Voicemail short message service method and means and a subscriber terminal

• US 20070190987A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: S Aqua Semiconductor LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Suinno Oy
• Inventors: Vaananen, Mikko
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• 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 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems
• 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: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

The invention relates to a voicemail short messaging method (10, 20, 30) and means and a subscriber terminal (500). In particular it concerns a method and means for instantaneous packet switched voicemail between Internet compatible computers, personal digital assistants, telephones and mobile stations. In particular the inventive subscriber terminal (500) concerns a hardware and a software setup that allows the combined use of audio and/or video devices (550) with both the normal cellular or fixed telephony network (520) and with an Internet connection (510). The inventive subscriber terminal (500) allows the flexible use of both the Internet and telephony network with numerous advantages, one of which is the inventive voicemail short messaging method under study. The inventive voicemail messaging method (10), comprising at least one subscriber terminal is characterised by server independence.

Claims

1. A mobile messaging method, comprising at least one mobile subscriber terminal, said method comprising:

choosing at least one message recipient or a group,

recording at least one video message and optionally a voice message with said at least one mobile subscriber terminal,

writing the at least one recorded message to at least one data file on said mobile subscriber terminal, and

transmitting said at least one data file directly from said mobile subscriber terminal to the at least one recipient or group by wireless network access via telephony network or the Internet.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recipient is chosen on the basis of the telephone number, or a name corresponding to the recipient'"'"'s telephone number in the phone book of the subscriber terminal, by labeling the recipient with a pointer from the “

contacts”

file of the terminal device, by speech recognition, a dedicated keyboard accelerator, hot key, dedicated key or any combinations or permutations of these.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said telephone number and/or name is converted to an IP-address, email address and/or an ISDN address from a central directory on the Internet, in the telephony network, or from the memory of said subscriber terminal.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one subscriber terminal is a TCP/IP, CDMA, GSM, GPRS, WCDMA, UMTS, Teldesic, Iridium, Inmarsat, IP-RAN, WLAN, Globalstar, DIGI-TV, SS7, HTTP, H323, IrDA, Bluetooth, NADC, PCS, JDC, ISDN, TDMA, EDGE and/or imode compliant mobile station and/or a PDA.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the receiver is unavailable the at least one message may be stored on a central server.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

if the receiving terminal is unable to reproduce the data format, the data transmission may be stored on a central server, and the server may convert the data format to be reproducible data format and send it to the same directory or another directory,

and/or the server may convert the data format to sound and play it to the receiving subscriber terminal through a telecommunications connection and/or an Internet connection in real time or at a later time.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the packets are IP-packets, the data file is a MP3-or an WAV-file, and their transmission and reception conforms to TCP/IP, CDMA, GSM, GPRS, WCDMA, UMTS, Teldesic, Iridium, Inmarsat, IP-RAN, WLAN, Globalstar, DIGI-TV, SS7, HTTP, H323, IrDA, Bluetooth, NADC, PCS, JDC, ISDN, TDMA, EDGE and/or imode standards.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one recipient receives and plays the data file and/or packet stream, and the recipient is provided with a chance to answer at least one sender and/or at least one recipient.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting comprises dialing a connection and/or playing the file as playback through the communication connection or the telephone line.

19. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to control the computer to execute the method of claim 1.

2. A mobile messaging method, comprising at least one mobile subscriber terminal, said method comprising:

choosing at least one message recipient or a group,

recording at least one video message and optionally a voice message on said mobile subscriber terminal,

streaming said at least one message as data packets to the at least one recipient by wireless network access via telephony network or the Internet, and

the at least one recipient receives and/or reassembles said packet stream as a data file.

20. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to control the computer to execute the method of claim 2.

3. A mobile messaging method, comprising at least one mobile subscriber terminal, said method comprising:

choosing at least one message recipient,

recording at least one video message and optionally a voice message to said at least one mobile subscriber terminal,

writing said at least one recording to at least one data file on said mobile subscriber terminal,

decomposing said at least one data file into IP-packets, and

streaming packets to the at least one message recipient by wireless network access via telephony network or the Internet.

21. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to control the computer to execute the method of claim 3.

12. A subscriber terminal, comprising a software, an Internet connection and/or a telephony network connection, wherein

the software is arranged to transmit and receive data and/or record and/or play files using both the Internet and/or the telephony network connection simultaneously or at separate times;

the software is arranged to use some or all of the same audio and/or video devices with both of the connections; and

the subscriber terminal is arranged to send video messages and optionally audio messages recorded on the subscriber terminal in data file format via a wireless connection.

13. The subscriber terminal according to claim 12, wherein the software application is an MP3- or a WAV-media player or another media player in connection with the software and/or communication drivers for the Internet connection devices and/or telephony network connection devices.

14. The subscriber terminal according to claim 12, wherein the subscriber terminal is a TCP/IP, CDMA, GSM, GPRS, WCDMA, UMTS, Teldesic, Iridium, Inmarsat, IP-RAN, WLAN, Globalstar, DIGI-TV, SS7, HTTP, H323, IrDA, Bluetooth, NADC, PCS, JDC, ISDN, TDMA, EDGE and/or imode compliant mobile station and/or a PDA.

15. The subscriber terminal according to claim 12, wherein the subscriber terminal is a UMTS, GSM-, WAP-, Teldesic-, Inmarsat-, Iridium-, GPRS-, CDMA-, and/or WCDMA mobile station or a Personal Computer or an Apple Macintosh computer and/or a PDA, which has a common data-BUS to the audio and/or video devices from both the Internet connection and the telephony network connection.

16. The software application according to claim 12, wherein at least one software is an integral part of the operating system of the subscriber terminal, and/or an application operating under the control of the operating system of the subscriber terminal, and/or an application operating under the control of the operating system of the subscriber terminal.

17. A client terminal, comprising recipient contact information, at least one telephony and/or Internet connection means, media recorder, and a user interface, and recording and/or reproduction means, wherein

at least one dedicated action from the user interface indicates at least one message recipient or a group of recipients from the associated recipient contact information and arranges the media recorder to record a video signal and optionally an audio signal from the recording and/or reproduction means to a data file, said data file is directly sent, played and/or reproduced to the at least one recipient or the group of recipients using said telephony and/or Internet connection.

18. The client terminal in accordance with claim 17, wherein said dedicated action may be given orally and recognized by speech recognition, by a press and/or release of real or virtual button, a dedicated keyboard accelerator, hot key, dedicated key or any combinations or permutations of these.

22. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to control the computer to operate an operating system of the client terminal of claim 17.

23. A mobile messaging method, comprising at least one mobile subscriber terminal, said method comprising:

choosing at least one message recipient or a group,

recording at least one video message and optionally an audio message with said at least one mobile subscriber terminal to create at least one recording and simultaneously writing the at least one recording to at least one data file on said mobile subscriber terminal, and

transmitting said at least one data file directly from said mobile subscriber terminal to the at least one recipient or group by wireless network access via telephony network or the Internet.