Message monitor application concept and implementation

• US 6,621,800 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Klein, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): VINCENT, DAVID ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/490,408
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/270, 370/271, 370/276, 370/277, 370/278, 370/282, 370/351-3, 370/354-6, 370/389, 379/15.02, 379/67.1, 379/68-70, 379/84, 379/85, 379/88.12, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/93.01
• US Class Current: 370/282
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4563 Voicemail monitoring during recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A voice messaging system allowing the monitoring of telephone calls is provided. The system permits subscribers to monitor incoming calls handled by voice messaging systems, and to selectively listen to the message as it is recorded, ignore the message, or establish two-way audio communications with the caller. The system further provides these monitoring capabilities to the subscriber at any location having access to a computer network that is interconnected to the message server, for example the Internet. The present invention is particularly well-suited for use with telephones that are part of private branch exchanges, telephones subscribing to central voice messaging systems, and telephones whose lines are used for the transmission of computer data in addition to voice communications.

Claims

1. A message monitoring system, comprising:

a subscriber telephone;

a client computer;

a messaging server for providing a realtime messaging service, comprising;

an interface for interconnecting said server to said subscriber telephone;

a database for storing subscriber information and for storing audio stream data from an incoming telephone call;

a message monitor server for providing information regarding said incoming telephone call to said client computer;

an interface module for providing said audio stream data from said incoming telephone call to said database for storage; and

a remote transfer protocol service module; and

a computer network interconnecting said client computer and said remote transfer service module of said messaging server, wherein said audio stream data from said incoming telephone call is transmitted over said computer network and provided to said client computer in realtime.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer network comprises the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer network comprises an Intranet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said client computer comprises a personal computer.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a speaker and a microphone interconnected to said client computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said audio stream data is transmitted asynchronously.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a client application associated with said client computer to provide a user interface, wherein a user may choose to ignore, to monitor or to barge-in to an incoming telephone call.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said audio stream data is transmitted between said messaging server and said client computer such that a caller and a user can conduct a conversation with said user in realtime.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said audio stream data is transmitted using a Voice over Internet Protocol.

10. A method of monitoring messages, comprising:

providing a messaging server having a mailbox for a subscriber;

in response to an audio stream message received at the mailbox of said subscriber from a caller, notifying said subscriber in realtime that said audio stream message is being received; and

storing said audio stream in said mailbox while simultaneously providing said audio stream in realtime to said subscriber over a data network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said notification is made to an address specified by said subscriber.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising allowing said subscriber to selectively engage in two-way audio communications with said caller in realtime.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising discarding said stored audio stream after two-way audio communications have been engaged by said subscriber.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of notifying said subscriber comprises providing said subscriber with caller identification information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said caller identification information is provided visually.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said data network is the Internet.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said data network is an Intranet.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said audio stream is provided as a Voice over Internet Protocol audio stream.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein said audio stream is transmitted over said data network asynchronously.

20. An apparatus for remotely monitoring telephone calls, comprising:

a messaging server having a mailbox for a subscriber;

means for notifying said subscriber when an audio stream message is being received at said mailbox of said subscriber in realtime;

means for storing said audio stream in said mailbox; and

means for providing said audio stream to said subscriber in realtime over a data network.