Systems and methods for storing, delivering, and managing messages

• US 20050050349A1
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: j2 Cloud Services, LLC (Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Messaging Technologies, Inc. (J2 Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bobo, Charles R. II
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• 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 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53316 Messaging centre selected by message originator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53358 Message preview
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 : Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 : Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00214 : details of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00217 : only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP communication protocol aspects and techniques in packet data networks H04L69/00; network-specific arrangements or communication protocols supporting networked applications H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0022 : involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00458 : Sequential viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. browsing or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32106 : separate from the image data, e.g. in a different computer file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 : intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32432 : in a particular memory file for retrieval by the user, e.g. in a facsimile mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32438 : Informing the addressee of reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 : involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 : to a particular document or image or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 : Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 : Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 : Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 : of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 : of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 : of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3216 : of a job size, e.g. a number of images, pages or copies, size of file, length of message
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3243 : of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 : Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 : Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 : A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 : Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 : PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 : Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 : Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 : Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 : Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13286 : Direct in-dialling in PBX, DDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 : Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13336 : Store & forward, messaging systems email H04Q2213/13375
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13374 : Paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13405 : Dual frequency signaling, DTMF
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access

Abstract

A Message Storage and Deliver System (MSDS) is connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and receives incoming calls with these calls being facsimile, voice, or data transmissions. The MSDS detects the type of call and stores the message signal in a database. The MSDS is also connected to the Internet and has a hyper-text transfer protocol deamon (HTTPD) for receiving requests from users. The HTTPD forwards requests for certain files or messages to a network server which transmits at least part of the message to the HTTPD and then to the user. In addition to requests for certain documents, the HTTPD may also receive a request in the form of a search query. The search query is forwarded from the HTTPD to an application program for conducting the search of the database. The results of the search are forwarded through the HTTPD to the user. The user may then select one or more files or messages from the search results and may save the search for later reference.

Claims

1. A method of receiving a fax document via a DID telephone line and for making the fax document available to a user via a client web browser, the method comprising:

receiving a fax telephone call via a DID telephone line at an extension associated with a user, and receiving from the fax telephone call a fax document in a fax transmission format;

converting the fax document from the fax transmission format to a stored image file format;

storing the converted fax document into a message storage mailbox associated with the user;

coupling an access control web page via a packet switched data network to the client web browser executing on a client computer operated by the user, wherein the access control web page includes a user logon prompt that allows the user to gain access to a second web page;

coupling the second web page via the packet switched data network to the user, wherein the second web page includes at least N links to stored messages, where N is a non-negative number that represents the number of fax messages presently stored the user mailbox;

receiving via the packet switched data network from the client web browser an indication that the user has selected one of the N links in order to request a selected fax message to be downloaded to a client computer; and

coupling via the packet switched data network the selected fax message to the client computer in response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the web page complies with the HTML format.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third acts of coupling and the act of receiving occur in accordance with a hypertext transfer protocol.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the hypertext transfer protocol is implemented using a hypertext transfer protocol daemon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored image file format is a tagged image file format (.TIF).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored image file format is a graphic interchange file format (.GIF).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored image file format is a JPEG file format.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the web page comprises an HTML file.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the HTML file includes tagged objects that correspond to links to the messages stored in the user mailbox.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the web page comprises a tagged markup file that conforms to a dialect of a standardized generalized markup language (SGML).

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending via email a notification to the user in response to receiving the message.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a voice telephone call via a the DID telephone line at the extension associated with the user, and receiving from the voice telephone call a voice message in a telephone voice signal transmission format;

converting the voice message to a stored voice file format;

storing the converted voice file into the message storage mailbox associated with the user, wherein the second web page includes at least N+M links to stored messages, where M is a non-negative number that represents the number of voice messages presently stored the user mailbox and each of the N messages displayed on the web page indicate to the user that the N messages are fax messages, and each of the M messages indicate to the user that the M messages are voice messages;

receiving via the packet switched data network from the client web browser an indication that the user has selected one of the M links in order to request a selected voice message to be downloaded to a client; and

coupling via the packet switched data network the selected voice message to the client computer in response to the request.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored voice file format is a compressed speech file format.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored voice file format is a .WAV file format.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is required to enter a user name and a password into the first web page in order to gain access to the second web page.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a DID trunk line for receiving a telephone call at a dialed telephone extension, the DID trunk being adapted to receive a message, wherein, depending on the content of the telephone call, the message is one of a voice message and fax message;

a storage area comprising one or more user mailboxes;

a first HTML web page comprising a form that enables a user to enter at least one of a username and a password in order to gain access to a second HTML web page, wherein the HTML second web page is indicative of the contents of a particular user mailbox associated with the particular user;

a first software function operative to associate the dialed telephone extension with the particular user mailbox;

a second software function operative to convert the message into a computer file in accordance with a storage file format and to store the computer file into a portion of the storage area associated with the particular user mailbox;

a third software function that writes information indicative of the presence of the computer file in the user mailbox into the second HTML web page, wherein the indication comprises a selectable link and an indication of whether the computer file corresponds to a stored fax message or a stored voice message; and

a fourth software function adapted to perform a server interaction with a client computer in accordance with a hypertext transfer protocol to communicate with a web browser that executes on the client computer via a packet switched data network;

wherein in response to a hypertext transfer protocol message indicating the selection of the selectable link, the computer file is coupled via the packet switched data network to the user web browser.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fourth software function comprises a hypertext transfer protocol daemon.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the message is a fax message and the stored storage file format is a tagged image file format (.TIF).

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the message is a fax message the storage file format is a graphic interchange file format (.GIF).

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the message is a voice message and the storage file format is a compressed speech file format.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the message is a voice message and the storage file format is a .WAV file format.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second HTML web page file includes tagged objects that correspond to links to the messages stored in the user mailbox.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a DID trunk line for receiving a telephone call at a dialed telephone extension, the DID trunk being adapted to receive a message, wherein, depending on the content of the telephone call, the message is one of a voice message and fax message;

a storage area comprising one or more user mailboxes;

a first markup language representation comprising a form that enables a user to enter at least one of a username and a password in order to gain access to a second markup language representation, wherein the second markup language representation is indicative of the contents of a particular user mailbox associated with the particular user;

a first software function operative to associate the dialed telephone extension with the particular user mailbox;

a second software function operative to convert the message into a computer file in accordance with a storage file format and to store the computer file into a portion of the storage area associated with the particular user mailbox;

a third software function that writes information indicative of the presence of the computer file in the user mailbox into the second markup language representation, wherein the indication comprises a selectable link and an indication of whether the computer file corresponds to a stored fax message or a stored voice message; and

a fourth software function adapted to perform a server interaction with a client computer in accordance with a hypertext transfer protocol to communicate with a web browser that executes on the client computer via a packet switched data network;

wherein in response to a hypertext transfer protocol message indicating the selection of the selectable link, the computer file is coupled via the packet switched data network to the user web browser.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the fourth software function comprises a hypertext transfer protocol daemon.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the message is a fax message and the stored storage file format is a tagged image file format (.TIF).

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the message is a fax message the storage file format is a graphic interchange file format (.GIF).

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the message is a voice message and the storage file format is a compressed speech file format.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the message is a voice message and the storage file format is a .WAV file format.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the second markup language representation includes tagged objects that correspond to links to the messages stored in the user mailbox.