Method and telecommunication system for indicating the receipt of a data message

• US 6,490,444 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1998
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roney, Crystal, Cox, Neil Eugene, Bossemeyer, Robert Wesley Jr., Stuckman, Bruce Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US09/166,878
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 455/413, 455/414, 455/426, 455/433, 455/461, 455/511, 455/515, 455/560, 455/434, 455/456, 379/207, 379/230, 379/88.25, 379/10, 379/15, 379/201, 379/29, 379/88.12, 379/102.06
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/82 Line monitoring circuits for call progress or status discrimination for detecting caller identity H04M1/573
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• 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: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

The method operates in a telecommunications network having at least one subscriber terminal corresponding to at least one subscriber at a subscriber location. The method implements a message waiting indication service for indicating the presence of a data message corresponding to the at least one subscriber in a data message platform. The method begins in step 100 by receiving the data message at the data message platform. A message waiting signal is generated as shown in step 102. The message waiting signal is transmitted to the telecommunications network as shown in step 104 and a message waiting indication signal is generated at the telecommunications network as shown in step 106. Finally, a message waiting indication signal is transmitted to the subscriber terminal in response to the message waiting signal.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications network having at least one subscriber terminal corresponding to at least one subscriber at a subscriber location, a message waiting indication service including a method of indicating the presence of a data message corresponding to the at least one subscriber in a data message platform, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the data message at the data message platform;

generating a message waiting signal;

transmitting the message waiting signal to the telecommunications network;

generating a message waiting indication signal at the telecommunications network;

receiving, at the telecommunications network, a security signal from a security service platform indicating the presence of the at least one subscriber at the subscriber location; and

transmitting a message waiting indication signal to the subscriber terminal in response to the message waiting signal and the security signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a message waiting indication includes providing a modified dial tone to the subscriber unit in response to an off-hook indication from the subscriber unit to the telecommunications network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data message platform is coupled to a data network and wherein the data message is an electronic mail message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data message is a facsimile message.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

transmitting a status request signal from the telecommunications network to the data message platform to determine if a message is waiting for the at least one subscriber.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining if the at least one subscriber is a subscriber to the message waiting indication service.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the subscriber terminal includes a pager.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the subscriber terminal includes a telephone.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the subscriber terminal includes a personal computer acting as a telecommunications device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the message waiting indication signal includes placing a telephone call from a voice message platform to the at least one subscriber terminal.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein step of transmitting the message waiting indication signal includes playing a voice message indicating the presence of a data message corresponding to the at least one subscriber in a data message platform.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a message waiting indication includes transmitting an activate message waiting signal to the subscriber unit from the telecommunications network.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of activating a display device coupled to the subscriber unit in response to the activate message waiting signal.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the display device includes a message waiting light.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the display device includes a text display and wherein the step of activating the display device includes displaying a text message.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of activating includes displaying a message waiting icon.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

in response to a message waiting signal, retrieving from a subscriber database a telephone number corresponding to the at least one subscriber.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of retrieving is performed by the message platform.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of retrieving is performed in the telecommunications network.

20. In a telecommunications network having at least one subscriber terminal corresponding to at least one subscriber at a subscriber location, a system for providing a message waiting indication service for indicating the presence of a data message corresponding to the at least one subscriber, the system comprising:

a data message platform for receiving the data message corresponding to the at least one subscriber, for generating a message waiting signal and for transmitting the message waiting signal to the telecommunications network;

a processor, coupled to the telecommunications network, for generating a message waiting indication signal; and

a telecommunications network node for transmitting a message waiting indication signal to the subscriber terminal, wherein the telecommunications network receives a security signal from a security service platform indicating the presence of the at least one subscriber at the subscriber location and message waiting indication signal is generated in response to the security signal and the message waiting signal.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the telecommunications network node provides a modified dial tone to the subscriber unit in response to an off-hook indication from the subscriber unit to the telecommunications network.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the data message platform is coupled to a data network and wherein the data message is an electronic mail message.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the data message is a facsimile message.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the processor transmits a status request signal from the telecommunications network to the data message platform to determine if a message is waiting for the at least one subscriber.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the message platform includes a subscriber database, and wherein, in response to a message waiting signal, the message platform retrieves, from the subscriber database, a telephone number corresponding to the at least one subscriber.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein the message platform determines if the at least one subscriber is a subscriber to the message waiting indication service.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein the telecommunications network includes a subscriber database, and wherein, in response to a message waiting signal, the processor retrieves, from the subscriber database, a telephone number corresponding to the at least one subscriber.

28. The system of claim 20 wherein the processor determines if the at least one subscriber is a subscriber to the message waiting indication service.

29. The system of claim 20 wherein the subscriber terminal includes a pager and wherein the telecommunications node includes a paging platform.

30. The system of claim 20 wherein the subscriber terminal includes a telephone.

31. The system of claim 20 wherein the subscriber terminal includes a personal computer acting as a telecommunications device.

32. The system of claim 20 further comprising a voice platform for placing a telephone call to at least one subscriber terminal.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the voice message platform plays a voice message indicating the presence of a data message corresponding to the at least one subscriber in a data message platform.

34. The system of claim 20 wherein the telecommunications network node transmits an activate message waiting signal to the subscriber unit from the telecommunications network.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the subscriber unit activates a display device coupled to the subscriber unit in response to the activate message waiting signal.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the display device includes a message waiting light.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein the display device includes a text display and wherein the step of activating the display device includes displaying a text message.

38. The system of claim 34 wherein the display device displays a message waiting icon.

39. In a telecommunications network having at least one subscriber terminal corresponding to at least one subscriber at a subscriber location, a message waiting indication service including a method of indicating the presence of an email message corresponding to the at least one subscriber in a data message platform, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the email message at the data message platform;

generating a message waiting signal;

determining if the at least one subscriber is a subscriber to the message waiting indication service;

receiving, at the telecommunications network, a security signal from a security service platform indicating the presence of the at least one subscriber at the subscriber location;

transmitting a status request signal from the telecommunications network to the data message platform to determine if a message is waiting for the at least one subscriber;

transmitting the message waiting signal to the telecommunications network;

generating a message waiting indication signal at the telecommunications network; and

transmitting a message waiting indication signal to the subscriber terminal in response to the message waiting signal and the security signal.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the step of transmitting the message waiting indication signal includes placing a telephone call from a voice message platform to the at least one subscriber terminal.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein step of transmitting the message waiting indication signal includes playing a voice message indicating the presence of a data message corresponding to the at least one subscriber in a data message platform.