Voicemail interface system and method
First Claim
1. An electronic system for providing an interface with a remotely located smart voicemail network, said electronic system comprising:
- computing means for obtaining voicemail messages from said voicemail network, said computing means operating a file storing applet adapted to electronically collect voicemail messages from said voicemail network and store said voicemail messages in a voicemail storage database;
network connection means for providing electronic communication between said computing means and said voicemail network;
a computing applet operable to interface with said file storing applet and create mechanisms for users to be notified of said voicemail messages and to interact with said voicemail messages;
an output device for visually displaying notification indicia and audibly playing said voicemail messages; and
means for delivering selected voicemail messages from said voicemail storage database to said output device;
wherein said computing means causes said output device to visually display a notification indicia upon receiving an operating command for said output device,wherein said computing applet and said file storing applet operate collectively to handle notification of, playing of, and management of said voicemail messages so as to provide a unified interface for entertainment and voicemail management, andwherein said voicemail network is configured to send voicemail notification emails containing said voicemail messages and identification information concerning said voicemail messages, and said file storing applet detaches said voicemail messages from said voicemail notification emails and stores said voicemail messages in a predetermined file folder.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are inventions that integrate a home television set top box (“STB”) or home media center with a smart voicemail system of a telephone service provider. Smart voicemail features, such as email notification of voicemails, or online playback of voicemails, may be used to obtain digital voicemail audio files that are then stored and maintained in a home computer network. These files can be served over the network via a networked television STB or a media center computer, to a display monitor during normal usage. Embodiments cause new voicemail notifications to be displayed during typical operation of a television with the STB or media center computer and provide users with an interface for responding to new voicemail notifications, and reviewing, managing, and playing back voicemail. Messages received thus can be easily identified and reviewed through an interface with which subscribers are extremely comfortable.
40 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An electronic system for providing an interface with a remotely located smart voicemail network, said electronic system comprising:
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computing means for obtaining voicemail messages from said voicemail network, said computing means operating a file storing applet adapted to electronically collect voicemail messages from said voicemail network and store said voicemail messages in a voicemail storage database; network connection means for providing electronic communication between said computing means and said voicemail network; a computing applet operable to interface with said file storing applet and create mechanisms for users to be notified of said voicemail messages and to interact with said voicemail messages; an output device for visually displaying notification indicia and audibly playing said voicemail messages; and means for delivering selected voicemail messages from said voicemail storage database to said output device; wherein said computing means causes said output device to visually display a notification indicia upon receiving an operating command for said output device, wherein said computing applet and said file storing applet operate collectively to handle notification of, playing of, and management of said voicemail messages so as to provide a unified interface for entertainment and voicemail management, and wherein said voicemail network is configured to send voicemail notification emails containing said voicemail messages and identification information concerning said voicemail messages, and said file storing applet detaches said voicemail messages from said voicemail notification emails and stores said voicemail messages in a predetermined file folder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for providing an interface with a remotely located smart voicemail network via a home entertainment system, said method comprising:
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establishing a voicemail box with said smart voicemail network; identifying when one or more voicemail messages are received in said voicemail box; collecting said one or more voicemail messages from said voicemail network; storing said one or more voicemail messages in a voicemail storage database; monitoring said voicemail storage database to identify when said storing occurs; generating a visually detectable notification indicia upon identifying one or more stored voicemail messages; displaying said visually detectable notification indicia on an electronic display upon receiving an operating command for said home entertainment system; audibly playing said stored voicemail messages via said home entertainment system upon a user command prompted by said visually detectable notification indicia; and configuring said voicemail network to send voicemail notification emails containing said one or more voicemail messages, wherein said storing includes; detaching said one or more voicemail messages from said voicemail notification emails, and storing said one or more voicemail messages in a predetermined file folder. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An electronic system for providing a television interface with a remotely located smart voicemail network adapted to send new voicemail messages as attachments in email notification messages, said electronic system comprising:
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a television; a computer connected to Internet and configured to receive email messages from said voicemail network, said computer having a file storing applet running thereon that is adapted to identify email messages received from said voicemail network; and a set top box operable to control the operation of said television and networked with said computer; wherein said voicemail network is configured to send voicemail notification messages when said new voicemail messages are received, and wherein said file storing applet detaches said new voicemail messages from said voicemail notification messages and stores each said new voicemail message from each said voicemail notification message into a designated file folder, and said set top box has a user interface applet running thereon that; monitors said file folder to identify presence of said new voicemail messages in said file folder, and causes notification indicia to be displayed by said set top box on said television upon identifying presence of said new voicemail messages upon receiving an operating command for said television, so as to provide a unified interface for entertainment and voicemail management. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification