Method, apparatus and computer program product for authorizing re-recording

• US 6,658,092 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gusler, Carl Phillip, Hamilton, Rick Allen II, Woods, Stephanie Elise
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US10/183,860
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/88.12, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.19, 379/88.22, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/88.01, 455/412, 455/413, 455/466, 455/550, 455/551
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/656 for recording conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/658 Means for redirecting recorded messages to other extensions or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/258 Service state indications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656

Abstract

In one form of the invention, a method for authorizing distribution of a telephone recording includes announcing for a first message-recording apparatus that a telephone caller can record a message. The message is recorded by the first message-recording apparatus, and a key is automatically associated with the message. The key authorizes transferring the message to a second message-recording apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for authorizing distribution of a telephone message recording, the method comprising:

announcing for a first message-recording apparatus that a telephone caller can record a message;

recording the message by the first message-recording apparatus;

automatically associating a key with the message; and

sending the key to a second message-recording apparatus, wherein the key includes an authorization tag that authorizes transferring the message to the second message-recording apparatus such that the second message recording apparatus will not record the message without the authorization tag.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating the key by the first message-recording apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving, by the first message-recording apparatus, at least a portion of the key from a telephone of the caller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the key is included with the recorded message, and the sending of the key is responsive to the message being transferred to the second message-recording apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message-recording apparatus determines, responsive to the presence or absence of the key, whether to permit transferring the message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message-recording apparatus determines, responsive to the presence or absence of the key, whether to permit transferring the message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the key comprises at least one of the following:

an address of a telephone of the caller; and

an address of the first message-recording apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the key comprises at least one of the following:

a date; and

a time.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein for the step of announcing for a first message-recording apparatus that a telephone caller can record a message, the telephone caller includes a first party and the message includes an incoming message for a second party, and for the step of sending the key to a second message-recording apparatus, the second message recording apparatus is for a third party.

9. A message-recording apparatus for authorizing distribution of a telephone message recording, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having instructions and being operable to communicate with the processor, wherein the processor is operable with the instructions to announce for the apparatus that a telephone caller can record a message, record the message in the memory, and automatically associate a key with the message, wherein the processor is operable with the instructions to send the key for the message to a second message-recording apparatus, wherein the key includes an authorization tag that authorizes transferring the message to the second message-recording apparatus such that the second message recording apparatus will not record the message without the authorization tag.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is operable with the instructions to generate the key.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, the processor is operable with the instructions to receive at least a portion of the key from a telephone of the caller.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is operable with the instructions to include the key with the recorded message to the second message-recording apparatus, and the sending of the key is responsive to the message being transferred.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first message-recording apparatus determines, responsive to the presence or absence of the key, whether to permit transferring the message.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second message-recording apparatus determines responsive to the presence or absence of the key whether to permit transferring the message.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the key comprises at least one of the following:

an address of a telephone of the caller;

and an address of the first message-recording apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the key comprises at least one of the following:

a date; and

a time.

25. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the telephone caller includes a first party and the message that the first party caller can record includes a message for a second party, and wherein the second message recording apparatus is for a third party.

17. A computer program product for authorizing distribution of a telephone message recording, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for announcing for a first message-recording apparatus that a telephone caller can record a message;

instructions for recording the message by the first message-recording apparatus; and

instructions for automatically associating a key with the message; and

instructions for sending the key for the message to a second message-recording apparatus, wherein the key includes an authorization tag that authorizes transferring the message to the second message-recording apparatus such that the second message recording apparatus will not record the message without the authorization tag.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, comprising:

instructions for generating the key by the first message-recording apparatus.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, comprising:

instructions for receiving, by the first message-recording apparatus, at least a portion of the key from a telephone of the caller.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, comprising:

instructions for including the key with the recorded message, wherein the sending of the key is responsive to the message being transferred to the second message-recording apparatus.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, comprising:

instructions for determining by the first message-recording apparatus, responsive to the presence or absence of the key, whether to permit transferring the message.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the key comprises at least one of the following:

an address of a telephone of the caller; and

an address of the first message-recording apparatus.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the key comprises at least one of the following:

a date; and

a time.

26. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the telephone caller includes a first party and the message that the first party caller can record includes a message for a second party, and wherein the second message recording apparatus is for a third party.