Method and arrangement in a communication network

Details Method and arrangement in a communication network Method and arrangement in a communication network

1998-12-15

2001-04-10

Dorvil, Richemond (Department: 2641)

Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language

Speech signal processing

Application

C704S258000, C379S093240, C379S100080, C455S413000, C455S412100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06216106

ABSTRACT:

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §§119 and/or 365 to 9704697-3 filed in Sweden on Dec. 16, 1997; the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and an arrangement in a communication network for providing a voice mail related service. More precisely the service is related to providing information of message status of voice messages stored in a voice messaging system.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Voice mail is a feature of modern telephone systems, both Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN) and Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMN), that allows a calling party to leave a voice message for subsequent retrieval by a called party. The voice message is stored in a mailbox assigned to the called party in a voice messaging system (VMS). The called party can later on retrieve and listen to the stored voice message. The voice mail feature is most often used in the event of unsuccessful call completion, e.g. due to the called party, being a mobile subscriber in a cellular network, having turned off his mobile phone.
A problem with the voice mail feature, alternatively referred to as a call answering feature, is that, unless the called party contacts the calling party, the calling party has no way of finding out whether the called party has listened to the voice message or not.
The European patent application EP 0 371 609 discloses a method in an electronic mail system for providing confirmation to a sender of electronic mail of selected activities by a recipient thereof. The method comprises the steps of designating a selected electronic mail for which confirmation of selected activities by a recipient thereof is desired, monitoring the activities of the recipient of the electronic mail and transmitting a confirmation message to the sender in response to the performance of the selected activities by the recipient. Thus, before the electronic mail is sent from a first computer system to which the sender is connected, the sender designates the electronic mail as a message for which confirmation of certain selected activities by the recipient are requested. Upon receipt of the electronic mail in a second computer system to which the recipient is connected, the second computer system starts monitoring the activities of the recipient and when one of the selected activities is performed on the electronic mail, the confirmation message is sent to the first computer system. The method described in EP 0 371 609 is only applicable in electronic mail systems, i.e. systems whereby messages may be sent between and/or received between two computers or work stations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problem dealt with by the present invention is to provide a service enabling a calling party, who has left a voice message in a mailbox assigned to a voice mail subscriber, to receive information on message status of the voice message.
The problem is solved essentially by a method in which the calling party, subsequent to leaving the voice message, makes a request for the status of the voice message and in response to said request is informed of the message status. The problem solution includes a voice messaging system and a communication network with the necessary means for performing the method.
More specifically, the problem is solved in the following manner. The communication network transfers the voice message from the calling party to the voice messaging system. The voice messaging system stores the voice message in the mailbox assigned to the voice mail subscriber and initiates a data structure, holding information on the status of the voice message, to indicate the message as being unplayed. At some later point in time, the communication network transfers a request for the message status of the voice message from the calling party. The voice messsaging systems returns to the calling party information reflecting the status of the voice message.
After the storing of the voice message, but before the request for the status message is received by the voice messaging system, activities may be performed on the voice message, such as playing or deleting the message, which results in the message status being updated.
The intention of the invention is thus to enable the calling party, after leaving a voice message in the mailbox assigned to the voice mail subscriber, to obtain, after interrogation to the voice messaging system, information on the status of the voice message.
An advantage afforded by the invention is that the calling party can find out whether the voice mail subscriber has listened to the voice message or not.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplifying embodiments thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4972461 (1990-11-01), Brown et al.
patent: 5353259 (1994-10-01), Howes et al.
patent: 5434909 (1995-07-01), Price et al.
patent: 5481597 (1996-01-01), Given
patent: 5711011 (1998-01-01), Urs et al.
patent: 5717741 (1998-02-01), Yue et al.
patent: 0 371 906 (1990-06-01), None
patent: 96/38987 (1996-12-01), None
patent: 96/42163 (1996-12-01), None

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