Methods and systems for confirming message delivery

• US 8,218,736 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: FuzeBox, Inc.
• Inventors: McClintock, David C., Trandal, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sing, Simon
• Application Number:
  US11/951,106
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.12, 379 8822- 8825, 455/413, 455/412.2
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/658 Means for redirecting recorded messages to other extensions or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2083 Confirmation by serviced party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4554 Sender-side editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Methods and systems for processing messages and providing notifications regarding the same are described. An optional embodiment includes a telecommunications interface, a data network interface, and an answering system coupled to the telecommunications interface and the data network interface, the call processing system configured to receive a first call from a caller via the telecommunications interface, store a message from the caller, transmit a message notification using the data network to the intended recipient of the call via which the intended recipient can access the message, and transmit information related to the intended recipient'"'"'s receipt of the message.

Claims

1. A method of processing a call and providing voice message status information, comprising:

receiving at a call processing system a first call from a caller intended for a first person;

receiving, in call signaling information associated with the first call, an address associated with a communication device of the caller;

playing a message to the caller indicating that the caller can record a voice message for the first person;

recording a caller voice message;

receiving an instruction from the caller requesting a notification be provided indicating that the first person has accessed the voice message;

transmitting over a data network to a terminal associated with the first person a first notification regarding the first call, wherein the first person can access the caller voice message via the terminal associated with the first person;

determining if the communication device of the caller is a mobile device by querying one or more databases using at least in part the address;

at least partly in response to detecting that the first person has accessed the voice message and

at least partly in response to determining the communication device of the call is a mobile device from the querying of one or more databases,

transmitting a second notification, wherein the second notification is automatically addressed to the mobile device associated with the caller, indicating that the first person has accessed the voice message wherein the second notification is a short message service notification or a multimedia message service notification.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the terminal associated with the first person is a personal computer or a mobile phone.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first notification to the first person is a call log entry.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first notification is displayed via a browser, via an email system, and/or via a communications client hosted on the terminal associated with the first person.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving at the call processing system a second call from a second caller intended for a second person;

receiving, in call signaling information associated with the second call, an address associated with a communication device of the second caller;

playing a message to the second caller indicating that the second caller can record a voice message for the second person;

recording a voice message from the second caller;

receiving an instruction from the second caller requesting a notification be provided indicating that the second person has accessed the voice message from the second caller;

accessing a contact record of the second caller based at least in part on the address associated with the communication device of the second caller, and transmitting a third notification using a message type specified in the second caller'"'"'s contact record the message type including;

via an email message, an instant message, an SMS message and/or an MMS message.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

using the address to direct the second notification to the caller.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising providing a user interface via which the first person can specify if the second notification is to be directed to the caller.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising providing a user interface within the second notification via which the caller can indicate that future notifications associated with the first person accessing voice messages from the caller are not to be transmitted to the caller.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second notification includes a portion of the message.

10. A method of providing a message receipt notification, comprising:

receiving at a first system a call from a caller intended for a called party;

receiving, in call signaling information associated with the call, an address of the caller;

receiving a caller message during the call and an instruction from the caller requesting a notification be provided indicating that the called party has accessed the caller message;

providing a first notification related to the message to the called party;

determining if the communication device of the caller is a mobile device by querying one or more databases, wherein the query is based at least in part on the address; and

at least partly in response to receiving a first indication that the called party is aware of the message, and

at least partly in response to determining the communication device of the call is a mobile device from the querying of one or more databases,

transmitting a corresponding second notification, wherein the second notification is automatically addressed to the mobile device associated with the caller wherein the second notification is a short message service notification or a multimedia message service notification.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the first notification to the called party is provided via a call log accessible via a client application, a Web page, and/or a mobile phone.

12. The method as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising:

accessing a contact record of the caller based at least in part on the address, wherein the second notification is transmitted via email to the caller based at least in part on information obtained by the first system from the caller'"'"'s contact record.

13. The method as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising:

using the address to direct the second notification to the caller.

14. The method as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising providing a user interface via which the caller can specify if the second notification is to be provided to the caller.

15. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the second notification provides the caller with access to at least a portion of the message.

16. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the message received at the first system is a fax transmission.

17. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the message received at the first system is a voice message.

18. The method as defined in claim 16, wherein the first system records a voice transmission as a voice message and converts a fax transmission into a fax message.

19. A system for transmitting message status information, comprising:

a telecommunications interface;

a data network interface; and

an answering system coupled to the telecommunications interface and the data network interface, the answering system configured to;

receive a first call from a caller via the telecommunications interface wherein call signaling information associated with the first call includes an address,

store a message from the caller,

receive an instruction from the caller requesting a notification be provided indicating that a first person has accessed the caller message, and

determine if the first call originated from a mobile device by querying one or more databases, the query based at least in part on the address, and

at least partly in response to determining the communication device of the caller is a mobile device from the querying one or more databases, transmit information related to an intended recipient'"'"'s receipt of the message,

wherein the information related to the intended recipient'"'"'s receipt of the message is automatically addressed to the mobile device associated with the caller as a short message service message or multi-media message.

20. The system as defined in claim 19, wherein the system is further configured to utilize signaling information associated with the call to direct the information related to the intended recipient'"'"'s receipt of the message to the caller.

21. The system as defined in claim 19, the system further comprising a user interface via which a caller can indicate that the information related to the intended recipient'"'"'s receipt of the message is not to be transmitted to the caller.

22. The system as defined in claim 19, wherein the system is further configured to:

identify a contact record of the caller based at least in part on signaling information associated with the first call,

wherein the system is further configured to transmit information related to the intended recipient'"'"'s receipt of the message to the caller using a message type specified in the caller'"'"'s contact record the message type including;

via an email, an instant message, SMS and/or an MMS message.

23. The system as defined in claim 19, wherein the information related to the intended recipient'"'"'s receipt of the message indicates that the message has been delivered and/or reviewed by the intended recipient.

24. The system as defined in claim 19, wherein the message is a voice message.

25. The system as defined in claim 19, wherein the message is a fax message.

26. The system as defined in claim 19, wherein the information related to the intended recipient'"'"'s receipt of the message includes the date and local time, relative to the caller, of when the message has been delivered and/or reviewed by the intended recipient.