EP0631419B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
An electronic mail system having integrated voice messages
Assignee: VMX Inc
•
Filing: 1994-01-31
•
Granted: 1996-03-27
•
Expires: 2014-01-31
Abstract
Abstract In a computer network (105) having a plurality of interconnected terminals (107,108,109) and a shared memory device (106) for storing digital data, a message handling system for sending and retrieving both voice and text messages over the computer network. A voice message is input either through a phone (101) associated with one of the computer terminals or via a remote phone. The voice message is converted into a digital voice file which is stored on the shared memory device corresponding to the intended recipient's mailbox. Thereby, one mailbox can contain both voice and text messages. The same message handling mechanism is used for handling both voice and text messages. A list of the messages currently stored for each mailbox can be pulled for display by their respective terminals. A selected voice message may be selected for playback over the phone. Likewise, a text message may be selected for display by the terminal. Call answering and remote playback functions are also provided. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Henry C.A. Hyde-Thomson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:16
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/5307; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/06; H04L51/066; H04M2203/00; H04M2203/45; H04M2203/4536; H04Q; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13093; H04Q2213/1322; H04Q2213/13336; H04Q2213/13375; H04Q2213/13389
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
An integrated text and voice messaging system, comprising: a plurality of personal computers (107, 108, 109) coupled together for receiving and sending messages and for inputting commands to control said integrated text and voice messaging system; a plurality of telephones (101a, 101b, 101c) associated with said plurality of personal computers (107, 108, 109..) for playing and recording voice messages, wherein said plurality of telephones (101a, 101b, 101c) are coupled to a telephone switching system (102); a voice gateway computer (103) coupled to said switching system (102) and said personal computers (107, 108, 109), said voice gateway computer (103) including voice processing circuits for converting voice signals to digital data and also converting said digital data to said voice signals; a plurality of telephone trunk lines (110, 111, 112) connected to said switching system (102) in order to connect to said voice gateway computer (103) for providing remote telephone access for entering commands from a remote telephone; a data server computer (106, 106b) coupled to said plurality of personal computers (107, 108, 109) for storing data accessible from said plurality of personal computers (107, 108, 109) and said voice gateway computer (103); a plurality of shared files stored on said data server computer (106, 106b) containing information regarding both text and voice messaging; characterized by a plurality of addresses, each of said addresses specifying a single mail box where said voice and said text messages are to be stored for a user of the system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
55 words
The integrated text and voice messaging system of Claim 1 further comprising a means for limiting access to said text and voice message system to a user from said remote telephone only upon entering a valid password stored by said plurality of shared files, wherein said password gains access to both text and voice messages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The integrated text and voice messaging system of Claim 1 wherein said data server computer comprises a mailbox corresponding to each user and said messages having either a textual or a voice format are stored according to a recipient's mailbox.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The integrated text and voice messaging system of Claim 3 further comprising: a means for converting a voice message to a digital voice file; a means for attaching said digital voice file to an electronic mailing document so that said voice file can be accessed through said mailbox.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The integrated text and voice messaging system of Claim 4 further comprising: a means for accessing said mailbox for counting a number of voice Ales in said mailbox; a means for informing said number of said voice files corresponding to said mailbox to said user of said remote telephone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The integrated text and voice messaging system of Claim 5, wherein said informing means also informs the user of a number of new voice files and a number of saved voice files.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The integrated text and voice messaging system of Claim 1, wherein said commands from said remote telephone include saving, erasing, replying, and forwarding of a selected voice message.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The integrated text and voice messaging system of Claim 1 further comprising a single directory containing information regarding a user's E-mail address, voice mail address, and extension number.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of integrating voice messages with text messages in an electronic mailing system, wherein a message handling mechanism handles both voice and text files corresponding to said voice and text messages, said method characterized by the steps of: utilizing a directory which contains a plurality of addresses, each of said addresses specifying a single mail box where said voice and said text messages are to be stored for a user of said integrated text and voice messaging system; accessing the electronic mailing system through a telephone; receiving commands from said telephone for controlling said electronic mailing system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of Claim 9 further comprising the steps of: recording a voice message as a digital voice file; entering one of said addresses from said telephone corresponding to said single mailbox; updating said mailbox with information regarding said voice file.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of Claim 10, wherein said commands include a command for playing a voice message stored in said mailbox over said telephone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of Claim 10 wherein said commands include a command for erasing a voice message stored in said mailbox.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of Claim 10 wherein said commands include a command for saving a voice message stored in said mailbox.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of Claim 10 wherein said commands include a command for forwarding a voice message stored in said mailbox.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of Claim 10 wherein said commands include a command for replying to a voice message stored in said mailbox.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of Claim 10 further comprising the step of storing a security code which grants access to both text messages and voice messages of a particular mailbox.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of Claim 10 further comprising the steps of: accessing said mailbox to determine a number of voice files in said mailbox; informing a user of said telephone of said number of voice files in said mailbox.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of integrating voice messages with text messages in an electronic mailing system characterized by the steps of: utilizing a directory which contains a plurality of addresses, each of said addresses specifying a single mailbox where said voice messages and said text messages are to be stored for a user of said integrated text and voice messaging system; receiving a forwarded incoming telephone call; determining a called party's extension number; recording a voice message from said incoming telephone call as a digital voice file; determining said single mailbox address from said extension number; updating said mailbox with information regarding said voice file.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.