Method and system for recognition of incoming calls to a voicemail system

• US 7,899,498 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bender, Maureen, McLaughlin, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US11/733,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20080254772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 412, 455410-411, 4554121-4122, 4554141-4144, 455/413, 455415-420, 4555561-5562, 455/557, 4555691-5692, 455/558, 455/564, 455/565, 340/572.1, 340/572.3, 340/572.4, 340/572.8
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/675 the user being required to insert a coded card, e.g. a smart card carrying an integrated circuit chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/256 comprising a service specific user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system and method for recognition of incoming call to a voicemail system is disclosed. A radio frequency identification (RFID) authenticates a user of a mobile communication device. The mobile communication device enables a one-button dialing of a voicemail system based on the RFID signal. The voicemail system recognizes the incoming call as the owner of the voicemail system and presents a plurality of options for accessing the voicemail system without playing the outgoing message.

Claims

1. A system for accessing a voicemail service, the system comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) device configured to provide an identification signal, wherein the RFID device does not include a battery; and

a mobile communication device separate from the RFID device and configured to enable one-button dialing of the voicemail service upon authentication of a first user of the mobile communication device, the authentication comprising determining that the identification signal is associated with the first user, and wherein the voicemail service is identified by a phone number that is not provided by the RFID device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile communication device has a first telephone number and the voicemail service has a second telephone number.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the voicemail service presents the first user of the mobile communication device with a set of options for access to the voicemail service.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein a first option for access to the voicemail service includes leaving a voice message without first receiving an outgoing message from the voicemail service.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein a second option for access to the voicemail service includes entering a mailbox directly.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein a third option for access to the voicemail service includes listening to voice messages in the mailbox of the voicemail service.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein a fourth option for access to the voicemail service includes accessing a setup menu for the mailbox of the voicemail service.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising authentication of a second user of the mobile communication device based on determining that the identification signal is associated with the second user.

9. A method comprising:

authenticating a user of a mobile communication device based on an identification signal received from a radio frequency identification (RFID) device located in proximity and external to the mobile communication device, wherein the RFID device does not include a battery; and

enabling a one-button dialing feature at the mobile communication device, the one-button dialing feature configured to initiate a call to a voicemail system associated with the user, wherein the voicemail system is identified by a phone number stored at the mobile communication device prior to the authenticating, and wherein the phone number is not provided by the RFID device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

recognizing a telephone number of the mobile communication device by the voicemail system;

identifying an owner of the voicemail system based on the recognition of the telephone number of the mobile communication device; and

presenting a set of options after the voicemail system recognizes the telephone number of the mobile communication device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a first option for accessing the voicemail system is directly leaving a voicemail without first hearing an outgoing message from the voicemail service.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein a second option for accessing the voicemail system is to enter a mailbox directly.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein a third option for accessing the voicemail system is to hear a set of messages left in the mailbox.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein a fourth option for accessing the voicemail system is to access a setup menu for the mailbox.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the mobile communication device has a first telephone number and the voicemail system has a second telephone number.

16. A mobile communication device comprising:

a signal receiver module configured to receive an identification signal from a radio frequency identification (RFID) device located in proximity and external to the mobile communications device, wherein the RFID device does not include a battery;

a memory module configured to verify that the identification signal is associated with a first user of the mobile communication device; and

a one-button dialing feature module configured to access a first voicemail system in response to the verifying, wherein the first voicemail service is identified by a phone number stored at the mobile communication device prior to the verifying, and wherein the phone number is not provided by the RFID device.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 16 wherein the memory module includes a database to verify that the identification signal is associated with a second user of the mobile communication device.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 17 wherein the one-button dialing feature module connects with a second voicemail system in response to determining that the identification signal is associated with the second user.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 18 wherein the memory module enables the one-button dialing feature module to connect to the second voicemail system.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 19 wherein a telephone number of the second voicemail system is different from a telephone number of the first voicemail system.