Technique for providing a personalized electronic messaging service through an information assistance provider

• US 7,912,206 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Miller, John S., Timmins, Timothy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee; MD S
• Application Number:
  US10/903,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20060029191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,426 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.13, 37926501-2661, 379/93.24, 379/100.08, 379/265.09, 379/88.02, 709/206, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/466
• US Class Current: 379/265.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

To provide a personalized voice email service, data pertaining to one or more of a user'"'"'s email accounts, e.g., email addresses and account access data, is maintained in a folder by an information assistance service, which is unaffiliated with the email service providers (e.g., AOL, Hotmail, etc.) maintaining the user'"'"'s email accounts. When the user calls the information assistance service, the user'"'"'s folder is retrieved. The user'"'"'s email accounts may be accessed on behalf of the user based on the email addresses and account access data in the user'"'"'s folder. An information assistance provider including, e.g., an operator and/or a voice server, may present information concerning the email messages received in the user'"'"'s email accounts in different manners. For example, the information assistance provider may report to the user selected email messages that satisfy one or more predetermined criteria, e.g., only those email messages which have been received since the last time the user called the information assistance service. Header information (e.g., sender/address, subject, etc.) concerning the selected email messages may be announced to the user. At the user'"'"'s request, the information assistance provider may open and read a email message to the user. The user may then send a reply email message, or forward the email message to other recipients.

Claims

1. A method for providing information assistance at an information assistance system, said method comprising the steps of:

storing data at said information assistance system concerning accessing an email service for retrieving a user'"'"'s emails from one or more email accounts associated with a user;

receiving a communication at said information assistance system for accessing said email service from the user through a first communications connection;

retrieving a first time stamp stored at said information assistance system representing a date and time corresponding to the previous time said user accessed said email service of said information assistance system;

retrieving the data corresponding to said first time stamp;

accessing the one or more email accounts over a second communications connection;

performing one or more operations with respect to one or more email messages received in the one or more email accounts on behalf of the user;

providing, to the user, information concerning at least one email message in the one or more email accounts;

obtaining a second time stamp associated with a selected email message received in one of the email accounts;

comparing said second time stamp with said retrieved first time stamp, associated with a previous access of said email service by the user; and

providing information concerning the selected email message to the user if said second time stamp is subsequent to said first time stamp.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first communications connection includes a telephonic connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communications connection includes an Internet connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes header information concerning the at least one email message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operations include:

obtaining an identifier of a selected email message received in one of the email accounts;

comparing the identifier against a list of identifiers of email messages; and

determining whether to provide information concerning the selected email message to the user based on a result of the comparison.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one email message includes the selected email message when the identifier is not included in the list.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operations include:

obtaining sender data pertaining to a selected email message received in one of the email accounts; and

determining whether to provide information concerning the selected email message to the user based on the sender data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sender data includes an email address from which the selected email message originates.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is provided by reading content of the at least one email message to the user.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in response to a request by the user, generating a reply email message based on the at least one email message; and

sending the reply email message to a recipient.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a voice message from the user;

converting the voice message to an audio file; and

attaching the audio file to the reply email message.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising forwarding the at least one email message to a recipient in response to a request by the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes addresses of the one or more email accounts.

15. A method for use by an information assistance provider, comprising:

storing first data at said information assistance provider concerning accessing an email service for retrieving a user'"'"'s emails from one or more email accounts associated with a user, the first data being stored in association with second data representing the user;

receiving a communication from the user at said information assistance provider for accessing said email service;

retrieving a first time stamp stored at said information assistance provider representing a date and time corresponding to the previous time said user accessed said email service of said information assistance provider;

obtaining the second data during the communication;

retrieving the first data based on the second data;

using the first data to access the one or more email accounts;

obtaining a second time stamp associated with a selected email message received in one of the email accounts;

comparing the second time stamp with retrieved said first time stamp, associated with previous access of said email service by the user; and

providing, to the user, information concerning at least one email message received in the one or more email accounts user if said second time stamp is subsequent to said first time stamp.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the information assistance provider includes an operator.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the information assistance provider includes a voice server.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more email accounts are furnished by one or more providers unaffiliated with the information assistance provider.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the information includes header information concerning the at least one email message.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second data includes an automatic number identification (ANI).

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the second data includes a password.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the second data includes a PIN.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the second data includes a voiceprint.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

obtaining an identifier of a selected email message received in one of the email accounts;

comparing the identifier against a list of identifiers of email messages; and

determining whether to provide information concerning the selected email message to the user based on a result of the comparison.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one email message includes the selected email message when the identifier is not included in the list.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

obtaining sender data pertaining to a selected email message received in one of the email accounts; and

determining whether to provide information concerning the selected email message to the user based on the sender data.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the sender data includes an email address from which the selected email message originates.

29. The method of claim 15, wherein the information is provided by reading content of the at least one email message to the user.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

in response to a request by the user, generating a reply email message based on the at least one email message; and

sending the reply email message to a recipient.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a voice message from the user;

converting the voice message to an audio file; and

attaching the audio file to the reply email message.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising forwarding the at least one email message to a recipient in response to a request by the user.

33. The method of claim 15, wherein the first data includes addresses of the one or more email accounts.

34. A system for providing information assistance, comprising:

storage at said system for storing data concerning accessing an email service for retrieving a user'"'"'s emails from one or more email accounts associated with a user;

storage at said system for retrieving a first time stamp representing a date and time corresponding to the previous time said user accessed said email service of said system;

an interface for receiving a communication at said system from the user through a first communications connection, the data being retrieved from the storage;

a processor for accessing the one or more email accounts over a second communications connection based on the data, one or more operations being performed with respect to one or more email messages received in the one or more email accounts on behalf of the user, information concerning at least one email message in the one or more email accounts being provided to the user

said processor obtaining a second time stamp associated with a selected email message received in one of the email accounts;

said processor comparing said retrieved first time stamp with said second time stamp, associated with a previous access of said email service by the user; and

an interface for providing information concerning the selected email message to the user if said second time stamp is subsequent to said first time stamp.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the first communications connection includes a telephonic connection.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the second communications connection includes an Internet connection.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the information includes header information concerning the at least one email message.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the one or more operations include:

obtaining an identifier of a selected email message received in one of the email accounts;

comparing the identifier against a list of identifiers of email messages; and

determining whether to provide information concerning the selected email message to the user based on a result of the comparison.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one email message includes the selected email message when the identifier is not included in the list.

41. The system of claim 34, wherein the one or more operations include:

obtaining sender data pertaining to a selected email message received in one of the email accounts; and

determining whether to provide information concerning the selected email message to the user based on the sender data.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the sender data includes an email address from which the selected email message originates.

43. The system of claim 34, wherein the information is provided by reading content of the at least one email message to the user.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising:

in response to a request by the user, generating a reply email message based on the at least one email message; and

sending the reply email message to a recipient.

45. The system of claim 44, further comprising:

receiving a voice message from the user;

converting the voice message to an audio file; and

attaching the audio file to the reply email message.

46. The system of claim 43, further comprising forwarding the at least one email message to a recipient in response to a request by the user.

47. The system of claim 34, wherein the data includes addresses of the one or more email accounts.

48. A system for use by an information assistance provider, comprising:

storing first data at said system concerning accessing an email service for retrieving a user'"'"'s emails from one or more email accounts associated with a user, the first data being stored in association with second data representing the user;

retrieving a first time stamp stored at said system representing a date and time corresponding to the previous time said user accessed said email service of said system;

receiving a communication from the user;

obtaining the second data during the communication;

retrieving the first data based on the second data;

using the first data to access the one or more email accounts; and

obtaining a second time stamp associated with a selected email message received in one of the email accounts;

comparing the second time stamp with said retrieved first time stamp, associated with previous access of said email service by the user; and

providing, to the user, information concerning at least one email message received in the one or more email accounts user if said second time stamp is subsequent to said first time stamp.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the information assistance provider includes an operator.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein the information assistance provider includes a voice server.

51. The system of claim 48, wherein the one or more email accounts are furnished by one or more providers unaffiliated with the information assistance provider.

52. The system of claim 48, wherein the information includes header information concerning the at least one email message.

53. The system of claim 48, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the second data includes an ANI.

55. The system of claim 48, wherein the second data includes a password.

56. The system of claim 48, wherein the second data includes a PIN.

57. The system of claim 48, wherein the second data includes a voiceprint.

58. The system of claim 48, further comprising a mechanism for obtaining an identifier of a selected email message received in one of the email accounts, the identifier being compared against a list of identifiers of email messages, a determination being made whether to provide information concerning the selected email message to the user based on a result of the comparison.

59. The system of claim 48, wherein the at least one email message includes the selected email message when the identifier is not included in the list.

60. The system of claim 48, further comprising a mechanism for obtaining sender data pertaining to a selected email message received in one of the email accounts, a determination being made whether to provide information concerning the selected email message to the user based on the sender data.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the sender data includes an email address from which the selected email message originates.

62. The system of claim 48, wherein the information is provided by reading content of the at least one email message to the user.

63. The system of claim 62, further comprising a mechanism for generating a reply email message based on the at least one email message in response to a request by the user, the reply email message being sent to a recipient.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein a voice message is received from the user, the system further comprising converting the voice message to an audio file, the audio file being attached to the reply email message.

65. The system of claim 62, further comprising a mechanism for forwarding the at least one email message to a recipient in response to a request by the user.

66. The system of claim 48, wherein the first data includes addresses of the one or more email accounts.