System and method for transmitting voice messages to a discussion group

• US 8,929,516 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2013
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellisist, Inc. dba Spoken Communications (Avaya Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intellisist, Inc. dba Spoken Communications (Avaya Incorporated)
• Inventors: Odinak, Gilad
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US14/010,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20130344850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/413, 455/514, 455/518, 455/519, 455/521, 379/68, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88.09, 379/88.1, 379/88.25, 379/88.22, 380/270
• US Class Current: 379/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/187 combining circuit and packet-switched, e.g. GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system and method for transmitting voice messages to a discussion group is provided. Users signed-on to a voice message server are identified. Each signed-on user is associated with one or more discussion groups and a personal communication device. The voice message server receives a voice message from one of the signed-on users via the personal communication device associated with that signed-on user and a discussion group to which the voice message is to be sent. The voice message from the signed-on user is provided to the other signed-on users in the discussion group.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for transmitting voice messages to a discussion group, comprising:

an identification module to identify users signed-on to a voice message server, wherein each signed-on user is associated with one or more discussion groups and a personal communication device;

a message receipt module to receive on the voice message server, a voice message from one of the signed-on users via the personal communication device associated with that user and a discussion group to which the voice message is to be sent;

a group identification module to determine the discussion group identification associated with the voice message, to scan queues of messages for each discussion group, to add the voice message to the queue for the discussion group associated with the discussion group identification, and to identify the other signed-on users associated with the discussion group; and

a delivery module to provide the voice message from the signed-on user to the other signed-on users in the discussion group.

2. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, wherein the delivery module transmits to the personal communication device of the signed-on user, voice messages from one or more of the other signed-on users in the discussion group.

3. A computer-implemented system according to claim 2, further comprising:

an action module to forward one or more of the received voice messages from the signed-on user to other users, to edit one or more of the received voice messages, or to resend one or more of the received voice messages from the signed-on user to other users.

4. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, wherein voice messages are transmitted to the signed-on users in the discussion group until the signed-on users sign out of the voice message server.

5. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an assignment module to associate the voice message with at least one of a user identification, discussion group identification, message identification, and time-stamp.

6. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a device determination module to identify the personal communication devices associated with each of the other identified signed-on users in the discussion group and to transmit the voice message to the personal communication device of each of the other identified signed-on users.

7. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an instruction module to receive one of instructions to sign on and to sign-off the signed-on user.

8. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a group generator to form discussion groups of two or more of the signed-on users by receiving a request from one of the signed-on users to join one of the discussion groups and adding the signed-on user as an entry to a list associated with the requested discussion group.

9. A computer-implemented system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a message moderating module to select one of the signed-on users as a moderator of the discussion group, to transmit the voice message to the moderator, and to receive instructions from the moderator to perform at least one of accepting, rejecting, and annotating the voice message prior to sending the voice message to the other signed-on users in the discussion group.

10. A computer-implemented method for transmitting voice messages to a discussion group, comprising:

identifying users signed-on to a voice message server, wherein each signed-on user is associated with one or more discussion groups and a personal communication device;

receiving on the voice message server, a voice message from one of the signed-on users via the personal communication device associated with that user and a discussion group to which the voice message is to be sent;

determining the discussion group identification associated with the voice message;

scanning queues of messages for each discussion group;

adding the voice message to the queue for the discussion group associated with the discussion group identification;

identifying the other signed-on users associated with the discussion group; and

providing the voice message from the signed-on user to the other signed-on users in the discussion group.

11. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting to the personal communication device of the signed-on user, voice messages from one or more of the other signed-on users in the discussion group.

12. A computer-implemented method according to claim 11, further comprising at least one of:

forwarding one or more of the received voice messages from the signed-on user to other users;

editing one or more of the received voice messages; and

resending one or more of the received voice messages from the signed-on user to other users.

13. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting voice messages received by the voice message server to the signed-on users in the discussion groups until the signed-on users sign out of the voice message server for that discussion group.

14. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10, further comprising:

associating the voice message with at least one of a user identification, discussion group identification, message identification, and time-stamp.

15. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10, further comprising:

identifying the personal communication devices associated with each of the other identified signed-on users in the discussion group; and

transmitting the voice message to the personal communication device of each of the other identified signed-on users.

16. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving one of instructions to sign on and to sign-off the signed-on user.

17. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10, further comprising:

forming discussion groups of two or more of the signed-on users, comprising;

receiving a request from one of the signed-on users to join one of the discussion groups; and

adding the signed-on user as an entry to a list associated with the requested discussion group.

18. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10, further comprising:

selecting one of the signed-on users as a moderator of the discussion group;

transmitting the voice message to the moderator; and

receiving instructions from the moderator to perform at least one of accepting, rejecting, and annotating the voice message prior to sending the voice message to the other signed-on users in the discussion group.

19. A computer-implemented system for transmitting voice messages to a discussion group, comprising:

an identification module to identify users signed-on to a voice message server, wherein each signed-on user is associated with one or more discussion groups and a personal communication device;

a message receipt module to receive on the voice message server, a voice message from one of the signed-on users via the personal communication device associated with that user and a discussion group to which the voice message is to be sent;

a delivery module to provide the voice message from the signed-on user to the other signed-on users in the discussion group and to transmit to the personal communication device of the signed-on user, voice messages from one or more of the other signed-on users in the discussion group; and

an action module to forward one or more of the received voice messages from the signed-on user to the other users, to edit one or more of the received voice messages, or to resend one or more of the received voice messages from the signed-on user to other users.

20. A computer-implemented method for transmitting voice messages to a discussion group, comprising:

identifying users signed-on to a voice message server, wherein each signed-on user is associated with one or more discussion groups and a personal communication device;

receiving on the voice message server, a voice message from one of the signed-on users via the personal communication device associated with that user and a discussion group to which the voice message is to be sent;

providing the voice message from the signed-on user to the other signed-on users in the discussion group;

transmitting to the personal communication device of the signed-on user, voice messages from one or more of the other signed-on users in the discussion group; and

forwarding one or more of the received voice messages from the signed-on user to other users in the discussion group, editing one or more of the received voice messages, or resending one or more of the received voice messages from the signed-on user to other users in the discussion group.