System and method for visual voice mail in a multi-screen environment

• US 9,025,739 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2011
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaw, Venson M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US13/277,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20130101096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 370259-271, 370351-357, 379 671- 8828, 4554121-4262, 4554561-466, 4555501-560, 4555751-5759, 455 901- 903, 704270-278, 709201-207, 709217-248, 348 1401- 1416
• US Class Current: 379/88.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/22 Synchronisation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

Abstract

A method of managing visual voice mail in a multi-screen environment. The method includes receiving voice mail messages in a server, creating a state machine for each message, pushing a visual voice mail notification to at least three devices, receiving an action command from one of the three devices and updating the state machine responsive to the receiving step.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a plurality of voice mail messages;

generating, for each message of the plurality of messages, a respective state machine, each state machine comprising an indication of a status of a respective voice mail message;

determining, by the server, a respective subscriber profile associated with each device of a plurality of devices; and

providing, to each device of the plurality of devices, a visual voice mail notification, the visual voice mail notification comprising;

an indication of the plurality of voice mail messages;

an indication of which voice mail message of the plurality of voice mail messages to be displayed on a device based on a subscriber profile associated with the device; and

an indication of a status of each voice mail of the plurality of voice mails based on a respective state machine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of an action command from a first device of the plurality of devices, the action command being associated with a first voice mail message of the plurality of voice mail messages;

updating a state machine for the first voice mail message based on the received indication of the action command;

generating a revised visual voice mail notification based on the updated state machine; and

providing, to the plurality of devices, the revised visual voice mail notification, the revised visual voice mail notification comprising an indication of how to display the first voice mail message on a device based on a subscriber profile associated with the device and the updated state machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each state machine comprises states for unread, read, reply, and delete.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of devices comprise a personal computer, a smart phone and a television.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice mail is translated to text for delivery to one of the plurality of devices.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the server, a classification of each voice mail message of the plurality of voice mail messages in accordance with a criteria; and

providing, by the server, the visual voice mail notification based on the classification.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the criteria is by called party designation.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the criteria is by calling party designation.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the criteria comprises one of a private designation or a public designation.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the criteria is the designation of an authorized user.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the visual voice mail notification if provided based on the criteria.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving, by a server, a plurality of voice mail messages;

generating, for each message of the plurality of messages, a respective state machine, each state machine comprising an indication of a status of a respective voice mail message;

determining, by the server, a respective subscriber profile associated with each device of a plurality of devices; and

providing, to each device of the plurality of devices, a visual voice mail notification, the visual voice mail notification comprising;

an indication of the plurality of voice mail messages;

an indication of which voice mail message of the plurality of voice mail messages to be displayed on a device based on a subscriber profile associated with the device; and

an indication of a status of each voice mail of the plurality of voice mails based on a respective state machine.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

receiving an indication of an action command from a first device of the plurality of devices, the action command being associated with a first voice mail message of the plurality of voice mail messages;

updating a state machine for the first voice mail message based on the received indication of the action command;

generating a revised visual voice mail notification based on the updated state machine; and

providing, to the plurality of devices, the revised visual voice mail notification, the revised visual voice mail notification comprising an indication of how to display the first voice mail message on a device based on a subscriber profile associated with the device and the updated state machine.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each state machine comprises states for unread, read, reply, and delete.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of devices comprise a personal computer, a smart phone and a television.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the voice mail is translated to text for delivery to one of the plurality of devices.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

providing, by the server, a classification of each voice mail message of the plurality of voice mail messages in accordance with a criteria; and

providing, by the server, the visual voice mail notification based on the classification.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the criteria is by called party designation.

19. A computer storage medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

receiving, by a server, a plurality of voice mail messages;

generating, for each message of the plurality of messages, a respective state machine, each state machine comprising an indication of a status of a respective voice mail message;

determining, by the server, a respective subscriber profile associated with each device of a plurality of devices; and

providing, to each device of the plurality of devices, a visual voice mail notification, the visual voice mail notification comprising;

an indication of the plurality of voice mail messages;

an indication of which voice mail message of the plurality of voice mail messages to be displayed on a device based on a subscriber profile associated with the device; and

an indication of a status of each voice mail of the plurality of voice mails based on a respective state machine.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 19, the operations further comprising:

receiving an indication of an action command from a first device of the plurality of devices, the action command being associated with a first voice mail message of the plurality of voice mail messages;

updating a state machine for the first voice mail message based on the received indication of the action command;

generating a revised visual voice mail notification based on the updated state machine; and

providing, to the plurality of devices, the revised visual voice mail notification, the revised visual voice mail notification comprising an indication of how to display the first voice mail message on a device based on a subscriber profile associated with the device and the updated state machine.