Voice mail in a voice over IP telephone system

• US 7,123,699 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2002
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Estech Systems IP, LLC (Estech Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Estech Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Hansen, Harold E. A. II, Suder, Eric G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Escalante, Ovidio
• Application Number:
  US10/210,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20040022373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/69, 379/70, 379/74, 379/77, 379/84, 379/85, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.19, 379/88.22, 379/88.25, 379/93.01, 379/93.26, 379/201.01, 379/207.02, 379/220.01, 379/229, 379/265.01, 379/265.09, 370/351, 370/352, 370/431, 370/437, 370/464, 370/456
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

In a voice over IP system, an IP telephone includes an LED lamp that indicates a voice message has been stored in a remote voice mail system. The IP telephone can then access that voice message. The message can also be moved from one remote site to another.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications system, a method comprising the steps of:

storing a voice mail message in a voice mail box in a voice mail system within a first LAN;

coupling a second LAN to the first LAN over a WAN, wherein the first LAN, the second LAN, and the WAN operate under a routable network protocol;

providing a sensory indication on a telecommunications device within the second LAN that the voice message is stored in the voice mail box within the first LAN; and

the telecommunications device accessing the voice mail system within the first LAN to listen to the voice message stored in the voice mail box,

wherein the step of the telecommunications device accessing the voice mail system within the first LAN to listen to the voice message stored in the voice mail box further comprises the steps of;

establishing a channel between the first and second LANs over the WAN;

coupling an audio path over the channel between the telecommunications device and the voice mail box; and

streaming voice data containing the voice message from the voice mail box to the telecommunications device over the audio path, wherein the establishing step further comprises the steps of;

in response to an input at the telecommunications device, sending a user mail box connection message from the second LAN to the first LAN requesting a channel, wherein the user mail box connection message includes an extension associated with the telecommunications device and an identification of the voice mail box;

assigning the channel by the first LAN; and

sending a connection established message from the first LAN to the second LAN.

2. In an information handling system comprising a first LAN, a second LAN, and a WAN coupling the first LAN to the second LAN using a TCP/IP protocol, a method comprising the steps of:

in response to selection of a voice mail access input and selection of a direct station select input at an IP telephone within the first LAN, sending a request from the first LAN to the second LAN over the WAN to establish a connection between the first LAN and the second LAN, wherein the direct station select input identifies a voice mail box within the second LAN;

establishing an audio path over the connection between the voice mail box and the IP telephone; and

playing a voice message stored in the voice mail box over a speaker in the IP telephone as a result of sending audio data containing the voice message over the audio path.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of:

moving the voice mail message from the voice mail box in the second LAN to a voice mail box in the first LAN in response to user inputs at the IP telephone.

4. An information handling system comprising a first LAN, a second LAN, and a WAN coupling the first LAN to the second LAN using a network protocol, the system comprising:

means for sending a request from the first LAN to the second LAN over the WAN to establish a connection between the first LAN and the second LAN in response to selection of a voice mail access input and selection of a direct station select input at a telephone within the first LAN, wherein the direct station select input identifies a voice mail box within the second LAN;

means for establishing an audio path over the connection between the voice mail box and the telephone; and

means for playing a voice message stored in the voice mail box over a speaker in the telephone as a result of sending audio data containing the voice message over the audio path.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

means for moving the voice mail message from the voice mail box in the second LAN to a voice mail box in the first LAN in response to user inputs at the telephone.