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US6301245B1
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US
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Universal Messaging system providing integrated voice, data and fax messaging services to PC/web-based clients, including a large object server for efficiently distributing voice/fax messages to web-based clients
Assignee: Unisys Corp
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Filing: 1998-06-09
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Granted: 2001-10-09
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Expires: 2018-06-09
Abstract
Abstract A Universal Messaging system provides e-mail, voice-mail and fax-mail services to subscribers that may utilize the Internet to access their messages. The system integrates an e-mail messaging system with a voice/fax messaging system on a messaging platform computer. E-mail messages are stored in an e-mail message store, and voice and/or fax messages are stored in a separate store controlled, e.g., by a Voice Mail Message Manager (VMMM). Subscribers can access messages from a personal computer via the Internet using a standard Web browser with an applet that present each subscriber with a "universal inbox" that displays all of that subscriber's voice, fax, and e-mail messages. A Web platform controls the Web browser interface to the messaging platform, accepting requests from the Web browser (such as a request to read an e-mail or listen to a voice mail) and passing prescribed types of information back to the Web browser. The Web platform interfaces with the messaging platform via a generic TCP/IP interface/router. A Session Manager application manages the Web browser's "session" with the messaging system. A CMC layer in the messaging platform provides the "glue" to enable communication and control between and among the different message stores. The CMC layer provides an industry standard mechanism for providing a standard API through which access to proprietary message stores can be made.
Inventors
- 👤 Nicholas M. Luzeski
- 👤 Allie A. Murphy
- 👤 John L. Homan
- 👤 Gary Paul Russell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:09
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M7/00; H04M7/006; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/56; H04L67/00; H04L67/14; H04L67/142; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/5307; H04L67/01; H04L67/02; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A Universal Messaging system, comprising: (a) a messaging platform supporting an e-mail messaging system and a voice/fax messaging system; (b) a gateway/router connected to a wide area communications network for transmitting objects stored in e-mail and voice/fax message stores of said e-mail and voice/fax messaging systems, respectively, to a Web-based client computing device, (c) a Web platform operatively coupled to said messaging platform; and (d) a large object server operatively associated with said messaging platform, wherein large objects are transmitted to said gateway/router by said large object server whereby said large objects bypass TCP/IP interfacing and wherein small objects are transmitted to said gateway/router via said Web platform.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A Universal Messaging system, comprising: (a) a messaging platform supporting an e-mail messaging system and a voice/fax messaging system; (b) a gateway/router connected to a wide area communications network for transmitting objects stored in e-mail and voice/fax message stores of said e-mail and voice/fax messaging systems, respectively, to a Web-based client computing device, (c) a Web platform operatively coupled to said messaging platform; and (d) a large object server operatively associated with said messaging platform, wherein large objects are transmitted to said gateway/router by said large object server whereby said large objects bypass TCP/IP interfacing and wherein small objects are transmitted to said gateway/router via said Web platform.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said messaging platform further supports a TCP/IP interface operatively coupled to said Web platform.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 2 , wherein said Web platform controls the remote client's interface to the messaging platform by accepting requests from the client and passing prescribed types of information back to the client.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
82 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 3 , wherein e-mail messages stored in the e-mail message store are provided to said remote client via the TCP/IP interface in said messaging platform, said Web platform and said wide area communications network; and voice and fax messages stored in said voice/fax store are provided to said remote client via said large object server and wide area communications network, whereby said voice and fax messages bypass said TCP/IP interface in said messaging platform.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
124 words
In a Universal Messaging system operatively coupled to a gateway/router connected to a wide area communications network (WAN), a method for communicating large object messages to remote Web-based clients coupled to said WAN, comprising the steps of: communicating e-mail messages stored in an e-mail message store to said remote clients via said gateway/router connected to said WAN and via a first number of protocol stacks interfacing said e-mail store to said WAN; and communicating voice/fax messages stored in a voice/fax store to said remote clients via said gateway/router connected to said WAN and via a second number of protocol stacks interfacing the voice/fax store to said WAN, wherein said second number is less than said first number and said voice/fax messages bypass TCP/IP interfacing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
124 words
In a Universal Messaging system operatively coupled to a gateway/router connected to a wide area communications network (WAN), a method for communicating large object messages to remote Web-based clients coupled to said WAN, comprising the steps of: communicating e-mail messages stored in an e-mail message store to said remote clients via said gateway/router connected to said WAN and via a first number of protocol stacks interfacing said e-mail store to said WAN; and communicating voice/fax messages stored in a voice/fax store to said remote clients via said gateway/router connected to said WAN and via a second number of protocol stacks interfacing the voice/fax store to said WAN, wherein said second number is less than said first number and said voice/fax messages bypass TCP/IP interfacing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 5 , wherein said protocol stacks are TCP/IP stacks.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as recited in claim 6 , wherein said e-mail messages are provided to said remote clients via a Web platform coupled by at least a TCP/IP stack to said messaging platform, and wherein said Web platform controls the remote clients' interface to the messaging platform by accepting requests from the clients and passing prescribed types of information back to the clients.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as recited in claim 7 , wherein voice and fax messages stored in said voice/fax store are provided to said remote clients via a large object server coupled to said WAN, whereby said voice and fax messages bypass said TCP/IP stack coupling said messaging platform to said Web platform.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein said large object server is supported by said messaging platform.
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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) | 2004-10-08 | 2005-04-09 | 2005-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-10-08 | 2009-04-09 | 2009-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-10-08 | 2013-04-09 | 2013-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |