Network-based multimedia communications and directory system and method of operation

• US 6,031,895 A
• Filed: 04/07/1998
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Dimitroff, Michael P., Vaudreuil, Gregory M., Cohn, Robert S., Whipple, Mark B., Huch, Alan T., Reece, David M., Kalbfleisch, Carl W., Swoopes, James R., Schoeneberger, Carl F., O'Neal, Carlton C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S.
• Application Number:
  US09/056,673
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.18, 379/88.25, 379/88.26, 379/88.12, 379/88.11, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• 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: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 Data transmission, file transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13248 : Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13336 : Store & forward, messaging systems email H04Q2213/13375
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 : Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A communications system (10) is provided which comprises a plurality of network hubs (12), (14), and (16). Network hubs (12), (14), and (16) are interconnected through a communications network (18). The system (10) interconnects messaging systems (24), (26), (28), (30), (32), (34), (36), (40), (42) and (44) having disparate capabilities and using disparate communications protocols. The network hubs use numbers of connection processors (52) and (54) to interact with the messaging systems. A hub database (68) and message store (58) are used to store control information and messaging information within the network hubs. A network processor (60) is used to interact with other hubs within the communications system (10). A message router (72), connection manager (74), data replicator (76), and an administrative event manager (78) are used to control the operations of the hub in processing a message. A management server (64) and a event processor (70) are used by communications system (10) to manage the internal operations of each of the network hubs. The network center (37) contains a customer computer interface system (167) and an interactive voice response system (169) to allow user interaction with information provider databases (39), a customer service system (161), a message tracking system (163), a billing system (159), and a HelpLine system (157). The network center (37) contains a master database (151) that is used to synchronize the databases stored in each of the network hubs (12), (14), and (16).

Claims

1. A communications system, comprising:

a network system operable to be connected to external messaging systems;

interface systems resident in the network system and operable to be coupled to the external messaging systems, the network system operable to receive communications traffic through the interface systems from the external messaging systems; and

a database storage resident within the network system and operable to;

contain directory information associated with subscribers and non-subscribers of the communications system and an identification confirmation associated with each subscriber of the communications system,

supply an identification confirmation associated with a particular subscriber when the communications system receives a message destined for the particular subscriber, and

accumulate an identification confirmation for a sender of the message when the sender is a non-subscriber.

2. The system of claim 1 where the identification confirmations associated with said particular subscriber comprise data encoding the spoken name of the subscriber associated with the identification confirmations.

3. The system of claim 1 where the identification confirmations associated with said particular subscriber comprise data encoding the picture of the subscriber associated with the identification confirmation.

4. The system of claim 1 where the identification confirmations associated with said particular subscriber comprise data encoding the visual image of the signature of the subscriber.

5. The system of claim 1 where the database storage is further operable to store an extended absence greeting comprising the recorded voice of the subscriber associated with the identification confirmations informing would-be senders of messages of the extended absence of the user associated with the identification confirmations.