Apparatus and method for channel-transparent multimedia broadcast messaging

• US 7,035,383 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2001
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: O'Neal, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/874,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20010048735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,785 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/70, 379/81, 379/88.01, 379/88.04, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.15, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/218.01, 379/223, 379/222, 379/265.01, 379/72, 379/76, 379/88.11, 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6443 Network Node Interface, e.g. Routing, Path finding

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for addressing and broadcasting a message to recipients having both telephone network-based receiving devices and data network-based receiving devices. The apparatus includes a message router that translates the broadcast message into individual messages that are addressed to each message recipient in a format, e.g., voice, text, email, fax, pager, compatible with each message recipient'"'"'s receiving device. The individual messages are transmitted by a data network server over a data network. Individual messages designated for recipients having receiving devices addressable by the data network are delivered directly over the data network to the receiving devices. Individual messages designated for recipients having receiving devices addressable by the telephone network are delivered over the data network first to a telephone network server. The telephone network server then delivers the individual messages to the telephone network-based receiving devices over the telephone network via a local telephone switch corresponding to the telephone network server.

Claims

1. An apparatus for permitting a user to send a broadcast message via a sending device to a first recipient and a second recipient, the sending device either addressable over a data network or addressable over a telephone network connected to the data network, the first recipient having a first receiving device addressable over the data network and the second recipient having a second receiving device addressable over the telephone network, the apparatus comprising:

a message router, configured to parse recipient addresses received in the broadcast message from the sending device over the data network if the sending device is addressable over the data network and over the telephone network via the data network connected to the telephone network if the sending device is addressable over the telephone network, the message router configured to translate the received broadcast message into a translated first broadcast message and a translated second broadcast, the translated first broadcast message being in a format compatible with the first receiving device for delivery to the first receiving device over the data network, the translated second broadcast message being in a format compatible with the second receiving device for delivery to the second receiving device over the telephone network via the data network, the message router configured to embed a telephone number that corresponds to the second receiving device within the translated second broadcast message, the message router configured for routing the translated first broadcast message to the first receiving device over the data network and configured for routing the translated second broadcast message embedded with the telephone number to the second receiving device over the telephone network via the data network.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast message is originated in voice form.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the first receiving device is a computer having an IP address, the IP address corresponding to the first recipient.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the second receiving device is a telephone and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the second receiving device is a facsimile machine and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format as a facsimile.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the second receiving device is a pager and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast message is originated in text form.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the first receiving device is a computer having an IP address, the IP address corresponding to the first recipient.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the second receiving device is a telephone and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the second receiving device is a facsimile machine and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format as a facsimile.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the second receiving device is a pager and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the message router selects a format of the translated first broadcast message and a format of the translated second broadcast message for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the first and second receiving devices.

17. A method for permitting a user to send a broadcast message via a sending device to a first recipient and a second recipient, the sending device either addressable over a data network or addressable over a telephonic network connected to the data network, the first recipient having a first receiving device addressable over the data network and the second recipient having a second receiving device addressable over the telephone network, the method comprising:

parsing in a router recipient addresses received in the broadcast message from the sending device over the data network if the sending device is addressable over the data network and over the telephone network via the data network if the sending device is addressable over the telephone network;

translating the received broadcast message into a translated first broadcast message and a translated second broadcast message, the translated first broadcast message being in a format compatible with the first receiving device for delivery to the first receiving device over the data network, the translated second broadcast message being in a format compatible with the second receiving device for delivery to the second receiving device over the telephone network via the data network;

embedding a telephone number that corresponds to the second receiving device within the translated second broadcast message;

routing the translated first broadcast message to the first receiving device over the data network; and

routing the translated second broadcast message embedded with the telephone number to the second receiving device over the telephone network via the data network.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the broadcast message is originated in voice form.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the broadcast message is originated in text form.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein routing includes selecting a format of the translated first broadcast message and a format of the translated second broadcast message for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the first and second receiving devices.

21. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for:

parsing in a router recipient addresses received in a broadcast message from a sending device over a data network if the sending device is addressable over the data network and over a telephone network via the data network if the sending device is addressable over the telephone network;

translating the received broadcast message into a translated first broadcast message and a translated second broadcast message, the translated first broadcast message being in a format compatible with a first receiving device addressable over the data network the translated second broadcast message being in a format compatible with a second receiving device addressable over the telephone network;

embedding a telephone number that corresponds to the second receiving device within the translated second broadcast message;

routing the translated first broadcast message to the first receiving device over the data network; and

routing the translated second broadcast message embedded with the telephone number to the second receiving device over the telephone network via the data network.

22. The medium as recited in claim 21, wherein the broadcast message is originated in voice form.

23. The medium as recited in claim 21, wherein the broadcast message is originated in text form.

24. The medium as recited in claim 21, wherein routing includes selecting a format of the translated first broadcast message and a format of the translated second broadcast message for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the first and second receiving devices.