System and method for callee-caller specific greetings for voice mail

• US 9,769,316 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• 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:
  US14/996,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20160134756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 379 671- 8828, 4554121-4262
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings

Abstract

A method for customization of voice mail messaging. The method includes recording a plurality of voice mail messages, defining selection criteria for each of the plurality of voice mail messages, establishing a first call for which one of the plurality of voice mail messages will be selected, identifying parameters of the first call, matching the parameters with the selection criteria, selecting the one of the plurality of messages based on the matching step, and playing the selected message on the first call.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

defining selection criteria for each voicemail greeting of a plurality of voicemail greetings associated with a voicemail box;

for a call from a calling party to a first line of a plurality of telephone lines associated with the voice mailbox, determining a local time of the call, the local time associated with the calling party;

comparing the first telephone line and the local time with the selection criteria;

determining a number of times the calling party has called;

selecting a selected voicemail greeting from the plurality of voicemail greetings based on the number of times the calling party has called and on the comparing, the selected voicemail greeting includes content based on the local time; and

when the calling party reaches the voicemail box, playing the selected voicemail greeting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is further based on an identity of the calling party.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a confirmation that a subscriber associated with the voicemail box received a responsive message left by the calling party at the voicemail box.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a transcription of the selected voicemail greeting to the calling party.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises at least one of “

good morning,”

“

good afternoon,”

or “

good evening”

.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the local time comprises determining a geographic location associated with the calling party.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising instructions that cause the processor executing the instructions to effectuate operations comprising;

defining selection criteria for each voicemail greeting of a plurality of voicemail greetings associated with a voicemail box;

for a call from a calling party to a first line associated with the voice mailbox, determining a local time of the call, the local time associated with the calling party;

determining a number of times the calling party has called; and

selecting a selected voicemail greeting from the plurality of voicemail greetings based on the number of times the calling party has called, the selected voicemail greeting includes content based on the local time.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the selecting is further based on an identity of the calling party.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, the operations further comprising providing a confirmation that a subscriber associated with the voicemail box received a responsive message left by the calling party at the voicemail box.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, the operations further comprising providing a transcription of the selected voicemail greeting to the calling party.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the content comprises at least one of “

good morning,”

“

good afternoon,”

or “

good evening”

.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that is not a transitory signal, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause a processor executing the instructions to effectuate operations comprising:

defining selection criteria for each voicemail greeting of a plurality of voicemail greetings associated with a voicemail box;

for a call from a calling party to a first line of a plurality of telephone lines associated with the voice mailbox, determining a local time of the call, the local time associated with the calling party;

determining a number of times the calling party has called;

comparing the first telephone line and the local time with the selection criteria; and

selecting a selected voicemail greeting from the plurality of voicemail greetings based on the comparing and the number of times the calling party has called, the selected voicemail greeting includes content based on the local time.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the selecting is further based on an identity of the calling party.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise providing a confirmation that a subscriber associated with the voicemail box received a responsive message left by the calling party at the voicemail box.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising providing a transcription of the selected voicemail greeting to the calling party.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the content comprises at least one of “

good morning,”

“

good afternoon,”

or “

good evening”

.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising playing the selected voicemail greeting when the calling party reaches the voicemail box.