US6282269B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Voice mail on the internet
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1996-12-10
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Granted: 2001-08-28
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Expires: 2016-12-10
Abstract
Abstract A first Internet telephone system 620 attempts to call with a second Internet telephone system 630 via the Internet 600. However, the second Internet telephone system 630 is not logged onto the Internet at the time of the call. In response to the failed attempt to call, the first Internet telephone system prompts the user to send voice mail to the user of the second Internet telephone system. This results in a phone call over the Internet between a voice mail system 610 and the first Internet telephone system, allowing a greeting to be heard, and a message to be stored. This message may be subsequently retrieved, either using an Internet telephone system over the Internet, or using a standard phone over the conventional telephone network.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald John Bowater
- 👤 Lawrence Leon Porter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 11:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/533; H04L; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04M7/00; H04M7/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S379/00; Y10S379/908
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of providing voice mail on the Internet comprising the steps of: selecting to make a call over the Internet from a first user at a first Internet telephone system to a second user at a second Intemet telephone system; determining that said second Internet telephone system is not currently logged onto the Internet to receive said call; responsive to such determination, establishing a call over the Internet from the first user at the first Internet telephone to a voice mail system distinct from said second Internet telephone system; and transmitting from said first user as part of said established call a voice message for said second user over the Internet to said voice mail system for subsequent retrieval by said second user.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of providing voice mail on the Internet comprising the steps of: selecting to make a call over the Internet from a first user at a first Internet telephone system to a second user at a second Intemet telephone system; determining that said second Internet telephone system is not currently logged onto the Internet to receive said call; responsive to such determination, establishing a call over the Internet from the first user at the first Internet telephone to a voice mail system distinct from said second Internet telephone system; and transmitting from said first user as part of said established call a voice message for said second user over the Internet to said voice mail system for subsequent retrieval by said second user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein responsive to a determination that the second Internet telephone system is not currently logged onto the Internet, the first user at the first Internet telephone system is offered a choice of whether or not to leave a voice message for the second user.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said call is established over a communications link that permits two-way communications, and the voice mail system transmits to the first user one or more prompts or greetings prior to transmission of the message for the second user to the voice mail system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein said one or more prompts or greetings include information concerning the current location and availability of the second user.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein said information concerning the current location and availability of the second user is also heard if the voice mail system is accessed by the conventional telephone network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said voice message can be retrieved by the second user either using an Internet telephone over the Internet, or by using a conventional telephone over the conventional phone network.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said second user needs to supply a password to the voice mail system prior to retrieval of said voice message.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of the voice mail system providing said second user of said second Internet telephone with an indication that he or she has a voice mail message waiting next time said second user logs on to the Internet using an Internet telephone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said indication is provided in response to a request from the Internet telephone, which is transmitted from the Internet telephone to the voice mail system at start-up time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 8 or 9 , wherein said indication is provided irrespective of whether said voice mail message was received over the Internet or over the conventional telephone network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
126 words
A telephone system for making a telephone call over the Internet, including: means for allowing a first user at said system to select a second user at a second Internet telephone system to call over the Internet; means for determining that said second Internet telephone system is not currently logged onto the Internet to receive said call; means, responsive to such determination, for establishing a call over the Internet from the first user at the first Internet telephone to a voice mail system distinct from said second Internet telephone system; and means for transmitting from said first user as part of said established call a voice message for said second user over the Internet to said voice mail system for subsequent retrieval by said second user.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
126 words
A telephone system for making a telephone call over the Internet, including: means for allowing a first user at said system to select a second user at a second Internet telephone system to call over the Internet; means for determining that said second Internet telephone system is not currently logged onto the Internet to receive said call; means, responsive to such determination, for establishing a call over the Internet from the first user at the first Internet telephone to a voice mail system distinct from said second Internet telephone system; and means for transmitting from said first user as part of said established call a voice message for said second user over the Internet to said voice mail system for subsequent retrieval by said second user.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The telephone system of claim 11 , further including means responsive to a determination that the second Internet telephone system is not currently logged onto the Internet, for offering the first user the option of leaving a voice message for the second user.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The telephone system of claim 11 , wherein said call is established over a communications link that permits two-way communications to allow said first user to receive one or more prompts or greetings prior to transmission of the message for the second user.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
49 words
The telephone system of any of claims 11 to 13 , further including means for receiving from the voice mail system information that said first user has one or more new messages in the voice mail system, and means for providing a visual indication accordingly to said first user.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
The telephone system of claim 14 , further including means responsive to the start-up of said telephone system for sending a request to the voice mail system in order to receive said information whether the first user has one or more new messages.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The telephone system of claim 13 , further including means for displaying one or more prompts or greetings to said first user in textual or graphical form.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
96 words
A voice mail system including: means for receiving a voice message over the Internet; means for storing said voice message; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the Internet; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the conventional telephone network; means for transmitting one or more prompts or greetings prior to receipt or retrieval of a voice message over the Internet; wherein said one or more prompts or greetings transmitted prior to receipt of a voice message over the Internet include information concerning the current location and availability of the second user.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
96 words
A voice mail system including: means for receiving a voice message over the Internet; means for storing said voice message; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the Internet; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the conventional telephone network; means for transmitting one or more prompts or greetings prior to receipt or retrieval of a voice message over the Internet; wherein said one or more prompts or greetings transmitted prior to receipt of a voice message over the Internet include information concerning the current location and availability of the second user.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
86 words
A voice mail system including: means for receiving a voice message over the Internet; means for storing said voice message; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the Internet; and means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the conventional telephone network; wherein said means for receiving a voice message over the Internet includes means for receiving a voice signal in compressed form split into a plurality of packets, and means for assembling the voice signal and decompressing it into said voice message.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
86 words
A voice mail system including: means for receiving a voice message over the Internet; means for storing said voice message; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the Internet; and means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the conventional telephone network; wherein said means for receiving a voice message over the Internet includes means for receiving a voice signal in compressed form split into a plurality of packets, and means for assembling the voice signal and decompressing it into said voice message.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
74 words
A voice mail system including: means for receiving a voice message over the Internet; means for storing said voice message; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the Internet; and means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the conventional telephone network; wherein said means for allowing a voice message to be retrieved over the Internet includes means for compressing the message and packetising it prior to transmission over the Internet.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
74 words
A voice mail system including: means for receiving a voice message over the Internet; means for storing said voice message; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the Internet; and means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the conventional telephone network; wherein said means for allowing a voice message to be retrieved over the Internet includes means for compressing the message and packetising it prior to transmission over the Internet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
85 words
A voice mail system including: means for receiving a voice message over the Internet; means for storing said voice message; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the Internet; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the conventional telephone network; and means for providing an indication to a subscriber that he or she has one or more voice mail messages waiting; wherein said indication includes both voice messages received over the Internet, and voice messages received over the conventional telephone network.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
85 words
A voice mail system including: means for receiving a voice message over the Internet; means for storing said voice message; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the Internet; means for allowing said message to be retrieved over the conventional telephone network; and means for providing an indication to a subscriber that he or she has one or more voice mail messages waiting; wherein said indication includes both voice messages received over the Internet, and voice messages received over the conventional telephone network.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The voice mail system of claim 20 , wherein said indication is provided to a subscriber using an Internet telephone system in response to a query received over the Internet from said system.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-08-27 | 2005-02-26 | 2005-08-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-08-27 | 2009-02-26 | 2009-08-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-08-27 | 2013-02-26 | 2013-08-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |