Apparatus and method for future transmission of device-independent messages

• US 6,944,273 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Huna, Emmanuel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weaver, Scott L.
• Application Number:
  US10/198,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20030068018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.15, 379/93.24, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for entering and transmitting a message at a future delivery time to a receiving device that is coupled either to a telephony-centric network or to a data-centric network. The apparatus includes a message server, a data-centric network server, and a telephony-centric network server. The message server translates the message into a format compatible with the receiving device and initiates delivery of the message at the future delivery time. The data-centric network server transmits the message over the data-centric network and, if the receiving device is addressable over the data-centric network, then said data-centric network server delivers the message directly to the receiving device. The telephony-centric network server provides an interface between the data-centric network server and the telephony-centric network. If the receiving device is addressable by the telephony-centric network, then the telephony-centric network server receives the message from said data-centric network server and delivers the message to the receiving device over the telephony-centric network.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sending a message having a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices, wherein each receiving device has a different format than the other receiving devices, each said receiving device coupled to at least one of a data-centric network and a telephony-centric network, the apparatus comprising:

a message server configured to translate the message into a plurality of formats, each format compatible with one of the receiving devices specified in the recipient field;

a data-centric network link, coupled to said message server, configured to transmit the message over the data-centric network;

a telephony-centric network link, coupled to said message server, configured to transmit the message over the telephony-centric network;

wherein, if the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol address over the data-centric network, then said message server delivers the translated message to the receiving device over the data-centric network via the data-centric network link; and

wherein, if the receiving device is addressed by a telephone number via the telephony-centric network, then said message server delivers the translated message to the receiving device over the telephony-centric network via the telephony-centric network link.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol (IP) address over the data-centric network and said message server delivers the translated message to the addressed receiving device over the data-centric network via the data-centric network link.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the message is supplied to the message server by an originator.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the telephony-centric network.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the data-centric network.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said data-centric network server transmits a message entry web page to said originator for configuration of the message.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said originating device comprises a computer that is executing a thin web client to receive said message entry web page.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said thin web client comprises a browser.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said originator prescribes the receiving device and the message completing fields within said message entry web page.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said message server selects said format for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the receiving device.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein if the receiving device is addressable over the telephony-centric network, said message server includes a telephone number within the message that corresponds to the receiving device.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said telephony-centric network server extracts said telephone number from within a field of the message for initiating a call over the telephony-centric network to the receiving device for delivery of the message.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the message has a data structure, comprising:

a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices having one of a plurality of different recipient formats; and

a message field having one of a plurality of different message formats.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of receiving devices comprise a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a desktop computer and wherein the plurality of different message formats comprises a text format and a voice format.

17. A mechanism for sending to a receiving device a message having a field prescribing the receiving device being coupled to either a data-centric network or a telephony-centric network, the mechanism comprising:

a message server, for translating the message into a format compatible with the receiving device, and for initiating delivery of the message, said message server comprising;

a message scheduler, for causing said message server to initiate delivery of the message; and

a data-centric network server, coupled to sad message server, for transmitting the message over a data-centric network for delivery to the receiving device wherein the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol address over the data-centric network.

18. The mechanism as recited in claim 17, wherein the receiving device is addressed by dialing a telephone number over the telephony-centric network.

19. The mechanism as recited in claim 18, wherein the receiving device comprises a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, or a cellular telephone.

20. The mechanism as recited in claim 17, wherein the receiving device comprises a computer.

21. The mechanism as recited in claim 17, wherein the message is supplied to the message server by an originator.

22. The mechanism as recited in claim 21, wherein said originator supplies the message an text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the telephony-centric network.

23. The mechanism as recited in claim 21, wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the data-centric network.

24. The mechanism as recited in claim 23, wherein said data-centric network server transmits a message entry web page to said originator for configuration of the message.

25. The mechanism as recited in claim 24, wherein said originating device comprises a computer that is executing a thin web client to receive said message entry web page.

26. The mechanism as recited in claim 25, wherein said thin web client comprises a browser.

27. The mechanism as recited in claim 26, wherein said originator prescribes the recipient, the receiving device and the message by completing fields within said message entry web page.

28. The mechanism as recited in claim 17, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

29. The mechanism as recited in claim 17, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

30. The mechanism as recited in claim 17, wherein said message server selects said format for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the receiving device.

31. The mechanism as recited in claim 30, wherein, if the receiving device is addressable over the telephony-centric network, said message server includes a telephone number within the message that corresponds to the receiving device.

32. The mechanism as recited in claim 30, further comprising:

a telephony-centric network server, coupled to said data-centric network server, for extracting said telephone number from within the message and for initiating a call over the telephony-centric network to the receiving device for delivery of the message.

33. The mechanism of claim 17 wherein the message has a data structure, comprising:

a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices having one of a plurality of different recipient formats; and

a message field having one of a plurality of different message formats.

34. The mechanism as recited in claim 33, wherein the plurality of receiving devices comprise a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a desktop computer and wherein the plurality of different message formats comprises a text format and a voice format.

35. A system for sending a message to a receiving device, the system comprising:

a message scheduler, configured to initiate delivery of the message;

a message server, coupled to said message scheduler, configured to translate the message into a format that is compatible with the receiving device;

a data-centric network server, coupled to said message server, configured to transmit the message;

a data-centric network, coupled to said data-centric network server, configured to route the message from said data-centric network server to either the receiving device or a telephony-centric network server, wherein, if the receiving device is addressed by a telephone number over a telephony-centric network, then said data-centric network routes the message to said telephony-centric network server.

36. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein, if said receiving device is addressable over said data-centric network, then the message is routed directly to said receiving device.

37. The system as recited in claim 36, wherein the receiving device comprises a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a computer, or a cellular telephone.

38. The system as recited in claim 37, wherein the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol (IP) address over said data-centric network or by dialing a telephone number over said telephony-centric network.

39. The system as recited in claim 38, wherein an originator supplies the message in voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the telephony-centric network.

40. The system as recited in claim 38, wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the data-centric network.

41. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein said originating device comprises a computer that is executing a web browser.

42. The system as recited in claim 41, wherein said data-centric network server transmits a message entry web page to said originating device for configuration of the message.

43. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein said originator prescribes the receiving device and the message by completing fields within said message entry web page.

44. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

45. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

46. The system as recited in claim 45, wherein said message server selects said format for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the receiving device.

47. The system as recited in claim 46, wherein said telephony-centric network server extracts said telephone number from within a field of the message and initiates a call over said telephony-centric network to the receiving device for delivery of the message.

48. The system of claim 35 wherein the message has a data structure, comprising:

a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices having one of a plurality of different recipient formats; and

a message field having one of a plurality of different message formats.

49. The system as recited in claim 48, wherein the plurality of receiving devices comprise a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a desktop computer and wherein the plurality of different message formats comprises a text format and a voice format.

50. A method for sending a message having a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices, wherein each receiving device has a different format than the other receiving devices, each said receiving device coupled to at least one of a data-centric network and a telephony-centric network, the method comprising:

a) generating the message from an originating device;

b) for each receiving device specified in the recipient field, translating the message into a format that is compatible with the receiving device;

c) transmitting the message over the coupled network to each receiving device prescribed in the recipient field in a format compatible with the receiving device wherein the originating device is addressable via the coupled network.

51. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the originating device is addressable via a telephony-centric network.

52. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein the originating device is addressable via the data-centric network.

53. The method as recited in claim 52, wherein the originating device is a computer that is executing a thin web client.

54. The method as recited in claim 53, wherein the message is generated by completing fields within a message entry web pane that has been received over the data-centric network.

55. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the receiving device comprises a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a computer, or a cellular telephone and the translated message is delivered to the receiving device over the telephony-centric network.

56. The method as recited in claim 55, further comprising:

i) embedding a telephone number in the message;

ii) causing the telephony-centric network server to call the telephone number to access the receiving device.

57. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

58. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

59. The method of claim 50, wherein the message has a data structure, comprising:

a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices having one of a plurality of different recipient formats; and

a message field having one of a plurality of different message formats.

60. The method as recited in claim 59, wherein the plurality of receiving devices comprise a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a desktop computer and wherein the plurality of different message formats comprises a text format and a voice format.