Systems and methods for providing voicemail services

• US 7,532,710 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Sherman, Scott O., Johnson, Steven C., Caputo, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan; Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US10/991,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20050111635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A system includes a first network device and a second network device. The first network device is configured to receive a voicemail message for a called party, determine whether a second network device is available, and transfer the voicemail message to the second network device when the second network device is determined to be available. The second network device is configured to store the voicemail message in a mailbox associated with the called party, and automatically provide a network device associated with the called party with access to the voicemail message in response to a network address associated with the network device matching a subscriber identifier in a list of subscriber identifiers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing, at a first voicemail server, a voicemail message, received from a calling party for a called party, on behalf of a second voicemail server;

determining, by the first voicemail server, whether the second voicemail server is available following storing the voicemail message, the determining including;

transferring the stored voicemail message to the second voicemail server when the second voicemail server is determined to be available;

transferring a status message from the first voicemail server to the second voicemail server,

determining that the second voicemail server is unavailable when no reply message is received from the second voicemail server,

determining that the second voicemail server is available when a reply message is received from the second voicemail server;

entering, via the called party, a predetermined sequence of characters at a network device;

determining, in response to the called party entering the predetermined sequence of characters, whether to provide the called party with access to the voicemail message based on a network address associated with the called party'"'"'s network device by comparing the network address associated with the called party'"'"'s network device to a stored list of network addresses; and

providing access to the voicemail message when the network address associated with the called party'"'"'s network device matches a network address in the stored list of network addresses.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the voicemail message in an appropriate voice mailbox on the second voicemail server.

3. The method of claim 1 where the transferring a status message includes:

transferring the status message at predetermined intervals.

4. The method of claim 1 where the transferring a status message includes:

transferring the status message via a data network.

5. The method of claim 1 where the transferring the stored voicemail message includes:

transferring the stored voicemail message via a data network.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving, prior to storing, the voicemail message via a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

7. The method of claim 1 where the providing access to the voicemail message includes:

providing access without requiring the called party to enter identifying information.

8. The method of claim 1 where the network address includes a telephone number.

9. The method of claim 1 where the determining whether to provide access further includes:

capturing the network address via an automatic number identification technique.

10. The method of claim 1 where the entering includes:

entering 00 at the called party'"'"'s network device.

11. The method of claim 1 where the entering includes:

entering *3 at the called party'"'"'s network device.

12. A system comprising:

a first voicemail server configured to;

receive a voicemail message for a called party,

determine whether a second voicemail server is available following receiving the voicemail message, and

transfer the voicemail message to the second voicemail server when the second voicemail server is determined to be available;

where

the first voicemail server is configured to transfer a status message to the second voicemail server and determine that the second voicemail server is available when a reply is received from the second voicemail server;

the second voicemail server configured to;

receive the transferred voicemail message;

store the voicemail message in a mailbox associated with the called party, the first voicemail server being a backup voicemail server for the second voicemail server; and

a network device configured to store a list of subscriber identifiers,

where the second voicemail server provides the called party with access to the voicemail message via a called party user device in response to a network address associated with the called party user device matching a subscriber identifier in the list of subscriber identifiers.

13. The system of claim 12 where, when transferring the status message, the first voicemail server is configured to:

transfer the status message at a periodic interval.

14. The system of claim 12 where, when transferring the status message, the first voicemail server is configured to:

transfer the status message via a data network.

15. The system of claim 14 where the first voicemail server receives the voicemail message via a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

16. The system of claim 12 where the second-voicemail server provides the called party with access to the voicemail message without requiring authentication information from the called party.

17. A system comprising:

a first voicemail server configured to;

receive a voicemail message for a called party,

determine whether a second voicemail server is available following receiving the voicemail message,

wherein the first voicemail server is configured to transfer a status message to the second voicemail server and determine that the second voicemail server is available when a reply is received from the second voicemail server;

transfer the voicemail message to the second voicemail server when the second voicemail server is determined to be available; and

the second voicemail server configured to;

store the voicemail message in a mailbox associated with the called party, and automatically provide a network device associated with the called party with access to the voicemail message in response to a network address associated with the network device matching a subscriber identifier in a list of subscriber identifiers stored in the network device.