Systems and Methods for Providing Enhanced Voicemail Services

• US 20090239507A1
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rainer, Brian Keith, Zubas, Michael Robert, Sigmund, William Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/58 Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4518 Attachments to voicemail messages including annexed information, e.g. Attachments, in packet switching networks H04L51/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4545 Message forwarding selective message forwarding in packet switching networks H04L51/214
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A method for operating a mobile device to set a voicemail greeting includes providing the mobile device with a memory for storing a visual voicemail (VVM) application, an I/O interface, and a microphone for receiving an audio input. The method further includes: receiving a selection for an option to record the voicemail greeting, receiving the audio input, recording the audio input as the voicemail greeting for a voicemail account associated with the mobile device, storing the recorded voicemail greeting in the memory, and generating a request that includes the recorded voicemail greeting, a network address for a VVM system, and instructions to set the voicemail greeting as an active voicemail greeting for the voicemail account. The method further includes transmitting the request to the VVM system and receiving a response from the VVM system that includes an indication of whether the voicemail greeting was set as the active voicemail greeting.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile device to set a voicemail greeting directly from the mobile device, the method comprising:

providing the mobile device with a memory for storing a visual voicemail (VVM) application, an I/O interface, and a microphone for receiving an audio input;

receiving, at the VVM application via the I/O interface, a selection for an option to record the voicemail greeting;

in response to the option being selected, receiving, via the microphone, the audio input;

the VVM application recording the audio input as the voicemail greeting for a voicemail account associated with the mobile device;

the VVM application storing the recorded voicemail greeting in the memory;

the VVM application generating a request in response to the voicemail greeting being stored in the memory, the request comprising the recorded voicemail greeting, a network address for a VVM system, and instructions to set the voicemail greeting as an active voicemail greeting for the voicemail account;

the mobile device transmitting the request to the VVM system using the network address; and

the mobile device receiving a response to the transmitted request from the VVM system, the response comprising an indication of whether the voicemail greeting was set as the active voicemail greeting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the VVM application generating the request comprises the VVM application generating a “

ChangeGreeting”

HTTP request comprising the recorded voicemail greeting in a MIME message body, the network address for the VVM system, and instructions to set the voicemail greeting as the active voicemail greeting for the voicemail account.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the mobile device receiving a hostname and port number for the VVM system in a prior communication with the VVM system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the mobile device receiving a security token for facilitating secure communications between the mobile device and the VVM system in a prior communication with the VVM system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the audio input as the voicemail greeting for the voicemail account associated with the mobile device comprises recording the audio input as a default voicemail greeting for the voicemail account associated with the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the audio input as the voicemail greeting for the voicemail account associated with the mobile device comprises recording the audio input as a contact-specific voicemail greeting for the voicemail account associated with the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the mobile device receiving an alternate selection to change the active voicemail greeting to a pre-recorded voicemail greeting.

8. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the steps of a method for operating a mobile device to set a voicemail greeting directly from the mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving a selection for an option to record the voicemail greeting;

in response to the option being selected, receiving audio input, and recording the audio input as the voicemail greeting for a voicemail account associated with the mobile device;

storing the recorded voicemail greeting;

generating a request in response to the voicemail greeting being stored, the request comprising the recorded voicemail greeting, a network address for a VVM system, and instructions to set the voicemail greeting as an active voicemail greeting for the voicemail account;

transmitting the request to the VVM system using the network address; and

receiving a response to the transmitted request from the VVM system, the response comprising an indication of whether the voicemail greeting was set as the active voicemail greeting.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein generating the request comprises generating a “

ChangeGreeting”

HTTP request comprising the recorded voicemail greeting in a MIME message body, the network address for the VVM system, and instructions to set the voicemail greeting as the active voicemail greeting for the voicemail account.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 further comprising receiving a hostname and port number for the VVM system in a prior communication with the VVM system.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 further comprising receiving a security token for facilitating secure communications between the mobile device and the VVM system in a prior communication with the VVM system.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein recording the audio input as the voicemail greeting for the voicemail account associated with the mobile device comprises recording the audio input as a default voicemail greeting for the voicemail account associated with the mobile device.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein recording the audio input as the voicemail greeting for the voicemail account associated with the mobile device comprises recording the audio input as a contact-specific voicemail greeting for the voicemail account associated with the mobile device.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 further comprising receiving an alternate selection to change the active voicemail greeting to a pre-recorded voicemail greeting.

15. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

a transceiver, in communication with the processor, the transceiver providing a communication interface between the mobile device and a visual voicemail (VVM) system remote to the mobile device;

a microphone, in communication with the processor, the microphone allowing audio signals to be received by the mobile device as an audio input;

an I/O interface, in communication with the processor, the I/O interface providing a man-machine interface between a user of the mobile device and a VVM application;

a memory, in communication with the processor, the memory comprising the VVM application for allowing user interaction via the I/O interface to set a voicemail greeting directly from the mobile device, wherein the VVM application;

receives, via the I/O interface, a selection for an option to record the voicemail greeting;

in response to the option being selected, receives, via the microphone, the audio input;

records the audio input as the voicemail greeting for a voicemail account associated with the mobile device;

stores the recorded voicemail greeting in the memory;

generates a request in response to the voicemail greeting being stored in the memory, the request comprising the recorded voicemail greeting, a network address for a VVM system, and instructions to set the voicemail greeting as an active voicemail greeting for the voicemail account;

transmits the request to the VVM system using the network address; and

receives a response to the transmitted request from the VVM system, the response comprising an indication of whether the voicemail greeting was set as the active voicemail greeting.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the VVM application generates a “

ChangeGreeting”

HTTP request comprising the recorded voicemail greeting in a MIME message body, the network address for the VVM system, and instructions to set the voicemail greeting as the active voicemail greeting for the voicemail account.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the VVM application further receives a hostname and port number for the VVM system.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the VVM application ftiiher receives a security token to provide secure communications between the mobile device and the VVM system.

19. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the VVM application records the audio input as a default voicemail greeting for the voicemail account associated with the mobile device.

20. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the VVM application records the audio input as a contact-specific voicemail greeting for the voicemail account associated with the mobile device.