Electronic mail delivery system in wired or wireless communications system

• US 6,061,718 A
• Filed: 07/23/1997
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mobeon AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Nelson, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Asta, Frank J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US08/899,772
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/206, 709/207, 379/93.01, 455/88
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression

Abstract

An electronic mail (E-mail) delivery system for delivering E-mail messages to and from a subscriber station in a wireless or wired communications system. The E-mail delivery system converts E-mail messages sent to the subscriber station from text to speech for delivery to the subscriber station. Furthermore, the E-mail delivery system converts E-mail messages sent by the subscriber station from speech to text for delivery to a remote destination.

Claims

1. A method for delivering an electronic mail (E-mail) message from a remote source to a subscriber station in a wireless communications system using a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels, including control and voice RF channels, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving said E-mail message from said remote source;

storing said received E-mail message for retrieval by said subscriber station;

sending from said system to said subscriber station over a control channel a signal indicating that said stored E-mail message is awaiting retrieval by said subscriber station;

sending from said subscriber station to said system over said control channel a signal requesting that said waiting E-mail message be read to said subscriber station;

retrieving said waiting E-mail message for delivery by said system to said subscriber station;

converting said retrieved E-mail message into a speech message;

assigning a voice channel to said subscriber station; and

sending said speech message from said system to said subscriber station over said assigned voice channel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said subscriber station is a mobile station and said message waiting signal is sent on an analog or a digital control channel in said system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said speech message is sent on an analog or digital voice channel in said system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said E-mail message is stored at an E-mail server which can be accessed by said system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said remote source is a personal computer connected to the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

inputting an E-mail message into said subscriber station as a speech message;

sending said input speech message from said subscriber station to said system over a voice channel;

converting said input speech message into a text message at said system; and

sending said text message from said system to a remote destination.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said subscriber station comprises a mobile station and said input speech message is sent over an analog or a digital voice channel in said system.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said remote destination is a personal computer connected to the Internet.

9. An electronic mail (E-mail) delivery system for delivering E-mail messages to a subscriber station operating on a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels, including control and voice RF channels, the system comprising:

means for receiving an E-mail message addressed to said subscriber station;

means for storing said received E-mail message for retrieval by said subscriber station;

means for sending to said subscriber station over a control channel a signal indicating that said stored E-mail message is awaiting retrieval by said subscriber station;

means for retrieving said waiting E-mail message for delivery to said subscriber station in response to a signal received from said subscriber station over said control channel requesting that said waiting E-mail message be read to said subscriber station;

means for converting said retrieved E-mail message into a speech message;

means for assigning a voice channel to said subscriber station; and

means for sending said speech message to said subscriber station over said assigned voice channel.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said subscriber station comprises a mobile station and said message waiting signal is sent on an analog or a digital control channel.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said speech message is sent on an analog or a digital voice channel.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said storing means comprises an E-mail server.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said subscriber station comprises means for inputting into said subscriber station an E-mail message as a speech message, and means for sending said input speech message over a voice channel from said subscriber station to said system;

and wherein said system comprises means for converting said input speech message from said subscriber station into a text message, and means for sending said text message from said system to a remote destination.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said subscriber station comprises a mobile station and said input speech message is sent over an analog or a digital voice channel.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said remote destination is a personal computer connected to the Internet.