Message forwarding and retrieval with a single messaging service

• US 8,295,814 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Esteve Balducci, Juan V., Higashi, Michael, Nalliah, Selvaraj, Limont, David Paul, Atwood, John Allen, Hinman, Chris J., Masud, Imran
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOHLMAN, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US12/335,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20100151835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/417, 4554121-413, 379 671- 8828, 379/211.01, 379/211.02
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Embodiments described herein generally relate to a method and system of integrating a user'"'"'s voice mail onto a single voice messaging service, e.g., a Unified Messaging (UM) service, such that a client may access this single source for voice mail retrieval, even where such voice mails are from a variety of sources, e.g., work, mobile phone, etc. A user, or the user'"'"'s mobile operator, need only agree to accept the service, and the registration and configuration requirements for providing the service and forwarding calls to the service are automatically configured. The user'"'"'s existing “speed dial” key or other setting for retrieving voice mail may also be automatically configured to the access number(s) for the service. Configurations may monitor the status of the service and update access and/or forwarding numbers. Voice mail forwarding and settings may also be automatically reverted back to the user'"'"'s original service.

Claims

1. A method of automatically configuring a single voice messaging service for handling phone calls directed to one or more different voice messaging systems of a user, comprising:

receiving an indication of acceptance by the user to automatically configure the single voice messaging service for handling phone calls directed to a first voice messaging system and a second voice messaging system of the user;

sending a first phone number of the user to the single voice messaging service, wherein the first phone number is directed to the first voice messaging system;

sending a second phone number of the user to the single voice messaging service, wherein the second phone number is directed to the second voice messaging system;

receiving a forwarding phone number for the single voice messaging service;

receiving an access phone number for the single voice messaging service;

automatically registering without further user interaction the first phone number and the second phone number with the single voice messaging service, wherein the single voice messaging service comprises a server capable of receiving voice messages;

automatically changing without further user interaction an existing speed dial associated with the first voice messaging system to use the access phone number received from the single voice messaging service;

automatically configuring without further user interaction the first phone number for forwarding voice mails to the single voice messaging service and for retrieval of the voice mails from the single voice messaging service and not from the first voice messaging system; and

automatically configuring without further user interaction the second phone number for forwarding voice mails to the single voice messaging service and for retrieval of the voice mails from the single voice messaging service and not from the second voice messaging system.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the single voice messaging service is a Unified Messaging service.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein automatically changing without further user interaction the existing speed dial associated with the first voice messaging system comprises configuring the existing speed dial on a user mobile device associated with the first voice messaging system to use the access phone number received from the single voice messaging service.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein a client application on the user mobile device automatically configures the forwarding and retrieval of the voice mails associated with the first phone number.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein the automatic configuration occurs between the client application and a mobile operator of the client application.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein ownership by the user of the first phone number and the second phone number is validated by the single voice messaging service.

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

sending an indication to terminate use of the single voice messaging service; and

automatically reverting forwarding of voice mails associated with the first phone number to a voice mail service provided by a mobile operator.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising automatically reverting to the original voice mail settings on a mobile device of the user.

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

automatically updating the access phone number for the single voice messaging service if the access number changes; and

automatically updating the forwarding phone number for the single voice messaging service if the forwarding number changes.

10. A computer storage medium not consisting of a modulated signal, the computer storage medium encoding computer executable instructions for performing a method of using a single voice messaging service for handling phone calls directed to one or more different voice messaging systems of a user, wherein the single voice messaging system comprises a server capable of receiving voice messages, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of acceptance by the user to automatically configure the single voice messaging service for handling phone calls directed to a first voice messaging system and a second voice messaging system of the user;

sending a first phone number of the user to the single voice messaging system, wherein the first phone number is directed to the first voice messaging system;

sending a second phone number of the user to the single voice messaging system, wherein the second phone number is directed to the second voice messaging system;

receiving a forwarding phone number for the single voice messaging service;

receiving an access phone number for the single voice messaging service;

automatically registering without further user interaction the first phone number and the second phone number with the single voice messaging service;

automatically changing without further user interaction an existing speed dial associated with the first voice messaging system to use the access phone number received from the single voice messaging service;

automatically configuring without further user interaction the first phone number for forwarding voice mails to the single voice messaging service and for retrieval of the voice mails from the single voice messaging service and not from the first voice messaging system; and

automatically configuring without further user interaction the second phone number for forwarding voice mails to the single voice messaging service and for retrieval of the voice mails from the single voice messaging service and not from the second voice messaging system.

11. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the single voice messaging service is a Unified Messaging service.

12. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 10, wherein ownership by the user of the first phone number and the second phone number is validated by the single voice messaging service prior to automatic registration of the first phone number and the second phone number.

13. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the forwarding phone number and the access phone number are received by a client application on a mobile device of the user.

14. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the indication of acceptance by the user comprises a positive response to a query regarding whether the user agrees to the service provided by the single voice messaging service.

15. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the indication of acceptance by the user comprises an agreement to the terms of the service provided by the single voice messaging service, and wherein the agreement exists in a contract between the user and a mobile operator.

16. A computing system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and containing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method for automatically configuring a single voice messaging service for handling phone calls directed to one or more different voice messaging systems of a user, the method comprising;

receiving an indication of acceptance by the user to automatically configure the single voice messaging service for handling phone calls directed to a first voice messaging system and a second voice messaging system of the user;

sending a first phone number of the user to the single voice messaging service, wherein the first phone number is directed to the first voice messaging system;

sending a second phone number of the user to the single voice messaging service, wherein the second phone number is directed to the second voice messaging system;

receiving a forwarding phone number for the single voice messaging service;

receiving an access phone number for the single voice messaging service;

automatically registering, without further user interaction the first phone number and the second phone number with the single voice messaging service, wherein the single voice messaging service comprises a server capable of receiving voice messages;

automatically changing without further user interaction an existing speed dial associated with the first voice messaging system to use the access phone number received from the single voice messaging service;

automatically configuring without further user interaction the first phone number for forwarding voice mails to the single voice messaging service and for retrieval of the voice mails from the single voice messaging service and not from the first voice messaging system; and

automatically configuring without further user interaction the second phone number for forwarding voice mails to the single voice messaging service and for retrieval of the voice mails from the single voice messaging service and not from the second voice messaging system.

17. The computing system as defined in claim 16, wherein the configuring occurs at a client application without user interaction.

18. The computer system as defined in claim 16, wherein automatically changing without further user interaction the existing speed dial associated with the first voice messaging system further comprises configuring the existing speed dial on a user mobile device associated with the first voice messaging system to use the access phone number received from the single voice messaging service.