Message-indication testing

• US 8,942,354 B1
• Filed: 06/04/2014
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Wageman, Anthony James, Sladek, Tom, Carder, Diane Elaine
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US14/296,103
• Time in Patent Office: 237 Days
• Field of Search: 379/1.01, 379/1.02, 379/27.01, 379/27.02, 379/26.01, 379/29.01, 379/88.12, 379/88.25
• US Class Current: 379/1.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system to remotely test message-waiting notifications over a communications network is provided. The method includes receiving broadband signaling from a voicemail platform; converting the broadband signaling to narrowband signaling; and transmitting the narrowband signaling, which generates status notifications, and transmits the status notifications to a remote test location. The system includes a switching element that routes the broadband signaling generated by the voicemail platform. The switching element routes the broadband signaling to a message processing component that executes code that searches a message-waiting-notification database to generate appropriate tones based on the broadband signaling received from the switching element.

Claims

1. A media gateway for processing message-waiting indications (MWI) signaling, the media gateway comprising:

a communication interface that communicatively connects a voicemail platform to the media gateway and to customer premise equipment of one or more subscribers; and

a database to track MWI signal information associated with audible or visual notifications requested by the one or more subscribers to the voicemail platform, wherein the database confirms that the media gateway provides a user specified notification to the customer premise equipment of the one or more customers in response to the MWI signal information associated with audible or visual notifications.

2. The media gateway of claim 1, wherein MWI signaling is generated by the voicemail platform in response to messages left for the one or more subscribers.

3. The media gateway of claim 1, wherein MWI signaling is based on the SS7 protocol.

4. The media gateway of claim 1, wherein the customer premise equipment is on a cooperative network.

5. The media gateway of claim 4, wherein the cooperative network includes communication and entertainment service providers that bundle services.

6. The media gateway of claim 4, wherein the cooperative network includes satellite and cable service providers that bundle services.

7. The media gateway of claim 4, wherein the cooperative network includes a group of providers comprising:

cable-television providers, satellite-programming providers, wireless-telephony providers and local or long-distance providers.

8. The media gateway of claim 7, wherein the cooperative network securely shares infrastructure among the group of providers in the cooperative network.

9. The media gateway of claim 4, wherein the cooperative network provides e-bonding to connect electronic interfaces between the providers included in the group.

10. The media gateway of claim 1, wherein the customer premise equipment is on a noncooperative network.

11. The media gateway of claim 10, wherein the noncooperative networks do not share infrastructure resources.

12. The media gateway of claim 11, wherein the noncooperative networks require an added layer of security before reaching the customer premise equipment.

13. The media gateway of claim 11, wherein the added layer of security includes at least one firewall.

14. The media gateway of claim 11, wherein noncooperative networks include at least one wireless router that connects that connects an analog phone, wherein the wireless router is configured to process the MWI signaling.

15. A computer-implemented method for processing message-waiting indications (MWI) signaling at a media gateway, the method comprising:

connecting a voicemail platform to the media gateway and to customer premise equipment of one or more subscribers;

tracking MWI signal information associated with audible or visual notifications requested by the one or more subscribers to the voicemail platform in a database; and

confirming, via the database, that the media gateway provides a user specified notification to the customer premise equipment of the one or more subscribers in response to the MWI signal information in the database.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

processing voice messages associated with the MWI signaling to alert the one or more subscribers that a message is available.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the customer premise equipment is part of a cooperative network that includes groups of providers comprising:

cable-television providers, satellite-programming providers, wireless-telephony providers and local or long-distance providers.

18. The media gateway of claim 15, wherein the customer premise equipment is on a noncooperative network that does not share infrastructure resources.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer useable instructions for performing a computer-implemented method for processing message-waiting indications (MWI) signaling at a media gateway, the method comprising:

connecting a voicemail platform to the media gateway and to customer premise equipment of one or more subscribers;

tracking MWI signal information associated with audible or visual notifications requested by the one or more subscribers to the voicemail platform in a database;

confirming, via the database, that the media gateway provides a user specified notification to the customer premise equipment of the one or more subscribers in response to the MWI signal information in the database.

20. The media of claim 19, further comprising:

processing voice messages associated with the MWI signaling to alert the one or more subscribers that a message is available.