Voicemail box with caller-specific storage folders

• US 8,102,977 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baker, La Veria, Scott, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Sing, Simon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohammed, Assad
• Application Number:
  US11/805,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20070223661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8808- 8827
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects

Abstract

A method and system are provided for creating and utilizing caller-specific memory locations or folders within a single voicemail box of a telecommunications network-based voicemail system. A subscriber to voicemail services sets up a plurality of caller-specific memory locations or folders within her voicemail box for directing incoming messages to particular folders. Preferably, the folders are specific to particular callers based on the caller directory number or caller ID. The subscriber assigns a given folder with directory numbers of callers known to be associated with that folder. When a call comes in to the voicemail system with a directory number associated with a given folder, the voice message from that call is directed to and saved in the associated folder. If desired, personal identification numbers (PIN) may be assigned to each folder to control access to messages saved therein.

Claims

1. A method of storing voicemail messages to caller specific voice message folders, comprising:

receiving a call from a calling party to a voicemail system containing a plurality of voice message folders;

when the voicemail system has a voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number, saving a voice message from the calling party in the voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number;

when the voicemail system does not have a voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number;

saving the voice message from the calling party in a general voice message folder,

accessing the general voice message folder to retrieve a voice message saved therein wherein accessing the general voice message folder is initiated by a user,

determining, based upon input received from the user, whether to create a specific voice message folder associated with the voice message retrieved from the general voice message folder; and

creating the specific voice message folder associated with the telephone directory number associated with the voice message retrieved from the general voice message folder; and

saving the voice message retrieved from the general voice message folder to the specific voice message folder.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a plurality of voice message folders.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein creating a plurality of voice message folders further creating the plurality of voice message folders via an internet-based web page for accessing the voicemail system.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising entering an identification for each of a plurality of voice message folders, wherein entering an identification for each of the plurality of voice message folders further comprises entering a name for each of the plurality of voice message folders.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising entering an identification for each of a plurality of voice message folders, wherein entering an identification for each of the plurality of voice message folders further comprises entering an alpha-numeric identification code far each of the plurality of voice message folders.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

accessing the general voice message folder to retrieve a voice message saved therein;

determining whether the voice message should be saved to one of the plurality of voice message folders;

if the voice message should be saved to one of the plurality of voice message folders, designating the one of the plurality of voice message folders for saving the voice message; and

saving the voice message to the designated voice message folder.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein designating the one of the plurality of voice message folders further comprises entering at the voicemail system the identification associated with the designated voice message folder.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein if the voice message should not be saved to one of the plurality of voice message folders, further comprising:

determining whether the voice message should be forwarded to a voice message folder of a different called party;

if the voice message should be forwarded to a different called party, entering at the voicemail system, a voice message folder identification associated with the different called party; and

forwarding the voice message to the voice message folder of the different called party.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving the telephone directory numbers and associated voice message folder identifications at the voicemail system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating a personal identification number with each of a plurality of voice message folders for accessing each of the plurality of voice message folders.

11. The method of claim 10, after saving the voice message from the calling party in the voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory numbers, further comprising accessing the voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number to review the voice message from the calling party.

12. The method of claim 11, prior to accessing the voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number, further comprising entering a personal identification number associated with the voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number to obtain access to the voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising at the voicemail system searching for a voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

accessing the general voice message folder to retrieve a voice message saved therein;

determining whether to create a specific voice message folder associated with the voice message retrieved from the general vice message folder;

creating a specific voice message folder associated with the telephone directory number associated with the voice message retrieved from the general voice message folder; and

saving the voice message retrieved from the general voice message folder to the specific voice message folder.

15. The method of claim 14, prior to saving the voice message retrieved from the general voice message folder to the specific voice message folder, further comprising saving the telephone directory number and an associated voice message folder identification for the specific voice message folder at the voicemail system.

16. A voicemail system for storing voicemail messages to caller specific voice message folders, comprising:

means for receiving a call from a calling party;

means for saving a voice message from the calling party in the voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number when the voicemail system locates a voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number;

means for saving the voice message from the calling party in a general voice message folder, when the voicemail system does not locate the voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number;

means for allowing access to a general voice message folder to retrieve a voice message saved therein;

means for creating a specific voice message folder associated with the telephone directory number associated with the voice message retrieved from the general voice message folder, when the voicemail system does not locate the voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number;

means for saving the voice message retrieved from the general voice message folder to the specific voice message folder, when the voicemail system does not locate the voice message folder associated with the calling party'"'"'s telephone directory number.

17. The voicemail system of claim 16, wherein the voicemail system further comprises:

means for allowing access to the general voice message folder to retrieve a voice message saved therein;

means for receiving a designation of one of the plurality of voice message folders for saving the voice message when the voice message should be saved to one of the plurality of voice message folders; and

means for saving the voice message to the designated voice message folder.

18. The voicemail system of claim 16, wherein when the voice message should not be saved to one of the plurality of voice message folders, the voicemail system further comprises:

means for receiving a voice message folder identification associated with a different called party if the voice message should be forwarded to the different called party; and

means for forwarding the voice message to the voice message folder of the different called party.