Telephonic voice message transmission control method

• US 7,221,745 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eidos Communications LLC
• Original Assignee: WorldVoice Licensing, Inc.
• Inventors: Finnigan, Paul F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/868,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20050025297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.23, 379/88.12, 379/211.02
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/301 Management of recordings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53316 Messaging centre selected by message originator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of controlling transmission of voice messages or information via telephonic voice message systems, which are sometimes referred to as Voice Mail Systems. Users of the system selectively specify voice message transmission instructions for controlling transmission of voice messages directed to them. Upon receipt of a user'"'"'s voice message address, the voice message system determines whether the destination voice message address has a specified voice message transmission instruction previously selected by the recipient and processes the voice message in accordance with the instruction.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a message in a message system, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring and storing a message from a sender;

acquiring and storing a destination address;

acquiring and storing a sender delivery command; and

processing the message according to a recipient instruction and the sender delivery command, the recipient instruction taking priority over the sender delivery command, the recipient instruction corresponding to the destination address and an identity of the sender, wherein the recipient instruction includes an instruction that controls a transmission of the message from an origination address of the sender of the message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient instruction to transmit comprises an instruction to the transmit the message in a message format.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the message format comprises an electronic mail format.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the message format comprises a facsimile format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring and storing a message from a sender comprises the steps of:

digitizing a voice message spoken by the sender; and

storing the message, the message including the digitized voice message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient instruction to transmit comprises an instruction to transmit the message to an alternate destination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient instruction to transmit comprises an instruction to encrypt the message prior to transmitting.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient instruction to transmit comprises an instruction to mark the message private prior to transmitting.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient instruction to transmit comprises an instruction to certify delivery of the message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sender delivery command is selected from a plurality of delivery commands.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of delivery commands comprises:

transmit to alternate destination;

transmit to additional destination;

assign priority to the message;

mark the message private;

prevent the message from being copied;

prevent the message from being forwarded;

encrypt the message;

certify delivery of the message;

convert the message to an email format; and

convert the message to a facsimile format.

12. A method for selectively transmitting a message between a first and a second message network subsystem, each message network subsystems having a message system and a network interface device, the method comprising the steps of:

the first message network subsystem acquiring a message from a sending user having an origination address;

the first message network subsystem digitizing and storing the message;

the first message network subsystem acquiring a destination address from the sending user, the destination address corresponding to the message;

the first message network subsystem storing the destination address;

the first message network subsystem acquiring a sending instruction from the sending user;

the first message network subsystem storing the sending instruction;

the first message network subsystem transmitting the destination address to the second network subsystem;

the first message network subsystem receiving a transmit instruction from the second network subsystem, the transmit instruction corresponding to the destination address and the origination address, the transmit instruction including an instruction to convert the message into a message type or to block transmission of the message from the origination address; and

the first message network subsystem processing the message according to the transmit instruction and the sending instruction, the transmit instruction taking precedence over the sending instruction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmit instruction to convert the message into a message type comprises an instruction to convert the message into an electronic mail format.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmit instruction to convert the message into a message type comprises an instruction to transmit the message to an alternate destination address.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmit instruction to convert the message into a message type comprises an instruction to mark the message private.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmit instruction to convert the message into a message type comprises an instruction to certify delivery of the message.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmit instruction to convert the message into a message type comprises an instruction to convert the message into a facsimile format.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of the first message subsystem acquiring and storing a sending instruction comprises acquiring and storing a sending instruction selected from a plurality of sending instructions.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of sending instructions comprises:

transmit message to destination;

transmit message to alternate destination;

transmit to additional destination;

assign priority to the message;

mark the message private;

encrypt the message;

certify delivery of the message;

prevent the message from being copies;

prevent the message from being forwarded;

convert the message to an email format; and

convert the message to a facsimile format.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of the first message network subsystem receiving a transmit instruction from the second network subsystem comprises the step of the first network interface device receiving the transmit instruction from the second network interface device, and storing the transmit instruction in the first message system.

21. A method for selectively transmitting a message between a first and a second message network subsystem, each message network subsystems having a message system and a network interface device, the method comprising the steps of:

the second message network subsystem acquiring and storing a transmit instruction from a recipient having a recipient address, the transmit instruction corresponding to a sender, the transmit instruction including an instruction either to transmit the message from an origination address of the sender in an electronic mail format or to block transmission of the message from the origination address;

the second message network subsystem receiving the destination address from the first message network subsystem;

the second message network subsystem determining if the destination address corresponds to the recipient address;

the second message network subsystem retrieving the transmit instruction; and

the second message network subsystem transmitting the transmit instruction to the first message network subsystem.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmit instruction to transmit the message from the origination address of the sender in an electronic mail format further comprises an instruction to transmit the message to an alternate destination address.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmit instruction to transmit the message from the origination address of the sender in an electronic mail format further comprises an instruction to assign a priority to the message.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmit instruction to transmit the message from the origination address of the sender in an electronic mail format further comprises an instruction to encrypt the message.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmit instruction to transmit the message in an electronic mail format further comprises an instruction to mark the message as private.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of the second message network subsystem determining if the destination address corresponds to the recipient address comprises the step of:

the second network interface device determining if the destination address corresponds to the recipient address.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of the second message network subsystem acquiring and storing a transmit instruction from a recipient having a recipient address comprises the steps of:

the second message system acquiring and storing the transmit instruction from a recipient; and

the second message system periodically transferring the recipient address and the transmit instruction to the second network interface device.