Bulk voicemail

• US 7,359,493 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Myles Thomas, McMorris, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/411,398
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.25, 379/88.13, 379/88.23, 709/200, 455/413, 704/500
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting

Abstract

Delivering a bulk voicemail to a group of recipients includes accessing a data store configured to store targeting data related to a group of potential voicemail recipients and identifying voicemail recipients from among the group of potential voicemail recipients based on the targeting data. A bulk voicemail is delivered to each identified voicemail recipient. The bulk voicemail includes at least some audio content that is made available to all recipients within the group of identified voicemail recipients.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to deliver a bulk voicemail to a group of recipients, the method comprising:

accessing a data store configured to store targeting data related to a group of potential voicemail recipients, the targeting data including attributes describing the potential voicemail recipients;

receiving attributes of the potential voicemail recipients;

identifying voicemail recipients from among the group of potential voicemail recipients based on the targeting data;

creating a distribution list that does not preexist the receipt of the attributes and that includes identified voicemail recipients that satisfy the received attributes; and

delivering a bulk voicemail to each identified voicemail recipient, the bulk voicemail including at least some audio content that is made available to all recipients within the group of identified voicemail recipients.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying voicemail recipients from among the group of potential voicemail recipients based on the targeting data includes identifying voicemail recipients that subscribe to a bulk voicemail subscription service related to topics of interest to the identified voicemail recipients.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the bulk voicemail subscription service comprises a service that regularly delivers bulk voicemails related to topics of interest to the mailboxes of the identified voicemail recipients.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the delivered bulk voicemail includes news content.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the delivered bulk voicemail includes music content.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the delivered bulk voicemail includes literary or spiritual content.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the delivered bulk voicemail includes advertising or promotional content.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the delivered bulk voicemail includes content related to an online game.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the data store includes accessing demographic data for potential voicemail recipients.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the data store includes accessing data related to computer systems used by the potential voicemail recipients.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein accessing the data store includes accessing data related to computer systems available for use by the potential voicemail recipients to access the bulk voicemail.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the data store includes accessing data related to online services received by the potential voicemail recipients.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the data store includes accessing data related to personal interests of the potential voicemail recipients.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the data store includes accessing data related to the online social interactions of the potential voicemail recipients.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein accessing the data store includes accessing data related to membership in a buddy list.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein accessing the data store includes accessing data related to membership in an online chat group.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering a bulk voicemail includes delivering a bulk voicemail that includes promotional content related to products or services identified as desirable to the identified voicemail recipients.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein accessing the data store comprises accessing data related to products or services identified as desirable to the potential voicemail recipients.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering a bulk voicemail includes delivering a bulk voicemail that includes information related to products or services received or purchased by the identified voicemail recipients.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein accessing the data store comprises accessing data related to products or services received or purchased by the potential voicemail recipients.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein delivering a bulk voicemail includes delivering a bulk voicemail that includes customer service announcements.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering a bulk voicemail includes delivering a bulk voicemail that includes entertainment content.

23. The method of claim 2, wherein delivering a bulk voicemail comprises delivering a bulk voicemail to a mail system able to process and store voicemails and e-mails.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering a bulk voicemail comprises delivering a digital file including a header section, a contents section, and an attachments section.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the attachments section includes an audio file that contains an audio message from a sender of the bulk voicemail to the identified voicemail recipients.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the contents section includes textual contents and an embedded link that may be selected by the identified voicemail recipients to play the audio file.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying voicemail recipients from among the group of potential voicemail recipients comprises selecting an identified group of voicemail recipients from among multiple identified groups of voicemail recipients and querying the targeting data store to retrieve user identifiers corresponding to the identified voicemail recipients.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying voicemail recipients from among the group of potential voicemail recipients comprises identifying one or more common characteristics of the voicemail recipients and querying the targeting data store to obtain user identifiers of potential voicemail recipients possessing the one or more common characteristics.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the user identifier comprises an e-mail address or a screen name.

30. A computer system to deliver bulk voicemails, the system comprising:

an authoring computer configured to enable a sender of a bulk voicemail to;

access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on targeting data that is stored in the targeting data store and that includes attributes describing the group of potential voicemail recipients,

specify attributes of the potential voicemail recipients,

create a distribution list that does not preexist the specification of the attributes and that includes identified voicemail recipients that satisfy the specified attributes, and

specify an audio file storing an audio message from the sender to the identified voicemail recipients, the audio message including at least some audio content that is made available to all recipients within the group of identified voicemail recipients; and

an addressing and delivery computer configured to generate and deliver the bulk voicemail including the audio message to each identified voicemail recipient.

31. The computer system of claim 30, further comprising the targeting data store.

32. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender of the bulk voicemail to input textual contents of the bulk voicemail.

33. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender of the bulk voicemail to create the audio file storing the audio message.

34. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the authoring computer is configured to create a message file containing the audio file and a target group identifier corresponding to the identified voicemail recipients and to send the message file to the addressing and delivery computer.

35. The computer system of claim 34, wherein the addressing and delivery system is configured to receive the message file, address the message file by accessing the targeting data store to retrieve user identifiers corresponding to the identified voicemail recipients, convert the addressed message file into one or more bulk voicemails, and send the one or more bulk voicemails to the identified voicemail recipients.

36. The computer system of claim 30, further comprising a mail handling system configured to receive the bulk voicemail and store the bulk voicemail in a mailbox of an identified voicemail recipient.

37. The computer system of claim 36, wherein the mail handling system is configured to process and store voicemails and e-mails.

38. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the bulk voicemail comprises a digital file including a header section, a contents section, and an attachments section.

39. The computer system of claim 38, wherein the attachments section includes an audio file that contains an audio message from a sender to the identified voicemail recipients.

40. The computer system of claim 38, wherein the contents section includes textual contents and an embedded link that may be selected by the identified voicemail recipients to play the audio file.

41. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients that subscribe to a bulk voicemail subscription service related to topics of interest to the identified voicemail recipients.

42. The computer system of claim 41, wherein the authoring computer or the addressing and delivery computer is configured to regularly deliver bulk voicemails related to topics of interest to the mailboxes of the identified voicemail recipients.

43. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the targeting data includes demographic data for potential voicemail recipients, such that the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access the targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on demographic data for potential voicemail recipients.

44. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the targeting data includes data related to computer systems used by the potential voicemail recipients, such that the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on data related to computer systems used by the potential voicemail recipients.

45. The computer system of claim 44, wherein the targeting data includes data related to computer systems available for use by the potential voicemail recipients to access the bulk voicemail, such that the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on data related to computer systems available for use by the potential voicemail recipients to access the bulk voicemail.

46. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the targeting data includes data related to online services received by the potential voicemail recipients, such that the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on data related to online services received by the potential voicemail recipients.

47. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the targeting data includes data related to personal interests of the potential voicemail recipients, such that the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on data related to personal interests of the potential voicemail recipients.

48. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the targeting data includes data related to online social interactions of the potential voicemail recipients, such that the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on data related to the online social interactions of the potential voicemail recipients.

49. The computer system of claim 48, wherein the targeting data includes data related to membership in a buddy list, such that the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on data related to membership in a buddy list.

50. The computer system of claim 48, wherein the targeting data includes data related to membership in an online chat group, such that the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on data related to membership in an online chat group.

51. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the addressing and delivery computer is configured to deliver a bulk voicemail that includes promotional content related to products or services identified as desirable to the identified voicemail recipients.

52. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the targeting data includes data related to products or services identified as desirable to the potential voicemail recipients, such that the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on data related to products or services identified as desirable to the potential voicemail recipients.

53. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the addressing and delivery computer system is configured to deliver a bulk voicemail that includes information related to products or services received or purchased by the identified voicemail recipients.

54. The computer system of claim 53, wherein the targeting data includes data related to products or services received or purchased by the potential voicemail recipients, such that the authoring computer is configured to enable a sender to access a targeting data store to identify voicemail recipients from among a group of potential voicemail recipients based on data related to products or services received or purchased by the potential voicemail recipients.

55. The computer system of claim 53, wherein the information comprises customer service announcements.

56. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the addressing and delivery computer system is configured to deliver a bulk voicemail that includes entertainment content.