Arrangement in a local computer for sending voice messages to a unified communications system

• US 8,014,499 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gress, David S., Sealey, Robert Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US11/354,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20060140359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,028 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.17, 379/88.13, 379/88.23
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• 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 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A user computer, for example a personal computer (PC), includes a recorder configured for generating an audio file having an identifier enabling a unified messaging system to identify the audio file as a voice message, and an e-mail client configured for sending the audio file to a prescribed destination corresponding to a unified messaging subscriber voice mail inbox, enabling the unified messaging subscriber to use the unified messaging system for retrieval of the audio file as a stored voice message.

Claims

1. A method in a user computer for sending a voice message, the method comprising:

recording by an executable browser plug-in resource in the user computer a voice message spoken by a calling party based on encoding parameters recognized by a voice messaging system configured for storing voice messages for a plurality of voice messaging subscribers, the user computer distinct from the voice messaging system, the recording including the executable browser plug-in resource encoding the voice message according to a prescribed encoding protocol utilized by the voice messaging system for recording voice messages;

storing by the user computer the voice message within a data file having a selectable Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type recognizable by the voice messaging system as a voice message, the MIME type identifying the prescribed encoding protocol; and

outputting from the user computer the data file using a prescribed messaging protocol for transfer to a destination voice mailbox accessible by the voice messaging system for a corresponding one of the voice messaging subscribers distinct from the calling party;

wherein the outputting step includes outputting the data file using an executable e-mail client configured for sending the data file using a prescribed e-mail protocol as the prescribed messaging protocol, and outputting the data file to the destination voice mailbox according to one of SMTP protocol and IMAP protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording step includes recording the voice message using mu-law encoding at an encoding rate of 8 kHz.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising reviewing the voice message by the executable browser plug-in resource prior to the outputting step.

4. A user computer for sending a voice message, the user computer comprising:

an executable plug-in resource configured for recording a voice message spoken by a calling party according to selected encoding parameters recognized by a voice messaging system configured for storing voice messages for a plurality of voice messaging subscribers, the user computer distinct from the voice messaging system, the executable plug-in resource configured for encoding the voice message according to a prescribed encoding protocol utilized by the voice messaging system for recording voice messages,

the executable plug-in resource further configured for storing the voice message within a data file having a selectable Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type recognizable by the voice messaging system as a voice message, the MIME type identifying the prescribed encoding protocol; and

the user computer further comprising a messaging resource implemented as an executable e-mail client and configured for sending the data file using a prescribed messaging protocol implemented as a prescribed e-mail protocol from the user computer to a destination voice mailbox accessible by the voice messaging system for one of the voice messaging subscribers distinct from the calling party, enabling access by the voice messaging system for a corresponding one of the voice messaging subscribers distinct from the calling party;

wherein the messaging resource is configured for outputting the data file to the destination voice mailbox according to one of SMTP and IMAP protocol as the messaging protocol.

5. The user computer of claim 4, wherein the recorder is configured for recording the voice message using mu-law encoding at an encoding rate of 8 kHz.

6. The user computer of claim 4, wherein the recorder is configured for enabling the user to review the voice message prior to the messaging resource sending the data file from the user computer.

7. A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for sending a voice message, the sequences of instructions including instructions for performing the steps of:

recording by an executable browser plug-in resource in a user computer a voice message spoken by a calling party based on encoding parameters recognized by a voice messaging system configured for storing voice messages for a plurality of voice messaging subscribers, the user computer distinct from the voice messaging system, the recording including the executable browser plug-in resource encoding the voice message according to a prescribed encoding protocol utilized by the voice messaging system for recording voice messages;

storing by the user computer the voice message within a data file having a selectable Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type recognizable by the voice messaging system as a voice message, the MIME type identifying the prescribed encoding protocol; and

outputting by the user computer the data file using a prescribed messaging protocol for transfer to a destination voice mailbox accessible by the voice messaging system for a corresponding one of the voice messaging subscribers distinct from the calling party;

wherein the outputting step includes outputting the data file using an executable e-mail client configured for sending the data file using a prescribed e-mail protocol as the prescribed messaging protocol, and outputting the data file to the destination voice mailbox according to one of SMTP protocol and IMAP protocol.

8. The medium of claim 7, wherein the recording step includes recording the voice message using mu-law encoding at an encoding rate of 8 kHz.

9. The medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions for performing the step of reviewing the voice message by the executable browser plug-in resource prior to the outputting step.