System and method for providing integrated messaging

• US 6,563,912 B1
• Filed: 03/02/1999
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Pence, Jeffrey Wayne, Dorfman, Alexander, Feng, Hao-Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sing, Simon P.
• Application Number:
  US09/260,696
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.12, 379/88.18, 379/88.22, 379/88.17, 379/67.01, 379/68, 379/88.11, 379/88.14, 379/88.13, 379/93.24, 379/100.08
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• 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 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network

Abstract

A voice server and method for providing integrated voice mail and email messaging for use with an email server and an email client. The voice server includes a telephone interface means for providing telephone services to the voice server, a network interface means for providing communications between the voice server and each of the email server and email client, a processor, and a program memory for storing program instructions for controlling the processor to provide voice mail messaging services for a plurality of voice mailboxes. At least one voice mailbox on the voice server is adapted to create a message reference to uniquely identify each recorded voice mail message and to send each message reference to an email address on the email server, where the message can be retrieved by the email client. The voice server is further adapted to provide voice mail services corresponding to each recorded voice mail message, to the email client through the network interface means. Alternatively, the voice server may include at least one voice mailbox that is adapted to forward each recorded voice mail message as part of an email message, to a designated email address on the email server, where it can be retrieved by the email client. The email message in this alternate embodiment is adapted so that the email client can play the voice mail message.

Claims

1. In a system comprising a voice server for providing voice mail services for a plurality of voice mailboxes, an email server for providing email services for a plurality of email addresses, and at least one email client for retrieving email messages associated with an email address from the email server, a method for integrating voice mail and email messaging, performed by the voice server, comprising the steps of:

recording a first voice mail message and storing the first voice mail message in at least one voice mailbox;

creating a first email message addressed to an email address associated with the at least one voice mailbox;

creating a message reference for the first voice mail message, the message reference including data to uniquely identify the first voice mail message on the voice server;

sending the first email message and the message reference from the voice server to the associated email address, wherein the email client is adapted to retrieve the first email message from the email server, and by utilizing the message reference, provide services for retrieving and manipulating the voice mail message;

receiving a delete command through the voice mail services provided for the voice mailbox;

sending a second email message to the designated email address, including instructions to delete the first email message and the corresponding message reference; and

deleting the first voice mail message.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the email reader program further causes the email client to delete the first and second email messages, along with the message reference and delete instructions, after the second email message is received by the email client.

2. In a network including an email server and an email client for retrieving email from the email server, a system for providing integrated voice mail and email messaging, the system comprising:

a voice server connected to the network, the voice server providing voice mail messaging services to a plurality of voice mailboxes, and comprising

a processor, and

a program memory for storing program instructions for controlling the processor to perform steps comprising

recording a voice mail message and storing the voice mail message in one of the voice mailboxes,

creating a first email message addressed to an email address associated with the voice mailbox,

creating a message reference for the voice mail message, the message reference including data to uniquely identify the voice mail message on the voice server,

sending the first email message with the message reference over the network, from the voice server to the email address,

receiving a delete command through the voice mail services provided for the voice mailbox,

sending a second email message to the designated email address, including an instruction to delete the first email message and the corresponding message reference, and

deleting the voice mail message; and

an email reader program for causing the email client to retrieve the email message, and by utilizing the message reference, provide services for retrieving and manipulating the voice mail message through the email client.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the network is the Internet and the voice server, email server and email client are each remotely located.