Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving electronic voice messages

• US 6,304,573 B1
• Filed: 04/03/1997
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hicks, John Alson III
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US08/832,252
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/413, 455/414, 370/474, 370/401, 370/402, 370/428, 370/356, 379/88, 379/67
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating voice messages. An electronic voice mail (EVM) server receives a recipient and target device selection over a packet-switched network A sender records a voice message for delivery to the intended recipient. The voice message is stored as an audio file at the EVM server. The recipient is notified that they have received a voice message. The audio file is delivered to the target device over the packet-switched network.

Claims

1. A method for communicating voice messages, comprising the steps of:

receiving a recipient and target device selection at an electronic voice mail (EVM) server over a packet-switched network;

recording a voice message for delivery to said recipient by receiving a voice signal from an input device with a wireless connection to an internet television device;

storing said voice message as an audio file at said EVM server;

notifying said recipient of said voice message; and

delivering said audio file to said target device over said packet-switched network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said recipient, available target devices for said recipient, and a delivery address for each of said available target devices for said recipient, are stored in a data dictionary at said EVM server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a list of desired recipients and target devices are sent to a client site for display on a screen, and said EVM server receives recipient and target device selections from the client site, the selections being made using the wireless input device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said EVM server receives recipient and target device selections via speech commands.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said audio file is delivered from said EVM server to said target device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said audio file is stored at a local EVM server for said recipient prior to delivering said audio file.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said delivery address is an e-mail address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said target device is at least one of a group including PCs, Network PCs, and consumer Internet appliances.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said voice message recording step further comprises the steps of:

converting analog voice signals into digital voice signals;

compressing said digital voice signals;

separating said compressed signals into at least one packet; and

transmitting said at least one packet over the network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said recipient is notified of said voice message by an e-mail message.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said audio file is streamed to said target device over said packet-switched network response to a request from said recipient.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said audio file is attached to said e-mail message and delivered to said target device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said audio file is stored at a local EVM server for said client site, and sent as a MIME attachment to an e-mail message sent to said EVM server.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said audio file is stored at a local EVM server for said client site, and sent as a EVM attachment to an e-mail message sent to a local EVM server for said recipient.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein said voice message is recorded at a client site, and delivered to said EVM server over said packet-switched network.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein said voice message is recorded at said EVM server.

15. An apparatus for communicating voice messages, comprising:

means for receiving a recipient and target device selection at an EVM server over a packet-switched network;

means for sending voice signals to an internet television device via a wireless input device;

means for recording said voice signals to produce a voice message for delivery to said recipient;

means for storing said voice message as an audio file at said EVM server;

means for notifying said recipient of said voice message; and

means for delivering said audio file to said target device over said packet-switched network.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said recipient, available target devices for said recipient, and a delivery address for each of said available target devices for said recipient, are stored in a data dictionary at said EVM server.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a list of desired recipients and target devices are sent to a client site for display on a screen, and said EVM server receives recipient and target device selections from the client site, the selections being made using the input device with a wireless connection to an internet television device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a list of desired recipients and target devices are sent to a client site for display on a screen, and said EVM server receives recipient and target device selections from the client site, the selections being made using the wireless input device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said audio file is delivered from said EVM server to said target device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said audio file is stored at a local EVM server for said recipient prior to delivering said audio file.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said delivery address is an e-mail address.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said target device is at least one of a group including PCs, Network PCs, and consumer Internet appliances.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said recording means further comprises:

means for converting analog voice signals into digital voice signals;

means for compressing said digital voice signals;

means for separating said compressed signals into at least one packet; and

means for transmitting said at least one packet over said packet-switched network.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said recipient is notified of said voice message by an e-mail message.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said audio file is streamed to said target device over said packet-switched network response to a request from said recipient.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said audio file is attached to said e-mail message and delivered to said target device.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said audio file is stored at a local EVM server for said client site, and sent as a MIME attachment to an e-mail message sent to said EVM server.

28. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said audio file is stored at a local EVM server for said client site, and sent as a MIME attachment to an e-mail message sent to a local EVM server for said recipient.

31. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said voice message is recorded at a client site, and delivered to said EVM server over said packet-switched network.

33. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said voice message is recorded at said EVM server.

29. An apparatus for communicating voice messages, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a recipient and target device selection at an EVM server over a packet-switched network;

a transmitter for sending voice signals to an internet television device via a wireless input device;

a voice message recorder for recording said voice signals to produce a voice message for delivery to said recipient;

memory for storing said voice message as an audio file at said EVM server;

message waiting indicator for notifying said recipient of said voice message; and

file transfer protocol for delivering said audio file to said target device over said packet-switched network.