Voice-mail greeting message notification

Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C379S076000, C379S087000, C379S088120, C379S088230, C379S088180

Reexamination Certificate

active

06226358

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of voice message systems and more specifically to the field of message systems with multiple greeting messages that are remotely accessible and selectable by the owner.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Within the field of audio telecommunications, there has been a large growth of voice message systems that provide an opportunity for a caller to leave a voice message if the desired recipient, or user, is unavailable. These voice message systems may be either local, supporting a single telecommunication circuit, or they may be network based, supporting multiple telecommunication circuits. A telecommunication circuit includes telephone lines within the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), in addition to other services (e.g. wireless). Typically, a user or recipient will establish a form of voice mail box, where messages are collected, stored, and maintained according to the recipient's instruction. According to the recipient's instructions, the voice message system will respond to a caller and provide them with various options. Prior to recording a caller's voice message in the voice mail box, the voice message system typically plays an outgoing announcement greeting.
Today's voice message systems typically provide recipients the ability to manage their announcement greetings for the purpose of providing a personalized outgoing greeting to incoming callers. Typically, the recorded greeting serves to provide the caller with notification of the recipient's status, i.e. “I am out of the office today and will return on Monday. Please leave your name and number.” The voice message system often has the capability to store multiple outgoing greetings, though only one greeting may be active at a time. This active outgoing greeting is typically heard by the calling party, but not by the recipient, unless the recipient calls their own number directly, or checks the voice message administration area. As a result, the recipient has no reminder or notification of the currently active greeting. Specifically, when the recipient checks their voice mail box for stored messages, there is no indication as to which outgoing greeting is currently active. As a result, the recipient may inadvertently have an outdated greeting announcement.
None of the current voice mail systems provide an ability for the recipient to readily identify the active outgoing greeting. Specifically, none notify the recipient of the active greeting when they check or retrieve voice mail messages.
For many recipients, a primary greeting that is active for normal activity will be established, with secondary greetings recorded and active for unusual circumstances. These unusual circumstances might include planned travel or vacation. In some of these unusual circumstances, the length of time for the secondary greeting to be active is known in advance. At the end of the time, the primary greeting will be automatically restored. However, the current systems do not automatically restore the primary greeting. Rather, on the date that the greeting is to be changed, the recipient must manually enter the voice mail administration area and re-activate the primary greeting.
None of the existing systems automatically revert the outgoing greeting to the primary greeting at a predetermined date according to the recipient's instructions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention features a method and system for voice message recipients to differentiate between active outgoing greetings without the need to enter the message administration or maintenance mode. Specifically, the present invention notifies the recipient of the active outgoing greeting when they check or retrieve voice mail messages, with the additional ability to readily modify the greeting if desired.
The present invention also provides a method and system to have the outgoing greeting automatically revert to the primary greeting according to the recipient's instructions.
In one aspect, the invention provides notification of the active greeting on initial voice mail box access.
In another aspect, the invention provides notification of the active greeting through different audio tones to distinguish different greetings.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides notification of the active greeting through verbal announcement as to the currently active greeting.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides notification of the active greeting through visual indication as to the currently active greeting.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides interaction with the recipient through voice recognition.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides interaction with the recipient through keypad entry.
These and other advantages of the current invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4747126 (1988-05-01), Hood et al.
patent: 4837798 (1989-06-01), Cohen et al.
patent: 5117451 (1992-05-01), Ladd et al.
patent: 5434908 (1995-07-01), Klein
patent: 5633917 (1997-05-01), Rogers
patent: 5768347 (1998-06-01), Beyda
patent: 5892814 (1999-04-01), Brisebois et al.
patent: 6058178 (2000-05-01), McKendry et al.

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