Network based voice mail with call screening

• US 6,295,341 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1998
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Muller, Urs A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US09/040,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 379/34, 379/35, 379/70, 379/88.18, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.24, 379/88.25, 379/88.28, 379/201, 379/202, 379/203, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 379/207, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/88.12, 379/88.01
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/652 Means for playing back the recorded messages by remote control over a telephone line H04M1/658 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/658 Means for redirecting recorded messages to other extensions or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4563 Voicemail monitoring during recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/658 Combination of voice calls and paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53358 Message preview
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A network based voice mail system without losing any of the advantages of traditional answering machines includes a small device, which looks like an answering machine and costs about the same, and three-way calling service. The small device (called a Remote Answering Device) looks just like an ordinary answering machine. Answered by a human, the Remote Answering Device will pick up after a preselected number of rings and play a prerecorded greeting that is stored locally and then prompt the caller to wait for the beep. The Remote Answering Device then uses three-way calling service to conference the user'"'"'s voice mail number into the call, by sending a hook flash signal and speed dialing the user'"'"'s voice mail number. When a conference call is established it plays the beep and then plays the message which is. If an extension is picked up, the Remote Answering Device drops the conference call by sending another hook flash signal and hangs up. Since the Remote Answering Device answered all calls it knows how many messages have been left and can indicate this number on its display. The Remote Answering Device will automatically call up the user'"'"'s voice mail box and start playing the messages. If a call is received by the network based voice mail system that did not first pass through the Remote Answering Device, the network based voice mail system sends a page to the Remote Answering Device that identifies the correct message count in the queue. The Remote Answering Device includes a paging receiver that receives the message and sends the correct count to a processor that updates the message count indicator.

Claims

1. An answering device comprising:

a modem configured to answer an incoming call upon detecting a predetermined number of rings, dial a user'"'"'s network based voice mail box using a three-way calling service, and conference the incoming call with the user'"'"'s voice mail box using the threeway calling service;

a memory configured to store a predetermined telephone number and optional predetermined access code for the user'"'"'s voice mail box; and

a processor configured to control the modem and to pass the predetermined telephone number and optical predetermined access code from the memory to the modem, the processor being configured to output locally at the answering device a voice mail message as it is being recorded in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box;

if the user answers the incoming call after a greeting has begun to be output, the processor is further configured to disconnect the user'"'"'s voice mail box from the incoming call and to permit the user to intercept the incoming call; and

if the user does not answer the call after a greeting has begun to be output, the processor is further configured to activate at least a message waiting indicator at the answering device to indicate that the recorded voice mail message exists in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box and responsive to a user input, the modem is configured to automatically dial the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box to retrieve the recorded voice mail message.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit data to the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box indicating whether the incoming call was answered or whether the voice mail message recording was completed.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker to locally output at the answering device the voice mail message as it is being recorded in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a message number display coupled to the processor, wherein the message number display is configured to display a count of voice mail messages existing in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box, and wherein a paging receiver is configured to receive a page from the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box indicating that the voice mail message exists in the user'"'"'s voice mail box without passing through the answering device, the paging receiver is further configured to output the voice mail message count to the processor, which is further configured to update a message number display.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to detect a change in an impedance of a telephone line coupled to the modem, wherein the change of impedance indicates that the user has answered the incoming call and wherein the processor produces a signal to the modem to disconnect the user'"'"'s voice mail box from the incoming call and to permit the user to intercept the incoming call.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory configured to store the greeting that is output to a caller during an incoming call while the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system is being accessed.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a play button for the user input, wherein the processor is further configured trigger the modem to automatically dial the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box to retrieve the recorded voice mail message upon selection of the play button by the user and the processor is further configured to query the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box to determine how many messages remain in the user'"'"'s voice mail box, and if different than those contained in a count maintained by the processor, the processor is further configured to synchronize its count to that of the user'"'"'s voice mail box.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the modem is further configured to receive data from the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box while simultaneously receiving voice signals.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to trigger the modem to periodically call into the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box to synchronize its message waiting indicator.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a tape recorder configured to record the voice mail message locally at the answering device as it is being recorded in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory to store the voice mail message locally at the answering device as it is being recorded in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein if the user answers the phone after the greeting has begun, the processor is further configured to send a plurality of data bits to the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box before disconnecting to indicate that the call has been intercepted by the user.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein if the user answers the phone while the voice mail message is being recorded, the processor is further configured to send a plurality of data bits to the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box before disconnecting to indicate that the call has been intercepted by the user.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the greeting being output is stored locally at the answering device.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the greeting being output is stored the network and the modem is further configured to conference in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box before the greeting is output.

16. A method in an answering device for monitoring voice messages, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring an incoming call to determine whether the call is not being answered by a user;

answering the incoming call if the user does not answer;

playing a greeting for a caller that placed the call;

conferencing in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system while the greeting is played to the caller;

recording a message from the caller using the network based voice mail system while simultaneously playing the message over a speaker disposed in the user'"'"'s location;

notifying the answering device from the network based voice mail system when the call comes into the network based voice mail system that has not previously passed through the answering device; and

responsive to the user input, automatically accessing the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system to retrieve the message recorded in the network based voice mail system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein notifying the answering device includes paging the answering device from the network based voice mail system when the call comes into the network based voice mail system that has not previously passed through the answering device.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

simultaneously playing over the speaker disposed in the user'"'"'s location the greeting being played for the caller.

19. A method in an answering device for monitoring voice messages, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring an incoming call to determine whether the call is not being answered by a user;

answering the incoming call if the user does not answer;

playing a greeting for a caller that placed the call;

conferencing in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system while the greeting is played to the caller;

recording a message from the caller using the network based voice mail system while simultaneously playing the message over a speaker disposed in the user'"'"'s location;

recording the message from the caller locally at the user'"'"'s location while simultaneously recording the message using the network based voice mail system;

deleting the message recorded in the network based voice mail system if the user plays the locally recorded message.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

if the user does not play the locally recorded message, accessing the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system to retrieve the message recorded in the network based voice mail system.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

deleting the message recorded in the network based voice mail system after the message recorded in the network based voice mail system has been retrieved.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

synchronizing a message waiting indicator indicating a number of messages recorded locally at the user'"'"'s location with a number of messages recorded in the network based voice mail system.

23. A method for enabling screening of calls by a network based voice mail system, comprising the steps of:

monitoring an incoming call to determine whether the call is not being answered by a user;

answering the incoming call if the user does not answer;

playing a greeting for the caller;

conferencing in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system;

recording a message using the network based voice mail system while simultaneously playing the message over a speaker disposed in the user'"'"'s location; and

notifying a remote answering device from the network based voice mail system when the call comes into the network based voice mail system that has not previously passed through the remote answering device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein notifying the answering device includes sending a page to the answering device from the network based voice mail system when the call comes into the network based voice mail system that has not previously passed through the answering device.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

updating a message indicator on the answering device in accordance with a message contained in the page.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

detecting a change in an impedance of a telephone line and outputting a signal to drop the network based voice system from the conference call.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

storing a greeting in memory in the answering device and playing the greeting to a caller during the incoming call while conferencing the network based voice mail system is being.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

initiating a call to the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system upon pressing of a play button on the remote answering device and querying the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system to determine how many messages remain in the user'"'"'s voice mail box, and if different than those contained in a count maintained by the remote answering device, synchronizing the count to that of the user'"'"'s voice mail box.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving data from the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box while simultaneously receiving voice message signals.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

calling periodically from the remote answering device to the voice mail box to synchronize the message indicator of the remote answering device.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

dropping a connection to the network based voice mail system when an extension phone is picked up at the user'"'"'s location during recording of the message;

permitting the user talk to the caller; and

sending a plurality of data bits to the network based voice mail system from the remote answering device before it disconnects from the line to indicate whether the call has been intercepted or not.

32. A method in an answering device for monitoring voice messages, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring an incoming call to determine whether the call is not being answered by a user;

answering the incoming call if the user does not answer;

playing a greeting for a caller that placed the call;

conferencing in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system with the incoming call while the greeting is played to the caller;

recording a voice mail message from the caller using the network based voice mail system while simultaneously playing the message over a speaker disposed in the user'"'"'s location; and

if the user answers the incoming call after the greeting has begun to play, disconnecting the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system from the incoming call; and

if the user does not answer the call after the greeting has begun to play, activating a message waiting indicator at the answering device to indicate that the recorded voice mail message exists in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box and responsive to a user input, automatically dialing the user'"'"'s network based voice mail box to retrieve the recorded voice mail message.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

terminating the recording of the message at the network based voice mail system if the user answers the call after the greeting has begun to play; and

permitting the user to converse with the caller of the user answers the call after the greeting has begun to play.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

transmitting data to the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system indicating whether the incoming call was answered or whether the voice mail message recording was completed.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

playing the greeting at the user'"'"'s location as it is being played to the caller.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

displaying a count of voice mail messages existing in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system, wherein the count is displayed at the user'"'"'s location.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

querying periodically the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system for a number of voice mail messages stored in the voice mail system; and

updating the count displayed at the user'"'"'s location if different than the number of voice mail messages stored in the voice mail system.

38. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

recording the voice mail message locally at the user'"'"'s location as it is being recorded in the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system.

39. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

if the user answers the call while the voice mail message is recording, sending a plurality of data bits to the user'"'"'s network based voice mail system to erase a partially recorded voice mail message.

40. A network based voice mail apparatus comprising:

a network based voice mail system including a user voice mail box;

an answering device coupled to a user'"'"'s incoming telephone line;

a telephone network providing three-way calling service, wherein if the user'"'"'s incoming line is not busy, answering device answers an incoming call after a predetermined number of rings, and conferences in the user'"'"'s voice mail box in the network based voice mail system using the three-way calling service of the telephone network; and

if the user'"'"'s incoming line is busy, a paging system being coupled to the network based voice mail system to page the answering device if the call comes into the network based voice mail system that has not previously passed through the answering device.

41. The apparatus according to claim 40, further comprising:

an Internet interface via which a user can access the user voice mail box.

42. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the Internet interface comprises a World Wide Web site that the user can access using a personal computer running a Web browser to review messages in the user'"'"'s voice mail box in the network based voice mail system.

43. The apparatus according to claim 40, further comprising:

a plurality of remote answering devices, each disposed at different locations and different incoming telephone lines, wherein each of the plurality of remote answering devices accesses the same user'"'"'s voice mail box.

44. The apparatus according to claim 40, further comprising:

a wireless remote answering device being couplable to the network based voice mail system via a wireless communications network and including command functionality similar to the remote answering device coupled to the user'"'"'s incoming telephone line.