Apparatus and method for future transmission of device-independent messages

• US 6,438,217 B1
• Filed: 03/11/1999
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Huna, Emmanuel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weaver, Scott L.
• Application Number:
  US09/268,524
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.15, 379/93.24, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for entering and transmitting a message at a future delivery time to a receiving device that is coupled either to a telephony-centric network or to a data-centric network. The apparatus includes a message server, a data-centric network server, and a telephony-centric network server. The message server translates the message into a format compatible with the receiving device and initiates delivery of the message at the future delivery time. The data-centric network server transmits the message over the data-centric network and, if the receiving device is addressable over the data-centric network, then said data-centric network server delivers the message directly to the receiving device. The telephony-centric network server provides an interface between the data-centric network server and the telephony-centric network. If the receiving device is addressable by the telephony-centric network, then the telephony-centric network server receives the message from said data-centric network server and delivers the message to the receiving device over the telephony-centric network.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sending a message to a receiving device, the receiving device coupled to either a data-centric network or a telephony-centric network, the apparatus comprising:

a message server, configured to translate the message into a format compatible with the receiving device, and to initiate delivery of the message at a delivery time;

a data-centric network server, coupled to said message server, configured to transmit the message over the data-centric network, wherein, if the receiving device is addressable over the data-centric network, then said data-centric network server delivers the message to the receiving device; and

a telephony-centric network server, coupled to said data-centric network server, configured to interface said data-centric network server to the telephony-centric network, wherein, if the receiving device is addressable by the telephony-centric network, then said telephony-centric network server receives the message from said data-centric network server and delivers the message to the receiving device over the telephony-centric network.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving device comprises a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a desktop computer.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the receiving device is addressed by dialing a telephone number over the telephony-centric network.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol (IP) address over the data-centric network.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said IP address is accessed using TCP/IP protocol.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the message is supplied to the message server by an originator.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the telephony-centric network.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the data-centric network.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said data-centric network server transmits a message entry web page to said originator for configuration of the message.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said originating device comprises a computer that is executing a thin web client to receive said message entry web page.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said thin web client comprises Netscape®

Communicator or Microsoft®

Internet Explorer.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said originator prescribes the receiving device, the message, and said delivery time by completing fields within said message entry web page.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said message server selects said format for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the receiving device.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein, if the receiving device is addressable over the telephony-centric network, said message server includes a telephone number within the message that corresponds to the receiving device.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said telephony-centric network server extracts said telephone number from within a field of the message for initiating a call over the telephony-centric network to the receiving device for delivery of the message.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said message server comprises message scheduling logic, for determining when said delivery time occurs.

19. A mechanism for sending to a receiving device a message having a field prescribing a delivery time, the receiving device being coupled to either a data-centric network or a telephony-centric network, the mechanism comprising:

a message server, for translating the message into a format compatible with the receiving device, and for initiating delivery of the message, said message server comprising;

a message scheduler, for causing said message server to initiate delivery of the message at the delivery time prescribed within the field of the message; and

a data-centric network server, coupled to said message server, for transmitting the message over a data-centric network for delivery to the receiving device.

20. The mechanism as recited in claim 19, wherein the receiving device is addressed by dialing a telephone number over the telephony-centric network.

21. The mechanism as recited in claim 20, wherein the receiving device comprises a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, or a cellular telephone.

22. The mechanism as recited in claim 19, wherein the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol (IP) address over the data-centric network.

23. The mechanism as recited in claim 22, wherein said IP address is accessed using TCP/IP protocol.

24. The mechanism as recited in claim 23, wherein the receiving device comprises a computer.

25. The mechanism as recited in claim 19, wherein the message is supplied to the message server by an originator.

26. The mechanism as recited in claim 25, wherein said originator supplies the message in voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the telephony-centric network.

27. The mechanism as recited in claim 26, wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the data-centric network.

28. The mechanism as recited in claim 27, wherein said data-centric network server transmits a message entry web page to said originator for configuration of the message.

29. The mechanism as recited in claim 28, wherein said originating device comprises a computer that is executing a thin web client to receive said message entry web page.

30. The mechanism as recited in claim 29, wherein said thin web client comprises Netscape®

Communicator or Microsoft®

Internet Explorer.

31. The mechanism as recited in claim 30, wherein said originator prescribes the recipient, the receiving device, the message, and said delivery time by completing fields within said message entry web page.

32. The mechanism as recited in claim 19, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

33. The mechanism as recited in claim 19, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

34. The mechanism as recited in claim 19, wherein said message server selects said format for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the receiving device.

35. The mechanism as recited in claim 34, wherein, if the receiving device is addressable over the telephony-centric network, said message server includes a telephone number within the message that corresponds to the receiving device.

36. The mechanism as recited in claim 34, further comprising:

a telephony-centric network server, coupled to said data-centric network server, for extracting said telephone number from within the message and for initiating a call over the telephony-centric network to the receiving device for delivery of the message.

46. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein said originator prescribes the receiving device, the message, and the specified delivery time by completing fields within said message entry web page.

47. The system as recited in claim 46, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

48. The system as recited in claim 47, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

49. The system as recited in claim 48, wherein said message server selects said format for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the receiving device.

50. The system as recited in claim 49, wherein said telephony-centric network server extracts said telephone number from within a field of the message and initiates a call over said telephony-centric network to the receiving device for delivery of the message.

37. A system for sending a message at a specified delivery time to a receiving device, the system comprising:

a message scheduler, configured to initiate delivery of the message at the specified delivery time;

a message server, coupled to said message scheduler, configured to translate the message into a format that is compatible with the receiving device;

a data-centric network server, coupled to said message server, configured to transmit the message;

a data-centric network, coupled to said data-centric network server, configured to route the message from said data-centric network server to either the receiving device or a telephony-centric network server, wherein, if the receiving device is addressable over a telephony-centric network, then said data-centric network routes the message to said telephony-centric network server.

38. The system as recited in claim 37, wherein, if said receiving device is addressable over said data-centric network, then the message is routed directly to said receiving device.

39. The system as recited in claim 38, wherein the receiving device comprises a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a computer, or a cellular telephone.

40. The system as recited in claim 39, wherein the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol (IP) address over said data-centric network or by dialing a telephone number over said telephony-centric network.

41. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein an originator supplies the message in voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the telephony-centric network.

42. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the data-centric network.

43. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein said originating device comprises a computer that is executing a web browser.

44. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein said web browser comprises Netscape®

Communicator or Microsoft®

Internet Explorer.

45. The system as recited in claim 44, wherein said data-centric network server transmits a message entry web page to said originating device for configuration of the message.

51. A method for sending a message at a delivery time to a receiving device that is coupled either to a data-centric network or a telephony-centric network, the method comprising:

a) generating the message from an originating device, the message having a recipient field prescribing a receiving device and having a delivery time field prescribing a delivery time;

b) translating the message into a format that is compatible with the receiving device;

c) at or before the delivery time prescribed in the delivery time field of the message, transmitting the message over the data centric network to the receiving device prescribed in the recipient field;

d) if the receiving device is coupled to the data-centric network, routing the message directly to the receiving device; and

e) if the receiving device is coupled to the telephony-centric network, routing the message directly to a telephony-centric network server over the data-centric network, and causing the telephony-centric network server to deliver the message to the receiving device.

52. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein the originating device is addressable via a telephony-centric network.

53. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein the originating device is addressable via the data-centric network.

54. The method as recited in claim 53, wherein the originating device is a computer that is executing a thin web client.

55. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the message is generated by completing fields within a message entry web page that has been received over the data-centric network.

56. The method as recited in claim 55, wherein the receiving device comprises a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a computer, or a cellular telephone.

57. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein e) comprises:

i) embedding a telephone number in the message;

ii) causing the telephony-centric network server to call the telephone number to access the receiving device.

58. The method as recited in claim 57, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

59. The method as recited in claim 57, wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.