CA2115822C - Electronic mail system having integrated voice messages - Google Patents

Abstract

In a computer network having a plurality of interconnected terminals and a shared memory device for storing digital data, a message handling system for sending and retrieving both voice and text messages over the computer network. A voice message is input either through a phone associated with one of the computer terminals or via a remote phone. The voice message is converted into a digital voice file which is stored on the shared memory device corresponding to the intended recipient's mailbox.
Thereby, one mailbox can contain both voice and text messages.
The same message handling mechanism is used for handling both voice and text messages. A list of the messages currently stored for each mailbox can be pulled for display by their respective terminals. A selected voice message may be selected for playback over the phone. Likewise, a text message may be selected for display by the terminal. Call answering and remote playback functions are also provided.

Description

AN ELECTRONIC MAII. SYSTEM HAV~NG
INTEGRATED VOICE M~SAGES

5 Fl~ n OF TH~ I~VENTlON
The present lnvention pertains to the field of voice processing. More partlcularly, the present lnventlon relates to a mech~nism for lntegrating volce messaging with an electronic text messaging system.

BACKGROU~D OF TH~ ON
Slnce the advent of telephone communlcations, callers have frequently failed to make contact with the person they are calling either because that person ls on another line, away from the 15 phone, or otherwise preoccupled. Tlme and effort are wasted by playing telephone tag. This problem is especially acute in the buslness environment as customers are faced with unanswered calls, extended walts on hold, unconveyed lmportant lnformation, etc. Communlcatlon wlthln an organl~ation between employees is 20 also a problem because of availabllity at the same time of the people who need to communicate. Time zone differences, especlally ln regards to international calls, particularly aggravate this issue.
Traditionally, a caller who cannot get hold of the person 25 they are trying to contact could leave a message with a - 21 1 ;~2 receptlonlst or secretary. However, written messages are notoriously prone to inaccuracies and are practlcally llmited in length. Furthermore, thls approach only works durlng business hours when the receptionlst or secretary is available to pick up 5 the lncomlng call.
In response to the shortcomlngs of handwritten messaglng, electronic voice and text messaging systems have been developed.
A number of voice and text messaglng systems are known in the art and are commercially available. A volce messaging system is 0 used to automate the answering of incomlng calls from the outside telephone network and the taking of messages when the extensions are not answered by the called parties. Volce message systems are also used for people uslng any standard DTMF (Dual Tone Multl-Frequency) phone to call the volce message system 5 and create messages that are then addressed and sent to one or more select other users of the system. Such voice messaging systems lncorporate features, such as the recording of volce messages for users In what are known as "mailboxes". Commonly, voice mess~ging systems may also be accessed by users calllng 20 from PBX extenslons or from the telephone network over incoming trunks to access the~r mailbox to listen to voice messages.
In most known voice mess~ging systems, answering of incomlng trunk calls by the voice messaglng system is 25 accomplished by lnstructlng the PBX to dlrect the incom~ng calls to 21 I~&22 a group of extenslons. Volce ports of the volce messaglng system are coupled wlth thls group of extenslons and appear to the PBX
slmply as slngle llne telephone sets ln a hunt group. Typlcally, the volce mess~ging system will answer a call dlrected to lt and 5 provide a pre-recorded volce message allowing the caller to "log-on" (I.e., enter a user ldentiflcatlon number and security code) to access their mailbox in order to llsten to or send voice messages.
~nternal users on the PBX can direccly call the group of extenslons in the hunt group to access the voice messaging syste~
In addition to handling calls received by the PBX from lncomlng telephone trunks and direct Internal calls, an important function of known voice messaging systems ls the handling of calls whlch do not successfully reach the orlginally intended extension elther because the extenslon was busy, dld not answer, or had 15 intentlonally been placed in a mode in which It was not accepting calls. Such a function may be accomplished in known volce messaging systems by instructing the PBX to forward all such unanswered calls to a group of extenslons coupled wlth the volce ports of the volce messaging system. As Is know in the prlor art, 20 for example U. S. Patent No. 4,926,462, volce message systems are also connected to the PBX in such a way as to recelve lnformatlon about the orlglnally called extenslon number so that the volce message system can answer the call with the greeting of the called party and take a volce message that goes lnto the volce mailbox 2s for that called person.

2I15~22 Another mech~nism which has been used for the transmission and receipt of text messages involves computers.
With the advent of personal computers and workstatlons, computing power was dlstributed to users at the desktop level.
5 As ls well know ln the prior art, these personal computers (PCs) and workstations can be connected using Local Area Network (LAN) and Wlde Area Network (WAN) hardware and software technology.
The interconnection of PCs and workstations into networks 0 is becomlng increasingly popular and one of the most common appllcations ls that of electronic mall (E-mail). E-mail allows users to compose, send, and recelve messages on their PCs or workstations over a LAN or WAN. Originally, E-mail systems only handled text-based messages. Increaslngly, they are belng 15 en~nced to also support the tr~nsmisslon of other formats of information, such as graphics, spread sheets, facsimile, and voice.
Most of the E-mall systems avallable for PC network environments requlre a flle server computer on the LAN. The most popular file server LAN software system ls sold by Novell~
20 (Netware~) or Mlcrosoftn' (LAN ManagerlU). These software systems allow programs on indlvldual PCs to access files on a computer runnlng the flle server software. These files can elther be shared access or assigned to a particular lndlvidual. They also support what are called "peer-to-peer" communications protocols, whlch allow PCs to send and recelve data to and from other PCs on the LAN.
The E-mail software running on a particular user's PC uses a file server on a LAN as the "post office" for the mail messages. As 5 an example, there ls a shared file on the server that ls the "user directoryn. It has information such as each users' E-mail addresses and passwords. The file server ls also where the messages are stored when they are walting to be accessed by a user. The server also contalns information for each user regarding 10 how many messages they have, the date and time of creatlon of each message, who it is from, who else was copied, etc This information is sometlmes called a message header or "envelope"
information. Also supported ln these E-mail systems is the ability to send E-mall messages to other E-mall systems located on a 5 dlfferent LAN (usually via a dedlcated WAN connection or via dial-up modems). In these cases there ls software running on one of the PCs on the LAN that handles the moving of messages and of all the message header information from one flle server via the WAN to another file server. There is also software that ~eeps the 20 directories of these different LAN based E-mail systems automatically updated.
As lndlcated previously, the E-mall systems also support the abillty to attach other files that are stored on the server as part of the E-maii message. In some E-mall systems, the names of these 25 attached flles mlght also be part of the message header . .
information. These E-mail systems typically have available Appllcatlon Program Interfaces (AP~s) which allow software programs to be written to use the E-mail directory, message handllng, user access and security me~ nismc of that particular 5 E-mail system for facilitating the development of other applications. The two most common LAN based E-mail systems are Mlcrosoft Mail~ and Lotus cc:Mail~. Microsoft~ supports a set of APIs called Messaging Application Program ~nterface (MAPl) and Lotus~ supports, as do other software companles, APIs called 10 Vendor Independent Messaging (VIM).
In prior art voice messaging systems, the methods for keeplng track of user directories, message header informatlon, and the messages themselves is unlque to each manufacturer.
Virtually all these methods are different from the methods the E-5 mail software systems use to perform the same functions for E-mail. This means that a business organizatlon that has both E-mall and voice messaging must maintain two user directories, two mailboxes per user, and two wide area networklng and directory update systems. Thls is both lnconvenient for the users and more 20 expenslve to m~n~ge for the business.
Therefore, there exists a need in the prior art for an integrated volce and electronlc messaglng system. Such an integrated system would allow companies to maintain only one directory for all voice and E-mall users, malntain only one method 25 of wide area networking both kinds of messages, and give the users only one mallbox to check and use for all types of messages (e.g., volce, fax, text, graphic, etc.).

SUMMARY OF TH~ NTION
In the present inventlon, the APIs of a commerclally avallable E-mall system and the abillty to attach volce flles as part of an E-mail message are used to implement a voice messaging 5 system. The voice file ls created by using a board In a PC which connects to a phone system to accept incoming phone calls and to convert the analog volce signal lnto a dlgital format. For the purposes of this disclosure thls will be called the voice gateway PC. Conversely, the dlgital format ls converted back to the analog 10 volce slgnal for playback of a stored volce file. A volce message ls recorded by storlng the dlgltal volce data on the file server uslng a unlquely created file name. To send a volce message, the volce file stored on the server ls attached to an E-mail message and "sent" uslng the appropriate API. For recelving a volce message, 5 the volce file attached to ar~ E-mail message ls retrieved and transferred to the gateway PC. Thereupon, the board whlch is connected to a phone system converts the voice file from a dlgltal format to an analog volce signal for playback over the phone line.
There are three methods of creatlng and sending volce 20 messages. In the first method, a user at his PC can elect to send an E-mail message by uslng the standard E-mail message software. But instead of 3ust typing in the text of a message, he can access another application r~lnning on his PC to send a peer-to-peer message to the voice gateway PC on the LAN. The voice 25 gateway PC is connected to the phone system so that it can call the 211a822 phone assoclated with the user's PC ln order to record a voice message. When he answers the phone, the gateway PC records his volce message uslng the voice board and writes the dlgltlzed volce data onto the flle server with a unique flle n~me and attaches that 5 file name to the E-mall message that is waitlng to be sent.
In the second method, an unanswered call to a particular user's phone will be forwarded to a phone port of the volce gateway PC. The PBX informs the PC of that particular extenslon which did not answer. The voice gateway PC converts the 10 extension number to an E-mall address, plays a personal greeting file pre-recorded by the user, and records the caller's voice message onto the server. It will then select the appropriate E-mail AP~s necessary for sendlng an E-mail with the atta~hed voice file to the user's E-mail address.
In the thlrd method, a user dlrectly calls the volce gateway PC. By uslng slgnals from his DTMF phone, whlch are translated by the phone interface board on the PC to digltal slgnals, the user enters hls extenslon number and E-mall password In order to "log-on" to hls mallbox. Note that the E-mall password must have been 20 set to all numeric digits if it is to be the same as used directly by the vo~ce message phone user. However, it would be posslble for the volce message user to enter an alphabetic password uslng multiple numerlc digits to represent the selected alphabetic character. The user can then send comm~n~ls from his DTMF
2s phone to create the volce message whlch will be stored on the 2 ~ z 2 server and also to address volce messages uslng the recipient's volce mallbox number. The volce gateway PC software uses the APls to send the volce flles to the appropriate E-mall user.
There are two methods for retrieving volce messages. ln 5 the flrst method, when a user vlews hls E-mall "lnbox" on hls PC, some of the messages may contaln volce files as a result of any of the three sendlng methods above. If the user opens such a message and "selects" the volce flle attached, the software running on his PC recognizes that the flle name ls of a partlcular type.
10 Thereupon, lt activates a software appllcatlon on the PC whlch sends a comln~nd (uslng peer-to-peer communlcatlon) to the voice gateway PC to ring the user's phone and to play the voice file selected.
In the second method, the user calls Into the system from a 5 DTMF phone dlrectly to the voice gateway PC. As des~ibed above, the user logs-on to hls mallbox via the phone. The volce gateway PC software selects the appropriate APIs to search the user's E-mall message for attached volce flles. The AP~s also can be used to obtaln lnformation from the user's E-mall mailbox 20 regardlng the number of messages whlch have volce attachments.
The volce gateway PC can speak this count to the telephone user, and allows the user to play a voice file through the use of DTMF
buttons on the telephone. Other standard volce messaglng features such as save, erase, forward, reply, etc., are also 2s supported.

In accordance with the present lnvention, there is provided an E-mail messaglng system havlng an lntegrated volce messaglng system, comprlslng: a plurallty of computers coupled together for recelvlng and sendlng E-mall messages, each computer for lnputting commands to control said E-mail messaglng system; a volce gateway computer lncludlng volce processlng circuits for convertlng voice slgnals to dlgltal data that ls representatlve of sald volce slgnals and also for convertlng sald dlgltal data back to sald volce signals and said volce processlng circuits coupled to a telephone swltchlng system for interconnecting to a plurality of local and remote telephones; and a data storage means coupled to said plurallty of computers for storlng an E-mall message alone or ln comblnatlon wlth a volce message attached thereto, the volce message belng attached by means of a first appro-prlate applicatlon lnterface routlne, the E-mall message belng accesslble from the data storage means vla said plurallty of computers and the volce message belng accesslble from the data storage means vla sald telephones and sald volce gateway computer by means of a second approprlate appllcatlon lnterface routlne.
In accordance wlth the present lnventlon, there ls also provided a method of lntegratlng a volce message system lnto an exlstlng E-mall system formlng an lntegrated text and volce messaglng system, sald method comprlslng the steps of:
generatlng a slngle dlrectory whlch contalns a plurallty of user records, each user record contalnlng an alphanumerlc E-mall address and a numerlc volce mall address, each of sald - lla -address speclfying a slngle mall box where a voice message and a text message are to be stored for a user of said lntegrated text and voice messaging system~ digitizing said voice message lnto a dlgltal volce flle; attachlng sald dlgital voice file wlth sald text message, the dlgltal volce flle being attached by means of an approprlate appllcatlon program lnterface routine; storing sald voice message and said text message in assoclatlon wlth one of said single mailboxes in a data storage means; and selectlvely accessing the E-mall system through a telephone or an E-mail terminal.
In accordance with the present inventlon, there ls further provlded a method of integrating voice messages with text messages in an electronic malllng system comprising the steps of: generatlng a slngle directory which contains a plurality of E-mall addresses, and extension numbers;
recelvlng a forwarded incoming telephone call; determining a called party's extension number; recording a voice message from said lncomlng telephone call as a dlgltal volce flle;
attachlng sald voice flle to an E-mall message as part of an E-mall system accordlng to an appllcatlon program lnterface of an E-mail system; determining an E-mail mailbox address from sald dlrectory based on said extenslon number; sending said E-mall message with lts voice file in association with its mailbox address; and playing back said voice messages over a telephone.
In accordance wlth the present lnvention, there is further provided an automatic messaglng system comprising a.
an E-mall system having: (1) a data storage means; (2) a - llb -, plurality of computers coupled to one another and coupled for sendlng and recelving text messages from the data storage means; (3) a dlgital memory coupled to be controlled by the data storage means, the dlgltal memory havlng a dlrectory of users and thelr voice mall and E-mall addresses, the digltal memory also for storlng text messages; and b. a volce mall system, coupled to and lntegrated for operating under the E-mall system whereln volce messages are attached to the E-mall system by means of an appllcation program lnterface, the volce mall system havlng a volce gateway coupled to the data server and also containlng voice processlng interface circuits for coupllng to a telephone swltchlng system and for communlcating wlth telephone sets for convertlng voice signals lnto dlgltal volce data and for convertlng back.
In accordance with the present inventlon, there ls further provlded a method of lntegratlng volce messages wlth text messages ln an E-mall system, whereln the E-mall message system ls conflgured for use by a plurallty of users, each user havlng an E-mall mailbox wlth a predetermlned E-mail address, the E-mail message system for storing electronlc text messages each such message including flelds for ldentlfying a sender and an E-mail address for an lntended reclplent of a message, the method comprlslng steps of: a. storlng a volce mallbox number for each user wlthln the exlstlng E-mall messaglng system; b. generatlng a user table based upon the volce mallbox number for each user for correlatlng the E-mall address for each user to the volce mallbox number for that user; c. recelvlng a volce message and correspondlng lntended - llc -voice mailbox number for an intended user; d. scanning the user table to identlfy a target E-mail address of the intended user which correlates the intended voice mallbox number; and e. storing the volce me.ssage in a memory store accordlng to the E-mail address of the lntended user.

- lld -_, i 2115~22 R~rFF nP~('.RlPTlON OF THF l)RAWIN('.S
The present invention is lllustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanylng drawings and ln which like reference n-~mera~s refer to simil~r 5 elements and in which:

Flgure 1 shows a client-server system archltecture upon whlch the present ~nvention may be practiced.

0 Flgure 2 shows a flowchart describlng the steps for a caller logging lnto hls or her mailbox using an E-mail system.

Flgure 3 shows a flowchart describing the s~eps for provldlng a caller with a message s~mm~ry for revlew of his or her messages.

Flgure 4 is a flowchart showing the steps for sc~nning the ma~lbox of the caller for a volcemail system whlch Is Integrated with MAPI E-mall systems.
Flgure S is a flowchart describing the steps for message playback of new messages of a voicemall system Integrated with MAPl E-mall systems.

Flgure 6 is a flowchart describing the steps for message playback of saved/old messages of a voicemail system integrated with MAPI E-mail systems.

S Flgure 7 is a flowchart describlng the steps for sending a message from one user to another over the telephone with MAPI
E-mail systems.

Flgure 8 Is a flowchart describing the steps for a call answering operation with MAPI E-mail systems.

Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the steps for saving and deleting messages and marking messages as read ~rith MAPI E-mail systems.
Flgure 10 is a flowchart showing the steps for replying to a message during message playback with MAPI E-mail systems.

Flgure 11 ls a flowchart showing the steps for sc~nning the mailbox of the caller using the VIM (Vender Independent Mess~ging) APIs supported by Lotus cc:Mall.

Flgure 12 is a flowchart showing the steps for message playback of new messages with a VIM type E-mall system.

2.~1~'g~2 Flgure 13 Is a flowchart showing the steps for sendlng a message from one user to another over the telephone with a VIM
type E-mail system.

S Flgure 14 ls a flowchart showing the steps for a call answering operation with a VIM type E-mail system.

Figure lS is a flowchart showing the steps for marking as read and deleting messages for a VIM type E-mall system.

Flgure 16 is a flowchart showing the steps for reply~ng to a message during message playback with a V~M type E-mail system.

Figure 17 shows a computer dlsplay as may be lmplemented for an lntegrated voice and electronlc ma31 system.

n~TA~ n nFS(~RlPTION
An integrated voice and electronic mail system ls described.
In the following description, numerous speciflc detalls are set forth such as speciflc APIs, prompts, menus, software code, 5 subroutine calls, etc., in order to provide a thorough understandlng of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present lnventlon may be practiced without these speciflc detalls. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block dlagram 10 form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention.
The present lnventlon applies to a computer network-based voice processing system. A network of personal computers, workstatlons, servers, hubs, concentrators, routers, bridges, etc., is 5 coupled to and interfaces w~th a standard telephone system ln order to create, send, and receive voice messages as well as electronic mail messages according to a single lntegrated message handllng merll~n~m. The present inventlon also allows for access of messages from a remote phone. The present invention also 20 allows for the taklng of a voice message as the result of an unanswered phone call and the puttlng of that volce message Into a designated user's E-mail mailbo~
Referring to Figure 1, a client-server system architecture upon whlch the present lnventlon may be practiced ls shown. A
25 number of phones 101A~ are connected to a locaI PBX 102. PBX

211~822 102 has several trunks 110-112, which provlde transmission of analog voice slgnals to and from the local telephone network. Also coupled to PBX 102 is voice gateway 103. Voice gateway 103 ls additlonally coupled to a LAN 105 whlch ln turn also connects a file server 106 and PC workstations 107-109. The file server provides disk (or disks) 106B for storage use by the computers on the LAN. Volce gateway 103 is a computer with volce processing and network interface cards such as those avallable from Dlaloglc~ or Rhetorex~ Corporation. The volce gateway 103 Is 0 connected via llnes 104a to PBX 102. There may also be an addltional connection between voice gateway 103 and PBX 102 that ls the PBX Integration L~nk 104B for providing information when an unanswered call ls forwarded to one of the lines 104A on the origlnal called extenslon number.
An E-mail software package, such as Mlcrosoft Malln' or Lotus cc:Mail~, ls installed on the PCs 107-109 and on the volce gateway PC 103. Thereby, E-mail capablllties are provided for each of the PCs on LAN 105. The file server 106 ls used as the "post offlce" for the E-mail system. In an alternative embodiment, the present lnven~on ls appllcable to wide area networks (WANs) using the E-mail software packages available to provide mess~in~ capabillties across dlfferent LANs. That Is, for workstations and PCs connected on a LAN with a flle server, the two LANs are interconnected uslng commercially avallable routers, bridges, or gateways.

Software in the volce gateway 103 uses the volce processing cards connected to PBX 102 to convert analog volce slgnals to digltal slgnals and sends the digltal slgnals to flle server 106 to be stored on its disk drive 106b. For playing volce messages the 5 volce files stored on the file se~ver dlsk 106B are retrieved and sent to the voice gateway 103 to be converted by the volce processlng cards from dlgltal data to analog data. Furthermore, voice cards implemented in a PC, can also send DTMF digits to dial a phone number, decode DTMF diglts as comm~nds, detect calls 0 ringing in, answer calls (l.e., go off-hook), flash to lndicate to the phone system a request for a PBX functlon (e.g., transfer), hang-up, etc.
The voice gateway 103 can be called directly!by one of the phones 101A-C or can call one of the phones 101A-C to play or 15 record volce messages. The volce gateway 103 can also be accessed directly by a call coming in on a trunk 110-112 being connected via lines 104a to the volce processing cards in voice gateway 103. As indlcated previously, calls to phones 101 that are not answered can be forwarded by the PBX 102 to one of lines 20 104A and information about the extenslon number of the phone 101A-C ls transferred via llnk 104B to the voice gateway.
The integratlon of volce messaglng with an E-mail system is accomplished in part through the use of Appllcation Program Interfaces (APIs). An AP~ defines the sets of standard function 2s calls to interface to the messaging system that can be invoked 21158~

from an applicatlon program. Basically, an API ls comprlsed of a group of subroutlnes that allows programmers to wr~te code for uslng the E-mail dlrectory, E-mail message handllng mech~ni~ms, E-mail security systems, etc., that already exlst for most E-mail S systems. By taking advantage of the AP~s, access is gai~ed to an E-mall system's directory and message handllng mechanisms so as to lntegrate volce messages with the E-mail system. In other words, a developer can wrlte code for modifying the lnterface for an E-mail system so as to lnclude volce messages. In thls way 10 voice files may be m~n~ged equally as well as text files, or other attachment files.
Among the APIs are the "Messaglng Appllcatlon Program Interface" (MAPI) promoted by Microsoft used for interfaclng to Mlcrosoft Mailn' and other MAPI compliant e-mail products; and 15 "Vendor Independent Messag~ng" (VIM) promoted by Lotus and others for lnterfaclng to Lotus cc:Mailn' and other V~M compllant e-mall products. Table 1 below llsts the ~IAPI and VIM AP~s used for lmplementing the voice mess~glng functions previously descrlbed. There are now and may be In the future other E-mall 20 API's that one of ordinary skill could use to produce the invention.
These are given only as methods for two embodiments of the present invention. In the following descriptlon, dlgitized voice files are identlfied by the four character extenslon .vox.

211~82~

TABLE 1:
PC/Workstation Software Operatlons What's happenlng MAPI call VIM API call Record a message and MAPISendDocllmen SMlSendMail then press the mail ts button Llsten to volc~ No speclal API No speclal API
messages found ln functlonrequlred- functlonrequlred -the user's mail autoloads special autoloads special folder/In Tray Inbox applicatlon on the appllcation on the PC based on PC based on assoclatlon to .VOX association to .VOX
- extension extenslon General Housekeeplng What's MAPI call VlM API call happening A-lmini~tratlon Asslgn volcemail A template that Use the cc:Mail Admin box numbers has two addltional (DOS) program to creat~
and passwords; flelds allases for existlng alsodefault 'Volce mailbox users. These allases telephone Number' and containthe mailbox extenslons 'Default Telephone number as the name, requlred for Extenslon' ls the telephone extens~on 'Connect to defined. in the comments field Sender'. The standard Mail and user name in the address book form address fleld.
has two 'Phone Number' fields.
The 'Phone number #2 ls used as the Voice mailbox number, and Phone number #l is the extenslon number.

211~22 Volce Gateway A text file VIMGetDefaultSesslonI
User Table containlng the nfo Creatlon. The MAPI address book VIMOpenSesslon User Table is ~s created using the VlMOpenAddressBook created MS-Mall VIMEnumerateAddress periodlcally and template.exe BookEntries is updated every utllity, whlch is VIMCloseAddressBook tlme the Voice read into memory. VIMCloseSesslon Gateway ls This contains the restarted. required lnformatlon about the users.
General Session InitMAPI VIMInitlalize Management MAPILogon V~OpenSesslon MAPILogoff VIMCIoseSesslon DelnitMAPI VIMTerminate PBX Integrated Call Answering What's MAPI call VIM API call happenlng Call fo~wards to Look up the Look up the extension Voice Gateway extension number in the user table with called number in the created at start-up to get extension user table E-mail Mailboxnumber.
number created at start-informatlon up to get E-mail Mallbox number.
External caller MAPlLogon VlMGetDefaultSessionInfo records message MAPISendMail VIMOpenSesslon forthe called MAPILogoff VIMCreateMessage extenslon user. VIMSetMessageHeader Need to send VIMSetMessageReciplent volce file to the VIMSendMessage users E-mall VIMaoseSession address.

U~;er Calls In to Llsten to Messages User calls Volce Check name Check name from user Gateway to from user table. table. Check password check volce Check password using VIMOpenSesslon messages. User using enters Volce MAPILogon mailbox number and password.
Countand MAPIFindNext VIMOpenMessageConta~ner access voice MAPIReadMall VlMEnumerateMessages files. (look for .vox VlMOpenMessage flles) VIMEnumerateMessagelte MAPIFreeBuffer ms (look for .vox files) MAPILogoff VIMGetMessageItem VIMCloseMes~age V~MaoseMessageContainer VlMCloseSess~on Tell User how All .vox files All .vox files found above many voice found above have been extracted from messages. have been their messages and their extracted from filenames are sent to the their messages Voice gateway PC for and their playing back~
fllenames are sent to the Voice gateway PC for playing back Llsten to MAPIReadMail VIMOpenMessageContainer messages (withoutthe VlMMarkMessageAsRead MAPI_PEEK VlMaoseMessageConta~ner flag) MAPIFreeBuffer Message Playback Op.ions What's happening MAP~ call V~M API call Optlons during Message Playback Connect to message The Voice Server The Voice Server has sender has received the received the telephone telephone extenslon extension of the of the sender with sender with the the other lnformatlon other lnformatlon of the .vox file of the .vox file Reply to sender Combinations of Combinations of above above Forward to another Combinations of Combinations of user above above Save MAPI SaveMail is VIMMarkMessageAs used to Save a mail Read message Record a new No special API No spe~lal APl prompt functions required functlons requlred Delete MAPrReadMall VIMOpenMessageCon MAPIDeleteMall tainer MAPIFreeBuffer V~MRemoveMessage V~MaoseMessageCon tainer Cyde forwards and No Spec~al No special functlons bach~ards through functlons requlred requlred messages Flgures 2-16 are flowcharts illustratlng the steps for lmplementlng the present invention. The following conventions 5 are used ln these flowcharts: a rectangular box indlcates information entered by an outside caller; a dlamond indicates a conditional branch~ng; an oval lndlcates internal voice message 2115&22 system operation or a function call; and a rectangle havlng rounded corners lndlcates a message belng played to the caller.
Phrases ln quotation marks are typlcal of the system message played to the caller at thls polnt. In particular, the flowcharts of 5 Flgures ~10 are dlrected towards the steps of lmplementlng the present inventlon on MAPI E-mail systems, whlle the flowcharts deplcted in Figures ll-lS are directed towards VIM E-mall systems.
As indicated In Table 1, under "General Housekeeping," there 0 are some functlons performed for settlng up the E-mall system user dlrectory to handle voice messages and also by the volce gateway PC to create speclal tables to facilitate certaln feature lmplementatlons. In order to use the E-mall d~rectory, the user volce mallbox and extenslon number need to be asslgned and 5 assoclated with thelr E-mall identification. In many cases, the extenslon number and volce mallbox may be the samet and thus, only one entry ls needed. In elther case, the volce gateway PC
scans the E-mall dlrectory and bullds a table (hereln called the "User Table") whlch can be searched using the volce mallbox or 20 extenslon number to determlne an E-mail ldentificatlon called E-mall name. Thls User Table is referred to in the flow charts.
Referring now to Flgure 2, a flowchart describing the steps for a caller logging lnto hls or her mallbox is shown. ~nitlally, the computer prompts the caller to enter his or her mailbox number, 25 step 201. Prompts are pre-named volce files that are stored elther on the file server or volce gateway and are read off dlsk storage and sent to the volce processlng cards to be converted from dlgltal data to analog data to be played. Thereupon, the caller enters his or her asslgned volce mallbox number, step 202.
5 For this and other functlons, the user "enters" numbers us~ng a standard DTMF phone key pad. The tones recelved by the voice processlng cards in the gateway PC are converted to their corresponding diglt * or # representations and made available to the volce gateway PC for processlng. The voice gateway PC
0 searches for the User's name from the User Table stored in memory, step 203. If there Is no match, a voice message such as "Sorry, that is not a valld mailbox number," will be played to the caller, step 208.
Otherwlse, If the mallbox number Is valld, the computer 15 system prompts the user to enter his or her password, step 204.
In response, the caller enters the password, step 205. The user name and password is sent to a subroutlne (e.g., MAPILogon or VIMOpenSesslon) to determlne whether that password correctly matches wlth the user name, step 206. If the password Is invalld, 20 the computer sends a volce message such as "Sorry, that ls not the correct password," to the caller, step 209. The computer reprompts the caller to enter his password, step 204. If a valld password has been entered, the mailbox of the caller Is scanned, step 207. The sc~nnirlg step is described ln detail below in reference to Figure 4 for MAPI applicatlons and to Figure 11 for VIM appllcations.
Flgure 3 shows a flowchart describing the next steps for providlng a caller with a message s~lmm~ry for revlew of hls or 5 her messages. The message count is used to determine the prompt about mailbox message information, step 302. Depending on the message count, there can be three outcomes. If there are no messages, the caller ls so informed, step 303. The computer system the~ prompts the user to press "~" to record a new 10 message, step 306. A new message ls recorded if the user proceeds to press "*" and leaves a message, step 307. The steps for sendLng a message is described in detail below in reference to Figure 6 for MAPI applicatlons and to Figure 10 for VIM
appllcatlons. lf there are new messages, the computer system will 15 lnform the user of the number of new messages as well as the number of old messages, step 304. The messages are then played back, step 308. The steps for message playback of new messages ~s descrlbed ln detail below ln reference to Figure 5 for MAPI
appllcations and to Flgure 12 for VIM applicat~ons. Once message 20 playback ls completed, the computer system lndlcates that there are no more new messages, step 309. At that point, the user can press "#" to listen to his or her old messages, step 311. If the user does press the "#" symbol, the old messages are played back, step 312. The steps for message playback of old messages is described 2s in detall below in reference to Flgure 6 for MAP~ appllca~ons and ~1138~2 Flgure 12 for VIM with step 1204 modlfled to reverse the path for "yes" and "no".
If there are no old messages, the computer system so lnforms the caller, step 310. If there are no new messages, the 5 computer system lnforms the caller of thls status as well as the number of old messages, step 30~. If there are no old messages either, then the computer system indlcates that the caller has no more messages, step 310. Otherwlse, the user can press the "~"
symbol to listen to hls or her old messages, step 311. Presslng the 10 "#" symbol causes the old messages to be played back, step 312.
Flgure 4 ~s a flowchart showing the steps for sc~nning the mailbox of the caller for a volcemail system which is integrated with a MAPI E-mail system. In step 401, the MAPIFindNext subroutlne is used to get the next mall message. Next, the 5 MAPIReadMall subroutine ls used to get informatlon about the message, step 402. A determlnatlon ls made as to whether there are any voicema~l attachments, step 403. lf so, a count ls lncremented of the new and old messages, step 404. The algorithm proceeds to step 405. If there are no volcemall 20 attachments, a determlnation ls made as to whether there are any more messages, step 40S. If there are more messages, step 401 ls repeated. Otherwise, the MAPILogoff subroutlne ls executed to end the sesslon, step 406.
Figure S is a flowchart describlng the steps for message 25 playback of new messages of a voicemail system lntegrated with 2I15&2~

MAPI E-mail systems. In 501, the user name and password ls provlded to the MAPILogon subroutine. The MAPIFindNext subroutine is used to get the next mail message, step S02. Next, the MAPIReadMail subroutine ls used to get the information about 5 that message, step 503. A determlnation ls made as to whether this is a new message, step 504. If so, a determination ls then made as to whether there are any voicemail attachments, step 505. If It ls determined that there are volcemall attachments, the .vox files are extracted from the message, step 506.
The extracted .vox file is played by using the message playback optlons, step 507. If it ls determined in steps 504 and 505 that elther thls is not a new message or that there are no volcemail attachments, step 508 ls performed imn~ediately. If it ls determlned In step 508 that there are no more messages, the 15 MAPILogoff subroutine ls used to end the session, step 509.
Otherwlse, step 502 is repeated to get the next mail message.
Note that thls flowchart shows message playback for new messages.
Flgure 6 is a flowchart showlng the steps for playback of 20 saved or old messages. In step 601, the user name and password is provided to the MAPILogon subroutlne. The ~IAPIFlndNext subroutlne ls used to get the next mall message, step 602. Next, the MAPIReadMail subroutine ls used to get the information about that message, step 603. A determination ls made as to whether 25 this is a saved or old message, step 604. If so, a determination is 21158~Z

then made as to whether there are any volcemail attachments, step 605. If lt ls determlned that there are volcemail attachments, the .vox files are extracted from the message, step 606.
The extracted .vox file ls played by us~ng the message playback options, step 607. If lt is determined in steps 604 and 605 that elther thls is not a saved message or that there are no volcemall attachments, step 608 ls performed lmmediately. If It is determlned in step 608 that there are no more messages, the MAPILogoff subroutine is used to end the session, step 609.
Otherwise, step 512 is repeated to get the next mall message.
Flgure 7 is a flowchart describing the steps for volce message users to send a message to another user over the phone.
In step 701, the user Is prompted to enter the volce mailbox number of the reclplent. The user then enters the voice mailbox number of the reciplent, step 702. The computer system locates the reciplent E-mall name from the stored user table, step 703. If lt is determined that the mallbox number Is lnvalld, a volce message such as "Sorry, this ls not a valid mailbox number. Press * to try agaln or 0 to return to the start," ls sent to the caller, step 711. If it ls determlned that the mailbox number ls valld the system plays a prerecorded message such as "Record your message after the tone," step 704.
A new file is created on the file server with a file name that lS unlquely created and has ".vox" as lts last 4 characters and the 2115~22 system transfers the dlgitlzed volce slgnal to this file, step 705.
The user indicates he ls finlshed recordlng by entering a #, step 706. In step 708, the call to MAPlLogon is used with the sendlng user's E-mall name and password (so he will appear as the 5 orlglnator of the message). In step 709, the MAP~SendMa~l subroutine is used to send the created volce file with .vox in its file name attached to an E-mail message to the recipient us~ng the E-mail name previously determlned from the mailbox number. A
MAPILogoff subroutlne is used to end the session, step 710.
The flowchart of Figure 8 shows the steps for a call answering voice message operatlon using MAPI. The called party's extension is forwarded to the vo~ce message system ports, and the PBX provides integration information along with the call, including giving the called party's extenslon number. In step 801, 15 the extension number received from the PBX is used to find the called party's E-mall name from the User Table. In step 802, the system plays a personal greeting previously recorded by the user of the called extenslon (or a default message if none is recorded -such as "Extension toooc dld not answer"). Step 803 shows the 20 creation of a new file name with a .vox extension (to indicate it is a volce flle) and the writing of digitized volce data into the file.
Recording is terminated when the user hangs-up or on the detection of silence, special tones, or a timeout and control proceeds to step 804.

2115~22 If the forwarded call Is from another extension on the same PBX, some PBX lntegratlons also give the calling party's extenslon number as well as that of the called party. Step 804 checks to see if the caller extenslon has an entry in the User Table. In Step 805, 5 the decislon is made to go to step 806 if there ls an entry and lt ls a known user or to step 807 if lt ls not. In step 806, The FFAPI
gtwput subroutlne ls used with the ~lministrator password to create message from Caller or equivalent MAPI functlons. In step 807, a default name (for example, "Externaln) and password is 10 used as the originator of the message. Then MAPISendMail ls used to send the .vox file, step 808, and MAPlLogoff is used to end the sesslon, step 809.
Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the steps for marking as read, saving, and deletlng messages. lnltially, the caller Instructs 15 the computer system to elther mark a message as read, save a message, or delete a message, step 901. A call is made to the MAPILogon subroutlne wlth the user name and password, step 902. A call is made to one of three different subroutlnes dependlng upon the caller's instruction, step 903. A call ls made 20 to the MAPlReadMail subroutine for marking the messages as read. The MAPISaveMail subroutlne is utillzed for saving a message. The MAP~DeleteMall subroutlne is used for deletlng a message. MAPILogoff ls used to end the sesslon, step 904.
Flgure 10 ls a flowchart showlng the steps for replying to a 25 message during message playback for MAPI appllcations.

211582,'~

, Inltially, a determlnatlon ls made as to whether the origlnal sender ls known, step 1001. If so, the process 3umps to step 1006.
Otherwise, step 1002 prompts the user ls prompted to "Please enter the Mailbox Number." ~ step 1003, the caller enters the 5 volce mallbox number of the rec~pient. The user name ~s then located from the user table, step 1004. If It is an lnvalld mallbox number, step 1005 lnforms the user, "Sorry that ls not a valld Mailbox Number. Press * to tr~ agaln or 0 to return to the start."
And step 1002 ls repeated. If the mallbox number is valid, step 0 1006 gives a personal prompt. If this does not exist, the computer transmlts, "Please leave your message after the tone." In step 1007, a new .vox file ls created, and the dlgitized voice Is written to lt. The sender's and reciplent's names are located from the user table, step 1008. The MAPlLogon subroutine ls used with the 15 sender name and password, step 1009. The .vox file is then sent to the reclplent by uslng the MAPlSendMail subroutlne, step 1010. MAPrLogoff ls used to end the sesslon, step 1011.
Flgure 11 ls a flowchart showing the steps for sc~nning the mallbox of the caller to get the count of new and saved messages 20 in E-mail systems using VIM. Initially, the VlMOpenMessageContalner subroutine is used to open the Inbox of the caller, step 1101. The VlMEnumerateMessage subroutlne ls used to retrieve the caller's next mail message, step 1102. Glven that a mall message has been found, V~MOpenMessage subroutlne 25 ls used to open that mail message, step 1103. The 211S~22 VIMEnumerateMessageItems subroutine Is used to flnd the next file attachment in that message, step 1104. A determlnation Is made as to whether the att~chment is a .vox file, step 1105. lf so, a count is kept of thls voicemall message, step 1106. Following 5 step 1106 or lf it is determlned that the attachment is not a .vox file, a determlnation ls made as to whether there are any more attachments in that message, step 1107. If there are more attachments, step 1104 is repeated. Otherwise, the V~MCloseMessage subroutlne is used to close thls mall message, 10 step 1108. A determinatlon is made as to whether there are any more messages, step 1109. If there are more messages, then step 1102 is repeated. Otherwise, the VIMCloseMessageContalner subroutine is used to close the Inbox of the caller, step 1110.
Figure 12 ls a flowchart showlng the steps for the playback 5 of new messages using V~M. Initially, the VIMOpenMessageContainer is used to open the Inbox of the caller, step 1201. The VlMEnumerateMessages subroutlne is used to get the next mall message, step 1202. Once the next mail message has been found, it is opened by Implementing the VlMOpenMessage 20 subroutine, step 1203. A determination ls made as to whether this is a new message, step 1204. If lt is determined that this is a new message, the V~lEnumerateMessagesItems subroutlne is used to flnd the next file attachment in the current message, step 1205.

2113&2~

A determlnatlon is made as to whether the attachment is a .vox file, step 1206. If so, the VlMGetMessageItem subroutlne ls used to extract the .vox file from the message, step 1207. The extracted .vox flle ls played back by uslng the message playback 5 options, step 1208. If it is determlned in step 1206 that the attachment ls not a .vox file, then steps 1207 and 1208 are skipped and the determination of step 1209 is performed. If there are more attachments ln the message, step 1205 ls repeated.
Otherwlse, the VlMCloseMessage subroutlne is used to close thls 0 mail message, step 1210. In step 1211, a determination ls made as to whether there are any more messages. If so, step 1202 is repeated. Otherwise, the VIMCloseMessageContalner subroutine ls used to close the Inbox of the caller, step 1212. Not shown for VIM is the play back of saved messages. As for MAPl shown in 15 Figure Sb, it slmply changes step 1204 ln Flgure 12 to look for "old/saved" messages lnstead of new.
Figure 13 Is a flowchart showlng the steps for sendlng a message from one user to another over the phone In E-mall systems using VlM. The caller ls prompted to "Please enter the 20 mallbox number", step 1301. The caller enters the voice mailbox number of the reclplent, step 1302. The computer system looks up the recipient E-mail name from the stored user table, step 1303. If the mallbox number ls invalid, the caller is sent a message such as "Sorry, that is not a valid mailbox number. Press 25 * to try agaln or 0 to return to the start", step 1313. If the 21 ¦S82h mailbox number is valld, a message such as "Record your message after the tone," is played, step 1304.
A new file is created on the file server wlth a file name that is uniquely created whlch has ".vox" as its last 4 characters, and 5 the system transfers the digitized voice slgnal from the user to thls file, step 1305. The user indlcates he Ls finished recording by entering a #, step 1306. Next, the VlMCreateMessage subroutine is used to create a new message, step 1308. Thereupon, step 1308 is performed. In step 1309, the V~MSetMessageHeader 0 subroutine ls used to add Information to the header of the message. The VlMSetMessageItem subroutlne is used to add .VOX
file attachments to the message, step 1310. The VIMSetMessageRecipient subroutine ls used to add the recipient E-mail name to the message, step 1311. Finally, the 15 VIMSendMessage subroutlne ls used to send the message to its destinatlon, step 1312.
The flowchart of Figure 14 shows the steps for a call answering volce message operatlon using VIM. The called party's extenslon ls forwarded to the volce message system ports and the 20 PBX provides integration information along with the call giving the called party's extension number. Starting with step 1401, the extension number recelved from the PBX is used to f~d the called party's E-mail name from the User Table. In step 1402, the system plays a personal greeting previously recorded by the user 25 of the called extension (or a default message if none is recorded -2lls8~2 such as "Extension xxxx dld not answer"). Step 1403 shows thecreatlon of a new file name wlth a .vox extension (to lndicate It is a voice flle) and the writlng of digltlzed volce data lnto the file.
Recordlng ls term~nated when the user hangs-up or on the 5 detectlon of sllence, spec~al tones, or a timeout and control proceeds to step 1404.
If the forwarded call ls from another extension on the same PBX, some PBX integrations also give the calling party's extension number as well as the called party's extenslon. Step 1404 checks 10 to see If the caller extenslon has an entry ln the User Table. In Step 1405, the decision ls made to go to step 1412 if there is an entry and it is a known user, or to 1406 If it is not; In step 1412, the cc:Mafl Import utlllty ls used with the a~lministrator password to create message from Caller or equlvalent VIM functlons. ~n 5 step 1406, VIMOpenSesslon is used to create a new session uslng a default name and password as described prevlously for MAPI.
The flow then goes to step 1407 to use VIMCreateMessage to create a new E-mall message. VIMSetMessageHeader ls used to add Informatlon to the header of the message, step 1408.
20 V~MSetMessageItem ls then used to add the .vox volce file to the message, step 1409. In the next step of 1410, VlMSetMessageReclplent ls used to add the reclplent's E-mall name (l.e., address) to the message. In step 1411, VIMSendMessage ls used to send the message to the reciplents 25 mallbox.

3~

Flgure 15 Is a flowchart showing the steps for marklng as read and deleting messages for a VIM type E-mail system. In step 1501, the caller Issues instructlons to mark a message as read or to delete a message. The VIMOpenMessageContainer s subroutine is used to open the Inbox of the caller, step 1502. One of two different subroutine calls is made, depending upon the instructions lssued by the caller, step 1503. if the user wishes to mark a message as read, a call is made to the VlMMarkMessageAsRead subroutine. If the caller wishes to 10 delete a message, a call ls made to the V~MRemoveMessage subroutine. Lastly, in step 1504, the VIMCloseMessageContalner subroutine is used to close the ~nbox of the caller.
Figure 16 ls a flowchart showing the steps for replying to a message durlng message playback for VlM appllcations. Inltially, 15 a determination is made as to whether the original sender is known, step 1601. If so, the process ~umps to step 1606.
Otherwise, step 1602 prompts the user is prompted to "Please enter the Mailbox Number." In step 1603, the caller enters the voice mailbox number of the recipient. The user name is then 20 located from the user table, step 1604. If it is an invalid mailbox number, step 1605 informs the user~ "Sorry that ls not a valid Mailbox Number. Press * to try again or 0 to return to the start."
And step 1602 ls repeated. If the mailbox number ls valid, step 1606 gives a personal prompt. If this does not exist, the computer 25 transmits, "Please leave your message after the tone." In step 1607, a new .vox flle is created, and the dlgitized voice ls written to it. The sender's and reciplent's names are located from the user table, step 1608.
The VIMCreateMessage subroutine is used to create a 5 new message, step 1609. V~MSetMessageHeader Is used to add a sub3ect text to the header of the message, step 1610. ~n step 1611, VIMSetMessageItem is used to add the .vox file attachment to the message. The VIMSetMessageRecipient subroutine Is used to add the reclpient's name to the message, step 1612. Finally, the 10 VlMSendMessage subroutine ls used to send the message to its destinatlon.
By implementing API subroutlne calls as descrlbed in the flowcharts of Flgures 2-16 with the network of Flgure 1, and especially In llght of Table 1, the Implementatlon of a tradltlonal 15 voice message system using E-mail as the directory, security, and message handling me~h~nism ls achieved. These traditional features included call answering and taklng a message, logging on to a volce mailbox and creating and sendlng a volce message to a specific user, saving, and erasing messages, verifying security 20 codes, and playing back messages to a user who has called in from a telephone to retrieve the messages. Other prior art voice message features such as reply and forward could also be implemented by one skllled in the art using the appropriate E-mail APr functlons that provide the corresponding operations.

21I38~2 As prevlously Indlcated the Inventlon also includes features implemented In software at the PC or workstation on the LAN. As Indlcated In Table 1, these operatlons also use some of the E-Mall APIs for Implementing thelr operation and some of the 5 capabllltles of the Mlcrosoft WindowsTM software. These operatlons w~ll be explalned by referring to Flgure 17.
Flgure 17 shows a PC Windows screen showing two windows. The top one, window 1700, Is the screen show~ng the control specific to handling voice messages. The bottom one, 0 window 1720, Is the screen for a typical E-mall system.
Numerous "buttons" are shown, 1701-1710 and 1722-1726, which are typlcally selected uslng a computer mouse or trackball.
As an example of the operatlon of selectlng a voicemail message to be played, the user would select (cllck~n twice) 15 message 1727. Because the attachment has a .vox extenslon, the Wlndowsn' software will have been set up to actlvate a speclal applicatlon whlch will send a comm~nd to the voice gateway PC to tell lt to use a telephone llne to call the extenslon assoclated wlth the PC (e.g., Extenslon # 24 ln this case). When the user answers, 20 he can use the controls ln wlndow 1700 to control the playback of the message (e.g., contalned ln file EXT_3521.VOX). Button 1706 is used to back up 10 seconds In the message and start playing from there. Button 1707 Is used to back up and start playing from the beginning. Button 1708 stops playing and 1709 starts playing.
25 Button 1710 sklps forward 10 seconds. All the functlons of buttons 1707-1710 are s~mil~r to the functlons available to the known prlor art voicemall systems except they use buttons on the screen rather than buttons on a phone. The comm~nds are sent to the volce gateway PC via the LAN. Display 1713 shows how much 5 of the volce message has been played and dlsplay 1714 shows its total length (in seconds). Button 1712 ls used to force a hang-up of the telephone line from the voice gateway to the PBX when the user is finished. Display 1711 shows the name of the voice file being played.
In order to send a volce message to another user, the PC
user would select the Record button 1704. For example, thls would send a comm~nd to the voice gateway causing it to use a telephone llne to call the extension number 24. When the user answers, he can use the tape recorder controls to start and stop 5 recordlng and to playback what he has already recorded. As for play, these functlons are Implemented via comnl~nds from the PC
via the LAN to the gateway and correspond to the prior art volce messaglng functions used from a telephone and are simllarly implemented. When the user is fll~ished recording and wishes to 20 send the message, he selects button 1705 (l.e., Mail). This uses the MAPlSendDocuments or SMISendMall subroutlne from MAP~ or V~M to launch the E-mail application which will allow the user to address and send the message using the E-mail address collectlon screen. The recorded .vox voice flle name is passed to the E-mall 2s system to be sent as an attachment to the E-mail message.

2115~2 The Dlaler button 1701 has nothing to do with voice mess~ing. It is provided as a convenlence to the user. When It is selected, a dlrectory screen ls opened, whlch allows the user to select or enter a phone number to be called. The number is sent 5 via the LAN to the voice gateway. The voice gateway calls the extension number associated with the PC (e.g., in this case, extension 24). When the user answers the extension, the voice gateway PC does a hook-switch flash to indicate to the PBX that it wishes to transfer the extenslon somewhere else. It then dlals the 10 phone number passed by the PC and hangs-up to complete the call transfer.
Window 1720 provides a user interface to the E-mail system. Since the present invention lntegrates thé volcemail as part of the E-mail system, window 1720 provldes a user interface 5 with volcemail as well. Window 1720 includes a list 1721 of messages correspondlng to a user's mailbox. List 1721 Is broken Into four colllmnc. One column identifies the party that had sent the message. A second column gives the date that the message was sent. A third column identlfies the subject of the message. If 20 the message is a volce flle, it is indicated as being "Volcemailn.
The fourth column lists any attachments. In the currently preferred embodiment, a user can point-and click on any of the volce messages or icons for playback of that message.
Flve buttons 1722-1726 are also dlsplayed by window 25 1720. The Read button 1722 allows a user to read text flles (l.e., 211S82~

the E-mall messages). The Reply button 1723 lets the user reply to a recelved message, wherein the reply and the received message can be elther volce or E-mail messages. The Forward Button 1724 forwards a message to one or more other users. The 5 Delete button 1725 deletes selected messages. The Print button 1726 produces a hard copy of a selected text file.
The operatlon of the invention to provide wide area volce messaging networklng ls entlrely based on the E-mail system's wide area networking system. That ls, commerclally available E-0 mall systems such as Microsoft Mailn' and Lotus cc:Mailn' supportthe ability to send E-mail systems to users located on different LANs in locations throughout the world. These systems also support automatlc dlrectory update programs which propagate dlrectory updates between these dlfferent LAN systems 5 automatically. Because the voice messaging systems in voice f~es are attached to an E-mail message, they will be transferred to a wide area network of other systems 3ust the same as regular E-mail. As described above, the E-mail directory is modified to add a mailbox address and an extenslon number. Thereupon lt Is 20 scanned to build a User Table. ln order to support wlde area networklng, as ls offered in tradltional volcemail systems, lt Is necessary to ensure that the mailbox addresses for each IAN
system is unique across the entire wide area networ~ This can be achieved, for example, by assigning each LAN an additional three-25 dlgit location code that ls attached to the front of the local user 42 21~ r ~2,~

mailbox number. A user who receives an E-mall message with a voice message via a WAN, can play the voice message if there is an attached voice gateway PC. It ls also posslble to provide software on the PC which will convert the voice file from the voice 5 encoding scheme prov~ded by the voice boards in a PC gateway to the encoding used by voice boards (e.g., those made by SoundBlasterlU Inc.) In the desktop PC and thus play the voice through a speaker assoclated with the desktop PC. Note that it is also possible to take speech recorded by a microphone to a PC
0 voice board and also to convert voice files to the encoding scheme used by the volce boards ln the PC gateway for playing messages recorded on the PC over the phone lines.
Although the preferred embodiment of the invention uses VIM and MAPI for its implementation, there may evolve new E-5 mall APIs that would allow a similar implementation.Consequently, this disclosure is not meant to narrow the lnvention by showing the use of the VIM and MAPI examples. Further, it would be possible to design and implement an E-mail and a voice message system at the same time, both using the same directory 20 and message handllng systems. In other words, the voice m~ss~ing could be integrated into the E-mall function or vice versa by a company that has an existing E-mail or voice messaglng system. The methods for dolng this would be obvious to one skilled in the art based upon thls disclosure.

2115~22 Thus~ an integrated voice and electronlc m~iling system is d~sclosed.

Claims (25)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An E-mail messaging system having an integrated voice messaging system, comprising:
a plurality of computers coupled together for receiving and sending E-mail messages, each computer for inputting commands to control said E-mail messaging system;
a voice gateway computer including voice processing circuits for converting voice signals to digital data that is representative of said voice signals and also for converting said digital data back to said voice signals and said voice processing circuits coupled to a telephone switching system for interconnecting to a plurality of local and remote telephones; and a data storage means coupled to said plurality of computers for storing an E-mail message alone or in combination with a voice message attached thereto, the voice message being attached by means of a first appropriate application interface routine, the E-mail message being accessible from the data storage means via said plurality of computers and the voice message being accessible from the data storage means via said telephones and said voice gateway computer by means of a second appropriate application interface routine.

2. The E-mail messaging system of Claim 1 further comprising a means for limiting access to said E-mail messaging system to a user from one of said plurality of remote telephones only upon entering a valid numeric password.

3. The E-mail messaging system of Claim 1 wherein said data server comprises a mailbox corresponding to each user and wherein said E-mail messages alone or in combination with a voice message attached thereto are stored according to a recipient's mailbox.

4. The E-mail messaging system of Claim 3 further comprising:
means for accessing said mailbox for counting a number of voice messages in said mailbox; and means for informing said user of said number of said voice messages corresponding to said mailbox.

5. The E-mail messaging system of Claim 4, wherein said informing means also informs said user of a number of new voice messages and a number of saved voice messages.

6. The E-mail messaging system of Claim 1, wherein said commands from one of said plurality of remote telephones include saving, erasing, replying, and forwarding of a selected voice message.

7. The E-mail messaging system of Claim 1 further comprising a single directory containing information for converting a user's E-mail address, voice mail address, and extension number to a single mailbox address.

8. A method of integrating a voice message system into an existing E-mail system forming an integrated text and voice messaging system, said method comprising the steps of:
generating a single directory which contains a plurality of user records, each user record containing an alphanumeric E-mail address and a numeric voice mail address, each of said address specifying a single mail box where a voice message and a text message are to be stored for a user of said integrated text and voice messaging system;
digitizing said voice message into a digital voice file;
attaching said digital voice file with said text message, the digital voice file being attached by means of an appropriate application program interface routine;
storing said voice message and said text message in association with one of said single mailboxes in a data storage means; and selectively accessing the E-mail system through a telephone or an E-mail terminal.

9. The method of Claim 8 further comprising the steps of:
recording a voice message as a digital voice file;
entering one of said numeric addresses from said telephone corresponding to said single mailbox; and updating said mailbox with information regarding said voice file.

10. The method of Claim 8 wherein said step of accessing includes playing a voice message stored in said mailbox over said telephone.

11. The method of Claim 8, wherein said step of accessing includes erasing a voice message stored in said mailbox.

12. The method of Claim 8, wherein said step of accessing includes saving a voice message stored in said mailbox.

13. The method of Claim 8 wherein said step of accessing includes forwarding a voice message stored in said mailbox to another mailbox using a corresponding numeric address.

14. The method of Claim 8 wherein said step of accessing includes replying to a voice message stored in said mailbox.

15. The method of Claim 9 further comprising the steps of:
accessing said mailbox to determine a number of voice files in said mailbox; and informing a user of said telephone of said number of voice files in said mailbox.

16. A method of integrating voice messages with text messages in an electronic mailing system comprising the steps of:
generating a single directory which contains a plurality of E-mail addresses, and extension numbers;
receiving a forwarded incoming telephone call;
determining a called party's extension number;
recording a voice message from said incoming telephone call as a digital voice file;
attaching said voice file to an E-mail message as part of an E-mail system according to an application program interface of an E-mail system;
determining an E-mail mailbox address from said directory based on said extension number;
sending said E-mail message with its voice file in association with its mailbox address; and playing back said voice messages over a telephone.

17. An automatic messaging system comprising:
a. an E-mail system having:
(1) a data storage means;
(2) a plurality of computers coupled to one another and coupled for sending and receiving text messages from the data storage means;
(3) a digital memory coupled to be controlled by the data storage means, the digital memory having a directory of users and their voice mail and E-mail addresses, the digital memory also for storing text messages; and b. a voice mail system, coupled to and integrated for operating under the E-mail system wherein voice messages are attached to the E-mail system by means of an application program interface, the voice mail system having a voice gateway coupled to the data server and also containing voice processing interface circuits for coupling to a telephone switching system and for communicating with telephone sets for converting voice signals into digital voice data and for converting back.

18. The automatic messaging system according to claim 17, comprising:
a. a system for retrieving a digital voice data message using a telephone set; and b. a system for retrieving the digital voice data message using a computer.

19. The automatic messaging system according to claim 18 wherein the system for retrieving the digital voice message using a computer further comprises a graphical user interface for selecting an appropriate one of a plurality of digital voice data messages, and a system for instructing the data storage means to provide the selected digital voice data message to the voice gateway for translation to a voice signal and for directing the voice signal to an appropriate one of the telephone sets.

20. The automatic messaging system according to claim 18 wherein the system for retrieving the digital voice data message using a telephone comprises transmitting information about a plurality of digital voice data messages to the telephone set and a system for using the telephone set to instruct the data server to provide a selected digital voice data message to the voice gateway for translation to a voice signal and for directing the voice signal to the telephone set.

21. A method of integrating voice messages with text messages in an E-mail system, wherein the E-mail message system is configured for use by a plurality of users, each user having an E-mail mailbox with a predetermined E-mail address, the E-mail message system for storing electronic text messages each such message including fields for identifying a sender and an E-mail address for an intended recipient of a message, the method comprising steps of:
a. storing a voice mailbox number for each user within the existing E-mail messaging system;
b. generating a user table based upon the voice mailbox number for each user for correlating the E-mail address for each user to the voice mailbox number for that user;
c. receiving a voice message and corresponding intended voice mailbox number for an intended user;
d. scanning the user table to identify a target E-mail address of the intended user which correlates the intended voice mailbox number; and e. storing the voice message in a memory store according to the E-mail address of the intended user.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the step of generating is performed utilizing a voice gateway computer operating according to an application program interface.

23. The method according to claim 21 wherein the step of scanning is performed utilizing a voice gateway computer operating according to an application program interface.

24. The method according to claim 21 wherein the step of receiving comprises steps of:
a. recording the voice message as a digital voice file;
and b. attaching the digital voice file to a text message which includes the target E-mail address, the digital voice file being attached according to an application program interface.

25. The method according to claim 21 further comprising a step of selectively accessing the voice message by the intended user wherein the voice message is accessed through a voice gateway computer operating according to an application program interface.