Retrieval of deleted voice messages in voice messaging system

• US 8,121,265 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ali, Syed S., Jampanaboyana, Lakshmi Narayana, Greybush, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US12/489,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20090274280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8822- 8825, 704/201
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5335 Message type or catagory, e.g. priority, indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects

Abstract

Apparatus and method to allow retrieval of voice messages deleted from the voice message memory of a voice messaging system. A voice messaging system such as a telephone answering device includes a deleted voice message memory for storing voice messages deleted from the voice message memory. The deleted voice messages stored in the deleted voice message memory are retrievable by the user for review subject to rules for permanent deletion of the deleted voice messages (e.g., after a period of time, when the deleted voice message memory approaches capacity, periodically, etc.).

Claims

1. A voice messaging system, comprising:

a controller;

a first memory area; and

a second memory area, wherein;

a voice message is initially stored in said first memory area, and upon receipt of a user input to delete said voice message from said first memory area, said voice message is stored in said second memory area;

before said voice message is initially stored in said first memory, said voice message is encoded using a first bit rate; and

before said voice message is stored in said second memory area, said voice message is re-encoded using a second bit rate that is lower than the first bit rate.

2. The voice messaging system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a telephone line interface over which said voice message is initially received by said voice messaging system.

3. The voice messaging system according to claim 1, wherein:

said voice message stored in said second memory area is retrievable for playback by a user.

4. The voice messaging system according to claim 1, wherein:

said voice message stored in said second memory area is removable from said second memory area to effect permanent deletion.

5. The voice messaging system according to claim 4, wherein:

said voice message is permanently deletable from said second memory area via input from a keypad.

6. The voice messaging system according to claim 4, wherein:

said voice message is removed from said second memory area and permanently deleted at a predetermined time interval.

7. The voice messaging system according to claim 4, wherein:

said voice message is removed from said second memory area upon reaching a predetermined number of voice messages being simultaneously stored in said second memory area.

8. The voice messaging system according to claim 4, wherein:

said voice message is removed from said second memory area upon reaching a predetermined percentage use of a memory capacity of said second memory area.

9. The voice messaging system according to claim 1, wherein:

said voice message stored in said second memory area is compressed more than voice messages stored in said first memory area.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first memory area is user-accessible.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said user input is an activation of a user-selectable keypad option to delete said voice message from said first memory area.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

said voice message is uncompressed when it is initially stored in said first memory area, and

said voice message is compressed only after receipt of said user input.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first memory area has a first capacity;

said second memory area has a second capacity; and

said first and second capacities are dynamically adjusted based on an amount of use of said first memory area.

14. A method for managing a deleted voice message from a voice messaging system, comprising:

initially storing a voice message in a first memory area;

storing said voice message in a second memory area upon receipt of a user input to delete said voice message from said first memory area;

encoding said voice message at a first bit rate, before initially storing said voice message in said first memory, and

re-encoding said voice message at a second bit rate lower than said first bit rate, before storing said voice message in said second memory area.

15. The method for managing a deleted voice message from a voice messaging system according to claim 14, further comprising:

retrieving said deleted voice message from said second memory area for playback.

16. The method for managing a deleted voice message from a voice messaging system according to claim 14, further comprising:

inputting a predetermined code via a keypad for retrieving said deleted voice message from said second memory area.

17. The method for managing a deleted voice message from a voice messaging system according to claim 14, further comprising:

permanently deleting a voice message by removing said voice message stored in said second memory area.

18. The method for managing a deleted voice message from a voice messaging system according to claim 17, wherein:

said permanent deletion occurs automatically based on a predetermined condition.

19. The method for managing a deleted voice message from a voice messaging system according to claim 18, wherein:

said predetermined condition corresponds to a length of time after said deleted voice message is stored in said second memory area.

20. The method for managing a deleted voice message from a voice messaging system according to claim 17, further comprising:

removing said voice message from said second memory area upon reaching a predetermined number of voice messages simultaneously stored in said second memory area.

21. The method for managing a deleted voice message from a voice messaging system according to claim 17, further comprising:

removing said voice message from said second memory area upon reaching a predetermined percentage of a memory capacity of said second memory area.

22. The method for managing a deleted voice message from a voice messaging system according to claim 14, further comprising:

compressing said deleted voice message, after storage in said first memory area, for storage in said second memory area.

23. Apparatus for retrieving a deleted voice message from a voice messaging system, comprising:

means for initially storing a voice message in a first memory area;

means for storing said voice message in a second memory area upon receipt of a user input to delete said voice message from said first memory area;

means for retrieving said deleted voice message from said second memory area for playback;

means for encoding said voice message at a first bit rate, before initially storing said voice message in said first memory; and

means for re-encoding said voice message at a second bit rate lower than said first bit rate, before storing said voice message in said second memory area.