In-progress voicemail transfer based on identity

• US 8,249,226 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lingafelt, Charles Steven, O'Connell, Brian M., Walker, Keith R., Moore, John E., Hadinata, Martinianus BudiTjahja
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US12/055,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20090245486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.22, 379/215.01
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A method, system and computer-usable medium for terminating an in-progress voicemail and immediately connecting callers to each other based on identity. A telephone system can be enabled to detect that a calling party (e.g., subscriber “A”) receives no answer from a called party (e.g., subscriber “B”) and if the calling party is a current voicemail recipient from the called party then the voicemail message can be discarded by the telephone system. Such an approach enables an immediate connection between the calling party and the called party to each other by a call switching component. The incomplete voicemail message in the voicemail system is automatically discarded. A command to discard and/or erase the voicemail message can be predetermined by the telephone system.

Claims

1. A method for connecting telephone calls, the method comprising the steps of:

a processor re-directing, to a voicemail system, a telephone call that has been placed by a telephone of a first party to a telephone of a second party and that has not been answered by the telephone of the second party, the voicemail system including a voicemail mailbox for the second party;

the processor determining that the telephone of the second party is placing a telephone call to the telephone of the first party while the first party is leaving a voicemail message in the voicemail mailbox for the second party during the re-directed telephone call;

the processor sending an inquiry to the telephone of the first party as to whether to switch connectivity on the telephone of the first party from the re-directed telephone call to the telephone call being placed by the second party; and

in response to an affirmative response to the inquiry by the first party;

the processor connecting, to the telephone of the first party, the telephone call being placed by the second party; and

the processor automatically sending a command to the voicemail system to delete the voicemail message from the voicemail mailbox for the second party.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

before the step of the processor sending the inquiry, the processor determining that the second party is a current voicemail recipient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in a same telephone system, and wherein the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system comprises the processor sending a known signal to the voicemail system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in different telephone systems, and wherein the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system comprises the processor sending a key combination to the voicemail system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in different telephone systems, and wherein the method further comprises before the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system, the processor obtaining the command from a web service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in different telephone systems, and wherein the method further comprises before the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system, the processor obtaining the command from a user configuration.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system is responsive to a party engaging a call waiting system.

2. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor; and

a computer-readable tangible storage device having computer program code stored thereon, said computer-readable tangible storage device being coupled to said data bus, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor to implement a method for connecting telephone calls, the method comprising the steps of;

the processor re-directing, to a voicemail system, a telephone call that has been placed by a telephone of a first party to a telephone of a second party and that has not been answered by the telephone of the second party, the voicemail system including a voicemail mailbox for the second party;

the processor determining that the telephone of the second party is placing a telephone call to the telephone of the first party while the first party is leaving a voicemail message in the voicemail mailbox for the second party during the re-directed telephone call;

the processor sending an inquiry to the telephone of the first party as to whether to switch connectivity on the telephone of the first party from the re-directed telephone call to the telephone call being placed by the second party;

in response to an affirmative response to the inquiry by the first party;

the processor connecting, to the telephone of the first party, the telephone call being placed by the second party; and

the processor automatically sending a command to the voicemail system to delete the voicemail message from the voicemail mailbox for the second party.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

before the step of the processor sending the inquiry, the processor determining that the second party is a current voicemail recipient.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in a same telephone system, and wherein the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system comprises the processor sending a known signal to the voicemail system.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in different telephone systems, and wherein the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system comprises the processor sending a key combination to the voicemail system.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in different telephone systems, and wherein the method further comprises before the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system, the processor obtaining the command from a web service.

14. The system of claim 2, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in different telephone systems, and wherein the method further comprises before the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system, the processor obtaining the command from a user configuration.

3. A computer-readable tangible storage device having computer program code stored thereon, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by a processor of a data-processing apparatus to implement a method for connecting telephone calls, the method comprising the steps of:

the processor re-directing, to a voicemail system, a telephone call that has been placed by a telephone of a first party to a telephone of a second party and that has not been answered by the telephone of the second party, the voicemail system including a voicemail mailbox for the second party;

the processor determining that the telephone of the second party is placing a telephone call to the telephone of the first party while the first party is leaving a voicemail message in the voicemail mailbox for the second party during the re-directed telephone call;

the processor sending an inquiry to the telephone of the first party as to whether to switch connectivity on the telephone of the first party from the re-directed telephone call to the telephone call being placed by the second party;

in response to an affirmative response to the inquiry by the first party;

the processor connecting, to the telephone of the first party, the telephone call being placed by the second party; and

the processor automatically sending a command to the voicemail system to delete the voicemail message from the voicemail mailbox for the second party.

15. The computer-readable tangible storage device of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

before the step of the processor sending the inquiry, the processor determining that the second party is a current voicemail recipient.

16. The computer-readable tangible storage device of claim 3, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in a same telephone system, and wherein the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system comprises the processor sending a known signal to the voicemail system.

17. The computer-readable tangible storage device of claim 3, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in different telephone systems, and wherein the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system comprises the processor sending a key combination to the voicemail system.

18. The computer-readable tangible storage device of claim 3, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in different telephone systems, and wherein the method further comprises before the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system, the processor obtaining the command from a web service.

19. The computer-readable tangible storage device of claim 3, wherein the telephone of the first party and the telephone of the second party are in different telephone systems, and wherein the method further comprises before the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system, the processor obtaining the command from a user configuration.

20. The computer-readable tangible storage device of claim 3, wherein the step of the processor sending the command to the voicemail system is responsive to a party engaging a call waiting system.