Apparatus and method for channel-transparent multimedia broadcast messaging

• US 7,649,983 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: O'Neal, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee; Md S
• Application Number:
  US11/315,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20060171514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-356, 379/67.1, 379/70, 379/72, 379/76, 379/81, 379/88.01, 379/88.04, 379 8811- 8818, 379/88.22, 379/218.01, 379/222, 379/223, 379/265.01
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6443 Network Node Interface, e.g. Routing, Path finding

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for addressing and broadcasting a message to recipients having both telephone network-based receiving devices and data network-based receiving devices. The apparatus includes a message router that translates the broadcast message into individual messages that are addressed to each message recipient in a format, e.g., voice, text, email, fax, pager, compatible with each message recipient'"'"'s receiving device. The individual messages are transmitted by a data network server over a data network. Individual messages designated for recipients having receiving devices addressable by the data network are delivered directly over the data network to the receiving devices. Individual messages designated for recipients having receiving devices addressable by the telephone network are delivered over the data network first to a telephone network server. The telephone network server then delivers the individual messages to the telephone network-based receiving devices over the telephone network via a local telephone switch corresponding to the telephone network server.

Claims

1. An apparatus for permitting a user to send a broadcast message via a sending device to a first recipient and a second recipient, the sending device either addressable over a data network or addressable over a telephone network connected to the data network, the first recipient having a first receiving device addressable over the data network and the second recipient having a second receiving device addressable over the telephone network, the apparatus comprising:

a message router having an address book stored within, said address book comprising aliasing information for each of the first recipient and the second recipient, said aliasing information comprising a telephone number, an email address and a uniform resource locator (URL), said address book configured to alias recipient addresses received in the broadcast message to the first receiving device of the first recipient and to the second receiving device of the second recipient, said broadcast message received from the sending device over the data network if the sending device is addressable over the data network and over the telephone network via the data network connected to the telephone network if the sending device is addressable over the telephone network, the message router configured to translate the received broadcast message into a translated first broadcast message for the first recipient and a translated second broadcast message for the second recipient, the translated first broadcast message being in a format compatible with the first receiving device for delivery to the first receiving device over the data network, the translated second broadcast message being in a format compatible with the second receiving device for delivery to the second receiving device over the telephone network via the data network, the message router configured to embed the telephone number that corresponds to the second receiving device within the translated second broadcast message, the message router configured for routing the translated first broadcast message to the first receiving device over the data network and configured for routing the translated second broadcast message and the embedded telephone number to the second receiving device over the telephone network via the data network wherein the embedded telephone number provides routing information to the telephone network for delivery of the translated second broadcast message.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast message is originated in voice or text form.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the first receiving device is a computer having an IP address, the IP address corresponding to the first recipient.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file or wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the second receiving device is a telephone and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file;

or wherein the second receiving device is a facsimile machine and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format as a facsimile;

or

wherein the second receiving device is a pager and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast message is originated in text form.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the first receiving device is a computer having an IP address, the IP address corresponding to the first recipient.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file;

or wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the second receiving device is a telephone and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file;

or wherein the second receiving device is a facsimile machine and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format as a facsimile;

or

wherein the second receiving device is a pager and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the message router selects a format of the translated first broadcast message and a format of the translated second broadcast message for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the first and second receiving devices.

11. A method for permitting a user to send a broadcast message via a sending device to a first recipient and a second recipient, the sending device either addressable over a data network or addressable over a telephonic network connected to the data network, the first recipient having a first receiving device addressable over the data network and the second recipient having a second receiving device addressable over the telephone network, the method comprising:

storing, in a router, an address book comprising aliasing information for registered users, said aliasing information comprising a telephone number, an email address and a uniform resource locator (URL);

aliasing, by the router via the address book, recipient addresses received in the broadcast message to the first receiving device of the first recipient and to the second receiving device of the second recipient, said aliasing further comprising receiving the broadcast message from the sending device over the data network if the sending device is addressable over the data network and over the telephone network via the data network if the sending device is addressable over the telephone network;

translating the received broadcast message into a translated first broadcast message for the first recipient and a translated second broadcast message for the second recipient, the translated first broadcast message being in a format compatible with the first receiving device for delivery to the first receiving device over the data network, the translated second broadcast message being in a format compatible with the second receiving device for delivery to the second receiving device over the telephone network via the data network;

embedding a telephone number that corresponds to the second receiving device within the translated second broadcast message, said telephone number determined by the aliasing information of the second recipient;

routing the translated first broadcast message to the first receiving device over the data network; and

routing the translated second broadcast message and the embedded telephone number to the second receiving device over the telephone network via the data network wherein the embedded telephone number provides routing information to the telephone network for delivery of the translated second broadcast message.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the broadcast message is originated in voice or text form.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file or wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the second receiving device is a telephone and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file;

or wherein the second receiving device is a facsimile machine and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format as a facsimile;

or wherein the second receiving device is a pager and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein routing includes selecting a format of the translated first broadcast message and a format of the translated second broadcast message for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the first and second receiving devices.

16. A computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for execution by a router for:

storing, in the router, an address book comprising aliasing information for a first recipient and a second recipient, said aliasing information comprising a telephone number, an email address and a uniform resource locator (URL);

aliasing, by the router via the address book, a recipient address received in a broadcast message to a first receiving device of the first recipient and to a second receiving device of the second recipient, said aliasing further comprising receiving the broadcast message from a sending device over a data network if the sending device is addressable over the data network and over a telephone network via the data network if the sending device is addressable over the telephone network;

translating the received broadcast message into a translated first broadcast message of the first recipient and a translated second broadcast message of the second recipient, the translated first broadcast message being in a format compatible with the first receiving device addressable over the data network the translated second broadcast message being in a format compatible with the second receiving device addressable over the telephone network;

embedding a telephone number that corresponds to the second receiving device within the translated second broadcast message, said telephone number determined by the aliasing information of the second recipient;

routing the translated first broadcast message to the first receiving device over the data network; and

routing the translated second broadcast message and the embedded telephone number to the second receiving device over the telephone network via the data network wherein the embedded telephone number provides routing information to the telephone network for delivery of the translated second broadcast message.

17. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the broadcast message is originated in voice or text form.

18. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file or wherein the translated first broadcast message is delivered to the first recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file.

19. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the second receiving device is a telephone and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in voice format as an electronic voice file;

or wherein the second receiving device is a facsimile machine and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format as a facsimile;

or wherein the second receiving device is a pager and wherein the translated second broadcast message is delivered to the second recipient in text format.

20. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein routing includes selecting a format of the translated first broadcast message and a format of the translated second broadcast message for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the first and second receiving devices.