Voicemail messaging with dynamic content

• US 7,899,161 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Katkam, Vinod, Jain, Mukul, Kumar, Sanjeev, Patel, Labhesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US11/546,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20080089489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 375/316, 379/88.01, 379/88.13, 379/88.18, 379/88.16, 379/88.25, 379/93.24, 705/14.26, 709/206
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

In one embodiment, a voicemail messaging system provides a user with the ability to record a voicemail message that includes at least one static portion and a dynamic content portion. When the voicemail message is accessed for listening by a recipient the dynamic content portion is filled with information retrieved via a URL link. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a voicemail mailbox; and

means for recording a voicemail message that includes a static content portion and a dynamic content portion and for storing the voicemail message in the voicemail mailbox at a first point in time, the means also for inserting the dynamic content portion in the voicemail message at a second point in time later than the first point in time, the dynamic content portion changing from the first point in time to the second point in time, the means also for retrieving the voicemail message.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second point in time is when the voicemail message is accessed by a recipient.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the dynamic content portion is inserted in the voicemail message periodically according to a predetermined configuration of the system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the dynamic content portion includes a conditional rule that specifies an action to be taken in the event that a condition is met.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the condition comprises a logical evaluation of a variable.

6. A method comprising:

recording, at a first point in time, a voicemail message that includes at least one static portion and a dynamic content portion, the static portion being recorded in a first mode and the dynamic content portion being recorded in a second mode; and

retrieving information to fill the dynamic content portion at a second point in time when the voicemail message is accessed for listening by a recipient, the dynamic content portion charming from the first point in time to the second point in time.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the information comprises a variable or query.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the retrieving comprises accessing a server referenced by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the variable or query is predefined.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the variable or query comprises a database query, a web query, a calendar query, or an address book query.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the dynamic content portion includes a conditional rule that specifies an action to be taken in the event that a condition is met.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising executing the action.

13. A method comprising:

recording, at a first point in time, a voicemail message that includes at least one static portion and a dynamic content portion, the static portion being recorded in a first mode and the dynamic content portion being recorded in a second mode;

monitoring a variable included in the dynamic content portion the variable being subject to chance over time;

sending, at a first point in time, the voicemail message to a recipient responsive to the variable satisfying a preset conditional rule.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising storing the voicemail message in a voicemail mailbox assigned to the recipient.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising accessing a server that stores a current value of the variable.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the preset conditional rule comprises a logical expression that contains the variable.

17. A method comprising:

recording, in a first mode, speech of a user as a first portion of a voicemail message;

recording, in a second mode, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link as a second portion of the voicemail message; and

either periodically or at a time when the voicemail message is listened to by a recipient, retrieving a variable or expression from the URL link and inserting the variable or expression into the voicemail message.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the variable or expression is inserted into the voicemail message as speech.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the URL link comprises a link to a server, client program, or database entry.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising switching from the first mode to the second mode in response to first input received from an endpoint device associated with the user.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

switching from the second mode to the first mode in response to second input received from the endpoint device; and

recording, in the first mode, speech of a user as a third portion of the voicemail message.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with a computer program, which when executed, is operable to:

record, in a first mode, speech of a user as a first portion of a voicemail message;

record, in a second mode, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link as a second portion of the voicemail message; and

either periodically or at a time when the voicemail message is listened to by a recipient, retrieve a variable or expression from the URL link and insert the variable or expression into the voicemail message.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 wherein the variable or expression is inserted into the voicemail message as speech.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 wherein the URL link comprises a link to a server, client program, or database entry.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 wherein the computer program, when executed, is further operable to switch from the first mode to the second mode in response to first input received from an endpoint device associated with the user.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with a computer program, which when executed, is operable to:

record, at a first point in time, a voicemail message that includes at least one static portion and a dynamic content portion; and

monitor a variable included in the dynamic content portion, the variable being subject to change over time;

send, at a first point in time, the voicemail message to a recipient responsive to the variable satisfying a preset conditional rule.