System and method of provisioning subscribers in a messaging environment comprising two messaging systems

• US 6,275,570 B1
• Filed: 04/22/1998
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Keeley, James J., Homan, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US09/064,279
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.26, 379/88.27, 379/201.12
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components

Abstract

A system and method for the provisioning of subscribers of a first communications network, such as a voice messaging system, to a second communications network, such as an e-mail messaging system. An exemplary system and method is described in which subscribers to a universal voice messaging system (UVMS) which handles voice and fax messages are provisioned to a message handling system (MHS) which handles e-mail messages. A message handling system provision service (MPS) provides the provisioning of the first network'"'"'s subscribers to the second network. Thus, data is provisioned at a first messaging system and is forwarded to a second messaging system. Additional data for the subscriber from the second messaging system is returned to the first messaging system.

Claims

1. A system for provisioning subscribers of a messaging system, comprising:

a first messaging system providing information services to the subscribers including first subscriber information storage means and first message storage means for storing a first plurality of messages;

a second messaging system providing information services to the subscribers including second subscriber information storage means and second message storage means for storing a second plurality of messages, said first and second messaging systems being different types of systems;

provisioner means for receiving subscriber information at said first messaging system; and

message handling system provisioning service provider (MPS) means coupled to said first and second messaging systems for transferring said subscriber information to said second messaging system from said provisioner means, wherein said MPS serves as an entry point for said first messaging system to call to pass subscriber information to said second messaging system, wherein on return from said entry point said second messaging system provides said first messaging system with additional subscriber information including a global unique identifier that both messaging systems use to identify subscribers.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first messaging system comprises at least one of a voice-mail and a fax service, and said second messaging system comprises an e-mail service.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising addressing services storage means and network application platform means coupled to said provisioner means, said network application platform means for retrieving addressing services data from said addressing service storage means, preparing a data array, and providing said data array to said MPS means.

4. The system according to claim 3, further comprising pass-through and protection means disposed between said first messaging system and said second messaging system for isolating said first subscriber information storage means and said first message storage means from said second subscriber information storage means and said second message storage means.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said subscriber information is provided to said provisioner means by a system administrator.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said subscriber information is provided to said provisioner means from a computer file.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second messaging system includes:

universal messaging administration program means for modifying said second subscriber information storage means;

message store provider means for controlling access to said second message storage means;

a message transfer agent to control the routing of said messages stored in said second message storage means;

a reliable transfer service element to control message transfers between said second messages storage means and additional messaging systems;

addressing services means for controlling access to said second subscriber information storage means;

a protocol interpreter to encode and decode said messages stored in said second message storage means; and

a common messaging call application programming interface (CMC API) to allow said first messaging system to access said messages stored in said second message storage means.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first messaging system has a first protocol and said second messaging system has a second protocol, said first and second protocols being the same.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first messaging system has a first protocol and said second messaging system has a second protocol, said first and second protocols being different.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said MPS means has a single entry point.

11. A method for provisioning subscribers in a messaging system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a provisioning request at provisioner means of a first messaging system, said first messaging system providing information services to the subscribers and including first subscriber information storage means and first message storage means for storing a first plurality of messages;

receiving subscriber information at said provisioner means of said first messaging system;

forming a data array containing said subscriber information;

transmitting said data array to a second messaging system via an entry point provided by a message handling system provisioning service provider (MPS) means, said second messaging system providing information services to the subscribers and including second subscriber information storage means and second message storage means for storing a second plurality of messages, and said first and second messaging systems being different types of systems; and

transmitting further subscriber information, including a global unique identifier that both messaging systems use to identify subscribers, from said second messaging system to said first messaging system.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of receiving subscriber information includes one of receiving said subscriber information from a system administrator and receiving said system information from a computer file.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said provisioning request is one of an add, delete, and modify subscriber information request.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of retrieving addressing services data from addressing service storage means prior to forming said data array.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of transmitting said data array through pass-through and protection means prior to said step of transmitting said data array to said second messaging system, said pass-through and protection means disposed between said first messaging system and said second messaging system for isolating said first subscriber information storage means and said first message storage means from said second subscriber information storage means and said second message storage means.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of creating a subscriber information template prior to said step of receiving subscriber information at said provisioner means.

17. A system for provisioning subscribers of a first messaging system to a second messaging system, said first messaging system (105) providing a first set of messaging services to the subscribers and including a store (106, 107) of first subscriber information and a first plurality of subscriber messages, said second messaging system (130) providing a second set of messaging services to the subscribers and including a store (135, 137) of second subscriber information and a second plurality of subscriber messages, said first and second sets of messaging services being different, comprising:

a first provisioner (110) for receiving data to be used in provisioning said first and second messaging systems;

an addressing services database (117) containing addressing services data;

a network application platform (NAP) (115), coupled to said first messaging system (105), including means for retrieving addressing services data from said addressing services database (117) and arranging said addressing services data along with said data received via said first provisioner (110) into a data array for use by an MPS;

a pass-through and protection mechanism (120) comprising means for protecting said store of first subscriber information from said store of second subscriber information; and

said message handling system provisioning service provider (MPS) (125) operatively coupled to said pass-through and protection mechanism (120) and to said second messaging system (130), wherein said MPS provisions said second messaging system with information received via said first provisioner (110) and said pass-through and protection mechanism (120), wherein said MPS (125) serves as an entry point for said first messaging system (105) to call to pass subscriber information to said second messaging system (130), wherein on return from said entry point said second messaging system (130) provides said first messaging system (105) with additional subscriber information including a global unique identifier that both messaging systems use to identify subscribers.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein said first provisioner (110) accesses said addressing services database (117) and said pass-through and protection mechanism (120) when sending data to said MPS (125) to be provisioned on said second messaging system (130).

19. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein said first messaging system (105) calls said MPS (125) every time a subscriber is added, changed, or deleted.

20. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein said first messaging system (105) further includes means for updating said addressing services database (117) with information concerning one or more subscribers'"'"' mailboxes.

21. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein said first messaging system (105) comprises at least one of a voice-mail and a fax service, and said second messaging system (130) comprises an e-mail service.