Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis – Multimedia system
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-23
2001-10-16
Kuntz, Curtis A. (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
Multimedia system
C379S215010, C379S088130, C379S088120, C379S093240
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304636
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system for forwarding voice messages to a called party. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a system for forwarding voice messages to a called party using electronic mail.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the advent of cellular phones and pagers, an individual person may have multiple telephone numbers associated with them. Telephone routing systems exist to automatically route calls intended for a called party to multiple phone numbers in an attempt to reach the called party. For example, a routing system can automatically route telephone calls for a called party to the called party's business phone, then home phone, then cellular phone, then pager device.
Sometimes a called party cannot respond to a telephone call to any of the phone numbers associated with the called party. In this case, known telephone answering systems can record a voice message from the calling party. This message can be later retrieved by the called party. However, the calling party has no way to determine when or if the called party has retrieved the message. Further, the calling party may desire that the called party be able to immediately retrieve the message.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for a system and method that allows a calling party to leave a voice message for a called party that can be immediately retrieved by the called party, and that provides an indication to the calling party that the message has been retrieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the present invention is a system and method for providing a voice message of a calling party to a called party. The method includes the steps of initiating a telephone call to the called party over a first network and receiving the telephone call at a network node within the first network. The method further includes the steps of determining whether the called party is on-line on a second network and receiving the voice message from the calling party. The method further includes the steps of converting the voice message to a digital file and sending an electronic mail message that includes the digital file to the called party.
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Goldberg Randy G.
Markowitz Robert Edward
Rosen Kenneth H.
AT&T Corp.
Bernie Rexford N.
Kenyon & Kenyon
Kuntz Curtis A.
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