Voice message transmission to multiple destinations and playback

• US 8,693,645 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• 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:
  US12/538,817
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 379/88.08
• 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 system and method is provided for receiving a voice message, selecting from multiple destinations, transmitting the voice message to a destination and subsequently playing back the voice message after it has been received by the destination. 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. Access devices may include a voice conversion board for converting a voice message received over a network into a voice signal for playback to a telephone device.

Claims

1. A method of voice message transmission and playback comprising:

receiving a message file by a first access device, said message file comprising voice data and destination information;

selecting a second access device from among a plurality of destination access devices based on said destination information, wherein said step of selecting is triggered by said step of receiving;

transmitting said message file, including said voice data and said destination information, to said second access device over a network, wherein said step of transmitting is initiated by said first access device;

receiving said message file, including said voice data and said destination information, by said second access device;

decoding said voice data to generate a voice signal for playback to a voice device coupled to a communication medium.

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

dialing a telephone number based on said destination information thereby coupling said voice device to said second access device.

3. The method of claim 1 where said step of receiving a message file by a first access device comprises:

receiving a voice signal by said first access device;

encoding said voice signal into said voice data by said first access device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said destination information comprises a telephone number.

4. A system of voice message transmission and playback comprising:

means for receiving a message file by a first access device, said message file comprising voice data and destination information;

means for selecting a second access device from among a plurality of destination access devices based on said destination information triggered by said means for receiving;

means for transmitting said message file, including said voice data and said destination information, to said second access device over a network initiated by said first access device;

means for receiving said message file, including said voice data and said destination information, by said second access device;

means for decoding said voice data to generate a voice signal for playback to a voice device coupled to a communication medium.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

means for dialing a telephone number based on said destination information thereby coupling said voice device to said second access device.

6. The system of claim 4 where said means for receiving a message file by a first access device comprises:

means for receiving a voice signal by said first access device;

means for encoding said voice signal into said voice data by said first access device.

11. The system of claim 4 wherein said destination information comprises a telephone number.

7. A system of voice message transmission and playback comprising:

a first access device;

a plurality of destination access devices; and

a network coupled to said first access device and to said plurality of destination access devices;

wherein said first access device is configured to receive a message file comprising voice data and destination information, and to select a second access device from among said plurality of destination access devices based on said destination information triggered by receipt of a message file;

wherein said network is operable to transmit said message file from said first access device to said second access device initiated by said first access device; and

wherein said second access device is configured to receive said message file and to decode said voice data to generate a voice signal for playback to a voice device coupled to a communication medium.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said second access device is further configured to dial a telephone number based on said destination information thereby coupling said voice device to said second access device.

9. The system of claim 7 where said first access device is configured to receive a voice signal and to encode said voice signal into said voice data.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein said destination information comprises a telephone number.