Method and system to provide a global integrated messaging services distributed network with personalized international roaming
First Claim
1. A method of cooperating with a local telephone exchange to provide a user with global access to messages, comprising:
- storing telephone numbers of users;
receiving a telephone call forwarded from the local telephone exchange, the telephone call having a destination telephone number that is local to that local telephone exchange and originating from a calling party;
comparing the destination telephone number with the telephone numbers;
if the destination telephone number matches one of the telephone numbers;
identifying a user corresponding to the destination telephone number;
prompting the calling party to leave a voice mail message for the user;
storing the voice mail message in a first database; and
granting the user access to the voice mail message;
registering the user with a roaming server associated with a remote telephone exchange that is associated with a geographic region different from the local telephone exchange;
distributing the stored voice mail message to a second database of the roaming server; and
providing a roaming telephone number that is local to the remote telephone exchange by which the user can access the roaming server.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods of cooperating with a telephone exchange to provide a user with centralized access to messages are presented. In accordance with the method, telephone numbers of users are stored. A telephone call is received. The telephone call is forwarded from a telephone exchange. The telephone call has a destination telephone number and originates from a calling party. The destination telephone number is compared with the telephone numbers. If the destination telephone number matches one of the telephone numbers, a user corresponding to the destination telephone number is identified, the calling party is prompted to leave a voice mail message for the user, the voice mail message is stored in a database, and the user is granted access to the voice mail message.
226 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of cooperating with a local telephone exchange to provide a user with global access to messages, comprising:
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storing telephone numbers of users;
receiving a telephone call forwarded from the local telephone exchange, the telephone call having a destination telephone number that is local to that local telephone exchange and originating from a calling party;
comparing the destination telephone number with the telephone numbers;
if the destination telephone number matches one of the telephone numbers;
identifying a user corresponding to the destination telephone number;
prompting the calling party to leave a voice mail message for the user;
storing the voice mail message in a first database; and
granting the user access to the voice mail message;
registering the user with a roaming server associated with a remote telephone exchange that is associated with a geographic region different from the local telephone exchange;
distributing the stored voice mail message to a second database of the roaming server; and
providing a roaming telephone number that is local to the remote telephone exchange by which the user can access the roaming server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
providing the telephone numbers of the users to the local telephone exchange.
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3. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the calling party to leave a voice mail message comprises:
playing a stored message recorded by the user.
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4. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the calling party to leave a voice mail message comprises:
communicating with the calling party via the local telephone exchange.
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5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
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if the destination telephone number matches one of the telephone numbers;
accepting the voice mail message from the calling party.
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6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
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if the destination telephone number does not match a telephone number of the telephone numbers;
forwarding the telephone call back to the local telephone exchange.
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7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user accesses the voice mail message via a telephone.
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8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user accesses the voice mail message via the Internet.
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9. The method of claim 1, wherein granting the user access to the voice mail message comprises:
sending a notification attempt to the user to inform the user that the voice mail message is present.
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10. The method of claim 1, wherein granting the user access to the voice mail message comprises:
forwarding the voice mail message to an electronic mail address of the user.
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11. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of types of messages are stored in the first database.
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12. The method of claim 11, where the messages comprise one or more of electronic mail messages and facsimile messages.
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13. The method of claim 1, wherein the local telephone exchange comprises one or more of a telephone switch, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), and a private branch exchange (PBX).
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14. An apparatus for cooperating with a local telephone exchange to provide a user with global access to messages, comprising:
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means for storing telephone numbers of users;
means for receiving a telephone call forwarded from the local telephone exchange, the telephone call having a destination telephone number that is local to the local telephone exchange and originating from a calling party;
means for comparing the destination telephone number with the telephone numbers;
means for identifying a user corresponding to the destination telephone number if the destination telephone number matches one of the telephone numbers;
means for prompting the calling party to leave a voice mail message for the user;
means for storing the voice mail message;
means for granting the user access to the voice mail message;
means for registering the user with a roaming server associated with a remote telephone exchange that is associated with a geographic region different from the local telephone exchange;
means for distributing the stored voice mail message to the roaming server; and
means for answering a roaming telephone number that is local to the remote telephone exchange by which the user can access the roaming server.
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15. A method of cooperating with a local telephone exchange to provide a user with global access to messages, comprising:
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storing facsimile numbers of users;
receiving a facsimile call forwarded from the local telephone exchange, the facsimile call carrying facsimile data and having a destination facsimile number that is local to the local telephone exchange;
comparing the destination facsimile number with the facsimile numbers;
if the destination facsimile number matches one of the facsimile numbers;
identifying a user corresponding to the destination facsimile number;
formatting the facsimile data into a facsimile message;
storing the facsimile message in a first database; and
granting the user access to the facsimile message;
registering the user with a roaming server associated with a remote telephone exchange that is associated with a geographic region different from the local telephone exchange;
distributing the stored facsimile message to a second database of the roaming server; and
providing a roaming telephone number that is local to the remote telephone exchange by which the user can access the roaming server. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
providing the facsimile numbers of the users to the local telephone exchange.
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17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
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if the destination facsimile number matches one of the facsimile numbers;
accepting the facsimile data from the facsimile call.
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18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
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if the destination telephone number does not match a telephone number of the telephone numbers;
forwarding the facsimile call back to the local telephone exchange.
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19. The method of claim 15, wherein the facsimile message is in the form of text.
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20. The method of claim 15, wherein the facsimile message is in the form of speech.
Specification