Method and system for interfacing systems unified messaging with legacy systems located behind corporate firewalls

• US 6,487,278 B1
• Filed: 02/29/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ng, Alexander Siu-Kay, Skladman, Julia, Chatterley, Bruce A., Peterson, Bruce L., Thornberry, Robert J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/515,030
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/84, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.22, 379/88.25, 379/93.09, 379/93.24, 379/93.25, 379/93.29, 379/93.31, 379/100.08, 379/100.12, 379/100.15, 379/201, 379/207, 379/219, 379/220, 379/229, 379/242, 379/243, 379/279, 379/900, 379/901, 379/908, 379/201.01, 455/412-417, 455/461, 455/466, 455/557
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• 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 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/908 Multimedia

Abstract

A system and method for interfacing unified message processing systems with legacy voice mail, e-mail and facsimile systems, located behind corporate firewalls. The system includes a unified message server, a proxy interface and a message protocol convertor. The proxy interface is configured to access the legacy system in response to a request from a unified message server. Messages stored on the legacy system are converted by a protocol convertor to a predetermined format compatible with the unified message server. The converted messages are then transferred to a unified message server which is capable of providing messages from different messaging system, such as voice mail, e-mail and facsimile to users in a predetermined format. The invention permits enterprise wide communication systems to provide unified messaging without abandoning pre-existing legacy messaging system.

Claims

1. A system for integrating at least one legacy messaging system separated by at least one firewall server with a unified messaging system said legacy messaging system being incompatible with said unified messaging system, the system comprising:

an interface coupled to at least one legacy messaging system, said legacy messaging system being incompatible with said unified messaging system, said interface configured to process requests from said unified messaging system by way of said firewall server, the interface further including;

at least one proxy interface for accessing the at least one legacy messaging system in response to a request from the unified message system; and

a message protocol connector, operatively associated with the proxy interface, for converting messages stored by the at least one legacy messaging system to a predetermined protocol compatible with the unified messaging system to enable messages received by said legacy messaging system to be returned to said unified messaging system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface includes means for configuring the firewall server to accept remote queries from the unified messaging system that are directed to the at least one legacy messaging system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one legacy messaging system is selected from the group consisting of a voice mail system and an email system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the proxy interface includes one or more data files containing predetermined user information for accessing the at least one legacy messaging system.

5. A method for integrating at least one legacy messaging system with a unified messaging system, said legacy messaging system being incompatible with the unified messaging system, the messaging systems being separated by at least one firewall server, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) configuring said firewall server to accept queries from the unified messaging system that are directed to the at least one legacy messaging system;

(b) interfacing the unified messaging system to the at least one legal messaging system so that the at least one legacy messaging system is responsive to access requests from the unified messaging system; and

(c) converting messages stored by the at least one legacy messaging system to a predetermined protocol usable by the unified messaging system.

6. A system for providing unified messaging services and interfacing legacy message systems with a unified messaging system, said legacy message system being generally incompatible with said unified messaging system, the system comprising:

a unified message system for providing messages from disparate messaging system to users in a predetermined format;

a legacy email system for receiving and storing email messages in a format generally incompatible with said unified message system;

a legacy voice mail system for receiving and storing voice mail messages;

an email proxy interface for accessing the legacy email system in response to a first request from the unified messaging system;

a voice mail proxy interface for accessing the legacy voice mail system in response to a second request from the unified message system; and

a message protocol converter, operatively associated with the email proxy interface, for converting email messages stored by the legacy email system, said legacy email system connected to said unified messaging system by way of a firewall.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a firewall server, operatively connected to the communications network, for restricting access to the legacy voice mail and email systems.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the firewall server is configured to accept remote queries from the unified message server that are directed to the legacy email system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the firewall server is configured to accept remote queries from the unified message server that are directed to the legacy voice mail system.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the communications network includes an Internet protocol (IP) compatible public network.