Mobile internet voice service

• US 20020007397A1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Published: 01/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lundin, Christer, Ouzounidis, Jan Michael, Williams, Christopher Donald
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method and a corresponding system for enabling the sending of messages to a recipient via any of a number of messaging systems of different types are disclosed. In the method addresses for said recipient are stored. Furthermore, recipient availability information is received from the messaging systems. The recipient availability information is interpreted so as to determine in which of the messaging systems the recipient is currently available. Furthermore, an originator input including an identification of the recipient is received and an address among the stored addresses that are associated with messaging systems in which the recipient is currently available is chosen. Finally, the messaging system associated with the chosen address is identified.

Claims

1. A method for enabling the sending of messages to a recipient via any of a number of messaging systems of different types, the method comprising:

storing addresses for said recipient;

receiving recipient availability information from said messaging systems;

interpreting said recipient availability information so as to determine in which of said messaging systems said recipient is currently available;

receiving an originator input including an identification of said recipient;

choosing an address among the stored addresses, which address is associated with a messaging system in which said recipient is currently available; and

identifying the messaging system associated with the chosen address.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of said messaging systems is a cellular mobile system and said recipient availability information includes an indication of whether a mobile unit of said recipient is available or not.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said indication of whether said mobile unit of said recipient is available or not is an indication of whether said mobile unit of said recipient is attached to said cellular mobile system or not, further comprising:

determining that said mobile unit of said recipient is available if said mobile unit of said recipient is attached to said cellular mobile system; and

determining that said mobile unit of said recipient is not available otherwise.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said indication of whether said mobile unit of said recipient is attached to said cellular mobile system or not is received from a Home Location Register in said cellular mobile system.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said indication of whether said mobile unit of said recipient is attached to said cellular mobile system or not is received from a Visitor Location Register in said cellular mobile system.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending a Short Message Service message to said mobile unit of said recipient via a Short Message Service Center in said cellular mobile system;

determining that said mobile unit of said recipient is available if an acknowledgement is received from the Short Message Service Center within a time limit; and

determining that said mobile unit of said recipient is not available otherwise.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing preferences for said recipient, which preferences includes an identification of a preferred address for communication,

wherein said chosen address is said preferred address.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said originator input further includes a message, further comprising sending said message to said recipient via the messaging system associated with said chosen address.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said originator input is received as a voice input, further comprising converting said voice input to text.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the originator input further includes a message, further comprising:

determining the type of message, text or voice, used in the messaging system associated with said chosen address; and

sending said message as said determined type of message to said recipient via the messaging system associated with said chosen address.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the messaging system associated with said chosen address is a cellular mobile system, said chosen address is a mobile phone number of a mobile unit of said recipient, and the message is sent as a Short Message Service message via said cellular mobile system.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the messaging system associated with said chosen address is an e-mail system, said chosen address is an e-mail address of said recipient, and the message is sent as an e-mail via said e-mail system.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a reply message from said recipient as said determined type of message via the messaging system associated with said chosen address;

converting said reply message to voice if said reply message is a text message.

14. A system for enabling the sending of messages to a recipient via any of a number of messaging systems of different types, comprising:

first interface means connected to said messaging systems;

second interface means for receiving an originator input including an identification of said recipient;

third interface means for receiving recipient availability information from said messaging systems;

memory means for storing addresses for said recipient;

first processing means for choosing an address of the stored addresses, and for identifying the messaging system associated to the chosen address; and

second processing means for interpreting said recipient availability information so as to determine in which of said messaging systems said recipient is currently available,

wherein said first processing means are operatively connected to said second processing means and arranged to choose an address among the addresses associated with said messaging systems in which said recipient is currently available.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein one of said messaging systems is a cellular mobile system and said third interface means are arranged to receive recipient availability information including an indication of whether a mobile unit of said recipient is available on or not.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said third interface means are arranged to receive said indication of whether said mobile unit of said recipient is available or not as an indication of whether said mobile unit of said recipient is attached to said cellular mobile system or not, and said second processing means are arranged to determine that said mobile unit of said recipient is available if said mobile unit of said recipient is attached to said cellular mobile system and to determine that said mobile unit of said recipient is not available otherwise.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said third interface means are arranged to receive said indication of whether said mobile unit of said recipient is attached to said cellular mobile system or not from a Home Location Register in said cellular mobile system.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said third interface means are arranged to receive said indication of whether said mobile unit of said recipient is attached to said cellular mobile system or not from a Visitor Location Register in said cellular mobile system.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said third interface means are further arranged to send a Short Message Service message to said mobile unit of said recipient via a Short Message Service Center in said cellular mobile system, and said second processing means are arranged to determine that said mobile unit of said recipient is available if an acknowledgement is received from the Short Message Service Center within a time limit and to determine that said mobile unit of said recipient is not available otherwise.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein said memory means are further arranged to store preferences for said recipient, which preferences include an identification of a preferred address for communication, and said first processing means are arranged to choose said preferred address.

21. The system according to claim 14, wherein said originator input further includes a message, and said first interface means are arranged to send said message to said recipient via the messaging system associated with said chosen address.

22. The system according claim 18, wherein said second interface means are arranged to receive said originator input as a text message, further comprising:

fourth interface means for receiving said originator input as a voice input;

converting means for converting said voice input to text, said converting means being connected to said second and said fourth interface means.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said first processing means are further arranged to determine the type of message, text or voice, used in the messaging system associated with said chosen address, and said first interface means are arranged to send said message as the determined type of message to said recipient via the messaging system associated with said chosen address.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein the messaging system associated with said chosen address is a cellular mobile system, said chosen address is a mobile phone number of a mobile unit of said recipient, and said first interface means are further arranged to send said message as a Short Message Service message via said cellular mobile system.

25. The system according to claim 21, wherein the messaging system associated with said chosen address is an e-mail system, said chosen address is an e-mail address of said recipient, and said first interface means are further arranged to send the message as an e-mail via said e-mail system.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein the messaging system associated with said chosen address is a cellular mobile system, said chosen address is a mobile phone number of a mobile unit of said recipient, and said first interface means are further arranged to send said message as a Short Message Service message via said cellular mobile system.

27. The system according to claim 23, wherein the messaging system associated with said chosen address is an e-mail system, said chosen address is an e-mail address of said recipient, and said first interface means are further arranged to send the message as an e-mail via said e-mail system.

28. The system according to claim 23, wherein said first interface means are further arranged to receive a reply message from said recipient via one of said messaging system, and said converting means are further arranged to convert said reply message to voice if said reply message is a text message.

29. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

storing addresses for said recipient;

receiving recipient availability information from said messaging systems; and

interpreting said recipient availability information so as to determine in which of said messaging systems said recipient is currently available;

receiving an originator input including an identification of said recipient;

choosing an address among the stored addresses, which address is associated with a messaging system in which said recipient is currently available; and

identifying the messaging system associated with the chosen address.

30. The computer readable medium according to claim 29 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:

storing preferences for said recipient, which preferences includes an identification of a preferred address for communication,

wherein the computer-executable instructions for performing the step of choosing an address among the stored addresses performs the step of;

choosing said preferred address.

31. The computer readable medium according to claim 29 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving an originator input including a message to said recipient; and

sending said message to said recipient via the messaging system associated with the chosen address.