Voice message intermediary

• US 8,565,391 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stage Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Migimatsu, Taka
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US12/538,808
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4527 Voicemail attached to other kind of message
• 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 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5315 where the non-audio components are still images or video still image mailbox systems H04N1/324, intermediate storage of video signals for videophones H04N7/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/122 where the PSTN/ISDN access is used as an access to networks other than PSTN/ISDN access arrangements to networks other than PSTN/ISDN H04M7/0066; access arrangements to public data networks H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32432 in a particular memory file for retrieval by the user, e.g. in a facsimile mailbox

Abstract

A method and system is provided for receiving a voice message from a first access device, storing said message and subsequently forwarding the voice message to a second access device. The system has a plurality of access devices which are coupled to each other over a network such as the Internet. These access devices may include computers, workstations, and the like. An access device is configured to operate as an intermediary access computer in which it receives a voice message from one access device over the network and subsequently re-transmits it over the network to another access device.

Claims

1. A method for receiving and forwarding voice messages comprising:

receiving a voice message from a first access device over a first network by an intermediary access computer, wherein said voice message is stored by said first access device, said voice message comprising voice data and destination information;

storing said voice message by said intermediary access computer;

retrieving destination information from said voice message by said intermediary access computer;

selecting a second access device based on said destination information;

transmitting said voice message from said intermediary access computer to said second access device over a second network, wherein said voice message is stored by said second access device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first network and said second network are the Internet and said steps of receiving and transmitting utilize a TCP/IP-based communication protocol.

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

recording said voice data by said first access device by storing a voice signal received from a telephone device coupled to said first access device through a communication medium.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

playing back said voice data by said second access device by sending a voice signal to a telephone device coupled to said second access device through a communication medium.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said destination information comprises a telephone number associated with a recipient of said voice message.

2. A system for receiving and forwarding voice messages comprising:

means for receiving a voice message from a first access device over a first network by an intermediary access computer, wherein said voice message is stored by said first access device, said voice message comprising voice data and destination information;

means for storing said voice message by said intermediary access computer;

means for retrieving destination information from said voice message by said intermediary access computer;

means for selecting a second access device based on said destination information;

means for transmitting said voice message from said intermediary access computer to said second access device over a second network, wherein said voice message is stored by said second access device.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein said first network and said second network are the Internet.

8. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

means for recording said voice data by said first access device by storing a voice signal received from a telephone device coupled to said first access device through a communication medium.

9. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

means for playing back said voice data by said second access device by sending a voice signal to a telephone device coupled to said second access device through a communication medium.

10. The system of claim 2 wherein said destination information comprises a telephone number associated with a recipient of said voice message.

11. An intermediary access computer configured to receive and forward voice messages comprising:

an input interface coupled to a first network, wherein said first network is coupled to a first access device storing a voice message;

an output interface coupled to a second network, wherein said second network is coupled to a second access device;

a storage device;

a processing element; and

a memory element containing instructions for said processing element wherein said instructions configure said intermediary access computer to perform the steps of;

receiving said voice message from said first access device over said first network through said input interface, said voice message comprising voice data and destination information;

storing said voice message within said storage device;

retrieving destination information from said voice message;

selecting a second access device based on said destination information;

transmitting said voice message through said output interface to said second access device over said second network, wherein said voice message is stored by said second access device.

12. The intermediary access device of claim 11 wherein said first network and said second network are the Internet and said steps of receiving and transmitting utilize a TCP/IP-based communication protocol.

13. The intermediary access computer of claim 11 wherein said destination information comprises a telephone number associated with a recipient of said voice message.