Arrangement for accessing an IP-based messaging server by telephone for management of stored messages

• US 6,857,008 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2000
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shenefiel, Chris A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuoc H.
• Application Number:
  US09/551,914
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 709/289, 704/260, 704/270, 704/271, 704/275, 379/88, 379/67, 370/352
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• 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 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• 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 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

Abstract

An arrangement for accessing messages in an IMAP message store via telephone using a unified web-based voice messaging system as an e-mail client for the IMAP message store. The unified Web-based voice messaging system includes a browser configured for generating an audio file that stores received voice signals specifying a messaging operation, and an application server. The application server is configured for outputting an HTML page in response to a user request via the HTTP connection, the HTML page having an XML element that defines data for an audio operation to be performed by an executable audio resource within a web browser or a proxy browser. The application server includes a speech recognition process configured for identifying the messaging operation by interpreting the audio file. Upon identifying the messaging operation and associated operand, the application server outputs a function call for the identified messaging operation to the IMAP message store. The application server also includes text to speech capabilities, enabling an e-mail message or fax message to be converted to an audible format for playback by the browser for the telephony user. Hence, a telephony user can access and manage voice, e-mail, or fax messages stored on the IMAP message store.

Claims

1. A method in an application server for accessing a messaging server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a browser configured for dynamic control of audio operations, an HTTP request having an audio file that stores received voice signals specifying a messaging operation;

identifying the messaging operation in the application server by interpreting the audio file; and

outputting a function call specifying the messaging operation to the messaging server according to IP protocol,

wherein the step of interpreting the audio file includes;

executing a speech recognition process based on a voice command identifier specified in the HTTP request; and

identifying by the speech recognition process the corresponding messaging operation and a corresponding operand from the audio file,

wherein the outputting step includes selecting the function call based on the identified messaging operation, and supplying with the function call the corresponding operand,

the method further comprising;

receiving from the messaging server a response to the function call that specifies a stored message; and

sending an HTML page to the browser for playback of a second audio file representing the stored message;

wherein the step of identifying the corresponding messaging operation and the corresponding operand includes identifying a messaging folder specified by the operand; and

the step of outputting the function call includes specifying the message folder within the operand with the corresponding function call,

wherein the step of receiving from the messaging server a response includes receiving the stored message as one of an e-mail message and a voice mail message recorded on a stored audio file from the specified messaging folder within the messaging server, the method further comprising;

selectively generating the second audio file by the application server based on determining that the stored message is an e-mail message; and

selectively supplying the stored audio file as the second audio file based on determining that the stored message is the voice mail message recorded on the stored audio file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes outputting the function call according to IMAP protocol.

3. A method in an application server for accessing a messaging server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a browser configured for dynamic control of audio operations, an HTTP request having an audio file that stores received voice signals specifying a messaging operation;

identifying the messaging operation in the application server by interpreting the audio file; and

outputting a function call specifying the messaging operation to the messaging server according to IP protocol,

wherein the step of interpreting the audio file includes;

executing a speech recognition process based on a voice command identifier specified in the HTTP request; and

identifying by the speech recognition process the corresponding messaging operation and a corresponding operand from the audio file,

wherein the step of identifying the corresponding messaging operation and the corresponding operand includes identifying a messaging folder specified by the operand; and

the step of outputting the function call includes specifying the message folder within the operand with the corresponding function call, wherein the step of identifying the corresponding messaging operation further includes identifying the messaging operation as one of opening the identified message folder, storing into the identified message folder a message specified by the audio file, and deleting from the identified message folder the message specified by the audio file.

4. A method in an application server for accessing a messaging server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a browser configured for dynamic control of audio operations, an HTTP request having an audio file that stores received voice signals specifying a messaging operation;

identifying the messaging operation in the application server by interpreting the audio file; and

outputting a function call specifying the messaging operation to the messaging server according to IP protocol,

wherein the step of interpreting the audio file includes;

executing a speech recognition process based on a voice command identifier specified in the HTTP request; and

identifying by the speech recognition process the corresponding messaging operation and a corresponding operand from the audio file,

wherein the step of identifying the corresponding messaging operation and the corresponding operand includes identifying a messaging folder specified by the operand; and

the step of outputting the function call includes specifying the message folder within the operand with the corresponding function call, wherein the step of identifying the corresponding messaging operation further includes identifying the messaging operation as one of creating the identified message folder, and deleting the identified message folder.

5. An application server configured for accessing a messaging server, the system comprising:

an HTTP interface configured for receiving an HTTP request from a browser configured for dynamic control of audio operations, the HTTP request having an audio file that stores voice signals received by the browser from a user input device and specifying a messaging operation; and

an executable application runtime environment configured for generating for the browser an HTML page having media content information and associated media control information in response to the HTTP request, the executable application runtime environment configured for outputting a selected function call specifying the messaging operation to the messaging server according to a prescribed messaging protocol,

wherein the media control information identifies a message folder and the application runtime environment is configure for one of;

creating the identified message folder, opening the identified message folder, storing into the identified message folder a message specified by the audio file, deleting from the identified message folder the message specified by the audio file, and deleting the identified message folder.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the executable application runtime environment includes:

a speech recognition process configured for identifying the messaging operation from the audio file; and

a text-to-speech process configured for converting text-based messages received from the messaging server to a second audio file to be sent in the HTML page for playback by the browser to the user of the user input device.

7. The server of claim 6, wherein the executable application runtime environment executes the speech recognition process based on a voice command identifier parsed based on a determined application state of the user.

8. An application server configured for accessing a messaging server, the system comprising:

an HTTP interface configured for receiving an HTTP request from a browser configured for dynamic control of audio operations, the HTTP request having an audio file that stores voice signals received by the browser from a user input device and specifying a messaging operation; and

means for generating for the browser an HTML page having media content information and associated media control information in response to the HTTP request, the generating means configured for outputting a selected function call specifying the messaging operation to the messaging server according to a prescribed messaging protocol,

wherein the media control information identifies a message folder and the generating means is configured for one of;

creating the identified message folder, opening the identified message folder, storing into the identified message folder a message specified by the audio file, deleting from the identified message folder the message specified by the audio file, and deleting the identified message folder.

9. The server of claim 8, wherein the generating means includes:

means for identifying the messaging operation from the audio file; and

means for converting text-based messages received from the messaging server to a second audio file to be sent in the HTML page for playback by the browser to the user of the user input device.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein generating means initiates execution of the identifying means based on a voice command identifier parsed based on a determined application state of the user.

11. The server of claim 10, wherein the voice command identifier is specified by an XML tag parsed by the generating means.

12. A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for accessing a messaging server, the sequences of instructions including instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving, from a browser configured for dynamic control of audio operations, an HTTP request having an audio file that stores received voice signals specifying a messaging operation;

identifying the messaging operation in the application server by interpreting the audio file; and

outputting a function call specifying the messaging operation to the messaging server according to IP protocol,

wherein the step of interpreting the audio file includes;

executing a speech recognition process based on a voice command identifier specified in the HTTP request; and

identifying by the speech recognition process the corresponding messaging operation and a corresponding operand from the audio file,

wherein the outputting step includes selecting the function call based on the identified messaging operation, and supplying with the function call the corresponding operand;

the method further comprising instructions for performing the step of;

receiving from the messaging server a response to the function call that specifies a stored message; and

sending an HTML page to the browser for playback of a second audio file representing the stored message,

wherein the step of identifying the corresponding messaging operation and the corresponding operand includes identifying a messaging folder specified by the operand; and

the step of outputting the function call includes specifying the message folder within the operand with the corresponding function call, wherein the step of receiving from the messaging server a response includes receiving the stored message as one of an e-mail message and a voice mail message recorded on a stored audio file from the specified messaging folder within the messaging server, the medium further comprising instructions for performing the steps of;

selectively generating the second audio file by the application server based on determining that the stored message is an e-mail message; and

selectively supplying the stored audio file as the second audio file based on determining that the stored message is the voice mail message recorded on the stored audio file.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the outputting step includes outputting the function call according to IMAP protocol.

14. A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for accessing a messaging server, the sequences of instructions including instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving, from a browser configured for dynamic control of audio operations, an HTTP request having an audio file that stores received voice signals specifying a messaging operation;

identifying the messaging operation in the application server by interpreting the audio file; and

outputting a function call specifying the messaging operation to the messaging server according to IP protocol,

wherein the step of interpreting the audio file includes;

executing a speech recognition process based on a voice command identifier specified in the HTTP request; and

identifying by the speech recognition process the corresponding messaging operation and a corresponding operand from the audio file,

wherein the step of identifying the corresponding messaging operation and the corresponding operand includes identifying a messaging folder specified by the operand; and

the step of outputting the function call includes specifying the message folder within the operand with the corresponding function call,

wherein the step of identifying the corresponding messaging operation further includes identifying the messaging operation as one of opening the identified message folder, storing into the identified message folder a message specified by the audio file, and deleting from the identified message folder the message specified by the audio file.

15. A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for accessing a messaging server, the sequences of instructions including instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving, from a browser configured for dynamic control of audio operations, an HTTP request having an audio file that stores received voice signals specifying a messaging operation;

identifying the messaging operation in the application server by interpreting the audio file; and

outputting a function call specifying the messaging operation to the messaging server according to IP protocol,

wherein the step of interpreting the audio file includes;

executing a speech recognition process based on a voice command identifier specified in the HTTP request; and

identifying by the speech recognition process the corresponding messaging operation and a corresponding operand from the audio file,

wherein the step of identifying the corresponding messaging operation and the corresponding operand includes identifying a messaging folder specified by the operand; and

the step of outputting the function call includes specifying the message folder within the operand with the corresponding function call,

wherein the step of identifying the corresponding messaging operation further includes identifying the messaging operation as one of creating the identified message folder, and deleting the identified message folder.