Methods and systems for changing the domain association of a mailbox in a messaging system

• US 6,738,458 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cline, John E., Myers, Joe H., Morgan, Darrell
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/710,990
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/83, 379/84, 379/88.04, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.22, 379/88.25, 379/88.26, 379/88.27, 455/412, 455/413, 455/414, 455/417
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems

Abstract

Methods and systems are presented for changing the association of a mailbox from a first domain to a second domain in a messaging system that includes mailboxes organized into domains. Advantageously, the change is effected with only minor interruption to messaging services to the subscriber of the mailbox. With respect to a mailbox record including fields for mailbox name and for a list of other names, the new mailbox name is added to the list of other names and new corresponding names are added also to the list of other names. A change is made to the domain in the record for the mailbox in the table of incoming trunk configuration. After the change in the table, the new mailbox name and the new corresponding names are removed from the list of other names in the mailbox record. The old mailbox name is changed to the new mailbox name in the mailbox name field of the mailbox record. The old mailbox name is added to the list of other names. The domain is changed in the record for the mailbox in the table of integration configuration. The old mailbox name then is deleted from the list of other names.

Claims

1. In a messaging system providing messaging services where mailboxes are organized into domains, where each mailbox is assigned a mailbox name including a domain and a mailbox number, where information relating to access of the mailboxes is stored respectively in mailbox records including fields for mailbox name and fields for other names, and where a name included in the field of mailbox name is unique with respect to names included in the field of other names in the same mailbox record, and

further, where the messaging system includes an incoming configuration using the domain of the mailboxes to route messages to the mailboxes,

a method for changing the association of a selected mailbox from an old domain to a new domain, where the selected mailbox has an old mailbox name including the old domain and a first mailbox number, and where the mailbox name is stored in a field of mailbox name within a mailbox record corresponding to the selected mailbox, the method comprising:

creating a new mailbox name for the selected mailbox, the new mailbox name including the new domain and the first mailbox number;

adding the new mailbox name to a field for other names in the mailbox record;

in the incoming configuration, changing the association of the selected mailbox from the old domain to the new domain;

deleting the new mailbox name from the field for other names in the mailbox record; and

changing the old mailbox name to the new mailbox name in the field of mailbox name,

whereby adding the new mailbox name in the field of other names without deleting the old mailbox name from the field of mailbox name allows for messages to be routed to the selected mailbox using either the old domain or the new domain so as not to disrupt messaging service to the selected mailbox, and

whereby the actions only minimally disrupt messaging service to the selected mailbox.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging system further comprises an integration configuration for outputting signals for signaling services provided to the selected mailbox, and wherein the integration configuration makes use of the old domain for outputting the signals, further comprising:

adding the old mailbox name to the field of other names so as to comport with the use of the old domain by the integration configuration and to allow for the signaling services to continue to be provided to the selected mailbox; and

in the integration configuration, changing the association of the selected mailbox from the old domain to the new domain so that the integration configuration makes use of the new domain instead of the old domain.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, deleting the old mailbox name from the field of other names.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising, changing any mailbox name related to the selected mailbox so that any such mailbox name includes the new domain instead of the old domain in its mailbox name.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mailbox record further comprises a field for routed names;

and

wherein changing the old mailbox name comprises changing the old mailbox name to the new mailbox name in the field of routed names.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

creating the new domain.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the field of other names comprises a second mailbox name including the old domain and a second mailbox number;

wherein creating the new mailbox name comprises creating the new mailbox name and a new second mailbox name for the selected mailbox, the new second mailbox name including the new domain and the second mailbox number; and

wherein adding the new mailbox name comprises adding the new mailbox name and the new second mailbox name to the field of other names.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein deleting the new mailbox name comprises deleting the new mailbox name and the new second mailbox name from the field of other names.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

changing the second mailbox name in the field of other names to the new second mailbox name.

10. A method to change association of a selected mailbox from an old domain of mailboxes to a new domain of mailboxes in a messaging platform, the method comprising:

including an identifier of the selected mailbox as associated with the old domain in a mailbox record of the selected mailbox where the identifier may be used to route messages to the selected mailbox;

including a reference to the selected mailbox as associated with the new domain in the mailbox record where the reference may be used to route messages to the selected mailbox;

changing incoming routing information in the messaging platform for the selected mailbox from the old domain to the new domain; and

deleting the reference to the selected mailbox from the mailbox record; and

changing the identifier of the selected mailbox from being associated with the old domain to being associated with the new domain;

where the old domain of mailboxes and the new domain of mailboxes are on the messaging platform.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the messaging platform outputs signals for signaling services provided to the selected mailbox, and wherein the messaging platform makes use of the old domain for outputting the signals, further comprising:

adding an indicator of the selected mailbox as being associated with the old domain to the mailbox record so as to comport with the use of the old domain by the messaging platform;

changing the messaging platform to make use of the new domain instead of the old domain for outputting the signals.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising deleting the indicator from the mailbox record.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

changing any information in the messaging platform related to the selected mailbox so as to change association of the selected mailbox from the old domain to the new domain.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein including the reference to the selected mailbox comprises:

including the reference to the selected mailbox as associated with the new domain in the mailbox record where the reference may be used to route the messages to the selected mailbox, and

including respectively an additional reference for each other mailbox name included in the mailbox record where the additional reference associates the other mailbox name with the new domain for use in routing the messages to the selected mailbox.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein deleting the reference to the selected mailbox comprises deleting the reference to the selected mailbox and the additional reference from the mailbox record.

16. A system to change association of a selected mailbox from an old domain of mailboxes to a new domain of mailboxes in a messaging platform, the system comprising:

a mailbox record of the selected mailbox including

an identifier of the selected mailbox as associated with the old domain and used to route messages to the selected mailbox,

a reference to the selected mailbox as associated with the new domain and used to route messages to the selected mailbox;

an incoming interface for routing messages to the selected mailbox including the old domain as associated with the selected mailbox, and being operative to change the old domain to the new domain after the reference is included in the mailbox record; and

after the incoming interface includes the new domain as associated with the selected mailbox, the mailbox record for the selected mailbox is operative

to delete the reference, and

to change the identifier of the selected mailbox from being associated with the old domain to being associated with new domain;

where the old domain of mailboxes and the new domain of mailboxes are on the messaging platform.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the messaging platform outputs signals for signaling services provided to the selected mailbox, and wherein the messaging platform makes use of the old domain for outputting the signals, and

wherein the mailbox record is operative to include an indicator of the selected mailbox as being associated with the old domain so as to comport with the use of the old domain by the messaging platform.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the mailbox record is operative to delete the indicator after the messaging platform changes from the old domain to the new domain for outputting the signals.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the mailbox record is operative to change any information related to the selected mailbox so as to change association of the selected mailbox from the old domain to the new domain.