Forwarding voice messages to a called party using electronic mail
First Claim
1. A method of providing a voice message to a called party at a computer when a calling party initiates a telephone call, said method comprising:
- (a) determining whether the called party is on-line with respect to a first network;
(b) receiving the voice message from the calling party;
(c) converting the voice message to a digital file;
(d) sending an electronic mail message that includes the digital file to the called party over the first network if the called party is determined to be on-line;
(e) receiving an indication when the called party has opened the electronic mail message; and
(f) providing the indication to the calling party, wherein the indication is provided to the calling party during the telephone call.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and apparatus provides a voice message of a calling party to a called party. The method includes the steps of initiating a telephone call to the called party over a first network and receiving the telephone call at a network node within the first network. The method further includes the steps of determining whether the called party is on-line a second network and receiving the voice message from the calling party. The method further includes the steps of converting the voice message to a digital file and sending an electronic mail message that includes the digital file to the called party.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of providing a voice message to a called party at a computer when a calling party initiates a telephone call, said method comprising:
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(a) determining whether the called party is on-line with respect to a first network;
(b) receiving the voice message from the calling party;
(c) converting the voice message to a digital file;
(d) sending an electronic mail message that includes the digital file to the called party over the first network if the called party is determined to be on-line;
(e) receiving an indication when the called party has opened the electronic mail message; and
(f) providing the indication to the calling party, wherein the indication is provided to the calling party during the telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of providing a voice message of a calling party to a called party comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a telephone call at a network node within a first network, wherein the telephone call is initiated by the calling party to the called party over the first network. (b) determining whether the called party is on-line with respect to a second network;
(c) receiving the voice message from the calling party;
(d) converting the voice message to a digital file;
(e) sending an electronic mail message that includes the digital file to the called party if it is determined that the called party is on-line;
(f) receiving an indication when the called party has opened the electronic mail message; and
(g) providing the indication to the calling party, wherein the indication is provided to the calling party during the telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A voice message network system comprising:
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a network;
a network node coupled to said network; and
a computer coupled to said network node;
wherein said network transfers to said network node a telephone call from a calling party to a phone number associated with a called party if the called party does not answer the telephone call; and
wherein said network node is programmed to perform the steps of;
(a) determining whether the called party is on-line with respect to said computers, wherein said computer is programmed to send a first electronic mail message to said network node when the called party is on-line;
(b) receiving a voice message from the calling party;
(c) converting the voice message to a digital file; and
(d) sending a second electronic mail message that includes the digital file to said computer if it is determined that the called party is on-line.
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Specification