Voicemail Systems and Methods

• US 20080167008A1
• Filed: 01/07/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lamiraux, Henri, Wyld, Jeremy, Bush, Jeffrey, Novick, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 8,391,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/256 comprising a service specific user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/301 Management of recordings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

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:

establishing a first connection for playback of a first voicemail in response to a first selection of the first voicemail;

establishing a second connection for playback of a second voicemail and terminating the first connection in response to a second selection of the second voicemail while the first voicemail is being played back.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the method is performed by a first data processing system which comprises a telephone device and which is connected, through the first connection and the second connection, to a voicemail server.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the method is performed by a voicemail server which is connected, through the first connection and the second connection, to a first data processing system which comprises a telephone device.

4. The method as in claim 2 wherein the voicemail server records voicemails for customers of a public wireless cellular telephone carrier.

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

establishing a first connection for playback of a first voicemail in response to a first selection of the first voicemail;

establishing a second connection for playback of a second voicemail and terminating the first connection in response to a second selection of the second voicemail while the first voicemail is being played back.

6. The medium as in claim 5 wherein the method is performed by a first data processing system which comprises a telephone device and which is connected, through the first connection and the second connection, to a voicemail server.

7. The medium as in claim 5 wherein the method is performed by a voicemail server which is connected, through the first connection and the second connection, to a first data processing system which comprises a telephone device.

8. The medium as in claim 6 wherein the voicemail server records voicemails for customers of a public wireless cellular telephone carrier.

9. A machine comprising:

means for establishing a first connection for playback of a first voicemail in response to a first selection of the first voicemail;

means for establishing a second connection for playback of a second voicemail and terminating the first connection in response to a second selection of the second voicemail while the first voicemail is being played back.