Method of providing limited access to preserve privacy within a message system
First Claim
1. A method of preserving privacy in an electronic storage-and-retrieval message system that is accessible from a plurality of access-enabling devices having a plurality of users comprising steps of:
- on a user-by-user basis, providing access by designated persons to manipulation of first system features that are specific to a particular user, including providing access to manipulating interface features for storage/retrieval information relating to directing messages to said particular user but excluding enabling message retrieval from said system, said designated persons including said particular user and at least one other person, wherein said step of providing access by designated persons includes a step of providing access via any one of said plurality of access-enabling devices; and
for each of said particular users, providing access by a subset of said designated persons to retrieval of messages directed to said each particular user, said subset including said each particular user, thereby enabling message-retrieval access by said each particular user to whom messages are directed while restricting such message-retrieval access to fewer than all of said designated persons.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of preserving privacy in an electronic storage-and-retrieval message system includes providing access by designated persons to manipulating interface features for storage/retrieval information related to directing messages, while restricting access to any stored messages. In a voice mail system, the storage/retrieval interface feature includes the greeting that is presented to a calling party. A first access code, such as a password, is assigned to enable access to the interface features, while a second access code is assigned to enable message-retrieval. In the preferred embodiment, changes to a greeting or the like are reported in an audit message that is stored in the user'"'"'s mailbox. The audit message is automatically generated. The audit message notifies the user of the history of any changes. Changes to a greeting may also be automatically generating by using a stepped sequence of prompts to solicit information relating to the user. For example, in a voice mail system, the sequence may be a series of voice prompts requiring responses by depressing selected telephone keys. The method may be used with message systems that store messages in one or more forms of audio, video, textual and facsimile data.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of preserving privacy in an electronic storage-and-retrieval message system that is accessible from a plurality of access-enabling devices having a plurality of users comprising steps of:
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on a user-by-user basis, providing access by designated persons to manipulation of first system features that are specific to a particular user, including providing access to manipulating interface features for storage/retrieval information relating to directing messages to said particular user but excluding enabling message retrieval from said system, said designated persons including said particular user and at least one other person, wherein said step of providing access by designated persons includes a step of providing access via any one of said plurality of access-enabling devices; and for each of said particular users, providing access by a subset of said designated persons to retrieval of messages directed to said each particular user, said subset including said each particular user, thereby enabling message-retrieval access by said each particular user to whom messages are directed while restricting such message-retrieval access to fewer than all of said designated persons. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a storage-and-retrieval message system having a plurality of users, a method comprising steps of:
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assigning a unique mailbox to each user such that each mailbox is associated with one of said users; and for each of said mailboxes, following substeps of; (1) providing a greeting mode that is implemented when said mailbox is addressed, said greeting mode being associated with a greeting message; (2) selectively enabling variations of said greeting message by at least one person other than said user associated with said mailbox; and (3) recording an audit message in said mailbox when said greeting message is varied, including recording information indicative of said person that varied said greeting message and information indicative of variation of said greeting message. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of forming a greeting message for a storage-and-retrieval message system comprising steps of:
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presenting a stepped sequence of prompts for soliciting information relating to a user for whom a greeting message is to be generated; storing responses to each prompt of said stepped sequence; automatically generating said greeting message based upon said responses; storing said greeting message for repeated presentation via a telecommunications network; and storing an audit message indicative of greeting message changes when said sequence of prompts is responded to by a person other than said user. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification