Telephonic voice message transmission control method

• US 8,433,043 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WorldVoice Licensing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: WorldVoice Licensing, Inc.
• Inventors: Finnigan, Paul F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US11/798,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20080031431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,177 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.26, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.12, 379/88.18, 379/211.02, 375/130, 375/135, 709/246
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/301 Management of recordings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53316 Messaging centre selected by message originator
• 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 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of controlling transmission of voice messages or information via telephonic voice message systems, which are sometimes referred to as Voice Mail Systems. Users of the system selectively specify voice message transmission instructions for controlling transmission of voice messages directed to them. Upon receipt of a user'"'"'s voice message address, the voice message system determines whether the destination voice message address has a specified voice message transmission instruction previously selected by the recipient and processes the voice message in accordance with the instruction.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the transmission of digitized voice data in a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining the digitized voice data generated by a sender at an origination address located on a first voice message subsystem associated with the sender;

prior to transmitting the digitized voice data from said origination address to a recipient, obtaining by said first voice message subsystem a recipient address and a recipient transmission instruction located on a second voice message subsystem associated with the recipient over the computer network; and

transmitting from said first voice message subsystem the digitized voice data to said recipient address in accordance with said recipient transmission instruction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the digitized voice data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering the digitized voice data to an electronic mailbox.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting to a telephone of the sender.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the recipient transmission instruction.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the digitized voice data to its destination.

7. A method of controlling digitized voice data in a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the digitized voice data;

prior to transmitting the digitized voice data from an origination address located on a first voice message subsystem of a sender to a recipient, obtaining by said first voice message subsystem a recipient address and a recipient transmission instruction located on a second voice message subsystem associated with the recipient;

storing the recipient transmission instruction on the first voice message subsystem;

processing the stored recipient transmission instruction; and

transmitting from said first voice message subsystem the digitized voice data to the recipient address in accordance with the recipient transmission instruction.

8. A method of controlling digitized voice data in a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the digitized voice data;

associating the digitized voice data with an origination address located on a first voice message subsystem of a sender;

prior to transmitting the digitized voice data from said origination address of the sender to a recipient, obtaining by said first voice message subsystem a recipient address and a recipient transmission instruction located on a second voice message subsystem associated with the recipient over the computer network;

processing the recipient transmission instruction; and

transmitting from said first voice message subsystem the digitized voice data to the recipient address in accordance with the recipient transmission instruction.

9. A method of controlling the transmission of message data in a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining the message data generated by a sender at an origination address located on a first message subsystem associated with the sender;

prior to transmitting the message data from said origination address to a recipient, obtaining by said first message subsystem a recipient address and a recipient transmission instruction located on a second message subsystem associated with the recipient over the computer network; and

transmitting from said first message subsystem the message data to said recipient address in accordance with said recipient transmission instruction.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the message data.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting the message data to its destination.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising delivering the message data to an electronic mailbox.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising connecting to a telephone of the sender.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the recipient transmission instruction.

15. A method of controlling message data in a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the message data;

prior to transmitting the message data from an origination address located on a first message subsystem of a sender to a recipient, obtaining by said first message subsystem a recipient address and a recipient transmission instruction located on a second message subsystem associated with the recipient;

storing the recipient transmission instruction on the first message subsystem;

processing the stored recipient transmission instruction; and

transmitting from said first message subsystem the message data to the recipient address in accordance with the recipient transmission instruction.

16. A method of controlling message data in a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the message data;

associating the message data with an origination address located on a first message subsystem of a sender;

prior to transmitting the message data from said origination address of the sender to a recipient, obtaining by said first message subsystem a recipient address and a recipient transmission instruction located on a second message subsystem associated with the recipient over the computer network;

processing the recipient transmission instruction; and

transmitting from said first message subsystem the message data to the recipient address in accordance with the recipient transmission instruction.

17. A method of controlling the transmission of message data in a computer network from a sender having an origination address located on a first message subsystem associated with the sender to a recipient having a first destination address, the method comprising;

accepting by said first message subsystem at least one instruction from a plurality of instructions located on a second message subsystem associated with the recipient for controlling an initial transmission of the message data to an address associated with the recipient; and

processing from said first message subsystem the message data in accordance with said at least one instruction for controlling the initial transmission of message data directed to the recipient.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the message data is voice data.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the message data is electronic mail data.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the message data is facsimile data.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the message data is text data.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein further comprising:

blocking the transmission of the message data in accordance with said at least one instruction for controlling the initial transmission of message data directed to the recipient.

23. A method of controlling transmission of message data from a sender having an origination address located on a first message subsystem associated with the sender to a recipient having a first destination address, the method comprising:

accepting by said first message subsystem at least one recipient instruction from a plurality of instructions located on a second message subsystem associated with the recipient for controlling an initial transmission of message data to an address associated with the recipient;

accepting message data originating from the sender; and

processing from said first message subsystem said message data acquired from the sender in accordance with said at least one instruction for controlling the initial transmission of said message data acquired from the sender.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the message data is voice data.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the message data is electronic mail data.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the message data is facsimile data.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the message data is text data.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein further comprising:

blocking the transmission of the message data in accordance with said at least one instruction for controlling the initial transmission of message data directed to the recipient.