from the stored digital representations; and

means for sequentially transmitting the reproduced audio messages to said selected recipient telephone stations.

2. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 1, wherein said electronic digital signal processing means processes signals from a telephone station and further comprising:

means for storing digital representations of instructional audio messages in said memory means; and

means for converting one of said stored digital representations to an instructional audio message and transmitting said instructional audio message to a user'"'"'s telephone station in response to a signal from said electronic digital signal processing means.

3. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 1, and further comprising verifying means for preventing access to the message system unless a proper originator'"'"'s identification code is entered by the user.

4. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 1, wherein said electronic digital signal processing means includes means for generating an audible alarm signal to an originator'"'"'s telephone station a predetermined period of time before said originator'"'"'s time for storing an audio message expires.

5. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 1, wherein said means for accessing said selected telephone stations includes means for accessing a selected telephone station address a predetermined number of times until the audio message is transmitted to the selected telephone station.

6. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 5, and further comprising means for determining that the audio message has not been transmitted to the recipient in a predetermined period of time.

7. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 6, wherein said means for determining that the audio message has not been transmitted includes means for accessing the telephone station of the originator of the audio message for providing a signal that the audio message has not been transmitted to the intended recipient.

8. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 5, and further including means allowing a user to predetermine the number of attempts and time intervals between the attempts said accessing means attempts to access said selected recipient telephone stations.

9. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 1, wherein the originator may control the storing of digital representations of an audio message in said memory means through signals transmitted from the originator'"'"'s telephone station of the user'"'"'s telephone facility.

10. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 1, comprising means for selecting a time period in which said reproduced audio message is to be transmitted to a recipient telephone station.

11. A communication message system for receiving, storing and fowarding audio messages of claim 1, and further comprising means for a recipient to enter an identification code through signals transmitted from the recipient telephone station for allowing said transmitting means to transmit stored audio messages to the recipient.

12. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 1 and further comprising:

means for enabling a recipient to access the message system through signals transmitted from the recipient'"'"'s telephone station at the end of the originator'"'"'s transmitted audio message;

means for the recipient to store in said memory means digital representations of an audio message; and

means for the recipient to store a selected telephone station address in said memory means such that the addressee may receive both the recipient'"'"'s audio message and the originator'"'"'s audio message.

13. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 1, and further comprising means for transferring a digital representation of a transmitted audio message to said memory means for storage for a predetermined period of time.

14. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 1 and further comprising:

means for storing predetermined usage parameters for audio messages stored and forwarded in the communication message system; and

a printer controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for outputting a summary report of the said stored predetermined usage parameters of the message system.

15. An electronic communication message system for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages from user'"'"'s telephone facilities, comprising:

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of the message system;

digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representations of the audio messages;

means for enabling an originator to access the message system through signals transmitted from a telephone station;

means for controlling unauthorized user access to the message system;

means for storing in said memory means digital representations of audio messages from the telephone station of the originator;

means for storing selected recipient telephone station addresses for digital representations of audio messages stored in said memory means;

means for accessing said stored digital representations associated with particular telephone station addresses;

means for reproducing the audio messages from the stored digital representations;

means for sequentially transmitting the reproduced audio messages to said selected recipient telephone stations; and

said means for storing selected telephone station addresses including means for designating with an abbreviated address a plurality of telephone station addresses for receipt of one of said reproduced audio messages, wherein each of said telephone stations receives the same audio message.

16. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 15, and further including means for deleting one of said designated addresses in the stored predetermined selected telephone station addresses in response to signals from a user'"'"'s telephone station.

17. An electronic communication message system for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages from users'"'"' telephone facilities, comprising:

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of the message system;

digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representations of the audio messages;

means for enabling an originator to access the message system through signals transmitted from a telephone station;

means for controlling unauthorized user access to the message system;

means for storing in said memory means digital representations of audio messages from the telephone station of the originator;

means for storing selected recipient telephone station addresses for digital representations of audio messages stored in said memory means;

means for accessing said stored digital representations associated with particular telephone station addresses;

means for reproducing the audio messages from the stored digital representations;

means for sequentially transmitting the reproduced audio messages to said selected recipient telephone stations;

means for a recipient to reply to the originator of an audio message after receiving the audio message on the same telephone call through signals transmitted from the recipient'"'"'s telephone station;

means for storing digital representations of a reply message in said memory means; and

means for reproducing and transmitting the reply message to the originator'"'"'s telephone station.

18. An electronic communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages from users'"'"' telephone facilities, comprising:

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of the message system;

digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representations of the audio messages;

means for enabling an originator to access the message system through signals transmitted from a telephone station;

means for controlling unauthorized user access to the message system;

means for storing in said memory means digital representations of audio messages from the telephone station of the originator;

means for storing selected recipient telephone station addresses for digital representations of audio messages stored in said memory means;

means for accessing said stored digital representations associated with particular telephone station addresses;

means for reproducing the audio messages from the stored digital representations;

means for sequentially transmitting the reproduced audio messages to said selected recipient telephone stations; and

means for automatically notifying the originator if the reproduced audio message is not delivered to the intended recipient within a predetermined period of time.

19. An electronic communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages from users'"'"' telephone facilities, comprising:

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of the message system;

digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representations of the audio messages;

means for enabling an originator to access the message system through signals transmitted from a telephone station;

means for controlling unauthorized user access to the message system;

means for storing in said memory means digital representations of audio messages from the telephone station of the originator;

means for storing selected recipient telephone station addresses for digital representations of audio messages stored in said memory means;

means for accessing said stored digital representations associated with particular telephone station addresses;

means for reproducing the audio messages from the stored digital representations;

means for sequentially transmitting the reproduced audio messages to said selected recipient telephone stations; and

means for providing audible progress tones to a user in response to the electronic digital signal processing means operating upon signals from a telephone station.

20. The communication message system for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 19, and further comprising means for a user to select stored instructional audio messages to be reproduced in place of said progress tones.

21. An electronic communication message system for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages from users'"'"' telephone facilities, comprising:

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of the message system;

digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representations of the audio messages;

means for enabling an originator to access the message system through signals transmitted from a telephone station;

means for controlling unauthorized user access to the message system;

means for storing in said memory means digital representations of audio messages from the telephone station of the originator;

means for storing selected recipient telephone station addresses for digital representations of audio messages stored in said memory means;

means for accessing said stored digital representations associated with particular telephone station addresses;

means for reproducing the audio messages from the stored digital representations;

means for sequentially transmitting the reproduced audio messages to said selected recipient telephone stations; and

means for a recipient to control said transmitting means through signals transmitted from a recipient telephone station to said electronic digital signal processing means.

22. An electronic communication message system for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office for receiving, storing and forwarding audio messages from users'"'"' telephone facilities, comprising:

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of the message system;

digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representations of the audio messages;

means for enabling an originator to access the message system through signals transmitted from a telephone station;

means for controlling unauthorized user access to the message system;

means for storing in said memory means digital representations of audio messages from the telephone station of the originator;

means for storing selected recipient telephone station addresses for digital representations of audio messages stored in said memory means;

means for accessing said stored digital representations associated with particular telephone station addresses;

means for reproducing the audio messages from the stored digital representations;

means for sequentially transmitting the reproduced audio messages to said selected recipient telephone stations; and

means to transfer digital representations of an audio message transmitted to a recipient to said memory means, including means for assigning a file identification number for storing with said digital representations of said message in said memory means for later replay.

23. An electronic communication message system for storing and forwarding audio messages from a user'"'"'s telephone facility, comprising:

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of the message system;

digital memory means controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means for storing digital representations of the audio messages;

means for enabling an originator to access the message system through signals transmitted from a telephone station;

means for controlling unauthorized user access to the message system;

means for storing in said memory means digital representations of an audio message from the telephone station of the originator;

means for storing selected recipient telephone station addresses for digital representations of audio messages stored in said memory means;

means for reproducing the audio messages from the stored digital representations;

means for transmitting the reproduced audio messages to said selected recipient telephone stations;

means for a recipient to access the message system through signals transmitted from a telephone station;

means for determining the total number of audio messages corresponding to the digital representations addressed to the recipient;

means for transmitting an audio message from the message system to inform the recipient of the number of audio messages for delivery; and

means for the recipient to activate the transmission of an audio message corresponding to the digital representations addressed to the recipient.

24. An electronic communication message system for connection to a private branch exchange telephone facility for use in facilitating communications between users of the private branch exchange, comprising:

an electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of a message system;

means for enabling an audio message originator to access the message system through a signal transmitted to said electronic digital signal processing means from a telephone unit of the private branch exchange;

digital memory means for storing digital representations of an audio message originating from a telephone unit of the private branch exchange;

means for selecting at least one addressee to receive the audio message;

means for accessing said message addressee'"'"'s telephone unit connected to the private branch exchange in response to the selected message addressee;

means for reproducing the audio message from the stored digital representations;

means for transmitting the reproduced audio message to the addressed telephone unit;

means for accumulating the total number of stored digital representations of audio messages for an addressee;

means for reproducing an audible signal corresponding to said accumulated total of stored digital representations of audio messages; and

means for transmitting said audible signal in response to a signal from a message addressee to enable a user to determine the number of audio messages for the user.

25. The communication message system of claim 24, wherein said means for accessing is automatically controlled by said electronic digital signal processing means to attempt to access said addressee'"'"'s telephone station at predetermined time intervals until the audio message is transmitted to the addressee.

26. The communication message system of claim 25, and further comprising means for automatically notifying the message originator if an audio message is not delivered to the intended addressee within a predetermined period of time.

27. The electronic communication message system of claim 24, and further comprising means for said message originator to access the message system for deleting a stored digital representation of an audio message prior to delivery of that audio message to the addressee.

28. The electronic communication message system of claim 24, and further comprising means for the audio message originator to electronically edit the digital representation of the audio message transmitted to the memory means of the message system through signals transmitted from the message originator'"'"'s telephone unit.

29. The electronic communication message system of claim 24, and further comprising means for the message addressee to save the transmitted audio message by entering a special function code through the message addressee'"'"'s telephone unit.

30. The electronic communication message system of claim 24, and further comprising means for the message addressee to record a reply message on the same telephone call by accessing the message system with entry of a special function code and by transmitting a message for storage in said system.

31. The electronic communication message system of claim 24, and further comprising means for the message addressee to redirect the transmitted audio message to another addressee by accessing the message system with the entry of a special function code.

32. The electronic communication message system of claim 31, and further comprising means for the message addressee to store an audio reply message for subsequent transmission with the redirected original transmitted audio message.

33. The electronic communication message system of claim 24, and further comprising means for a message addressee to enter digital representations of a transmitted audio message in memory means together with means for identifying said message for enabling later retrieval of said digital representations of said audio message from said memory means.

34. A method for storing audio messages transmitted from a user'"'"'s telephone station and for subsequently forwarding the stored audio messages to a selected message addressee, comprising:

providing an access signal in order to allow a message originator to transmit an audio message through the telephone station;

recording and storing the originator'"'"'s audio message along with addressee identification information;

providing access to a selected message addressee in response to the stored message addressee information;

reproducing and transmitting the stored audio message in response to accessing the selected message addressee;

accumulating the total number of stored audio messages intended for an addressee; and

reproducing and transmitting the number of stored audio messages for an addressee in response to a signal from the message addressee.

35. The method of storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 34 and further comprising:

storing instructional audio messages to provide a user with information on storing, forwarding and receiving audio messages; and

reproducing one of said stored instructional messages responsive to a user'"'"'s progress in storing and receiving audio messages.

36. The method of storing and forwarding audio messages of claim 35, and further comprising:

storing and indexing an audio message transmitted to a message addressee to form a file of stored audio messages.

37. The method of storing and forwarding an audio message of claim 34, and further comprising:

automatically accessing the telephone of an intended message addressee a predetermined number of times at predetermined time intervals until the stored audio message is transmitted to the message addressee.

38. The method of storing and forwarding an audio message of claim 34, and further comprising:

automatically signaling the audio message originator if the stored audio message is not delivered to the intended message addressee in a predetermined period of time.

39. The method of storing and forwarding an audio message of claim 34, and further comprising:

storing a user'"'"'s identification code for each telephone station of a telephone facility; and

allowing access for deposit of an audio message only upon entry of a valid user'"'"'s identification code corresponding to said stored identification code.

40. The method of storing and forwarding an audio message of claim 34, and further comprising:

controlling the storing of an audio message through control signals entered by a user at the message originator'"'"'s telephone station to enable the user to stop or start the transmittal of the audio message and to reverse or advance playback of the stored audio message for a selected limited time interval.

41. An electronic communication network enabling communication between remote locations of a user'"'"'s network telephone facility for storing and forwarding audio messages, comprising:

first and second remotely disposed electronic communication systems coupled to remote portions of the telephone facilities of a user'"'"'s network telephone facility, each of said first and second electronic communication systems further comprising;

means responsive to signals transmitted from the user'"'"'s telephone facility for enabling access to each of said systems;

means for storing digital representations of audio messages transmitted from the user'"'"'s telephone facility;

means for storing digital representations of route data transmitted from the user'"'"'s telephone facility and indicating the intended addresses of the audio messages;

means for accessing stored digital representations of audio messages for a selected message addressee in response to said route data;

means for reproducing the audio messages from the stored digital representations;

means for transmitting the reproduced audio messages to the telephone station of the message addressee;

first and second signal transmitting and receiving means connected to said first and second electronic communication systems for enabling access between said electronic communication systems; and

a data transmission link between said first and second transmitting and receiving means for enabling the exchange of information between said first and second electronic communication systems.

42. An electronic communication message system for storing and forwarding audio messages via telephones comprising:

a plurality of ports for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office to receive audio messages and address signals which represent plural desired recipients from various telephone stations;

means associated with said ports for converting said audio messages and address signals into digital signals;

digital storage means for storing said digital signals representing audio messages and said address signals from each of said ports;

means for accessing all digital signals representing audio messages stored in said storage means and associated with each address signal;

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of said storage means and said accessing means;

means for converting said access digital signals into audio messages; and

means for sequentially transmitting all audio messages associated with an address signal through said ports to each of said plural desired recipients.

43. The electronic communication system of claim 42, and further comprising means for coupling said storage means and said signal processing means which includes two data storage buses to provide redundancy in the communications system for the input and output of audio data from the storage means and to double the available band width for the storage and retrieval of audio data.

44. An electronic communications message system for storing and forwarding audio messages via telephones comprising:

a plurality of ports for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office to receive audio messages and address signals of desired recipients from various telephone stations;

means associated with said ports for coverting said audio messages and address signals into digital signals;

digital storage means for storing said digital signals representing audio messages and said address signals from each of said ports;

means for accessing all digital signals representing audio messages stored in said storage means and associated with each address signal;

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of said storage means and said accessing means;

means for converting said access digital signals into audio messages;

means for sequentially transmitting all audio messages associated with an address signal through one of said ports to the desired recipient; and

means for transmitting an audio signal to said desired recipient informing of the number of audio messages to be transmitted.

45. An electronic communication message system for storing and forwarding audio messages via telephones comprising:

a plurality of ports for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office to receive audio messages and address signals of desired recipients from various telephone stations;

means associated with said ports for converting said audio messages and address signals into digital signals;

digital storage means for storing said digital signals representing audio messages and said address signals from each of said ports;

means for accessing all digital signals representing audio messages stored in said storage means and associated with each address signal;

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of said storage means and said accessing means;

means for converting said access digital signals into audio messages;

means for sequentially transmitting all audio messages associated with an address signal through one of said ports to the desired recipient; and

means for enabling said desired recipient to transmit reply audio messages to said message system for storage and forwarding after said desired recipient has received audio messages.

46. An electronic communication message system for storing and forwarding audio messages via telephones comprising:

a plurality of ports for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office to receive audio messages and address signals of desired recipients from various telephone stations;

means associated with said ports for converting said audio messages and address signals into digital signals;

digital storage means for storing said digital signals representing audio messages and said address signals from each of said ports;

means for accessing all digital signals representing audio messages stored in said storage means and associated with each address signal;

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of said storage means and said accessing means;

means for converting said access digital signals into audio messages;

means for sequentially transmitting all audio messages associated with an address signal through one of said ports to the desired recipient; and

means responsive to function signals generated by the desired recipient for performing an operation upon said audio messages.

47. The electronic communication message system for storing and forwarding audio messages via telephones of claim 46 and further comprising:

means for erasing the digital representations of one of said audio messages from said storage means.

48. The electronic communication message system for storing and forwarding audio messages via telephones of claim 46 and further comprising:

means for maintaining in said storage means the digital representations of at least one of said audio messages for subsequent accessing.

49. An electronic communication message system for storing and forwarding audio messages via telephones comprising:

a plurality of ports for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office to receive audio messages and address signals of desired recipients from various telephone stations;

means associated with said ports for converting said audio messages and address signals into digital signals;

digital storage means for storing said digital signals representing audio messages and said address signals from each of said ports;

means for accessing all digital signals representing audio messages stored in said storage means and associated with each address signal;

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of said storage means and said accessing means;

means for converting said access digital signals into audio messages;

means for sequentially transmitting all audio messages associated with an address signal through one of said ports to the desired recipient; and

means for notifying the originator of an audio message if the desired recipient does not receive said audio message within a predetermined time interval.

50. An electronic communication message system for storing and forwarding audio messages via telephones comprising:

a plurality of ports for being coupled to any private branch exchange or central office to receive audio messages and address signals of desired recipients from various telephone stations;

means associated with said ports for converting said audio messages and address signals into digital signals;

digital storage means for storing said digital signals representing audio messages and said address signals from each of said ports;

means for accessing all digital signals representing audio messages stored in said storage means and associated with each address signal;

electronic digital signal processing means for controlling the operation of said storage means and said accessing means;

means for converting said access digital signals into audio messages;

means for sequentially transmitting all audio messages associated with an address signal through one of said ports to the desired recipient; and

means operable in response to function signals generated by the desired recipient to redirect a previously stored audio message to a new address location.

51. A method of storing and forwarding audio messages via telephones having tone signaling push button dialing comprising:

coupling a plurality of ports through the telephone network to any private branch exchange or central office to receive audio messages and address signals of desired recipients from any one of a plurality of telephone stations;

converting said audio messages and address signals into digital signals;

storing said digital signals representing audio messages and said address signals from each of the ports;

accessing all digital signals representing audio messages stored in said storage means and associated with each address signal;

converting said accessed digital signals into audio messages;

sequentially transmitting via a telephone call all audio messages associated with an address signal through one of the ports to the desired recipient in response to operation of the telephone push buttom dialing by the recipient; and

receiving and transmitting audio messages left by said recipient during said telephone call.