Transferring voice mail messages in text format

• US 7,317,908 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eason, Wendy
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hashem, Lisa
• Application Number:
  US10/109,975
• Time in Patent Office: 2,111 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 455/413, 455/416, 455/466, 704/257, 709/206
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

In different embodiments, the invention contemplates a device, system, and method of transferring a voice mail message in text format on a per use basis. The inventive method includes receiving a voice mail message directed to a telephone number, correlating the telephone number to at least one data network address, and forwarding the voice mail message to the data network address. The data network address may be associated with an e-mail address, pager, wireless telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA) or other device capable of displaying text messages. The inventive method may further include converting the voice mail message to an electronic data file, such as a text tile, 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 data network address. Typically, the user enters the data network address using characters on a telephone keypad. Because special characters are sometimes needed to enter e-mail addresses, the “*” key and “#” key may be utilized to enter special characters such as “@”, “.”, “-”, etc. The service provider may charge for the voicemail forwarding service on a per use basis or based on the number of characters entered by the user.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a voice mail message to a wireless device, comprising:

establishing communications with a computer telephone integration (CTI) platform and a voice mail system using three way calling when the CTI cannot interact directly with the voice mail system;

receiving the voice mail message at a voicemail system, wherein the voice mail message is directed to a telephone number;

correlating the telephone number to at least one data network address, wherein the data network address is associated with the wireless device;

prompting a subscriber by the voice mail system to transfer the voice mail message to the wireless device using the associated data network address, wherein the prompting is initiated using the (CTI) platform;

converting

the voice mail message to a text file, wherein the text file includes content of the voice mail message and information identifying when the voice mail message was received;

after converting the voice mail message to a text file, storing a copy of the text file at the voice mail system; and

forwarding the text file to the address associated with the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing a copy of the text file at the voice mail system includes storing a copy of the text file on a computer-readable medium associated with the voice mail system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the text file is at least one of the following:

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

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the text file includes at least one of the following:

a name of a party initiating the voice mail massage, 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.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the text file on a computer-readable medium associated with the wireless device.

6. A method of transferring a voice mail message to a wireless device, comprising:

establishing communications with a computer telephone integration (CTI) platform and a voice mail system using three way calling when the CTI cannot interact directly with the voice mail system;

retrieving the voice mail message from a voice mailbox in the voice mail system;

prompting a subscriber by the voice mail system to transfer the voice mail message to the wireless device using an associated network address, wherein the prompting is initiated using the (CTI) platform;

converting

the voice mail message to a text file;

after converting the voice mail message to a text file, storing a copy of the text file at the voice mail system;

forwarding the text file to the wireless device;

receiving the text file via a wireless system associated with the wireless device, wherein the text file includes content of the voice mail message and information identifying when the voice mail message was received at the voice mailbox;

re-forwarding the text file to a second email address as an attachment; and

categorizing the text file using the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising accessing the voice mailbox.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein accessing the voice mailbox comprises receiving an alphanumeric password.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising selecting an option that conducts forwarding of the voice mail.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the 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.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising identifying at least one network address on the wireless system to be correlated with the voice mailbox.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting the at least one network address from a plurality of identified network addresses.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the text file is at least one of the following:

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

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the text 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.

15. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing the voice mail message on a computer-readable medium associated with the wireless device.

16. A method of transferring a voice mail message to a wireless device, comprising:

establishing communications with a computer telephone integration (CTI) platform and a voice mail system using three way calling when the CTI cannot interact directly with the voice mail system;

providing access to the voice mail message associated with a telephone number, wherein the voice mail message is stored at the voice mail system;

correlating the telephone number to at least one data network address, wherein the data network address is associated with the wireless device;

receiving subscriber input from a telephone to determine if the voice mail message should be forwarded to the wireless device;

if the voice mail message should be forwarded, prompting a subscriber by the voice mail system to transfer the voice mail message to the wireless device using the associated data network address, wherein the prompting is initiated using the (CTI) platform;

converting the voice mail message to a text file, wherein the text file includes content of the voice mail message and information identifying when the voice mail message was received;

after converting the voice mail message to a text file, storing a copy of the text file at the voice mail system; and

transferring the text file to the wireless device.

17. The method claim 16, wherein storing a copy of the text file at the voice mail system includes storing a copy of the text file on a computer-readable medium associated with the voice mail system.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising prompting for at least one network address associated with the telephone number.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing the text file on a computer-readable medium associated with the wireless device.

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

establishing communications with a computer telephone integration (CTI) platform and a voice mail system using three way calling when the CTI cannot interact directly with the voice mail system;

receiving the voice mail message at the voice mail system, wherein the voice mail message is associated with an identifier;

converting the voice mail message to a text file, wherein the text file includes content of the voice mail message and information identifying when the voice mail message was received;

after converting the voice mail message to a text file, storing a copy of the text file at the voice mail system;

correlating the identifier to a data network address associated with a wireless device;

prompting a subscriber to transfer the text file to the wireless device using the associated data network address by the voicemail system, wherein the prompting is initiated using the (CTI) platform;

forwarding

the text file to the data network address; and

categorizing the text file using a personal computer.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving at least one network address associated with the identifier.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising storing the text file on a computer-readable medium associated with the wireless device.

23. An on-demand method of transferring a voice mail message to a network address, comprising:

establishing communications with a computer telephone integration (CTI) platform and a voice mail system using three way calling when the CTI cannot interact directly with the voice mail system;

receiving the voice mail message at the voice mail system, wherein the voice mail message is directed to a telephone number;

converting the voice mail message to a text file, wherein the text file includes content of the voice mail message and information identifying when the voice mail message was received;

after converting the voice mail message to a text file, storing a copy of the text file at the voice mail system;

receiving subscriber input from the telephone keypad to determine if the voice mail message should be forwarded to the network address;

prompting a subscriber to select one or more network addresses from a list of network addresses by the voicemail system, wherein the prompting is initiated using the (CTI) platform; and

forwarding

the text file to the network address based on the selected one or more network addresses from the list of network addresses.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein storing a copy of the text file at the voice mail system includes storing a copy of the text file on a computer-readable medium associated with the voice mail system.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the following is used to enter at least one special character of the network address:

a “

*”

key and a “

#”

key of the telephone keypad.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the special character is at least one of the following characters:

an ampersand, a dash and a period.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the text file includes at least one of the following:

a name of a party initiating the voice mail massage, 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.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising storing the text file on a computer-readable medium associated with the network address.

29. A system for transferring a voice mail message to a wireless device, comprising:

means for establishing communications with a computer telephone integration (CTI) platform and a voice mail system using three way calling when the CTI cannot interact directly with the voice mail system;

means for receiving the voice mail message, wherein the voice mail message is directed to a telephone number;

means for prompting a subscriber by the voice mail system to transfer the voice mail message to the wireless device, wherein the prompting is initiated using the (CTI) platform;

means

for converting the voice mail message to a text file, wherein the text file includes content of the voice mail message and information identifying when the voice mail message was received;

means for storing a copy of the text file after the voice mail message is converted to a text file;

means for transferring the text file to at least one address, wherein the address is associated with the wireless device; and

means for categorizing the text file using the wireless device.