Group audio message board

• US 7,020,252 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Rankin, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US09/961,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20020037072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.02, 379/88.04, 379/88.13, 379/88.18, 379/88.23, 379/88.25, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 379/88.27
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A communications system is provided comprising a communal audio message recordal apparatus GAMB (10) with multiple users (12) enabled to record and access recorded messages. The recordal of each message includes capture and storage of at least one qualifying parameter pertaining to the access to the recordal means, for example the time/date or the location from which access occurred. The qualifying parameter is further checked (18) against a subsequent request for access by a user to previously recorded messages, with access only being granted to those messages having a matching qualifying parameter.

Claims

1. A method for enabling communal audio message recordal including a provision of audio data recorder coupled with a communications system configured to enable multiple users to access the audio data recorder and to record respective audio messages thereby, wherein a recordal of each message comprises:

generating and storing by said system at least one qualifying parameter pertaining to the access to the audio data recorder;

determining a qualifying parameter for a subsequent access to the audio data recorder by a user; and

enabling access by said subsequently accessing user to previously recorded messages having a matching qualifying parameter, otherwise the denial of such access, wherein the qualifying parameter includes an indication of time and/or date for a user recording a message and for a user requesting playback of a message.

2. A method for enabling communal audio message recordal including a provision of audio data recorder coupled with a communications system configured to enable multiple users to access the audio data recorder and to record respective audio messages thereby, wherein a recordal of each message comprises:

generating and storing by said system at least one qualifying parameter pertaining to the access to the audio data recorder;

determining a qualifying parameter for a subsequent access to the audio data recorder by a user; and

enabling access by said subsequently accessing user to previously recorded messages having a matching qualifying parameter, otherwise the denial of such access, wherein the qualifying parameter includes a user-supplied indication of a personal characteristic.

3. A method for enabling communal audio message recordal including a provision of audio data recorder coupled with a communications system configured to enable multiple users to access the audio data recorder and to record respective audio messages thereby, wherein a recordal of each message comprises:

generating and storing by said system at least one qualifying parameter pertaining to the access to the audio data recorder;

determining a qualifying parameter for a subsequent access to the audio data recorder by a user; and

enabling access by said subsequently accessing user to previously recorded messages having a matching qualifying parameter, otherwise the denial of such access, wherein the qualifying parameter includes a user-supplied indication of a personal characteristic, wherein said personal characteristic is a pastime of the user.

4. A method for enabling communal audio message recordal including a provision of audio data recorder coupled with a communications system configured to enable multiple users to access the audio data recorder and to record respective audio messages thereby, wherein a recordal of each message comprises;

generating and storing by said system at least one qualifying parameter pertaining to the access to the audio data recorder;

determining a qualifying parameter for a subsequent access to the audio data recorder by a user; and

enabling access by said subsequently accessing user to previously recorded messages having a matching qualifying parameter, otherwise the denial of such access, wherein the qualifying parameter includes a user-supplied indication of a personal characteristic, further comprising;

providing a menu selection by operation of which a user is enabled to supply an indication of one from a plurality of menu-listed personal characteristics.

5. A group audio message board, comprising:

a storage device; and

a parameter index module,

wherein said parameter index module is operable to store a first message having a first at least one qualifying parameter by said board appended to the first message within said storage device in response to a first user of said group audio message board communicating the first message to said group audio message board, the first at least one qualifying parameter for enabling an access to the first message by a second user of said group audio message board,

wherein said parameter index module is further operable to enable access to the first message by the second user in response to the second user communicating the first at least one qualifying parameter to said group audio message board wherein the qualifying parameter includes a user-supplied indication of a personal characteristic

wherein said parameter index module is further operable to store a second message having a second at least one qualifying parameter appended to the second message within said storage device in response to the first user communicating the first message to said group audio message board, the second at least one qualifying parameter for enabling an access to the second message by the second user; and

wherein said parameter index module is further operable to enable access to the second message by the second user in response to the second user communicating the second at least one qualifying parameter to said group audio message board.