Extended voice messaging

• US 5,790,637 A
• Filed: 02/16/1996
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Geophonic Networks Inc.
• Original Assignee: Geophonic Networks Inc.
• Inventors: Coyle, William F., Johnson, Jack J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Application Number:
  US08/602,979
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/202, 379/100.01, 379/112
• US Class Current: 379/88.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form

Abstract

The disclosed voice-based communications system and method provides an architecture for communication among team-organized users. After a single, voice accessed log on procedure, a user who is a member of more than one team is able to designate a team and enter a communication session, within which the user can communicate with members of that team, either individually or as a group (by broadcast). After completing communication with correspondents associated with the first-team'"'"'s activities, the user can transfer to a second communication session, within which communication with members of a second-team takes place. The computer and software that controls the system assures that within each team communication session, communication is permitted only among members of one team. Team membership and the communication services available to each team are controlled by each team'"'"'s team organizer. Within each team communication session the user is provided with a team mailbox for receiving voice (or, optionally, facsimile or e-mail) messages from members of the team associated with that session. The user is provided with facilities to send voice (facsimile, e-mail) messages to those team members (each having an individual team mailbox). Each user'"'"'s activity while in a team communication session is tracked so that all communication service charges can be attributed and, typically, billed to the team, enabling users on multiple teams to segregate such charges by team.

Claims

1. A method for electronic communication between a user and a plurality of correspondents by means of a communication system, the correspondents constituting at least a first-team and a second-team, the user being affiliated with the first-team and the second-team, the first-team having a first-team organizer, the second-team having a second-team organizer, and the method being administered by a system administrator, the method comprising:

(a) receiving in a computer automated voice communication system a logon request from the user to enter the system, the logon request comprising a user identifier;

(b) accessing a database to determine whether the user is authorized to enter the system;

(c) entering the user into the system in an administrative session;

(d) receiving a first-team identifier from the user and accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the first-team organizer to communicate with first-team correspondents;

(e) entering the user into a first-team communication session;

(f) while the user is in the first-team communication session, receiving at least one communication request from the user to communicate with at least a first first-team correspondent or to access the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox for receiving messages from first-team correspondents,

(g) accessing the database to determine whether the first first-team correspondent is designated by the first-team organizer as a member of the first-team;

(h) communicating with at least the first first-team correspondent and transmitting the contents of the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox to the user until the communication requests are satisfied;

(i) receiving a request from the user to exit the first-team communication session;

(j) receiving a second-team identifier from the user and accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the second-team organizer to communicate with second-team correspondents; and

(k) entering the user into a second-team communication session.

2. A method of claim 1 including receiving a request to enter the user'"'"'s personal communication session and entering the user into a personal communication session, from which the user can originate communication with any correspondent and receive communication only from correspondents authorized by the user.

3. A method of claim 2 including communicating the contents of the user'"'"'s personal mailbox to the user.

4. A method of claim 2 including receiving a request from the user to correspond with a nonteam correspondent and communicating with the nonteam correspondent.

5. A method of claim 1 in which the at least one communication request received from the user to communicate with at least the first first-team correspondent is:

(a) a request to communicate a voice message to a voice mailbox assigned to the first first-team correspondent;

or

(b) a request to communicate a voice message to a plurality of voice mailboxes assigned, respectively, to a plurality of the first-team correspondents, or

(c) a request to communicate a facsimile message to the first first-team correspondent;

or

(d) a request to transmit a facsimile message to a plurality of the first-team correspondents;

or

(e) a request to initiate voice communication with the first first-team correspondents;

or

(f) a request to initiate voice communication with a plurality of the first-team correspondents;

or

(g) a request to enter a document into the database as an element of a first-team library;

or

(h) a request to retrieve a document from the first-team library.

6. A method of claim 5 including accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the first team organizer to communicate by means of the requested mode.

7. A method of claim 1 including entering all charges resulting from the first-team communication session into the database as a first-team billing record and entering all charges resulting from the second-team communication session as a second-team billing record.

8. A method of claim 1 including responding to user requests by means of a computer automated interactive voice response system, whereby the system transmits voice prompts to the user.

9. A method of claim 1 including receiving requests from the user by means of a computer automated voice recognition system, whereby the system translates user voice requests to computer recognizable digital signals.

10. A method of claim 1 in which communicating with the first first-team correspondent includes accessing the database to determine the first first-team correspondent'"'"'s routing information and access information, and enabling a communication between the user and the first first-team correspondent.

11. A method of claim 10 in which enabling the communication consists essentially of entering the address of the first first-team correspondent'"'"'s mailbox.

12. A method of claim 10 in which the first first-team correspondent'"'"'s access information includes specification of the first first-team correspondent'"'"'s communication format.

13. A method of claim 1 in which the user transmits the second-team identifier and any subsequent team identifiers, in an order of desired access, prior to entering the first-team communication session and the system enters the user into the second-team communication session and subsequent communication sessions in the order of desired access upon receiving the request from the user to exit each communication session.

14. A method of claim 1 including receiving database update information from the system administrator and entering the update information in the database.

15. A method of claim 1 including receiving database update information from the first-team organizer, determining whether the first-team organizer is authorized to transmit the update information for entry into the database, and entering the update information in the database.

16. A method of claim 1 including receiving a request from the user to access a first-team directory and providing the user access to the first-team directory.

17. A method of claim 1 including receiving a request from the user to access a first-team document library and providing the user access to the first-team document library.

18. A method of claim 1 in which the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox includes a capability to receive an e-mail message.

19. A method of claim 1 in which communicating with the first first-team correspondent includes transmitting an e-mail message.

20. A method for electronic communication between a user and a plurality of correspondents by means of a communication system, the correspondents constituting at least a first-team and a second-team, the first-team having a first-team organizer, the second-team having a second-team organizer, and the method being administered by a system administrator, the method comprising:

(a) receiving in a computer automated voice communication system an initial logon request from the user comprising a user identifier and a first-team identifier;

(b) accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the first-team organizer to communicate with the first-team;

(c) entering a first-team record identifying the user into the database;

(d) determining whether the user is authorized by the second-team organizer to communicate with the second-team; and

(e) consolidating, upon the user'"'"'s election, the user'"'"'s first-team record and second-team record,

whereby a single logon will enable the user to enter into at least a first-team communication session and a second-team communication session.

21. A computer automated voice communication system for communicating between a user and a plurality of correspondents, the correspondents constituting at least a first-team and a second-team, the user being affiliated with the first-team and the second-team, the first-team having a first-team organizer, the second-team having a second-team organizer, and the system being administered by a system administrator, the system comprising:

(a) a computer;

(b) a computer memory with a database;

(c) means for receiving a logon request from the user to enter the system;

(d) means for accessing the database to determine whether the user is authorized to enter the system;

(e) means for entering the user into an administrative session;

(f) means for receiving a first-team identifier from the user and accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the first-team organizer to communicate with first-team correspondents;

(g) means for entering the user into a first-team communication session;

(h) means for receiving at least one communication request from the user to communicate with at least a first first-team correspondent or to access the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox for receiving messages from first-team correspondents while the user is in the first-team communication session;

(i) means for communicating with at least the first first-team correspondent and for transmitting the contents of the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox to the user;

(j) means for ending the first-team communication session;

(k) means for receiving a request from the user to communicate with second-team correspondents and accessing the database to whether second-team access by the user has been authorized by the second-team organizer; and

(l) means for entering the user into a second-team communication session.

22. A system of claim 21 including means for billing all charges resulting from the first-team communication session to the first-team and all charges resulting from the second-team communication session to the second-team.

23. A method for electronic communication between a user and a plurality of correspondents by means of a communication system, the correspondents constituting at least a first-team and a second-team, the user being affiliated with the first-team and the second-team, the first-team having a first-team organizer, the second-team having a second-team organizer, and the method being administered by a system administrator, the method comprising:

(a) receiving in a computer automated voice communication system a logon request from the user to enter the system, the logon request comprising a user identifier;

(b) accessing a database to determine whether the user is authorized to enter the system;

(c) entering the user into the system in an administrative session;

(d) receiving a first-team identifier from the user and accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the first-team organizer to communicate with first-team correspondents;

(e) entering the user into a first-team communication session;

(f) receiving at least one communication request from the user to communicate with at least a first first-team correspondent or to access the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox for receiving messages from first-team correspondents,

(g) accessing the database to determine whether the first first-team correspondent is designated by the first-team organizer as a member of the first-team;

(h) communicating with at least the first first-team correspondent and transmitting the contents of the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox to the user until the communication requests are satisfied;

(i) receiving a request from the user to exit the first-team communication session;

(j) receiving a second-team identifier from the user and accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the second-team organizer to communicate with second-team correspondents; and

(k) entering the user into a second-team communication session and further including receiving a request to enter the user'"'"'s personal communication session and entering the user into a personal communication session, from which the user can originate communication with any correspondent and receive communication only from correspondents authorized by the user.

24. A method of claim 23 including communicating the contents of the user'"'"'s personal mailbox to the user.

25. A method of claim 23 including receiving a request from the user to correspond with a nonteam correspondent and communicating with the nonteam correspondent.

26. A method for electronic communication between a user and a plurality of correspondents by means of a communication system, the correspondents constituting at least a first-team and a second-team, the user being affiliated with the first-team and the second-team, the first-team having a first-team organizer, the second-team having a second-team organizer, and the method being administered by a system administrator, the method comprising:

(a) receiving in a computer automated voice communication system a logon request from the user to enter the system, the logon request comprising a user identifier;

(b) accessing a database to determine whether the user is authorized to enter the system;

(c) entering the user into the system in an administrative session;

(d) receiving a first-team identifier from the user and accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the first-team organizer to communicate with first-team correspondents;

(e) receiving from the user the second-team identifier and any subsequent team identifiers, in an order of desired access, prior to entering the first-team communication session;

(f) entering the user into a first-team communication session;

(g) receiving at least one communication request from the user to communicate with at least a first first-team correspondent or to access the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox for receiving messages from first-team correspondents,

(h) accessing the database to determine whether the first first-team correspondent is designated by the first-team organizer as a member of the first-team;

(i) communicating with at least the first first-team correspondent and transmitting the contents of the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox to the user until the communication requests are satisfied;

(j) receiving a request from the user to exit the first-team communication session; and

(k) and entering the user into the second-team communication session and subsequent communication sessions in the order of desired access upon receiving the request from the user to exit each communication session after accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the second-team organizer and subsequent team organizers to communicate with respective team correspondents.

27. A computer automated voice communication system for communicating between a user and a plurality of correspondents, the correspondents constituting at least a first-team and a second-team, the user being affiliated with the first-team and the second-team, the first-team having a first-team organizer, the second-team having a second-team organizer, and the system being administered by a system administrator, the system comprising:

(a) a computer;

(b) a computer memory with a database;

(c) means for receiving a logon request from the user to enter the system;

(d) means for accessing the database to determine whether the user is authorized to enter the system;

(e) means for entering the user into an administrative session;

(f) means for receiving a first-team identifier from the user and accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the first-team organizer to communicate with first-team correspondents;

(g) means for receiving a second-team identifier and any subsequent team identifiers, in an order of desired access, prior to entering the first-team communication session and accessing the database to determine whether the user has been authorized by the second-team organizer and subsequent team organizers to communicate with respective team correspondents;

(h) means for entering the user into a first-team communication session;

(i) means for receiving at least one communication request from the user to communicate with at least a first first-team correspondent or to access the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox for receiving messages from first-team correspondents;

(j) means for communicating with at least the first first-team correspondent and for transmitting the contents of the user'"'"'s first-team mailbox to the user;

(k) means for ending the first-team communication session; and

(l) means for entering the user into the second-team communication sessions and subsequent communication sessions in the order of desired access upon receiving the request from the user to exit each communication session.