Automated delivery of instant message to a telephone line device

• US 6,782,081 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Atlassian US, Inc. (Atlassian Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US10/223,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20030219109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.24, 379/93.23, 379/93.17, 379/90.01, 379/142.01, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/93.24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/06 using auxiliary connections for control or supervision , e.g. where the auxiliary connection is a signalling system number 7 link
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway

Abstract

One preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and methods for relaying a message over a telephone line to a first user. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others includes, can be implemented as follows. A communication server forwards a message to a communication gateway. The communication gateway directs the message to caller-ID display via the telephone line. Methods and other systems are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for relaying a communication message from a communication network to a first user over a telephone link, comprising:

a communication gateway operative to receive the communication message, the communication gateway further operative to direct the communication message over the telephone line to a caller-ID display box of the first user;

a communication server operative to send the communication message to the communication gateway; and

a communication client of the second user operative to;

detect that the first user is not present to receive the communication message; and

invite the sending of a brief instant message to the caller-ID display box of the first user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the caller-ID display box is operative to display the communication message, the caller-ID display box coupled to a telephone line of the first user.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a subscriber information database containing a record having a data field of the first user, wherein the communication gateway is configured to;

extract text data from the communication message;

obtain a directory number of the first user;

retrieve a record associated with the directory number of the first user from the subscriber information database;

populate the data field in the record with the text data;

place a telephone call to the directory phone number of the first user;

send the text data to the caller-ID display box over the telephone line; and

display the text data on the caller-ID display box.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the directory number is embedded in the communication message.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the communication gateway is further configured to populate the data field with identification information of a second user who sent the communication message.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication client of a first user operative to authorize the communication message to be directed to the caller-ID display box.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a communication client of the second user operative to;

initiate the sending of the message to the first user; and

detect that the message has been authorized by the first user to be sent to the caller-ID display box of the first user.

8. The system of claim 7, the communication client of the second user further operative to mark the message.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication network is an email network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication network is an instant messaging network.

11. A method for relaying a communication message over a telephone line to a first user, comprising the steps of:

receiving a communication message from a communication network;

directing the communication message to a caller-ID display unit of the first user;

detecting that the first user is not present to receive the communication message; and

inviting the sending of a brief instant message to the caller-ID display unit of the user.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

authorizing the communication message to be sent to the caller-ID display unit.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

sending a communication message addressed to the first user; and

detecting that the communication message addressed to the first user has been authorized by the first user to be directed to the caller-ID display unit of the first user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

marking the communication message.

15. The method of claim 11, the directing step comprising:

extracting text data from the communication message;

obtaining a directory number of the first user;

placing a telephone call to the directory number of the first user;

sending the text data in the data field to the caller-ID display unit over the telephone line; and

displaying the text data on the caller-ID display unit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the directory number is embedded in communication message.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

storing the text data in a data field associated with the directory number; and

retrieving the text data from the data field in order to send the text data to the caller-ID display unit.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

populating the data field with identification information on a second user who sent the communication message.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication network is an email network.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication network is an instant messaging network.

21. A computer readable medium having a computer program for sending a communication message over a telephone line to a first user, the program for performing the steps of:

detecting that the first user is not present to receive the communication message;

attempting to send the communication message to the first user;

receiving the communication message from a communication network; and

directing the communication message to a caller-ID display unit of the first user.

22. The medium of claim 21, the program further comprising the step of:

authorizing the communication message to be sent to the caller-ID display unit.

23. The medium of claim 22, the program further comprising the step of:

sending a communication message addressed to the first user; and

detecting that the communication message addressed to the first user has been authorized by the first user to be directed to the caller-ID display unit of the first user.

24. The medium of claim 23, the program further comprising the step of:

marking the communication message.

25. The medium of claim 21, the directing step comprising:

extracting text data from the message;

obtaining a directory number of the first user;

placing a telephone call to the directory phone number of the first user;

sending the text data to the caller-ID display box unit over the telephone line; and

displaying the text data on the caller-ID display unit.

26. The medium of claim 25, wherein the directory number is embedded in communication message.

27. The medium of claim 25, the program further comprising the steps of:

storing the text data extracted from the message in a data field; and

retrieving the text data from the data field in order to send the text data to the caller-ID display unit.

28. The medium of claim 27, the program further comprising the step of:

populating the data field with identification on the sender of the instant message.

29. The medium of claim 21, wherein the communication network is an email network.

30. The medium of claim 21, the program further comprising:

inviting the sending of a brief instant message to the caller-ID display of the first user.

31. The medium of claim 21, wherein the communication network is an instant messaging network.