WO2000045577A1

WO2000045577A1 - A system and method to manage phone sourced messages

Info

Publication number: WO2000045577A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/001551
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stephen C. O'neal; George Alexis Terry
Original assignee: International Thinklink Corporation
Priority date: 1999-01-29
Filing date: 2000-01-21
Publication date: 2000-08-03

Abstract

A method and system to manage phone sourced messages. A server node (10) receives a phone sourced message and stores the body of the message in a file server (32). A user modifiable field is associated with the message. The association and field are stored in a database (30). In one embodiment, the user may access the message over a network through, e.g. a general purpose computer. In such embodiment, the phone sourced messages may be managed through the computer's graphical user interface in a manner similar to conventional e-mail management.

Description

A SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MANAGE PHONE SOURCED MESSAGES

RELATED APPLICATIONS The following applications are related and incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

(1) Field of the Invention The invention relates to phone sourced messages. More specifically, the invention relates to storage and manipulation of received voice mail and facsimile messages.

(2) Background

Prior art voice mail and facsimile messages have been largely phone centric message types. In the case of voice mail, after a certain number of rings, the caller will receive an audio prompt prompting them to leave a message. The caller then speaks into the phone the message they want to leave. The voice mail system saves a digital representation of the voice message which can be played back at a later time. A user checks their voice mail by dialing a predetermined number. The voice mail system will typically prompt the user for a passcode before advising the user of the number and currency of existing messages. This may take the form of a computer-generated voice saying, e.g., "you have one new message and three saved messages." The computer-generated voice then prompts the user to press a particular button to hear new messages or saved messages. Upon review of a new message, it may be deleted or saved. Similarly, a saved message can be deleted or resaved after reviewing it. Typically, saved messages are retained only for a limited amount of time before the system deletes them automatically. Most voice mail systems sort the voice mails chronologically based on time and date of receipt. Thus, as the number of voice mails increases traversing linearly through the voice mails to find a particular saved voice mail becomes increasingly time consuming. With the increase in time also come increases in cost in the event that the voice mail check is being made long-distance.

Facsimile messages are similarly transmitted over the telephone lines either to a standard fax machine or to a computer equipped with special fax software and a fax modem. The facsimile is transmitted in a Tag Image File Format (TIFF). When transmitted to a fax machine, it may be temporarily stored in memory or immediately printed to paper. In either case, after a relatively transient interval, only the hard copy of the facsimile remains. If the fax is received by a computer, it may be saved or stored, occupying space on the computer hard drive. Facsimile messages in TIFF tend to be rather large and therefore occupy a fair amount of space on the users hard drive. As storage space is always limited, received facsimiles are often merely printed and not retained on the hard drive. Additionally, in most prior art systems, the facsimile and voice mail are discrete systems with little or no association between them from a user's standpoint. This requires the user to learn two systems, including access codes, if necessary, and associated software in order to maximally utilize the system.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method and system to manage phone sourced messages is disclosed. A server node receives a phone sourced message and stores the body of the message in a file server. A user modifiable field (UMF) is associated with the message. Other information about the message may also be associated with the message. Such information may include message status, importance, time and date received, size, and sender. The sender may, for example, be determined using caller ID or because the sender attached a return phone number. The association and field are stored in a database.

In one embodiment, the user may access the message over a network through, e.g. a general purpose computer. In such embodiment, the phone sourced messages may be managed through the computer's graphical user interface in a manner similar to conventional e-mail management. A listing of messages may then be presented to a user, including the UMF and other associated information about the message. The UMF may, for example, may be used to store information about the message source or content. This allows a user to sort and/or search by content of the UMF. Additionally, phone sourced message foldering may be supported.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system of one embodiment of the invention.

Figures 2a and 2b are flow diagrams of voice mail receipt and retrieval.

Figures 3 a and 3b are flow diagrams of facsimile message receipt and retrieval.

Figure 4 is a template of a voice mail message list downloaded to the user node in one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 shows the template of Figure 4 sorted alphabetically by subject.

Figure 6 shows a template for fax messages analogous to that shown in Figure 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Definition of Terms

Data-centric network: a network that carries digital data, primarily to facilitate information exchange among computers and computer peripherals. Examples include distributed computer networks such as the Internet.

Telephony-centric network: a network that carries telephony information such as voice, fax, page messages, and the like, primarily to facilitate information exchange among telephony devices.

Message: a communication which may be transmitted via either the data-centric network or the telephony-centric network. Examples include voicemail, e-mail, facsimile, page, and the like.

Telecommunication device: POTS telephone, cellular telephone, satellite telephone, web telephone, PC (desktop and laptop), web surfer, personal digital assistant (PDAs), facsimile machine, teletype, modem, video telephone, set top telephone. Web telephone: a telephone implemented via a computer that is coupled to the data-centric network. An example is a PC with microphone, speaker and internet connection.

Set top telephone: a telephone set coupled to a cable-based set top box, bypassing the local telco provider. The cable-based system may be provided by, for example, WebTV, TCI cablevision.

Web surfer: an Internet-ready PC with a network connection and pre-installed web browser.

PDA: personal digital assistant, e.g., Palm Pilot available from 3COM.

PSTN: Public Service Telephone Network, e.g., AT&T, MCI, Sprint-owned telco

GUI: graphic user interface

POTS: plain old telephone service

NOC: Network Operations Center

POP: point of presence, e.g., co-location at a local telco switch or at a company controlled area with Tl connections to a local switch.

WPOP: Web POP

VPOP: Voice POP

Thin Web Client: Any device that is capable of accessing the Internet. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

A method and apparatus for managing phone sourced messages over a network, such as the Internet, is described. In the following detailed description of the present invention numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.

Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self- consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it should be appreciated that throughout the present invention, discussions utilizing terms such as "processing" or "computing" or "calculating" or "determining" or "displaying" or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

The present invention also relates to apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magneto-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purpose machines may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these machines will appear from the description below. In addition, the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the invention as described herein.

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system of one embodiment of the invention. In messaging system 100, a server node 10 is coupled to a predominantly voice/analog (PV A) network, such as the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) 12 through a PVA interface, such as telephony interface 16. Messages received across a PVA network are referred to herein as "phone sourced messages." Similarly, the server node 10 is connected to a predominantly digital/data (PDD) network, such as the worldwide web 14, via a PDD interface, such as web interface 18. A user node 20 with a web interface 28 is coupled to the web 14, such that it can access server node 10. Server node 10 is deemed capable of handling a plurality of incoming calls and serving a plurality of user nodes. Server node 10 receives voice mail and/or fax messages from PSTN 12. The receipt of voice and fax messages is described in further detail below.

Upon receipt of the voice mail or fax message, the server node stores the message body in a file server 32. Either concurrently or serially, the server node updates the metadata corresponding to a user to whom the voice mail or fax message is directed.

Metadata 36 includes a message list 34 which enumerates the messages received and certain information about those messages. Message list 34 includes a user modifiable field associated with each message listed. Use of this field is discussed further below.

Metadata 36 may also include user preference information and other state information. When new messages arrive, the server node may alert the user of the existence of new messages depending on the preferences reflected in the metadata 36. Alternatively, the server node may merely set an icon that is displayed at the user node responsive to a user login to indicate the existence of new messages.

Figure 2a is a logic flow diagram of the receipt and storage of voice messages by messaging system 100. At functional block 402, the server node 10 answers a telephone call from PSTN 12 through the telephony interface 16. The server node 10 determines for which user the call is intended at functional block 404. Functional block 404 may be performed substantially simultaneously with the server node answering the call at functional block 402. The server node 10 makes such a determination by determining the telephone number which was dialed. In one illustrative embodiment, each user of messaging system 100 has two unique telephone numbers by which messaging system 100 is accessed. The first is referred to as a local access number and is a telephone number local to a physical location of the server node 10. The second is referred to as a toll-free access number and is a toll-free telephone number by which server node 10 may be reached. Since each telephone number is unique to one particular user, the telephone number dialed identifies the user whom the caller is attempting to reach. That user is referred to as the subject user in the context of Figures 2a and 2b. It is also within the scope and contemplation of the invention to have each user assigned only a single number or even to have multiple users assigned to one number with a differentiating extension prompted by the server node upon receipt of an incoming call.

At functional block 406, server node 10 retrieves metadata for the subject user from local database 202. Such metadata includes an outgoing message which is, in one illustrative example, an audio signal directing the caller to leave a voice message for the subject user. Server node 10 plays the outgoing message to the caller through PSTN 12 at functional block 408. At functional block 410, server node 10 records an audio message for the subject user as received through PSTN 12. Server node 10 stores the message digitally, e.g., as a digitized audio signal in the known, conventional VOX format, in file server 32 at functional block 412. While in one embodiment, the message bodies are stored in a file server, in an alternative embodiment, the message bodies may be stored in a database.

In addition, server node 10 updates the metadata 36 stored in the database 30 such that the received message is included in a list of new messages for the subject user. To accomplish this update, the server node 10 acquires information about the message at functional block 420. Such information may include time and date the message was received, the phone number of the sender either obtained through caller ID or because the voice mail gives the option for the sender to provide a return number, and a size of the message left. Within the context of a voice mail, size may be in time. At functional block 422, a pointer to the location of the message body in the database 36 is gotten. At functional block 424, a user modifiable field (UMF) is associated with the available information and the pointer to the message body. At functional block 426, the server node creates a message list element, including the available information, a pointer, the UMF, and a status of the message. "Status" as used herein refers to whether the message has been reviewed previously or not, thus, status might be "new" or "not new." The message list element is added to the metadata at functional block 428. At functional block 430, the updated metadata, including the message list element, is stored in the database 30.

Figure 2b is a logic flow diagram of retrieval of voice mail messages through a network in one embodiment of the invention. At functional block 602, server node 10 receives an HTTP request for a base web page through web interface 18. Server node 10 displays a base web page which may include a form in which the user enters a username and an associated password. At functional block 604, server node 10 receives a username and associated password entered by the user at user node 20. The server node 10 uses the received username to identify the user.

At functional block 606, server node 10 retrieves metadata associated with the identified user from database 30. At functional block 608, the server node sends a template, including the voice mail message list extracted from the metadata to the user node for viewing. Once server node 10 receives user interface commands to playback one or more voice mail messages at functional block 612. In one illustrative embodiment, the user interface implemented by server node 10 includes a number of web pages which include forms which in turn execute CGI scripts to carry out specific commands entered by the user. In one embodiment, the user may request a message be played back by clicking on a corresponding list element in the displayed voice mail message list.

The requested message retrieve is completed at functional block 614. As described above, the message bodies are stored as digitized audio signals, e.g., in the known and conventional VOX format. Once the voice message bodies are retrieved, server node 10 plays the voice mail message bodies for the user through web 14 at functional block 618. For example, server node 10 may send the voice mail message bodies to audio streamer (not shown) which then streams the audio signal of each voice mail message through web 14 to the user node 20 which receives and plays the audio stream of the message body using known and conventional techniques for streamed audio in a computer system. Alternatively, the user node 20 may download an audio file from the server node in, for example, wave format. Other audio formats are within the scope and contemplation of the invention. A user may then play the audio file on the user node using conventional techniques.

Once the message body has been played, a determination is made at decision block 618 whether the server node has received a delete request. If it has, the list element corresponding to the delete request is moved from the inbox folder to a trash folder at functional block 620. The delete request directed to a list element in the trash folder causes that list element to be expunged from the user's metadata entirely. At any time prior to expungement, the message can be moved out of the trash back into an active folder simply by opening the trash folder, selecting the message to be reactivated, and moving it to the desired folder.

If no delete request has been received, a determination is made at decision block 622 whether an update request has been received at the server node. Typically, a user will modify the user modifiable fields after listening to the message if the message is to be retained. The user modifiable field may then be used to identify the message and also as a sorting and searching aid from within the list of messages. Upon completing the desired modification of the user modifiable field or fields, the user can request the server node to make an update based thereon. If an update request is received at decision block 622, the server node uploads the user modifiable fields at functional block 624. At functional block 626, after the upload of the modifiable fields, or if no update request is received, or after the list element is moved to the trash in the event of a delete request, the server node updates the metadata to reflect the user's requested changes and any change in status of the messages remaining in the list. At functional block 628, the updated metadata is stored in the database 30.

As described above, voice mail messages may be received from a server node at a user node across a primarily data network. Additionally, the user modifiable fields permit the user to organize and manipulate the different voice mail messages in a manner usually associated with e-mail messages or messages more commonly regarded as data messages or computer transmitted messages. This permits sorting and searching of messages for improved ease of use and allows low cost or no cost review of voice mail messages across great distances.

Figure 3a is a flow diagram of fax receipt in one embodiment of the invention. At functional block 702, server node 10 answers a telephone call through PSTN 12. Server node 10 identifies the user for whom the call is intended by comparison of the telephone number by which the call reached the server node to access numbers of various users as represented in metadata stored in database 30, at functional block 704. The answer of the call on user identification may occur substantially simultaneously. The intended recipient of the fax is sometimes referred to as the subject user in the context of Figure 3a. At functional block 706, server node 10 further identifies the call received through PSTN 12 as an incoming by recognizing distinctive tones generated by the transmitting facsimile machine to identify telephone calls as such.

At functional block 708, the server node receives the fax as would any conventional fax machine, e.g. according to standard fax transmission protocols. The server node stores the received fax in file server 32 at functional block 710 as a fax mail message body. Typically, facsimiles are transmitted as TIFF and the message bodies are stored as TIFF. Server node 10 also updates the metadata 36 stored in the database 30 such that the received message is included in a list of new messages for the subject user. To accomplish this update, the server node 10 acquires information about the message at functional block 720.

Such information may include time and date the message was received, the fax number of the sender, and a size of the message left, e.g. number of pages. At functional block 722, a pointer to the location of the message body in the database 36 is gotten. At functional block 724, a UMF is associated with the available information and the pointer to the message body. At functional block 726, the server node creates a message list element, including the available information, a pointer, the UMF, and a status of the message. The message list element is added to the metadata at functional block 728. Accordingly, like the voice mail described above, in one embodiment, a fax mail message is received, either through the subject user's local access number or the subject user's toll-free access number, and is stored in database 30 as shown in Figure 3 a.

Figure 3b is a logic flow diagram of retrieval of fax mail messages through a network in one embodiment of the invention. Functional blocks 902-908 represent functions performed in the same manner as those described with reference to Figure 2b at functional blocks 602-608. At functional block 912, server node 10 receives user commands directing display of one or more fax mail message bodies. At functional block 914, server node 10 retrieves those fax mail message bodies. Based on user selection, the server node either forwards the fax message body as TIFF or converts it on the server side to graphic interchange format (GIF) which can be displayed by nearly all personal computers and other likely user nodes without specialized software. Other image data formats are also deemed within the scope and contemplation of the invention. The server node 10 then sends the retrieved (and possibly converted) fax message body(ies) through web 14 for display on the user node 20. Thus, the user is able to view the substantive content of fax mail messages at the user node 20 without a fax machine, fax modem, or any specialized software.

Decision and functional blocks 918-928 are carried out in the same manner as analogous blocks 618-628 discussed above with reference to Figure 2b. In this manner, fax mail messages may also be managed, sorted, searched, and otherwise manipulated over a data network similar to conventional e-mail.

Figure 4 is a template of a voice mail message list downloaded to the user node in one embodiment of the invention. This is broken down into columns, including priority (signified by an "!"), type, selection ("signified by a " "'), sender, subject, date, and size. The subject in this embodiment is the UMF. Typically, voice mails in the prior art do not have subjects because the message is the subject. As previously discussed, the invention provides a different way of looking at phone sourced messages, including voice mail messages, and allows them to be managed like an e-mail. It is possible to modify the subject field as previously discussed. Once modified, the list can be sorted on the subject field, or a search can be conducted for a particular subject field's content. The user merely clicks on the "subject" column heading. This causes an event to be sent to the server node in response to which the server returns the list sorted on the "subject" column. This avoids the linear manipulation required to traverse long lists of voice mails in the prior art. Specifically, linear access based on chronology is no longer required. A user clicking on any column will in one embodiment cause the message list to be sorted by that column. Thus, the user is free to select, for example, alphabetical listing, based on the UMF. A download option list is provided so a user can select between optional download formats. In one embodiment, real audio and wave formats are available. Figure 5 is a template of the messages sorted alphabetically by subject. In this manner, by appropriately selecting the subject, the user can ensure that important messages remain near the top of the list. Notably, the blank field defaults to the top of the list. This is desirable because new messages will have a blank UMF when they first arrive. Thus, they will appear at the top of the listing of messages. Because typical users will want to review previously unheard (or unread) messages first, this arrangement improves usability and user convenience. However, other sorting arrangements are within the scope and contemplation of the invention.

In one embodiment of the invention, the user may select from a number of folders in which to move messages after review. The choose folder menu is provided to allow a user to select a folder. Once a folder is selected, the user may select individual voice mails by clicking on a corresponding box in the selection column. Checked messages can then be moved to the corresponding folder by clicking on the MOVE soft button. If messages are checked and the DELETE soft button is actuated, the server node will update the metadata corresponding to the checked messages to indicate the message is available in the trash folder. A message will only be listed in a message list if the metadata indicates that message to be present in the open folder. Once in the trash folder, the messages will be expunged after a predetermined time period or a user may open the trash folder and actuate the DELETE soft button to achieve immediate expungement.

Figure 6 shows a template for fax messages analogous to that shown in Figure 5. The message listing in Figure 6 is sorted alphabetically by subject. The functionality of the template in Figure 6 is substantially identical to that in Figure 5. Notably, while in this embodiment, the voice mail may be downloaded as a wave file or streamed in real audio (wave was selected in Figures 4 and 5), the fax may be downloaded as either a TIFF or a GIF. It is within the scope and contemplation of the ivention to provide voice in any suitable audio format (not limited to wave or streaming) and faxes in any suitable image format (not limited to GIP and TIFF). A download option list is provided by both templates.

While the shown templates in Figures 4-6 segregate different types of phone sourced messages, e.g. voice mail messages and fax mail messages, it is within the scope and contemplation of the invention to provide a single listing combining both voice and fax mail messages in a single list. It is also noted that though the flow diagrams above indicate a particular flow, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that some functions can be performed in arbitrary order or in parallel with other functions. It is within the scope and contemplation of the invention to perform those functions in orders other than those explicitly indicated in the figures.

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method comprising: receiving a voice mail message or facsimile message at a server node; associating a user modifiable field (UMF) with the message; storing the message body in one of a file server and a database; and storing the associated UMF and a metadata in a database.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: sending data to a client node to cause the client node to display a listing of messages and associated fields; receiving from the client node a modification to a field associated with the message; and storing the modification as associated with the message in the database.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising: searching the database for a specified content of the field.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising: sorting a portion of the database by content of the user modifiable fields.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising: defining a plurality of folders; and placing the message in a folder of the plurality responsive to a user input.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising: placing the message in a trash folder responsive to a delete command; expunging the message from the trash after a predetermined time period; and permitting recovery of the message from the trash prior to an expiration of the predetermined time period.

7. An apparatus comprising: a predominantly digital/data (PDD) interface; a predominantly voice/analog (PVA) interface; a processor coupled to both the PDD interface and the PVA interface, the processor receiving phone sourced messages through the PDD interface and associating with each message a user modifiable field viewable by a user accessing the processor via the PVA interface; a storage unit coupled to the processor to store messages received; and a database coupled to the processor to store user modifiable fields associated with the message received.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the storage unit is one of a file server and a database.

9. A method comprising: linking to a server site from a client node using a thin web browser; downloading a listing of a phone sourced message and a user modifiable field associated with the message from the server site; reviewing the message through the web browser; and modifying the field to indicate something about the message.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the listing includes a plurality of phone sourced messages, each with an associated user modifiable field further comprising: sorting based on contents of the fields.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the listing includes a plurality of phone sourced messages, each with an associated user modifiable field further comprising: searching based on contents of the fields.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the phone sourced message is a voice mail message or a facsimile message.

3. The method of claim 10 further comprising: selecting a folder; and moving a message of the plurality into the folder.