Centralized communication control center and methods therefor

• US 6,728,357 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jiang, John, OʼNeal, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US09/907,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20020110231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88-2-, 379/88-2-, 379/90.01, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.04, 379/201.12, 379/211-1-2, 379/212.01, 379/230, 379/213.01, 379/214.01, 379/217.01, 379/209.01, 379/210.01, 370/351-354
• US Class Current: 379/201.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components

Abstract

A computer-implemented control center for permitting a subscriber of a plurality of communication services of a unified mess aging system to customize communication options pertaining to the plurality of communication services. The communication options include parameters associated with individual ones of the plurality of the communication services and routings among the plurality of communication services. The plurality of communication services comprise a voice telephone service through a telephony-centric network and an e-mail service through a data-centric network. The communication options are accessible via display terminals coupled to the data-centric network and via telephones coupled to the telephony-centric network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for permitting a subscriber of a plurality of communication services of a unified messaging system to customize communication options pertaining to said plurality of communication services, said communication options include parameters associated with individual ones of said plurality of said communication services and routings among said plurality of communication services, said plurality of communication services comprising a voice telephone service through a telephony-centric network and an e-mail service through a data-centric network, said communication options being accessible via display terminals coupled to said data-centric network and via telephones coupled to said telephony-centric network, said method comprising:

providing a subscriber communication profile database, said subscriber communication profile database having therein an account pertaining to said subscriber, said account including said communication options for said subscriber;

generating a single graphical menu for displaying said communication options for each of said communication services at the same time, wherein said single graphical menu comprises at least a first display area for showing a first communication service and a first communication option associated with said first communication service, and a second display area for showing a second communication service and a second communication option associated with said second communication service, the first display area and the second display area being displayed at the same time in said single graphical menu, and wherein the first communication option included a first enable option for enabling or disabling the first communication service, and wherein the second communication option includes a second enable option for enabling or disabling the second communication service;

visually displaying said single graphical menu on one of said display terminals, using a computer server coupled to exchange data with said subscriber communication profile database, when said subscriber employs said one of said display terminals to access said computer-implemented control center;

providing a telephony server coupled to exchange data with said communication profile database;

audibly representing said communication options to one of said telephones, using said telephony server, when said subscriber employs said one of said telephones to access said computer-implemented control center;

receiving from said subscriber via said one of said display terminals at said computer server a first change to at least one of said communication options, said first change to said communication options pertains to either said voice telephone service or said e-mail service; and

updating said first change to said account in said subscriber communication profile database, thereby resulting in a first updated subscriber communication profile database, wherein subsequent messages to said subscriber at said unified messaging system, including said voice telephone service, are handled in accordance with said first updated subscriber communication profile database.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving at said telephony server from said subscriber via said one of said telephones a second change to at least one of said communication options; and

updating said second change to said account in said subscriber communication profile database, thereby resulting in a second updated subscriber communication profile database, wherein subsequent messages to said subscriber at said unified messaging system, including said e-mail service are handled in accordance with said updated subscriber communication profile database.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein said facsimile and said voice telephone service are both implemented using a single telephone number.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of communication set-vices include a facsimile service configured to permit said subscriber to receive at said unified messaging system a facsimile through said telephony-centric network and said telephony server, said communication options including a facsimile receiving enable option associated with said facsimile service.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a pager server coupled to exchange data with said communication profile database, wherein said communication services further include a pager alert service and wherein said communication options further include a pager alert option, said pager server being configured to transmit, when said pager alert option is enabled, an alert to a pager through said telephony-centric network if an e-mail message is received by said subscriber through said data-centric network, said pager having a page number that is also specified as part of said pager alert option.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of communication services include a call forwarding service configured to permit said subscriber to specify whether a call received at a telephone number associated with said account be forwarded to a forwarding telephone number, said communication options including a call forwarding enable option and said forwarding telephone number.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of communication services include an alternate number service, said communication options including an alternate number service enable option associated with said alternate number service and an alternate telephone number, said alternate number service enable option, when enabled by said subscriber, permits a caller to said subscriber at said unified messaging system to elect to forward a call by said caller to an alternate telephone associated with said alternate telephone number.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of communication services include a follow-me service, said communication options including a follow-me service enable option associated with said follow-me service and a set of telephone numbers, said follow-me service enable option when enabled by said subscriber, permits a caller to said subscriber at said unified messaging system to elect to forward a call by said caller to a telephone associated with said set of telephone numbers.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein said follow-me service is configured to ring in sequence each one of said telephones associated with said set of telephone numbers until said call by said caller is accepted.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein said follow-me service is configured to ring first a last-found telephone number, said last-found telephone number representing a telephone number associated with a phone previously employed by said subscriber to answer an immediately preceding call to said subscriber.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein said single graphical menu comprises at least:

a first display area for showing said on-demand communication service, said on-demand communication enable option, and said forwarding number.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein said single graphical menu further comprises:

a second display area for showing a second communication service, and a second communication option associated with said second communication service, the first display area and the second display area being displayed at the same time in said single graphical menu.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 wherein said on-demand communication service is selected from a follow-me service, an alternate number service, and a paging service, and wherein said second communication service is selected from a call forwarding service, a follow-me service, an alternate number service, a message alert service, a fax receiving service, and a paging service.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 wherein the second communication option includes a second enable option for enabling or disabling the second communication service.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the second communication option includes a routing option.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 wherein the forwarding number includes a plurality of numbers, and wherein the second routing option includes a plurality of routings.

17. A data structure for permitting a subscriber of a plurality of communication services of a unified messaging system to customize communication options pertaining to said plurality of communication services, said communication options include parameters associated with individual ones of said plurality of said communication services and routings among said plurality of communication services, said plurality of communication services comprising a voice telephone service through a telephony-centric network and an e-mail service through a data-centric network, said communication options being accessible via display terminals coupled to said data-centric network and via telephones coupled to said telephony-centric network, said data structure for use with:

a subscriber communication profile database, said subscriber communication profile database having therein an account pertaining to said subscriber, said account including said communication options for said subscriber;

said data structure comprising;

a single graphical menu for displaying said communication options for each of said communication services at the name time, wherein said single graphical menu comprises at least a first display area for showing a first communication service and a first communication option associated with said first communication service, and a second display area for showing a second communication service and a second communication option associated with said second communication service, the first display area and the second display area being displayed at the same time in said single graphical menu, and wherein the first communication option includes a first enable option for enabling or disabling the first communication service, and wherein the second communication option includes a second enable option for enabling or disabling the second communication service;

said single graphical menu capable of being displayed on one of said display terminals using a computer server coupled to exchange data with said subscriber communication profile database, when said subscriber employs said one of said display terminals to access said computer-implemented control center;

wherein a telephony server is coupled to exchange data with said communication profile database;

an audible representation of said communication options capable of being provided to one of said telephones, using said telephony server, when said subscriber employs said one of said telephones to access said computer-implemented control center;

a first change to at least one of said communication options received from said subscriber via said one of said display terminals at said computer server, said first change to said communication options pertaining to either said voice telephone service or said e-mail service;

wherein said first change is updated to said account in said subscriber communication profile database, thereby resulting in a first updated subscriber communication profile database, and wherein subsequent messages to said subscriber at said unified massaging system, including said voice telephone service, are handled in accordance with said first updated subscriber communication profile database.

18. A computer readable media including instructions for a computer-implemented method for permitting a subscriber of a plurality of communication services of a unified messaging system to customize communication options pertaining to said plurality of communication services, said communication options include parameters associated with individual ones of said plurality of said communication services and routings among said plurality of communication services, said plurality of communication services comprising a voice telephone service through a telephony-centric network and an e-mail service through a data-centric network, said communication options being accessible via display terminals coupled to said data-centric network and via telephones coupled to said telephony-centric network, said instructions comprising;

providing a subscriber communication profile database, said subscriber communication profile database having therein an account pertaining to said subscriber, said account including said communication options for said subscriber;

generating a single graphical menu for displaying said communication options for each of said communication services at the same time, wherein said single graphical menu comprises at least a first display area for showing a first communication service and a first communication option associated with said first communication service, and a second display area for showing a second communication service and a second communication option associated with said second communication service, the first display area and the second display area being displayed at the same time in said single graphical menu, and wherein the first communication option includes a first enable option for enabling or disabling the first communication service, and wherein the second communication option includes a second enable option for enabling or disabling the second communication service;

visually displaying said single graphical menu on one of said display terminals, using a computer server coupled to exchange data with said subscriber communication profile database, when said subscriber employs said one of said display terminals to access said computer-implemented control center;

providing a telephony server coupled to exchange data with said communication profile database;

audibly representing said communication options to one of said telephones, using said telephony eerier, when said subscriber employs said one of said telephones to access said computer-implemented control center;

receiving from said subscriber via said one of said display terminals at said computer server a first change to at least one of said communication options, said first change to said communication options pertains to either said voice telephone service or said e-mail service; and

updating said first change to said account in said subscriber communication profile database, thereby resulting in a first updated subscriber communication profile database, wherein subsequent messages to said subscriber at said unified messaging system, including said voice telephone service, are handled in accordance with said first updated subscriber communication profile database.