Intelligent network messaging agent and method

• US 6,175,858 B1
• Filed: 07/13/1998
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stuntebeck, Peter H., Weber, Roy Philip, Bulfer, Andrew Frederick, Salimando, Steven Charles, Hanson, Bruce Lowell, Mortenson, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US09/114,706
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 364/DIG.1, 364/DIG.2, 709/200, 709/206, 709/219, 709/224, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems

Abstract

A method and system for consolidating multiple mailboxes into a single universal mailbox. The system comprises an agent, a user database, an application database and a mail repository. The agent searches a user database to determine the list of messaging systems the user subscribes to. The agent then recalls from the application database the procedures for accessing the messaging systems and logs onto each messaging system in turn to retrieve any new messages. The agent notifies the user of new messages according to a predefined notification method.

Claims

1. A system for an intelligent network messaging agent for retrieving and consolidating messages from a predefined list of messaging services on behalf of a remote user comprising:

a server with a mail repository for retrieving a message from at least one of said messaging services and storing the message in the mail repository, for providing the remote user with a notification that the message has been retrieved, and for allowing the remote user to access the message in the mail repository through a customer interface;

a user database resident in said server containing a plurality of user records including a list of messaging services to which a remote user has subscribed and a preferred polling interval;

an application database resident in said server comprising a library of messaging service protocols to allow access to a message stored on a messaging service; and

a memory for storing an indication that a message has been retrieved from a messaging service.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the customer interface is a digital telephone.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the intelligent network messaging agent is adapted to allow the user to listen to a text-to-speech version of an electronic mail message.

4. The system of claim 6 wherein the intelligent network messaging agent is adapted to allow the user to view a speech-to-text version of a voice message.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of voice messages and electronic mail messages.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the customer interface is a personal computer.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the notification is a notification message in the mailbox.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the notification is a telephone message.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the notification is a paging device message.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the notification is an electronic mail message.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the messaging service is an electronic mail repository.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the messaging service is a local area network.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the messaging service is a call answering service.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the messaging service is a business voice messaging system.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the messaging service is a home answering machine.

16. A method for an intelligent network messaging agent for retrieving and consolidating messages from a predefined list of messaging services on behalf of a remote user comprising:

retrieving a message from at least one of said messaging services into a mail repository in a server and storing the message in the mail repository;

providing the remote user with a notification that the message has been retrieved;

allowing the remote user to access the message in the mail repository through a customer interface;

storing a plurality of user records on a user database resident in said server, said plurality of user records including a list of messaging services to which a remote user has subscribed and a preferred polling interval;

storing a library of messaging service protocols on an application database resident in said server, and

storing on a memory an indication that a message has been retrieved from a messaging service.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the customer interface is a digital telephone.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the intelligent network messaging agent is adapted to allow the user to listen to a text-to-speech version of an electronic mail message.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of voice messages and electronic mail messages.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the customer interface is a personal computer.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the intelligent network messaging agent is adapted to allow the user to view a speech-to-text version of a voice message.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the notification is a notification message in the mailbox.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the notification is a telephone message.

24. The method of claim 16 wherein the notification is a paging device message.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein the notification is an electronic mail message.

26. The method of claim 16 wherein the messaging service is an electronic mail repository.

27. The method of claim 16 wherein the messaging service is a local area network.

28. The method of claim 16 wherein the messaging service is a call answering service.

29. The method of claim 16 wherein the messaging service is a business voice messaging system.

30. The method of claim 16 wherein the messaging service is a home answering machine.