Operating mode dependent greeting message

• US 6,631,183 B1
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Oistamo, Kai, Rautila, Heikki
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/270,454
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/142.01, 455/412, 455/413, 455/414, 455/418, 455/419
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

In order to record and play spoken messages in a voice mail system, there are implemented steps where there is recorded (305) a first greeting message and a second greeting message corresponding to at least two operating modes of the terminal of a given subscriber, in the voice mail system, there is received (308) information as to in which operating mode the terminal of a given subscriber is set, and as a response to a call that is transferred to the voice mail system, there is played (302) a greeting message which is selected on the basis of the earlier received information as to in which operating mode the terminal of a given subscriber is set.

Claims

1. A method for recording and playing spoken messages in a network voice mail system for a mobile terminal, comprising the steps of:

defining at least a first operating mode and a second operating mode for said mobile terminal by contents of certain memory locations in said terminal;

recording a first greeting message and a second greeting message in said network voice mail system, corresponding to at least one of said first and second operating modes of said mobile terminal;

of a certain subscriber respectively,

receiving a mode change information message from said mobile terminal in said network voice mail system, said mode change information message including information about a change of the operating mode into which said mobile terminal is set, wherein, said mode change information message is sent independently of an incoming call and

as a response by said network voice mail system to a call transferred to said network voice mail system, playing a greeting message chosen on the basis of the information received earlier in said mode change information message.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mode change information message is received in a form that is one of the following:

a short message service (SMS) message, a unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) message, a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) encoded message.

3. A network voice mail system for a mobile terminal comprising

a memory in said network voice mail system for storing information about operating modes for said mobile terminal and recording greeting messages associated with said operating modes;

means in said mobile terminal for selecting an operating mode from said operating modes and transmitting a mode change information message including information about a change of the operating mode to said network voice mail system, wherein, said mode change information message is sent independently of an incoming call; and

means in said network voice mail system for selecting one of said recorded greeting messages on the basis of the information received earlier in said mode change information message about the operating mode in which said mobile terminal is set.

4. A voice mail system according to claim 3, additionally comprising means for receiving said mode change information message in a form that is one of the following:

a short message service (SMS) message, a unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) message, a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) encoded message.

5. A mobile telephone arranged to selectively operate in one of at least two operating modes, comprising means for automatically transmitting in a mode change information message to a network voice mail system information about a change of the operating mode in which the telephone is operating in order to allow said network voice mail system to select a greeting message corresponding to said information as to said operating mode, wherein, said mode change information message is sent independently of an incoming call.

6. A telephone according to claim 5, comprising means for transmitting said mode change information message in a form that is one of the following:

a short message service (SMS) message, a unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) message, a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) encoded message.