Integrated voicemail and faxmail platform for a communications system

• US 6,330,079 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1997
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Wise, Robert M., Dugan, Andrew J., Há, Lâm V., McHugh, M. Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A.
• Application Number:
  US08/924,924
• Time in Patent Office: 1,555 Days
• Field of Search: 358/403, 358/402, 358/404, 358/405, 358/407, 358/434-440, 358/442, 358/444, 358/468, 379/100.01, 379/100.05, 379/100.06, 379/100.12, 379/100.14, 379/100.15, 379/102.02, 379/106.01
• US Class Current: 358/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32032 Polling of transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32064 Multi-address calling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32406 in connection with routing or relaying, e.g. using a fax-server or a store-and-forward facility stored and forward data switching systems H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32411 Handling instructions for routing or relaying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32422 Reprocessing messages, e.g. in case the intended destination is busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32432 in a particular memory file for retrieval by the user, e.g. in a facsimile mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32561 using a programmed control device, e.g. a microprocessor

Abstract

A platform for use in a communications system integrates voicemail and faxmail functionality. The platform collects, stores, and retrieves voicemail and faxmail messages for numerous subscribers. Each subscriber accesses his or her account with, for example, a single telephone number assigned to the subscriber. The integrated voicemail and faxmail platform collects, stores, forwards, distributes, saves, deletes, and retrieves voicemail and faxmail messages for the numerous subscribers based on the single number. The platform also provides capability for enhanced features such as automatic callback to individuals who leave a message for a subscriber, broadcasting of fax messages to multiple recipients, and the creation and management of distribution lists for voicemail and faxmail messages.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications network, an apparatus comprising:

a plurality of telephony network interface servers, each interface server being coupled to receive voice and facsimile messages from the telecommunications network;

a plurality of routing hubs coupled to the plurality of interface servers;

a centralized mass storage device that stores subscriber accounts, each account for storing the voice and facsimile messages for at least one subscriber;

a platform coupled to the routing hubs for providing single phone number access to a caller to multiple services on behalf of a subscriber to the services; and

a plurality of management servers each coupled to the mass storage device and the plurality of routing hubs, wherein at least one management server routes incoming voice and facsimile messages for storage in accounts within the mass storage device, while at least another management server is configured to replace functionality of the at least one management server if the at least one management server experiences a fault.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one modem coupled to at least one of the interface servers and to a paging facility, wherein the at least one of the interface servers forwards a paging request to a subscriber via the modem to provide notification to the subscriber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interface servers, under direction of at least one of the management servers, provides voice and facsimile messages to the at least one subscriber.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the management servers provides, based on a received query, notification of status of at least one subscriber account.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each account stored in the mass storage device corresponds to a single telephone number assigned to each subscriber.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the services include:

voice messaging services for facilitating voice messaging;

facsimile messaging services for facilitating facsimile messaging; and

an interface for interfacing the platform with the subscriber.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an automated response unit coupled to receive calls from the telecommunications network, and process calls according to subscriber specific records defining telecommunications service options, wherein the subscriber specific records are stored within the automated response unit; and

a local area network coupled between the automated response unit and the plurality of routing hubs.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the telecommunications network includes a plurality of digital data trunks, and wherein the plurality of interface servers each include a telephony interface coupled to some of the plurality of trunks in the telecommunications network, and a digital signal processor for processing voice and facsimile messages according to predetermined call flow scripts.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of management servers each include a network distribution server for storing subscriber specific records defining telecommunications service options.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of management servers each include a voice and facsimile message client coupled to receive update requests to subscriber accounts, a voice and facsimile message processing application receiving the update requests from the voice and facsimile message client and accessing the subscriber accounts in the mass storage device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of management servers each include a network file system coupled to the interface servers.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an automated response unit coupled to receive calls from the telecommunications network based on a single telephone number associated with a subscriber; and

a local area network coupled between the automated response unit and the plurality of routing hubs.

13. In a telecommunications network, a method performed by an automated response unit comprising the steps of:

receiving a call from the telecommunications network;

determining a telecommunications service request based on a call;

establishing a communications link with an electronic information message server;

transferring subscriber information or requested service data to the message server, wherein the requested service data corresponds to the telecommunications service request, wherein said transferring provides single telephone number access to multiple services on behalf of a subscriber to the services;

receiving validation based on the subscriber information or requested service data; and

providing the call to the message server.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of receiving includes the steps of:

receiving a call from a subscriber having an account stored by the message server;

providing a query to the message server regarding a status of the account;

receiving a response to the query, wherein the response indicates a current status of messages stored in the account; and

notifying the subscriber of the status of messages stored in the account.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the message server maintains subscriber accounts, and wherein the step of determining includes the steps of:

determining if the call is from a subscriber or a guest caller;

if the call is from the guest caller, then determining if the guest caller wishes to leave a voice message, leave a facsimile message, or retrieve a facsimile message; and

if the call is from the subscriber, then determining if the subscriber wishes to retrieve or send a voice or facsimile message, modify a personalized voice greeting associated with the subscriber'"'"'s account, or modify a broadcast list, wherein the broadcast list identifies recipients of voice or facsimile messages.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of establishing includes the steps of:

placing a call to the message server via the telecommunications network; and

determining that the message server received the placed call.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein a subscriber has a single telephone number, and wherein the step of transferring includes the step of providing the single telephone number to the message server.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the message server maintains subscriber accounts, and wherein the step of determining includes the step of determining if the caller wishes to leave a video mail or electronic mail message.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of providing includes storing an electronic information message in a subscriber account, and wherein the method includes automatically notifying the subscriber that the message has been stored.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of providing includes:

storing an electronic information message for a caller; and

providing a list of identifying data strings to a pager, wherein each string identifies a message stored for the subscriber.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of providing includes storing an electronic information message for the subscriber, and wherein the method includes converting the electronic information message to another format differing from a format of the stored electronic information message, and providing the alternate format message to the subscriber.

22. In a telecommunications network, a method performed by a message server comprising the steps of:

establishing a communications link with an automated response unit in response to a call received from the telecommunications network;

receiving subscriber information or requested service data, wherein the requested service data corresponds to the telecommunications service request associated with the received call, and wherein said requested service provides single telephone number access to multiple services on behalf of a subscriber to the services;

determining whether a subscriber account is satisfactory based on the subscriber information or requested service data; and

providing a confirmation message to the automated response unit if the subscriber account is satisfactory.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of receiving includes the steps of:

receiving a query regarding a subscriber account;

accessing the subscriber account; and

providing a response to the query based on accessing the subscriber account.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the message server maintains a subscriber account, and wherein the step of determining includes the steps of:

determining if the call is from the subscriber or a guest caller;

if the call is from the guest caller, then determining if the guest caller wishes to leave a voice message or leave a facsimile message and whether the subscriber account can accept additional messages; and

if the call is from the subscriber, then determining if the subscriber wishes to retrieve or send a voice or facsimile message.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the subscriber has a single telephone number, wherein the message server maintains a subscriber account associated with the single telephone number, and wherein the step of determining includes the steps of determining whether the subscriber data corresponds to the single telephone number associated with the subscriber account.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the subscriber has a single telephone number, and wherein the step of receiving includes the step of receiving the single telephone number.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of receiving includes receiving a facsimile message, voicemail message, video mail message, or electronic mail message.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

storing an electronic information message for a caller; and

providing a list of identifying data strings to the subscriber, wherein each string identifies a message stored for the subscriber.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of receiving includes receiving an electronic information message for the subscriber and wherein the method further includes converting the electronic information message to another format differing from a format of the received electronic information message, and providing the alternate format message to the subscriber.

30. In a telecommunications network, an apparatus comprising:

a plurality of telephony network interface servers, each interface server being coupled to receive voice and facsimile messages from the telecommunications network;

a plurality of routing hubs coupled to the plurality of interface servers;

a centralized mass storage device that stores subscriber accounts, each account for storing the voice and facsimile messages for at least one subscriber, wherein each account stored in the mass storage device corresponds to a single telephone number assigned to each subscriber; and

a plurality of management servers each coupled to the mass storage device and the plurality of routing hubs, wherein at least one management server routes incoming voice and facsimile messages for storage in accounts within the mass storage device.