Computerized system for the receipt, recordation, scheduling and redelivery of telephone messages to predetermined telephone numbers

• US 7,046,769 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ringminder Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ringminder Incorporated
• Inventors: van Winkel, Robert J., Merwin, Keith A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/892,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20020001369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/71, 379/76, 379/72, 379/88.12, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.07, 379/210.01
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy
• 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 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2027 Live party detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/432 Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting

Abstract

An automated, computerized voice message storage and redelivery system and method comprises a computer for executing software commands, a telephone connection operatively connected to the computer for calling and answering a telephone call from a remote location, and signal recognition capability operatively connected to the telephone connection and to the computer for determining if a telephone called from the telephone connection has been answered by a human voice or by a digital voice. Memory is operatively connected to the computer for storing voice messages for remembering the number of each remote telephone, programs for operating the computer for receiving, recording, and redelivery of voice messages. The programs include calling a remote telephone number; determining if the telephone number is answered and determining by the signal recognition capability if a human voice or digital voice has answered the telephone; and for providing that if a digital voice answers the telephone whether such digital voice is an automated attendant answering system (AAA), a voice mail system (VMS), or an automated answer machine (AAM). The call can be transferred to another telephone number if such number was recorded if an AAA or VMS answers the telephone; and providing by the SRS the message recorded to the AAM if an AAM answers the call.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling a reminder call from an automated, computerized voice message storage and redelivery system (SRS) and receiving by a subscriber a reminder call from the SRS comprising the steps of:

A. providing to the SRS when a reminder call is to be made by the SRS;

B. providing to the SRS by a subscriber each telephone number that is to be called by the SRS to deliver a reminder call and information as to whether the telephone associated with the number will be answered by a human voice or a digital voice;

C. providing to the SRS the message to be included in the reminder call;

D. recording by the SRS the information provided in step A;

E. calling a telephone number of step B as provided in step A;

F. if the telephone number of step E is answered, determining by the SRS if a human voice or digital voice has answered the telephone;

G. selecting a manner in which the message of step C will be delivered based upon the determination of step F;

H. if a digital voice answers the telephone of step F, determining if the digital voice is an automated attendant answering system (AAA), a voice mail system (VMS), or an automated answer machine (AAM); and

I. if an AAA or VMS answers the telephone, requesting by the SRS that the call be transferred to another telephone number if such was recorded in step D.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

J. if an automated answer machine answers the call, providing by the SRS the message recorded in step D to the AAM.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

J. if such other telephone number is answered in step I, providing by the SRS the message recorded in step D to the one who answers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step B includes the step of:

J. providing to the SRS more than one telephone number that is to be called.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein step B further includes the step of:

K. providing to the SRS the order that the telephone numbers requested in step J are to be called.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step A includes the step of:

J. providing the date a reminder call is to be made by the SRS.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein step A further includes the step of:

K. providing the time a reminder call is to be made by the SRS.

8. The method of claim 7 further including the step of:

L. calling the telephone number of step E on the date obtained pursuant to step J and at the time of step K.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein step L includes the step of:

M. if a digital voice is detected by the SRS in step F, calling the telephone number of step E at time intervals determined by the SRS.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein step M includes the step of:

N. providing to the SRS the number of attempts to be made by the SRS to detect a digital voice at the telephone number called in step M.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein step E includes the steps of:

O. calling the first telephone number pursuant to step N;

P. if the telephone is not answered by either a human or digital voice calling the second telephone number pursuant to step N; and

Q. if the second telephone number obtained is called and is not answered by either a human or a digital voice, calling the third telephone number pursuant to step N.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the steps of:

R. repeating steps O, P, and Q a predetermined number of times and, if no number is answered by either a human voice or digital voice, terminating steps O, P, and Q; and

S. hanging up the SRS telephone connection.

13. An automated, computerized voice message scheduling, storage and redelivery system for providing a reminder call to a remote telephone, comprising a computer means for executing software commands, a telephone connection means operatively connected to said computer means for calling and answering a telephone call from a remote location, a signal recognition means operatively connected to said telephone connection means and to said computer means for determining if a telephone called from said telephone connection means has been answered by a human voice or by a digital voice, memory means operatively connected to said computer means for scheduling and storing voice messages for remembering the number of each remote telephone and information as to whether the telephone will be answered by a human voice or digital voice providing by a subscriber to said system, program means for operating computer means for scheduling, receiving, recording, and redelivery of voice messages, said program means including means for calling a remote telephone number;

means for determining if the telephone number is answered and determining by said signal recognition means if a human voice or digital voice has answered the telephone;

means for providing that if a digital voice answers the telephone whether such digital voice is an automated attendant answering system (AAA), a voice mail system (VMS), or an automated answer machine (AAM) and further including means for requesting by the SRS that the call be transferred to another telephone number if such number was recorded if an AA or VMS answers the telephone.

14. The system as defined in claim 13 further including means for providing by the SRS the message recorded to the one who answers if such other telephone number is answered.

15. The system as defined in claim 13 further including means for providing by the SRS the message recorded to the AAM if an AAM answers the call.

16. A method of scheduling a reminder call from an automated, computerized voice message storage and redelivery system (SRS) and receiving by a subscriber a reminder call from the SRS comprising the steps of:

A. providing to the SRS when a reminder call is to be made by the SRS;

B. providing to the SRS by a subscriber, telephone numbers associated with a subscriber that are to be called by the SRS to deliver a reminder call and information as to whether the telephone associated with the numbers will be answered by a human voice or a digital voice;

C. providing to the SRS the message to be included in the reminder call;

D. recording by the SRS the information provided in step A;

E. calling a telephone number of step B as provided in step A;

F. if the telephone number of step E is answered, determining by the SRS if a human voice or digital voice has answered the telephone;

G. selecting a manner in which the message of step C will be delivered based upon the determination of step F; and

H. if a digital voice answers the telephone of step F, determining if the digital voice is an automated attendant answering system (AAA), a voice mail system (VMS), or an automated answer machine (AAM).

17. The method of claim 16 wherein step A includes the step of:

H. providing to the SRS that steps B–

G will be repeated on predetermined days and at predetermined times.

18. The method of claim 16 further including the step of:

I. if an automated answer machine answers the call, providing by the SRS the message recorded in step D to the AAM.

19. The method of claim 16 further including the step of:

I. if an AAA or VMS answers the telephone, requesting by the SRS that the call be transferred to another telephone number if such was recorded in step D.