Visual voicemail provisioning and notification

• US 8,155,627 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Hao, Jack Jianxiu, Helbling, Chris, Mehta, Gaurav D., Oliver, Michael R., Ortiz, Guillermo, Palmer, Okeno, Ren, Dahai, Rozensztejn, Diego S., Thaper, Atul
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US12/265,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20090156176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.2, 455/413, 379/88.13, 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2073 Multipoint, e.g. messaging, broadcast or group SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message

Abstract

A device receives, from a user device, a request to use a visual voicemail (VVM) application, directs the user device to a self provisioning server based on the request, and receives, from the self provisioning server, a selected VVM subscription plan and information associated with a user of the user device. The device also provides, to a billing system, a feature code associated with the selected VVM subscription plan, receives, from one or more voicemail servers, pre-existing voicemail messages associated with the user, and provides, to the user device, the pre-existing voicemail messages.

Claims

1. A computing device-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, from a user device, a request to use a visual voicemail (VVM) application;

determining whether the user is a new user of the VVM application;

directing the user device to a self provisioning server when the user is determined to be a new user of the VVM application;

receiving, from the self provisioning server, a selected VVM subscription plan;

requesting a voicemail greeting from the user device when the user is determined to be a new user of the VVM application;

receiving, from the user device, a voicemail recording when the user is determined to be a new user of the VVM application;

providing, to a billing system, a feature code associated with the selected VVM subscription plan;

receiving, from one or more voicemail servers, pre-existing voicemail messages associated with the user; and

providing, to the user device, the pre-existing voicemail messages.

2. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, to the user device, a VVM welcome message;

receiving, from the user device, a request to access the VVM application; and

accepting or denying the request to access the VVM application based on the information associated with the user.

3. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the VVM application enables the user to manage voicemail message in a random order.

4. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the feature code comprises a code identifying the selected VVM subscription plan, and terms and conditions associated with the selected VVM subscription plan.

5. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the computing device comprises a VVM server.

6. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the user device comprises one or more of:

a radiotelephone,

a personal communications system (PCS) terminal,

a personal digital assistant (PDA),

a laptop computer,

a personal computer,

a set-top box (STB),

a television, or

a personal gaming system.

7. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the VVM welcome message comprises a request to record a voicemail greeting.

8. A computing device-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of voicemail servers, one or more changes to one or more voice mailboxes associated with a user;

generating a voicemail notification message that includes status information associated with the plurality of voicemail servers;

providing the voicemail notification message to a plurality of user devices associated with the user, where each of the plurality of user devices compares the status information provided in the voicemail notification message with status information stored in each of the plurality of user devices, and determines if a new voicemail associated with the user exists based on the comparison, and

generating, by each of the plurality of user devices, a status change based on the status information provided in the voicemail notification message if the new voicemail does not exist.

9. The computing device-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

requesting, by each of the plurality of user devices, the new voicemail from the plurality of voicemail servers if the new voicemail exists, and

synchronizing the status information provided in the voicemail notification message with the status information stored in each of the plurality of user devices.

10. The computing device-implemented method of claim 8, where the status information comprises a number of voicemails associated with the user, a number of unheard voicemails associated with the user, or a list of voicemail identifiers associated with the user.

11. A device, comprising:

a memory to store one or more instructions; and

a processor to execute the one or more instructions to cause the processor to;

receive, from a user device, a request to use a visual voicemail (VVM) application,

determine, based on the request, whether a user associated with the user device is a new user of the VVM application,

connect the user device to a self provisioning server when the user is determined to be a new user of the VVM application,

receive, from the self provisioning server, a selected VVM subscription plan and information associated with the user,

provide, to a billing system, a feature code associated with the selected VVM subscription plan, and

permit the user to access the VVM application.

12. The device of claim 11, where the processor further is to execute one or more instructions, stored in the memory, to cause the processor to:

receive, from one or more voicemail servers, pre-existing voicemail messages associated with the user, and

provide, to the user device, the pre-existing voicemail messages.

13. The device of claim 11, where the processor further is to execute one or more instructions, stored in the memory, to cause the processor to:

request a voicemail greeting from the user device when the user is determined to be a new user of the VVM application, and

receive, from the user device, a voicemail recording when the user is determined to be a new user of the VVM application.

14. The device of claim 11, where the VVM application enables the user to manage voicemail message in a random order.

15. The device of claim 11, where the feature code comprises a code identifying the selected VVM subscription plan, and terms and conditions associated with the selected VVM subscription plan.

16. The device of claim 11, where the device comprises a VVM server.

17. The device of claim 11, where the user device comprises one or more of:

a radiotelephone,

a personal communications system (PCS) terminal,

a personal digital assistant (PDA),

a laptop computer,

a personal computer,

a set-top box (STB),

a television, or

a personal gaming system.

18. The device of claim 11, where the processor further is to execute one or more instructions, stored in the memory, to cause the processor to:

provide a VVM welcome message, including a request to record a voicemail, to the user device.

19. A system, comprising:

a visual voicemail (VVM) server to;

receive, from a user device, a request to use a VVM application,

determine, based on the request, whether a user associated with the user device is a new user of the VVM application, and

connect the user device to a self provisioning server when the user is determined to be a new user of the VVM application,

where the self provisioning server is to;

offer, to the user of the user device, one or more VVM subscription plans,

receive, from the user device, a selected VVM subscription plan and information associated with the user, and

confirm the selected VVM subscription plan, and

where the VVM server further is to;

provide, to a billing system, a feature code associated with the selected VVM subscription plan, and

permit the user to access the VVM application.

20. The system of claim 19, where the VVM server further is to:

receive, from one or more voicemail servers, pre-existing voicemail messages associated with the user, and

provide, to the user device, the pre-existing voicemail messages.

21. The system of claim 19, where the VVM server further is to:

request a voicemail greeting from the user device when the user is determined to be a new user of the VVM application, and

receive, from the user device, a voicemail recording when the user is determined to be a new user of the VVM application.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a notification server to;

receive, from a plurality of voicemail servers, one or more changes to one or more voice mailboxes associated with the user;

generate a voicemail notification message that includes status information associated with the plurality of voicemail servers, and

provide the voicemail notification message to the user device and other user devices associated with the user.

23. The system of claim 22, where each of the user devices compares the status information provided in the voicemail notification message with status information stored in each of the user devices, and determines if a new voicemail associated with the user exists based on the comparison.

24. The system of claim 22, where the VVM server further is to:

provide a VVM welcome message to the user device.

25. The system of claim 22, where the VVM welcome message comprises a request to record a voicemail greeting.