Integration of enterprise voicemail in mobile systems

• US 8,638,910 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chatterjee, Saurav, Drewry, John, Fullarton, Paul, Perfetto, Josh, Rana, Hemendra
• Primary Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US11/651,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,577 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.18, 379/211.02, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/554 Data synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

An integrated voicemail system is described that provides “visual voicemail” that overcomes the shortcomings associated with a user having to dial into a voicemail system and navigate through a menu of options using conventional voice and/or standard DTMF signaling-based browsing capabilities. The visual voicemail instead provides, via a client device of the user'"'"'s choice, a visual presentation of a user'"'"'s voicemails along with state information of the voicemails. The visual presentation of the voicemails includes a user interface that allows a user to control or manipulate voicemails from the client device, where the manipulation includes playing, pausing, rewinding, fast-forwarding, deleting, and changing a state of each voicemail. The visual voicemail also eliminates the need for a user to periodically call-in to the enterprise voicemail system in order to check for voicemail messages as the messages can be automatically delivered to the user'"'"'s client device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information of an audio voicemail message from a voicemail system that is a server-based system of an enterprise, wherein the voicemail message is received by an access component at the voicemail system;

automatically sending a digitized copy of the voicemail message to a mobile communication device for storing on the mobile communication device in an audio playback format compatible thereto;

displaying, on the mobile communication device, data indicative of a presence of the voicemail message stored thereon;

receiving data representative of playing back the copy of the voicemail on the mobile communication device from the mobile communication device;

automatically synchronizing a state of the voicemail message between the mobile communication device and the voicemail system in response to changes in the voicemail message made via the mobile communication device;

automatically synchronizing a state of the voicemail message between the mobile communication device and the voicemail system in response to a change associated with the voicemail message made via the voicemail system; and

wherein automatically synchronizing the state of the voice mail message comprises changing the state of the voicemail message at the voicemail system from unread to read responsive to receiving data representative of playing back the copy of the voicemail on the mobile communication device and changing the state of the voicemail message reflected on the mobile communication device responsive to a change associated with the voicemail message made via the voicemail system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically synchronizing a state includes changing a state of the voicemail message at the mobile communication device and the access component in response to one or more of access of the voicemail message from the mobile communication device, access of the voicemail message from the access component, playback of the voicemail message from the mobile communication device, playback of the voicemail message from the access component, deletion of the voicemail message from the mobile communication device, and deletion of the voicemail message from the access component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the voicemail message is stored in an audio file, the method further comprising converting the audio file from a first format stored at the access component of the voicemail system to a second format compatible with the mobile communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a delete input at the mobile communication device;

deleting the voicemail message at the mobile communication device and the voicemail system in response to the delete input; and

changing a state of the voicemail message at the mobile communication device and the access component in response to the delete input.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising changing a state of the voicemail message at the mobile communication device and the access component in response to access of the voicemail message from the mobile communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification includes providing one or more of audio and visual indicators at the access component.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising changing a state of the voicemail message at the mobile communication device and the access component in response to playback of the voicemail message initiated at the telephone.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising changing a state of the voicemail message at the mobile communication device and the access component in response to access of the voicemail message initiated at the telephone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification includes an option to automatically respond to the voicemail message from the mobile communication device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the automatic response includes generation and transmission of an electronic message to the originator of the voicemail message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic message includes one or more of an electronic mail message, a text message, an instant message, a Short Message Service (SMS) message, a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message, and an Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS) message.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the automatic response includes generation and transmission of a telephone call to the originator of the voicemail message.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the automatic response includes generating a call request to the originator of the voicemail message.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the call request includes transferring the call request from the mobile communication device to a target device of the originator via a data coupling.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising providing a delivery confirmation to the mobile communication device in response to delivery of the transferred call request to the target device.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising generating a plurality of response options on the target device in response to receipt of the call request, wherein the response options include at least one of accepting the call request, postponing the call request, generating a return data message including at least one of a text message and a voice message to the mobile communication device, and initiating the voice call.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising generating a response message in response to selection of a response option at the target device and transferring the response message to the mobile communication device over the data coupling.

18. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a delete input at the access component;

deleting the voicemail message at the mobile communication device and the voicemail system in response to the delete input; and

changing a state of the voicemail message at the mobile communication device and the access component in response to the delete input.

19. The method of claim 1, comprising determining an identification of an originator of the voicemail message.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising mapping originator information of the originator to an integrated directory, wherein the integrated directory includes contacts representing a set of contacts of a plurality of directories of the mobile communication device and the enterprise.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device operates external to the enterprise.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device operates internal to the enterprise.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is one or more of an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone, WiFi device, cellular telephone, multi-mode telephone, wireless device, personal digital assistant, and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) device.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the access component includes a telephone coupled to a private branch exchange (PBX).

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the access component includes a telephone coupled to a central exchange (Centrex).

26. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying a voicemail control interface on the mobile communication device by which the audio file can be accessed for an operation.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the operation includes one or more of playing, pausing, rewinding, fast-forwarding, deleting, and changing the state of the voicemail message.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the operation includes responding to an originator of the voicemail message, wherein the responding includes one or more of generating and transmitting a telephone call, call request, electronic mail message, text message, instant message (IM), voice IM, Short Message Service (SMS) message, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message, and Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS) message.

29. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying information of the voicemail message of the enterprise on the client device, the information of the voicemail message including one or more of an originator of the voicemail message, a length of the voicemail message, and a received time of the voicemail message.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the displaying is automatically performed in response to receipt of the voicemail message at the enterprise.

31. The method of claim 1, comprising changing the state of the voicemail message at the mobile communication device to an expired state after a first period of time has elapsed following transmission to the mobile communication device of a notification of the voicemail message.

32. The method of claim 31, comprising displaying the voicemail message as an expired conversation at the mobile communication device.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the notification includes an option to playback the voicemail message at the mobile communication device, wherein the playback of the voicemail message in an expired state can be initiated using information of the notification.

34. The method of claim 31, comprising deleting the notification from the mobile communication device after a second period of time has elapsed following transmission of the notification.

35. A non-transitory computer readable media including executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, provides visual voicemail by:

receiving information of an audio voicemail message from a voicemail system that is a server-based system of an enterprise, wherein the voicemail message is received at the voicemail system;

automatically sending a digitized copy of the voicemail message to a mobile communication device for storage at the mobile communication device in an audio playback format compatible thereto;

displaying, on the mobile communication device, data indicative of a presence of the voicemail message stored thereon;

receiving data representative of playing back the copy of the voicemail on the mobile communication device from the mobile communication device; and

automatically synchronizing a state of the voicemail message between the mobile communication device and an access component of the voicemail system in response to changes in the voicemail message made via the mobile communication device;

automatically synchronizing a state of the voicemail message between the mobile communication device and the voicemail system in response to a change associated with the voicemail message made via the voicemail system; and

wherein automatically synchronizing the state of the voicemail message comprises changing the status of the voicemail message at the voicemail system to read responsive to receiving data representative of playing back the copy of the voicemail on the mobile communication device and changing the state of the voicemail message reflected on the mobile communication device responsive to a change associated with the voicemail message made via the voicemail system.