Transferring voice mail messages to a data network

• US 6,683,940 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Contractor, Sunil H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US09/996,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20030099334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 379/221.09, 379/100.08, 709/206, 704/235
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

Abstract

The invention contemplates a device, system, and method of transferring a voice mail message. The inventive method includes receiving a voice mail message directed to a telephone number, correlating the telephone number to at least one email address, and forwarding the voice mail message to the email address. The method further may include converting the voice mail message to an electronic data file, like a text file and/or audio file, for example. Also, the electronic data file may provide a name of a party initiating the voice mail message, a telephone number of a party initiating the voice mail message, a time and a date of the voice mail message, and/or a duration of the voice mail message, for example. The inventive method may further include storing the voice mail message on a computer-readable medium associated with the email address.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a voice mail message to an email system, comprising:

calling a voice mail system from a subscriber to retrieve

a voice mail message related to a telephone number;

calling a gateway device from said subscriber and providing an identifier;

retrieving the voice mail message from the voice mail system;

recording said retrieved voice mail using said gateway device selecting an option to forward said retrieved voice mail message to an email system;

forwarding said retrieved voice mail message to said email system; and

receiving a data file via said email system, wherein said data file is representative of said retrieved voice mail message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing said voice mailbox.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing said accessing comprises receiving an alphanumeric password.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said option is selected by at least one of the following:

depressing a key on a telephone keypad, depressing a key on a computer keyboard, and providing an audible command.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying at least one email address on said email system to be correlated with said voice mailbox.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising selecting said at least one email address from a plurality of identified email addresses.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said data file is at least one of the following:

an instant message, an Internet relay chat message, a desktop icon, a hypertext markup language link, and an electronic file with a directory mapping.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said data file includes at least one of the following:

a name of a party initiating the voice mail message, a telephone number of a party initiating the voice mail message, a time and a date of the voice mail message, and a duration of the voice mail message.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing said retrieved voice mail message on a computer-readable medium associated with said email system.

10. A method of transferring a voice mail message to an email system, comprising:

calling a voice mail system from a subscriber to retrieve a voice mail message related to a telephone number;

calling a gateway device from said subscriber and providing an identifier

receiving a request to retrieve the voice mail message from the voice mail system

recording said retrieved voice mail message using said gateway device prompting a user for a transfer of said retrieved voice mail message to an email system; and

transferring said retrieved voice mail message to said email system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising converting said retrieved voice mail message to an email.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising prompting a user for at least one email address associated with said telephone number.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing said retrieved voice mail message on a computer-readable medium associated with said email system.

14. A method of transferring a voice mail message, comprising:

calling a voice mail system from a subscriber to retrieve a voice mail message related to a telephone number;

calling a gateway device from said subscriber and providing an identifier;

receiving a request to retrieve the voice mail message from the voice mail system, wherein said retrieved voice mail message is associated with the identifier

converting said retrieved voice mail message to a data file;

correlating said identifier to a network address;

selecting an option to forward said retrieved voice mail message to said network address; and

forwarding said data file to said network address.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving at least one network address associated with said identifier.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising storing said data file on a computer-readable medium associated with said network address.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing access to said retrieved voice mail message.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing said access comprises receiving an alphanumeric password.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said identifier is at least one of the following:

a telephone number, a private branch exchange number, and a subscriber name.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said network address is at least one of the following:

an email address, an Internet relay chat address, an Internet protocol address, and a telephone number.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said retrieved voice mail message is a part of a voice mail system.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein said data file is sent to said network identifier as at least one of the following:

an instant message, an Internet relay chat message, a desktop icon, a hypertext markup language link, and an electronic file with a directory mapping.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein said data file comprises an audible representation of said retrieved voice mail message.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein said data file includes at least one of the following:

a name of a party initiating the voice mail message, a telephone number of a party initiating the voice mail message, a time and a date of the voice mail message, and a duration of the voice mail message.

25. A system for transferring a voice mail message, comprising:

a voice mail system having a voice mailbox for voice mail messages;

wherein the voice mail system retrieves a voice mail message related to a telephone number and provides the voice mail message to a subscriber who calls the voice mail system

a service control point in communication with said voice mailbox, wherein

said service control point prompts the subscriber to transfer the retrieved voice mail message; and

a gateway in communication with said service control point, wherein the subscriber calls said gateway wherein said gateway correlates said voice mailbox to a network identifier and records said retrieved voice mail message, and wherein said service control point transfers said voice mail message to said network identifier.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said gateway is a computer telephony interface.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said gateway converts said voice mail message to a data file.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said data file is at least one of the following:

an instant message, an Internet relay chat message, a desktop icon, a hypertext markup language link, and an electronic file with a directory mapping.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein said data file comprises an audible representation of said voice mail message.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein said data file includes at least one of the following:

a name of a party initiating the voice mail message, a telephone number of a party initiating the voice mail message, a time and a date of the voice mail message, and a duration of the voice mail message.

31. The system of claim 25, further comprising a service switching point in communication with said service control point and in communication with a data network, wherein said service switching point forwards said voice mail message to said network identifier on said data network.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising a network device in communication with said data network, wherein said network device receives said voice mail message.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said network device has a network identifier that includes at least one of the following:

an email address, an Internet relay chat address, an Internet protocol address, and a telephone number.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein said voice mailbox is identified by at least one of the following:

a telephone number, a private branch exchange number, and a subscriber name.

35. A method of transferring a voice mail message to an email message, comprising:

calling a voice mail system from a subscriber to retrieve a voice mail message related to a telephone number;

calling a gateway device from said subscriber and providing an identifier;

playing said retrieved voice mail message;

recording said retrieved voice mail message using said gateway device;

correlating said telephone number to at least one email address;

selecting an option to forward said retrieved voice mail message to said email address; and

forwarding said retrieved voice mail message to said email address.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising converting said retrieved voice mail message to a data file.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said data file is at least one of the following:

an instant message, an Internet relay chat message, a desktop icon, a hypertext markup language link, and an electronic file with a directory mapping.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein said data file includes at least one of the following:

a name of a party initiating the voice mail message, a telephone number of a party initiating the voice mail message, a time and a date of the voice mail message, and a duration of the voice mail message.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising storing said retrieved voice mail message on a computer-readable medium associated with said email address.