Voicemail Systems and Methods

• US 20080167007A1
• Filed: 01/07/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lamiraux, Henri, Wyld, Jeremy, Bush, Jeffrey, Novick, Gregory
• Application Number:
  US11/620,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167007A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/12 Counting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/256 comprising a service specific user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4545 Message forwarding selective message forwarding in packet switching networks H04L51/214
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• 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

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer readable media for providing or managing or using voicemails are described. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a first data processing system, data representing an expiration time of a voicemail left for a user of the first data processing system and storing the data representing the expiration time for later use by the first data processing system. Systems, media, and other methods are also described.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a first data processing system, data representing an expiration time of a voicemail left for a user of the first data processing system;

storing the data representing the expiration time for later use by the first data processing system.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting a user interface to the user, the user interface alerting the user of the expiration time of the voicemail.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting, in response to the expiration time, a request, from the first data processing system to a second data processing system, to perform at least one of extending the expiration time or saving the voicemail.

4. The method as in claim 3 wherein the first data processing system comprises a wireless cellular telephone and the second data processing system comprises a voicemail system which records voicemails left for customers of a public wireless cellular telephone carrier.

5. The method as in claim 4 wherein the transmitting occurs automatically before the expiration time and the request causes the second data processing system to transmit the voicemail to the first data processing system to be saved at the first data processing system.

6. The method as in claim 2 wherein the user interface comprises at least one control to (a) extend the expiration time or (b) save the voicemail.

7. A machine implemented method comprising:

recording, at a first data processing system, a voicemail left for a user;

transmitting, to a second data processing system, data representing an expiration time of the voicemail.

8. The method as in claim 7 wherein the first data processing system records voicemails left for customers of a public telephone carrier and the second data processing system comprises a wireless cellular telephone operated by the user.

9. The method as in claim 8 wherein the expiration time is based on the time of recording of the voicemail at the first data processing system.

10. The method as in claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a request from the second data processing system to perform at least one of extending the expiration time or saving of the voicemail.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting the voicemail to the second data processing system in response to a request to save the voicemail.

12. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed cause a system to perform a method comprising:

receiving, at a first data processing system, data representing an expiration time of a voicemail left for a user of the first data processing system;

storing the data representing the expiration time for later use by the first data processing system.

13. The medium as in claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting a user interface to the user, the user interface alerting the user of the expiration time of the voicemail.

14. The medium as in claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting, in response to the expiration time, a request, from the first data processing system to a second data processing system, to perform at least one of extending the expiration time or saving the voicemail.

15. The medium as in claim 14 wherein the first data processing system comprises a wireless cellular telephone and the second data processing system comprises a voicemail system which records voicemails left for customers of a public wireless cellular telephone carrier.

16. The medium as in claim 15 wherein the transmitting occurs automatically before the expiration time and the request causes the second data processing system to transmit the voicemail to the first data processing system to be saved at the first data processing system.

17. The medium as in claim 13 wherein the user interface comprises at least one control to (a) extend the expiration time or (b) save the voicemail.

18. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed cause a system to perform a method comprising:

recording, at a first data processing system, a voicemail left for a user;

transmitting, to a second data processing system, data representing an expiration time of the voicemail.

19. The medium as in claim 18 wherein the first data processing system records voicemails left for customers of a public telephone carrier and the second data processing system comprises a wireless cellular telephone operated by the user.

20. The medium as in claim 19 wherein the expiration time is based on the time of recording of the voicemail at the first data processing system.

21. The medium as in claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a request from the second data processing system to perform at least one of extending the expiration time or saving of the voicemail.

22. The medium as in claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting the voicemail to the second data processing system in response to a request to save the voicemail.

23. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed cause a system to perform a method comprising:

receiving, at a telephone device, data relating to an expiration of a voicemail from a voicemail server;

storing the parameter for later use by the telephone device.

24. A machine comprising:

means for receiving, at a first data processing system, data representing an expiration time of a voicemail left for a user of the first data processing system;

means for storing the data representing the expiration time for later use by the first data processing system.

25. A machine comprising:

means for recording, at a first data processing system, a voicemail left for a user;

means for transmitting, to a second data processing system, data representing an expiration time of the voicemail.