System and methods for enhanced multimedia in VoIP networks

• US 9,300,804 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, James, Yasrebi, Mehrad
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US13/548,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20120281821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.02, 379/88.12, 379/88.22, 379/220.01, 379/211.01, 379/212.01, 379/214.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/158 Call-type dependent routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4518 Attachments to voicemail
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• 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 3/53366 Message disposing or creating 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

Abstract

Calls placed to a call recipient bypass the terminating messaging system, creating an enhanced message in the call originator'"'"'s messaging system and delivering the enhanced message using alternate routing information. A caller creates enhanced messages for a call recipient even when the call recipient'"'"'s messaging system does not support such functionality. The caller also embeds stored content and/or use links in the enhanced messages to allow the message to be modified and/or deleted before it is accessed by the call recipient.

Claims

1. A method of call forwarding comprising:

determining alternate routing information for a call placed from a caller to a call recipient;

forwarding the call to the call recipient with an indication that the call is not to be forwarded to a voicemail application based on the alternate routing information and that the call is to be handled according to the alternate routing information;

upon determining the call has not been answered by the call recipient, receiving a message recorded by the caller;

receiving an indication from the caller to include a link to previously stored additional content with the message recorded by the caller for the call recipient; and

creating an enhanced message comprising the message recorded by the caller and the link to the previously stored additional content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously stored additional content can be modified prior to access of the previously stored additional content by the call recipient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously stored additional content can be deleted prior to access of the previously stored additional content by the call recipient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously stored additional content comprises a second recorded message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the alternate routing information comprises:

performing a telephone number mapping query to determine alternate contact information for the call recipient.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the alternate contact information is an email address.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering the enhanced message comprising the message recorded by the caller and the link to the previously stored additional content to the call recipient according to the alternate routing information.

8. A tangible computer readable storage device storing computer program instructions for associating previously stored additional content with a message for a call recipient, which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining alternate routing information for a call placed from a caller to a call recipient;

forwarding the call to the call recipient with an indication that the call is not to be forwarded to a voicemail application based on the alternate routing information and that the call is to be handled according to the alternate routing information;

upon determining the call has not been answered by the call recipient, receiving a message recorded by the caller;

receiving an indication from the caller to include a link to the previously stored additional content with the message recorded by the caller for the call recipient; and

creating an enhanced message comprising the message recorded by the caller and the link to the previously stored additional content.

9. The tangible computer readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the previously stored additional content can be modified prior to access of the previously stored additional content by the call recipient.

10. The tangible computer readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the previously stored additional content can be deleted prior to access of the previously stored additional content by the call recipient.

11. The tangible computer readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the previously stored additional content comprises a second recorded message.

12. The tangible computer readable storage device of claim 8, wherein determining the alternate routing information comprises:

performing a telephone number mapping query to determine alternate contact information for the call recipient.

13. The tangible computer readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

delivering the enhanced message comprising the message recorded by the caller and the link to the previously stored additional content to the call recipient according to the alternate routing information.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing computer program instructions;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the computer program instructions, which, when executed on the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

determining alternate routing information for a call placed from a caller to a call recipient;

forwarding the call to the call recipient with an indication that the call is not to be forwarded to a voicemail application based on the alternate routing information and that the call is to be handled according to the alternate routing information;

upon determining the call has not been answered by the call recipient, receiving a message recorded by the caller;

receiving an indication from the caller to include a link to previously stored additional content with the message recorded by the caller for the call recipient; and

creating an enhanced message comprising the message recorded by the caller and the link to the previously stored additional content.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the previously stored additional content that can be modified prior to access of the previously stored additional content by the call recipient.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the previously stored additional content that can be deleted prior to access of the previously stored additional content by the call recipient.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein determining the alternate routing information comprises:

performing a telephone number mapping query to determine alternate contact information for the call recipient.