Method and system for delivering location information through a voice messaging system

• US 7,336,963 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: McMullen, Michael P., Miller, Robert H., Rayburn, Terry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/444,038
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.5, 455/466, 455/456.6, 455/412.1, 370/469, 379/201.07, 379/88.12, 704/275, 701/211
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and system for delivering location information through a voice messaging system is provided. A mobile subscriber may be directed to a voice messaging system if a party is unavailable or chooses not to accept the call. The mobile subscriber may indicate to the voice messaging system that he would like to have his location information be made available to the party. The voice messaging system may contact a location system to obtain the location of the mobile subscriber based on the location of the mobile subscriber'"'"'s terminal. The party may retrieve the mobile subscriber'"'"'s location information from the voice messaging system.

Claims

1. A method of conveying location information through a voice messaging system, the method comprising:

a voice messaging system receiving and storing a voice message from a first party operating a mobile subscriber terminal;

the voice messaging system obtaining a current location of the mobile subscriber terminal from a location system and storing the current location information; and

thereafter, the voice messaging system receiving a request from a second party to retrieve the voice message, and the voice messaging system providing the second party with the voice message and the location information in the form of speech; and

wherein the location information is converted into a speech signal prior to storing the location information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is stored as a digital bit stream representative of a speech signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice messaging system includes an interactive voice response unit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the interactive voice response unit is a VoiceXML software application.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the interactive voice response unit directs the first party to request that the voice messaging system provide the location information to the second party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the location of the mobile subscriber terminal comprises querying a location system and receiving the location information from the location system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the location system includes a mobile position center and a position determining entity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile position center comprises a database application that receives the location information from the position determining entity, wherein the mobile position center forwards the location information to the voice messaging system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the position determining entity is operable to process position information obtained from the mobile subscriber terminal.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the position determining entity transmits a location tag containing the location information to the mobile position center.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the voice messaging system receiving a selection of at least one location information delivery option.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one location information delivery option is selected from the group consisting of whether the location information can be forwarded to a third party, how long the location information is available, how often the second party can retrieve the location information, and when the location information can be obtained.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the voice messaging system informing the second party that the location information is available.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the voice messaging system receiving a request from the second party to determine a location of the mobile subscriber terminal when retrieving the voice message from the first party.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the voice messaging system receiving a request from the first party to provide previously stored location information, wherein the previously stored location information is based on a location of the mobile subscriber terminal prior to the voice messaging system receiving the voice message from the first party; and

thereafter, the voice messaging system providing the second party with the previously stored location information.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the location information for a period of time allowing the second party to track the location of the mobile subscriber terminal.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is selected from the group consisting of longitude and latitude coordinates, cell and sector information, street address, and driving directions.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the second party retrieves the voice message using a device selected from the group consisting of cellular telephone, landline telephone, a personal digital assistant, and a computer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice messaging system provides the location information to the second party without checking a pre-approved list of authorized parties.

3. A method of conveying location information through a voice messaging system, the method comprising:

a voice messaging system receiving and storing a voice message from a first party operating a mobile subscriber terminal;

the voice messaging system obtaining a current location of the mobile subscriber terminal from a location system and storing the current location information; and

thereafter, the voice messaging system receiving a request from a second party to retrieve the voice message, and the voice messaging system providing the second party with the voice message and the location information in the form of speech;

wherein the location information is stored as a location tag, and wherein the location tag is converted into a speech signal prior to providing the location information to the second party.

21. A system for delivering location information through a voice messaging system of a mobile subscriber terminal, comprising in combination:

a location system operable to determine a location of the mobile subscriber terminal; and

a voice messaging system operable to receive and store a voice message from a first party using the mobile subscriber terminal, obtain the location of the mobile subscriber terminal from the location system, and deliver the voice message and location information based on the location of the mobile subscriber terminal to a second party, the location information delivered in the form of speech; and

wherein the location information is converted into a speech signal prior to storing the location information.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the location system includes a mobile position center and a position determining entity.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the mobile position center comprises a database application that receives the location information from the position determining entity, wherein the mobile position center forwards the location information to the voice messaging system.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the position determining entity is operable to process position information obtained from the mobile subscriber terminal.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the voice messaging system includes an interactive voice response unit.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the interactive voice response unit is operable to direct the first party to request that the voice messaging system obtain the location of the mobile subscriber terminal.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the interactive voice response unit is a VoiceXML software application.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the location information is selected from the group consisting of longitude and latitude coordinates, cell and sector information, street address, and driving directions.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the voice messaging system delivers the location information to the second party without checking a pre-approved list of authorized parties.

30. A voice messaging system, comprising in combination:

a processor;

data storage; and

machine language instructions stored in the data storage executable by the processor, in response to a voice message from a first party operating a mobile subscriber terminal, to;

determine a location of the mobile subscriber terminal;

store the voice message and location information based on the location of the mobile subscriber terminal; and

responsive to receiving a request from a second party to retrieve the voice message, provide the voice message and location information to the second party; and

a text to speech converter for converting the location information into speech wherein the location information is provided to the second party in the form of speech; and

wherein the location information is converted into a speech signal prior to storing the location information.