Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis – Interaction with an external nontelephone network
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-22
2001-08-14
Tsang, Fan (Department: 2645)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
Interaction with an external nontelephone network
C379S201120, C379S088060
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275570
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to an integrated platform for a communications system which handles a plurality of information messaging services, including a voice mail messaging service, a facsimile processing service, and an e-mail messaging service. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for the provisioning of subscribers of a first communications network, such as a voice mail messaging system, to a second communications network, such as an e-mail messaging system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a typical messaging system, such as a voice-mail messaging system, it is necessary to “provision” new subscribers to the messaging service. Provisioning is the process of supplying subscribers with a mailbox and a specific set of features to enable telecommunications services. Provisioning of new subscribers is typically performed by a system administrator using some form of screen interface to enter information about the subscriber. For example, a screen interface provided to the system administrator allows the system administrator to enter information including, for example, the subscriber's last name, first name, class of service, telephone number, address, etc. Once this information is entered, the system then creates a “mailbox” for the subscriber on the system. At this point, the subscriber is able to begin using the messaging features of the system and can, for example, dial into the system to retrieve messages.
Recently, a number of messaging system providers have begun to develop “universal messaging” solutions that provide some form of integrated voice, fax, and e-mail messaging. Rather than design a completely new system, one approach to universal messaging involves combining an existing voice/fax messaging system with an existing e-mail messaging system, and providing the necessary logic and user-interfaces to make these two systems appear to be tightly integrated.
Universal messaging describes a level of messaging integration that gives users access to all available message types from the device of choice. There are two design approaches—unified and integrated—that fulfill the same goal. Unified messaging manages and stores all message types in one repository; integrated messaging uses messaging protocols for communication and coordination between separate message stores. Microsoft's Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) is prevalent in the unified architecture, while the integrated architectures typically use a Common Messaging Call (CMC) API.
Universal messaging provides e-mail and voice-mail service in a network environment, such as a Microsoft Windows NT network or a TCP/IP network. Universal messaging allows the exchange of e-mail messages with “foreign” systems through the use of standardized protocols, such as the X.400 and SMTP protocols, and often makes use of the open architecture of the CMC API. This allows PC client applications to make messaging requests to universal messaging service providers and also allows ClearPath/NX applications to invoke universal messaging services such as message store functions and address resolution. Universal messaging provides one view of a user's messages, with access from any device and through any access method. Thus, a universal messaging subscriber can access his voice, fax, and e-mail messages from such diverse devices as the telephone handset, a PC messaging client such as MS Exchange, or an internet web browser.
Many universal solutions suffer from fragmented administration and message stores. For example, a new user may have to be added to a voice-mail system and an e-mail system as a separate manual operation. System administrators configure, support, and maintain two separate networks, mailboxes, and directories. The interaction between two messaging systems is readily feasible if each side has sufficient detailed information about each subscriber to allow it to accomplish its various integrated functions. The information could be provided separately to each of the messaging systems, but this requires the administrator to provide the information twice. This is not only a burden on the administrator, but it also introduces additional opportunity for data errors and data synchronization problems between the two environments.
Thus, a disadvantage of this combined system approach of universal messaging is that when a new subscriber wishes to receive this service, the system administrator must provision the subscriber on both the voice/fax mail system and the e-mail system. Both systems are likely to have their own interface screens for this purpose, and it is cumbersome for a system administrator to have to enter much of the same information on both systems. The present invention provides a solution to this problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system for provisioning subscribers in a message environment, comprising: a first messaging system providing information services to the subscribers including first subscriber information storage means and first message storage means for storing a first plurality of messages; a second messaging system providing information services to the subscribers including second subscriber information storage means and second message storage means for storing a second plurality of messages, the first and second messaging systems being different types of systems; provisioner means for receiving subscriber information at the first messaging system; and message handling system provisioning service provider (MPS) means coupled to the first and second messaging systems for transferring the subscriber information to the second messaging system from the provisioner means. Preferably, the first messaging system comprises at least one of a voice-mail and a fax service, and the second messaging system comprises an e-mail service, and the MPS means has a single entry point.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the second messaging system includes: universal messaging administration program means for modifying the second subscriber information storage means; a message transfer agent to control the routing of the messages stored in the second message storage means; a reliable transfer service element to control message transfers through a network between the second message storage means and other additional messaging systems; addressing services means for controlling access to the second subscriber information storage means; a protocol interpreter to encode and decode the messages stored in the second message storage means; message store provider means for controlling access to the second message storage means; and a common messaging call application programming interface (CMC API) to allow the first messaging system as well as other applications to access the messages stored in the second message storage means.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the system further comprises addressing services storage means and network application platform means coupled to the provisioner means, the network application means for retrieving addressing services data from the addressing service storage means, preparing a data array, and providing the data array to the MPS means.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the system further comprises pass-through and protection means disposed between the first messaging system and the second messaging system for isolating the first subscriber information storage means and the first message storage means from the second subscriber information storage means and the second message storage means.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the subscriber information is provided to the provisioner means by a system administrator or a computer file.
In a further embodiment within the scope of the present invention, a method for provisioning subscribers in a message environment is described which comprises the steps of: receiving a provisioning request at provisioner means of a first
Homan John L.
Keeley James J.
Foster Roland G.
Rode Lise A.
Starr Mark T.
Tsang Fan
Unisys Corporation
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