Audio file transmission method

• US 6,839,412 B1
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kelly D Stephens Law Office, Weerawan Wongmanee
• Original Assignee: Jr., John Francis Baxter
• Inventors: Baxter, Jr., John Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): FOSTER, ROLAND G
• Application Number:
  US10/604,617
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8816- 8825, 379/93.01, 379/93.12, 379/93.24, 379 9326- 9328, 379/114.01, 379/114.1, 379/114.13, 379/142.04, 379/142.05, 379/142.06, 37933501-3351, 370351-356, 709/201, 709/203, 709/206
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/65 Recording arrangements for recording a message from the calling party in the exchange H04M3/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/45 using multi-frequency signalling H04Q1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

A computer implemented method of transmitting electronic voice messages including the steps of establishing a caller identity associated with a first telephone connection, recording a first audio clip from the first telephone connection, establishing an email target string, encapsulating the first audio clip, the caller identity and the email target string into a first email attachment, transmitting the first email attachment to a first email account associated with the email target string, broadcasting the first audio clip to a second telephone connection, prompting the second telephone connection for a reply recording, responsive to a record signal, recording a second audio clip from the second telephone connection, encapsulating the second audio clip and the caller identity into a second email attachment, and transmitting the second email attachment to a second email account associated with the caller identity.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of transmitting electronic voice messages comprising the steps of:

establishing a first SMTP email address, the first SMTP email address having a distinct prefix address and a domain address;

establishing a primary telephone number;

establishing an extension to the primary telephone number, the extension containing alphanumeric characters identical to the distinct prefix address;

establishing a text-to-speech synthesizer responsive to a call to the primary telephone number and extension wherein email messages sent to the first SMTP address are synthesized into computer-generated speech;

establishing a voice digitizing means wherein reply messages spoken to the primary telephone number and extension are converted into an audio computer file and transmitted to a second SMTP address as an email attachment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of broadcasting a commercial to callers of the first SMTP email address.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of surveying callers to the primary telephone number regarding caller demographics.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of broadcasting demographically targeted commercials to callers according to survey results.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of offering prize incentives for engaging in survey activities.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of offering long distance telephone credits for engaging in survey activities.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the long distance telephone credits are assigned to a preexisting long distance calling card.