System and method for visual voice mail in an LTE environment

• US 8,515,029 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaw, Venson M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US13/287,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20130108032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/142.07, 379/93.24, 379/100.08, 379/100.13, 379/142.14, 379/210.02, 379/900, 455/414.4, 455/432.2, 715/752
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/252 where a voice mode is enhanced with visual information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0024 Services and arrangements where telephone services are combined with data services arrangements which combine a telephonic equipment and a computer H04M7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A method for delivery of a voice mail message to a recipient. The method includes identifying the recipient of the voice mail message, receiving a notification indicative of one of the subscriber'"'"'s availability, the subscriber'"'"'s presence and the subscriber'"'"'s location, recording the voice mail message, selectively converting the voice mail message to a text message based on the notification, and delivering either the text message or the voice mail message to a device of the recipient based on the notification. The method may further include receiving an alternative destination device for delivery of the text message or the voice message and delivering the text message or the voice message to the alternative destination device using internet protocol.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a recipient of a voice mail message;

receiving a notification indicative of at least one of;

an availability of the recipient;

or

a presence of the recipient;

receiving the voice mail message;

selectively converting the voice mail message to a text message based on the notification; and

providing a map to a device of the recipient based on the notification, wherein;

one of the voice mail message or the text message is retrievable by selecting, on the map, a location associated with the voice mail message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the map is delivered to a device of the recipient using a packet switched network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering the map to an alternative destination device using internet protocol.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the alternative destination device comprises an appliance connected to the internet.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the map to designated devices of each of multiple recipients based on a distribution list.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

at least one recipient of the multiple recipients receives the map wherein the voice mail message is retrievable by selecting the location; and

another recipient of the multiple recipients receives the map wherein the text message is retrievable by selecting the location.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a text message at a voice mail server representative of the voice mail message to be delivered to a recipient;

converting the text message to the voice mail message; and

providing, based on at least one of availability of the recipient, presence of the recipient, location of the recipient, or selection of an alternative destination device of the recipient, a map to a device of the recipient via a packet switched network, wherein the voice mail message is retrievable by selecting, on the map, a location associated with the voice mail message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the voice mail message is provided via a circuit switched network if the packet switched network is unavailable.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing the map to multiple recipients based on a distribution list.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the location comprises a destination of interest.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the text mail message is selectively transcribed to a voice mail message based on a location of the recipient.

12. A voice mail server comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving a voice mail message from a calling party to a recipient;

selectively transcribing the voice mail message to a text message based on at least one of availability of the recipient, the presence of the recipient, location of the recipient, or a selected destination receiving device of the recipient; and

providing a map to the recipient, wherein, based on the transcribing, one of the voice mail message or the text message is retrievable by selecting, on the map, a location associated with the voice mail message.

13. The voice mail server of claim 12, the operations further comprising providing the map to multiple recipients in the distribution list.

14. The voice mail server of claim 12, wherein the location comprises a location of interest.

15. A visual voice mail server comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

transcribing a voice mail message to a text message;

providing a map to an intended recipient of a distribution list comprising a plurality of intended recipients, wherein the text message is retrievable by selecting, on the map, a location associated with the voice mail message; and

providing, based on at least one of availability of the recipient, presence of the recipient, location of the recipient, or selection of an alternative destination device of the recipient, the map to another intended recipient of the distribution list, wherein the voice mail message is retrievable by selecting the location on the map.

16. The visual voice mail server of claim 15, the operations further comprising providing one of the voice mail message or the text message based on a location of each of the intended recipients.

17. The visual voice mail server of claim 15, wherein the location comprises a destination of interest.