US6430177B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Universal messaging system providing integrated voice, data and fax messaging services to pc/web-based clients, including a content manager for receiving information from content providers and formatting the same into multimedia containers for distribution to web-based clients
Assignee: Unisys Corp
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Filing: 1998-06-09
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Granted: 2002-08-06
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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
- 👤 Daniel P. Meyer
- 👤 Curt Raddatz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:46
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/07; H04L51/10; G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q10/107; H04L51/56; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/5307; H04L51/08; H04L51/42; H04M2203/00; H04M2203/45; H04M2203/4509; H04M7/00; H04M7/0024; H04M7/0054; H04M7/12; H04M7/1205; H04M7/128
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A Universal Messaging system, comprising: (a) a messaging platform; and (b) a content manager application, operatively coupled to said messaging platform, for receiving information from a content provider and formatting said information into multimedia containers to be distributed to remote clients via a wide area communications network operatively coupled to said messaging platform, wherein said multimedia containers are characterized by a message portion and an attachment portion, said attachment portion comprising a plurality of fields each of which is used in a predefined manner.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A Universal Messaging system, comprising: (a) a messaging platform; and (b) a content manager application, operatively coupled to said messaging platform, for receiving information from a content provider and formatting said information into multimedia containers to be distributed to remote clients via a wide area communications network operatively coupled to said messaging platform, wherein said multimedia containers are characterized by a message portion and an attachment portion, said attachment portion comprising a plurality of fields each of which is used in a predefined manner.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a Web platform supporting said content manager application, wherein said Web platform includes or is operatively coupled to a first database containing e-mail advertisements and a second database containing news-type information from said content provider.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 2 , wherein said Web platform further supports: an applet server for providing software applets to said remote client; and an Internet server operatively coupled to said messaging platform.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
111 words
A Universal Messaging system, comprising: (a) a messaging platform supporting an e-mail messaging system and a voice/fax messaging system; and (b) content manager means, operatively coupled to said messaging platform, for receiving information from a content provider and formatting said information into multimedia containers to be distributed to remote clients via a wide area communications network operatively coupled to said content manager means; wherein said content manager means provides multimedia containers for delivering multimedia content to one or more clients, wherein each of said containers comprises: (1) a message portion; and (2) an attachment portion having associated title, type and filename fields, each of which is used in a predefined manner.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
A Universal Messaging system, comprising: (a) a messaging platform supporting an e-mail messaging system and a voice/fax messaging system; and (b) content manager means, operatively coupled to said messaging platform, for receiving information from a content provider and formatting said information into multimedia containers to be distributed to remote clients via a wide area communications network operatively coupled to said content manager means; wherein said content manager means provides multimedia containers for delivering multimedia content to one or more clients, wherein each of said containers comprises: (1) a message portion; and (2) an attachment portion having associated title, type and filename fields, each of which is used in a predefined manner.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 4 , wherein said message portion is characterized by a message type field and a corresponding predefined set of message type definitions; a predefined use of a subject field; and a predefined structure for a text-note field.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 5 , wherein said text-note field is used for communication between the content manager means and the client(s).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 4 , wherein all content is carried in the attachment portion via a pointer in the filename field.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 4 , wherein only one type of content, either audio, text, HTML, or graphics, is used per attachment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the filename field is used to contain pointers to objects, including a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the text-note field of the message portion is used to carry instructions relating to presentation and management of the content, and the actual content is referenced by pointers using attachment structures.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
218 words
A Universal Messaging system, comprising: (a) a messaging platform supporting an e-mail messaging system and a voice/fax messaging system; and (b) content manager means, operatively coupled to said messaging platform, for receiving information from a content provider and formatting said information into multimedia containers to be distributed to remote clients via a wide area communications network operatively coupled to said content manager means; wherein said content manager means provides multimedia containers for delivering multimedia content to clients, wherein each of said containers comprises a message portion and an attachment portion having associated title, type and filename fields; wherein said message portion is characterized by a message type field and a corresponding predefined set of message type definitions, a predefined use of a subject field, and a predefined structure for a text-note field; wherein said text-note field is used for communication between the content manager means and the clients; wherein all content is carried in the attachment portion via a pointer in the filename field; wherein only one type of content is used per attachment; wherein the filename field is used to contain pointers to objects; and wherein the text-note field of the message portion is used to carry instructions relating to presentation and management of the content, and the actual content is referenced by pointers using attachment structures.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
218 words
A Universal Messaging system, comprising: (a) a messaging platform supporting an e-mail messaging system and a voice/fax messaging system; and (b) content manager means, operatively coupled to said messaging platform, for receiving information from a content provider and formatting said information into multimedia containers to be distributed to remote clients via a wide area communications network operatively coupled to said content manager means; wherein said content manager means provides multimedia containers for delivering multimedia content to clients, wherein each of said containers comprises a message portion and an attachment portion having associated title, type and filename fields; wherein said message portion is characterized by a message type field and a corresponding predefined set of message type definitions, a predefined use of a subject field, and a predefined structure for a text-note field; wherein said text-note field is used for communication between the content manager means and the clients; wherein all content is carried in the attachment portion via a pointer in the filename field; wherein only one type of content is used per attachment; wherein the filename field is used to contain pointers to objects; and wherein the text-note field of the message portion is used to carry instructions relating to presentation and management of the content, and the actual content is referenced by pointers using attachment structures.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
A Universal Messaging system as recited in claim 11 , further comprising a Web platform supporting said content manager means, wherein said Web platform includes or is operatively coupled to a first database containing e-mail advertisements and a second database containing news-type information from said content provider.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
81 words
In a Universal Messaging system, a method for delivering multimedia information to remote clients, comprising the steps of: receiving information from a content provider; formatting said information into multimedia containers; and distributing said multimedia containers to the remote clients via a wide area network operatively coupled to said Universal Messaging system; wherein each of said multimedia containers comprises a message portion and an attachment portion having associated title, type and filename fields, each of which is used in a predefined manner.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
81 words
In a Universal Messaging system, a method for delivering multimedia information to remote clients, comprising the steps of: receiving information from a content provider; formatting said information into multimedia containers; and distributing said multimedia containers to the remote clients via a wide area network operatively coupled to said Universal Messaging system; wherein each of said multimedia containers comprises a message portion and an attachment portion having associated title, type and filename fields, each of which is used in a predefined manner.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein said message portion is characterized by a message type field and a corresponding predefined set of message type definitions; a predefined use of a subject field; and a predefined structure for a text-note field.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as recited in claim 14 , wherein said text-note field is used for communication between the content manager means and the client(s).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as recited in claim 15 , wherein all content is carried in the attachment portion via a pointer in the filename field.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 16 , wherein only one type of content is used per attachment.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the filename field is used to contain pointers to objects.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the text-note field is used to carry instructions relating to presentation and management of the content, and the content is referenced by pointers using attachment structures.
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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) | 2005-08-05 | 2006-02-04 | 2006-08-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-05 | 2010-02-04 | 2010-08-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-05 | 2014-02-04 | 2014-08-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |