Voice attachment to an email using a wireless communication device

• US 20020194279A1
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cricket Communications Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chern, Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a multimedia electronic (mail) system and method for sending a voice message to an email recipient. The multimedia mail system includes a wireless communications network, at least one wireless communication device, an interactive voice response server for converting the voice message to a digitally stored audio file, and an email server for sending the audio file to the email recipient. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of communicatively connecting to a first server over the wireless communications network, selecting an option to send the audio file to the email recipient, communicatively connecting to a second server over the wireless communications network, recording the audio file on the second server, and sending the audio file to the email recipient.

Claims

1. A method for sending an audio file to an electronic mail (email) recipient over a wireless communications network from a user of a wireless communication device, comprising:

communicatively connecting to a first server over the wireless communications network;

selecting an option to send the audio file to the email recipient;

communicatively connecting to a second server over the wireless communications network;

recording the audio file on the second server; and

sending the audio file to the email recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicatively connecting to a first server further comprises the steps of:

dialing a phone number for connecting to the first server using the wireless communication device; and

establishing a data packet connection between the wireless communication device and the first server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting an option to send the audio file further comprises the steps of:

selecting an option for composing a new email file; and

selecting an option for attaching the audio file to the new email file.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting an option to send the audio file further comprises the steps of;

viewing a received email file on the wireless communication device;

selecting an option to respond to the received email file; and

selecting an option for attaching the audio file to the response to the received email file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicatively connecting to a second server further comprises the steps of:

transmitting a signal to the second server indicating a pending connection with the wireless communication device;

terminating the connection with the first server; and

establishing an audio connection between the wireless communication device and the second server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of transmitting a signal to the second server further comprises the step of sending user identification information to the second server.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of terminating the connection with the first server comprises the step of storing a set of state information on the wireless communication device, the state information comprising a status of an interaction between the wireless communication device and the first server for allowing the wireless communication device to return to the same state in the first server that existed prior to the step of terminating the connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of recording the audio file comprises the steps of:

providing an audio input through the wireless communication device; and

storing the audio input as an audio file on the second server.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of providing the user with at least one option, the option selected from the group consisting of:

re-recording the audio file, canceling the recording, and sending the audio file to the email recipient.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending the audio file to the email recipient further comprises the steps of:

transmitting a signal to the first server indicating that the audio file is ready to be sent;

attaching the audio file to an electronic mail file; and

sending the electronic mail file to the email recipient.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of reconnecting to the first server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of reconnecting to the first server comprises the step of providing the user with a plurality of options selected from the group consisting of:

listening to a second audio file stored on the second server, and reconnecting to the first server.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first server comprises an email server.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second server comprises an interactive voice response server.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second servers are connected by common platform means.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio file comprises a .wav file.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending the audio file to the email recipient comprises the step of sending a hyperlink to the audio file stored on the second server.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said wireless communication device is a wireless phone.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said converting means is an interactive voice response server and said mailing means is an email server.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to call said mailing means and present identification information to said mailing means.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the digitally stored audio file comprises a .wav file.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the digitally stored audio file comprises a streaming audio file.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein said wireless handset is further adapted to present information to the user by means of a wireless markup language.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein said mailing means and said converting means are connected by common platform means.

18. A method for sending a message to an electronic mail (email) recipient over a wireless communications network from a user of a wireless communication device, comprising:

dialing a phone number for communicatively connecting to an email server in a data packet connection over the wireless communication network;

selecting an option to send a voice message to the email recipient;

recording the voice message on an interactive voice response server; and

sending the voice message in an attachment to an email to the email recipient.

19. A multimedia electronic mail (email) system for sending a voice message to an email recipient, comprising:

a wireless communications network capable of supporting audio and data transmission, said wireless communications network comprising at least one base station, at least one base station controller, at least one mobile switching center;

a wireless communication device in communication with the wireless communications network through the at least one base station, said wireless communication device comprising;

a receiver for receiving email text;

a display for displaying the email text to a user of said wireless communication device; and

audio input/output means for receiving audio input and delivering audio output;

converting means for converting the voice message to a digitally stored audio file, said converting means in communication with said wireless communication device over said wireless communications network; and

mailing means for sending the audio file to the email recipient, said mailing means in communication with said wireless communication device over said wireless communications network.