Method and apparatus to automatically address a voice mail reply to a voice mail message

• US 6,292,799 B1
• Filed: 06/05/1998
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Netnumber.com, Inc., UNIFI Communications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Netnumber.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Garcia, Rosanna, Peek, David P., Finnigan, Paul F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US09/092,764
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 379/45, 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/93.01, 379/57, 379/84, 379/88.26, 379/80, 379/355, 379/88.02, 379/52, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/207, 379/215, 707/10, 707/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• 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 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A voice mail system in which a recipient of a call is provided with the ability to reply to an internal or external voice message in a common manner. A method for providing a reply includes identifying a caller, and retrieving an address of the caller from a database. Caller origination information is automatically provided with a recorded message from the caller to enable a recipient of the recorded message to reply. Identifying the caller may include searching a database using a voice signature of the caller to identify caller information.

Claims

1. A method to automatically address a reply to a voice mail message from a caller on a first voice mail system comprising the steps of:

recording a vocal utterance made by the caller;

accessing a database to retrieve reply address information about the caller as a function of the recorded vocal utterance; and

provide the retrieve caller reply address information to a second voice mail system of a recipient to enable to automatic reply.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

identifying a calling location of the caller; and

accessing the database as a function of the identified calling location and the recorded vocal utterance.

3. A method to automatically address a reply to a voice mail message from a caller on a first voice mail system comprising the steps of:

indentifying a calling location of the caller;

accessing a database as function of the indentified calling location to retrieve caller reply information, wherein the caller reply information includes a caller reply address;

providing the retrieved caller reply address information to a second voice mail system of a recipient to enable the automatic reply; and

sending the automatic reply to the caller reply address.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the calling location is different from the caller reply address.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the reply is transmitted over a data network.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the reply is a recorded voice message.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the caller reply address is a voice mailbox.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the identifying a calling location step comprises automatic number identification.

9. A method of storing a voice mail message from a caller on a first mail system to a recipient on a second voice mail system, comprising the steps of:

obtaining an identifier for the caller;

accessing a database as a function of the identifier to retrieve a caller reply address to enable an automatic reply; and

recording a voice mail message uttered by the caller and storing the caller reply address and the recorded voice mail message for the recipient to access via the second voice mail system.

10. A system to automatically address a reply to a voice mail message on a second voice mail system, from a caller on a first voice mail system, the system comprising:

means for identifying a calling location of the caller;

means for recording a vocal utterance made by the caller;

means for accessing a database of caller information as a function of at least one of the identified calling location and the recorded vocal utterance to determine a reply address of the caller; and

means for automatically sending a reply to the caller reply address.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the reply is a voice mail message.

12. A method to automatically address a reply to a voice mail message on a second voice mail system, from a caller on a first voice mail system, comprising the steps of:

identifying a caller by providing a caller generated identifier;

retrieving from a database, based on the caller generated identifier, a reply address for the identified caller;

providing the reply address to the second voice mail system to enable an automatic reply by a recipient; and

the caller leaving a voice mail message on the second voice mail system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the caller generated identifier includes the spoken name of the caller.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the caller generated identifier is converted to an analog or digital signal using voice recognition.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the caller generated identifier is a series of DTMF tones entered by the caller.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the caller generated identifier comprises automatic number identification.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifying a caller step includes processing the caller generated identifier using speaker verification.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the second voice mail system provides a recording of the voice message to the recipient.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the second voice mail system provides a recording of the caller'"'"'s spoken name.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the reply address is sent to the second voice mail system over a data network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the reply address is sent over the data network as an SMDI data packet.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the reply address is a Voice Profile for Internet Messaging (VPIM) address.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the recipient verifies the identity of the caller.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the recipient verifies the identity of the caller by use of a voice signature.

25. The method of claim 12, wherein the caller is prompted to provide the caller generated identifier.

26. The method of claim 12, wherein the retrieving step includes accessing the database over a data network.

27. The method of claim 12, wherein the recipient accesses the second voice mail system and sends a reply to the reply address.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the reply is sent over a data network.

29. The method of claim 12, wherein the caller generated identifier includes a calling location of the caller and a recorded vocal utterance.

30. A system for storing a voice mail message from a caller on a first voice mail system to a recipient on a second voice mail system comprising:

means for obtaining an identifier for the caller;

means for accessing a database as a function of the identifier to retrieve a caller reply address to enable an automatic reply; and

means for recording a voice mail message uttered by the caller and storing the caller reply address and the recorded voice mail message for the recipient to access via the second voice mail system.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the identifier is a calling location which is identified by receiving ANI information of caller-ID information from a PSTN.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the retrieved reply address is a Voice Profile for Internet Messaging (VPIM) address.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the reply is sent via a data network.