Voice message transmission and playback

• US 9,264,546 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Inventors: Migimatsu, Taka
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US14/247,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20160006877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 may be 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 decoding device for converting a voice message received over a network into a voice signal for playback to a telephone device and may include a voice encoding device for converting a voice signal received into a voice message.

Claims

1. A method of voice transmission and playback comprising:

receiving voice data and sender/receiver information by a first access device, wherein said voice data comprises a voice message;

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

transmitting said voice data and at least a portion of said sender/receiver information to said second access device over a network, wherein said step of transmitting is initiated by said first access device after said step of receiving;

storing said voice data by said second access device;

decoding said voice data by said second access device to generate a voice signal for playback to a telephone device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said telephone device is coupled to said second access device over a telecommunication medium.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said telecommunication medium comprises part of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting utilizes a TCP/IP-based communication protocol.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said network comprises a part of the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1 where said step of receiving voice data comprises:

receiving a voice signal by said first access device;

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

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said sender/receiver information comprises a telephone number.

13. The system of claim 1 where said first access device is operable to receive a voice signal and encode said voice signal into said voice data.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said network comprises a packet-switched network.

8. 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 operable to receive voice data and sender/receiver information, wherein said voice data comprises a voice message, and to select a second access device from among said plurality of destination access devices based on said sender/receiver information triggered by receipt of said sender/receiver information;

wherein said network is operable to transmit said voice data and at least a portion of said sender/receiver information from said first access device to said second access device initiated by said first access device after said voice data is received by said first access device; and

wherein said second access device is operable to receive and store said voice data and to decode said voice data to generate a voice signal for playback to a telephone device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said telephone device is coupled to said second access device over a telecommunication medium.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said telecommunication medium comprises part of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said network utilizes a TCP/IP-based communication protocol.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said network comprises a part of the Internet.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein said sender/receiver information comprises a telephone number.

16. The system of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said network comprises a packet-switched network.