Patent Application
20140128039
In both business and personal spaces, individuals are increasingly relying on contact through their portable telephones. Electronic mail, SMS/MMS messages, and PDA applications are used to exchange immediate information between users at terminals across the world. Communication through voicemails, however, can be both time- and labor-intensive.
In a typical cellular telephone “basic voicemail” system, a user must use their device to call an access number assigned by the user's cellular telephone carrier. Then, the user must listen to a series of prompts, such as, for example, “You have a new message. To listen to your message, press 1. For other options, press 2.” The user must then input through speech or by manually activating the interface on the device their desired action. They must also frequently listen to multiple voicemail messages before they can listen to a desired message. This can cause delay and frustration, particularly when compared with the speed and ease of other modes of communication.
Storage of voicemails on a carrier's system is frequently limited in time and length of message. In order to save storage space, carriers typically delete voicemails that are older than a certain threshold. This can leave users without important information that was included in older voicemails.
Some systems have been devised to allow more practical storage and access to voicemails. For example, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2010/01059889 discloses a method of temporarily assigning a unique telephone number to each voicemail, so that a user may have a way to access the specific voicemail on a call. This method eliminates some of the time it would take to find a specific voicemail, but still requires a user to spend the time to call in, listen to prompts, etc., and is based on the assumption that the voicemail will be deleted to free up the unique telephone number for assignment to another voicemail.
Other systems attempt to bypass the cellular telephone voicemail system entirely, forwarding incoming calls to a separate server or to the user's device itself. This “visual voicemail” system may aid in the access and storage of the voicemails by allowing headers of each voicemail to be views, such as date, time, and sender. An example of such a system is shown in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,996,792. However, a user must still search through unorganized, non-indexed voicemails and listen to various potential voicemails to find a desired voicemail, making long-term storage unlikely and unmanageable. Further, a user may lose the voicemails saved on the device when, for example, the mobile phone was stolen, damaged, lost, or when upgrading mobile phones, and the voicemails previously stored in the carrier's voicemail system would still be inaccessible through visual voicemail. Such visual voicemail systems can display voice message the device received during its life time. A new device would not display the voicemails from the previous device or the voicemails resident on the carrier's voicemail system.
A need therefore exists for a more time- and labor-efficient way for accessing, storing, and managing voicemail messages.
Various embodiments of the invention describe a method of retrieving voicemail messages from any carrier in a communication network. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request to retrieve voicemail data from a carrier voicemail system, connecting to the carrier voicemail system through the communication network, receiving signals from an interactive voice response system of the carrier voicemail system, sending signals to the carrier voicemail system to interact with the interactive voice response system based on response criteria, upon detection of a playback criteria, recording audio received from the carrier voicemail system, saving the recorded audio, and disconnecting from the carrier voicemail system.
The foregoing aspects and other forms, features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
Mobile device 18, such as a cellular telephone, laptop, PDA, tablet, etc., with a transceiver can be linked to the cellular network 12, PSTN 16, and/or the Internet 14. Internet-capable device 20, such as a computer, Internet-enabled telephone, etc., can be linked to the cellular network 12 through the Internet 14, PSTN 16 and/or the cellular network 12. Communication device 22, such as a telephone, facsimile machine, modem, etc., can likewise connect to the PSTN 16, and then to the Internet 14 and/or the cellular network 12.
The communications network 10 includes a voicemail system (VMS) 24, a content delivery server (CDS) 26 for delivering messages and message content to mobile device 18. A message waiting icon server (MWIS) 28 sends short messages to mobile devices that a new message is waiting. VMS 24, CDS 26, and MWIS 28 can be hardware, software, or a combination of both, and they may be connected to the cellular network 12 as shown, or residing in hardware, software, or both in one or more of the cellular network 12, PSTN 16, mobile device 18 the Internet 14, etc.
In operation, the system according to
In systems employing MWIS 28, a signal can be sent from the VMS 24 to the MWIS 28 to indicate that a new voicemail has been stored, and the MWIS 28 can send an alert to mobile device 18 via the cellular network that a new message has been received. The mobile device 18 can then dial a voicemail access number to access the VMS 24 to listen to their messages and interact with various voicemail applications (VMAs), such as, for example, interactive voice response (IVR) applications.
Alternatively, a mobile device 18 can send a request signal through the cellular network 12 to CDS 26 for retrieval of header information and/or audio file constituting the voicemail message if the message is given a unique access number, as discussed in the Background. The CDS 26 can then send the header information corresponding to the unique access number to the mobile device 18 for storage thereon. The mobile device 18 user may then call the unique access number to listen to the particular voicemail message.
This process may also be used by internet-connected device 20 that may access the VMS 24 via the Internet 14, or by communications device 22 that may access the VMS 24 via PSTN 16. Each of devices 18, 20, 22 are terminals that may include customary components, for example, interfaces, displays, microphones for recording sounds, speakers for playing sounds, etc. As these components of terminals 18, 20, 22 are well-known in the art, further description is deemed unnecessary for this disclosure.
As discussed in the Background, this method for retrieving voicemail messages from the VMS 24 can be time- and labor-consuming, as well as unmanageable for longtime voicemail storage. Each time a voicemail is retrieved, the user must make a call to the access line, listen to and respond to the IVR prompts, navigate through possibly multiple audible messages with minimal introductory information to let the user know if the message is of interest. Storage of memorable voicemails, for example, would traditionally be archived only under date, time, and possibly caller ID, which would need to be audibly communicated to the user before knowing whether the particular voicemail is the one desired.
Even when each particular voicemail is accessed via a unique access number, as discussed above, storage, navigation, and management is dependent on little header information and limited storage on the cellular network.
Memory 102 includes user data 104, voicemail application 110, edit/tag/convert application 120, web interface application 130, and communication module 140.
User data 104 includes headers 150, messages 152, carrier access numbers 154, account/device data 156, and tag/pointer data 158.
Voicemail application 110 includes instructions, programs, applications, software, or the like for receiving, processing, and storing voicemail messages. In one embodiment, voicemail application 110 includes instructions for recording signals received from the interface 106. Voicemail application 110 may also include, for example, instructions for processing the recorded signals to determine tones, silence, words, etc. and to interact with edit/tag/convert application 120, communication application 140, and web interface application 130, as discussed later. Voicemail application 110 may also include instructions regarding storage of headers 150, such as date, time, and caller ID information, carrier access numbers 154, such as the phone numbers or web address information for accessing a carrier's voicemail storage system 24, files representing the actual voicemails received 152, account/device data 156 including a subscriber/user's account number, name, phone number, birthday, passwords, list of relatives, social network usernames and passwords, etc., as well as tag/pointer data 158 for additional information about a particular voicemail, such as subscriber/user entered keywords, whether the voicemail is important, whether the voicemail was sent from a family member, whether the voicemail was sent on the subscriber/user's birthday, etc.
Web interface application 130 includes instructions, programs, applications, software or the like for sending and receiving signals from a terminal/device 18, 20, 22 operated by a voicemail subscriber to access, display, and play back user data 104 through a standard device interface, such as a display, speaker, or the like. Web interface application 130 may also interact with voicemail application 110 and/or edit/tag/convert application 120 to allow a subscriber to edit or convert user data 104, add key terms, hashtags, descriptors, file/directory structures or pointers to voicemails stored in user data 104 and/or to export user data 104 to, for example, a social network server, another user device or devices 18, 20, 22, etc. Web interface application 130 may also interact with voicemail application 110 and communications application 140 to request new voicemails be retrieved from the carrier VMS 24.
Communication application 140 includes instructions, programs, applications, software or the like for sending and receiving signals via the interface 106 from/to the carrier's VMS 24. The communication application 140 can, for example, instruct the interface 106 to call a carrier access number 154, wait until either a specified period of time or until a particular signal is received, provide signals in response to prompts from the carrier's WR, interact with voicemail application 110 to record and process the voice messages.
Although each of the modules, applications, and databases 104, 110, 120, 130, and 140 are shown as existing in the same memory 102, one skilled in the art will readily understand that one or more of these modules/applications/databases may be located in a separate memory location that is coupled, either directly or via a network, to memory 102 and voicemail server 100 using the same or different processors 108. One embodiment of such a system is depicted in
As shown in
System 400 also includes web server 430, the functionality of which corresponds to web interface application 130 of
Operation of various methods according to the invention will now be described.
The carrier access number 154 may be, for example, the subscriber's own mobile telephone number, a main voicemail access number, etc. The subscriber's own telephone number may be linked to a particular “backdoor,” “pilot” or “deposit” number in the carrier's VMS 24 when it is called from the subscriber's line. A backdoor/pilot/deposit number is a direct-dial number within the carrier's PBX system that provides more direct access to the subscriber's voicemails. Alternatively, carrier access number 154 may be the backdoor/pilot/deposit number, providing more direct access to the voicemail server for that particular subscriber. Many carriers have either one or multiple assigned voicemail systems in which lines connect as assigned by the carrier. These VMS's can be accessed by dialing to them via the backdoor/pilot/deposit number defined by the carrier or by “spoofing” the VMS. In some carrier systems, direct access via the backdoor/pilot/deposit numbers is automatically provided when the subscriber's number is dialed from the subscriber's number. In one embodiment, the processor 108 may call the subscriber's mobile telephone number, while “spoofing” the subscriber's mobile telephone number 503. “Spoofing” is the practice of sending caller ID information indicating a different calling number than the actual calling number. Various methods of spoofing are well-known in the art and therefore will not be described in this specification.
Communications application 140/telephony server 440 and/or voicemail application 110, 410 then instruct(s) processor 108 to detect signals received from carrier VMS 24, such as speech, silence, or the like 506, and send signals 508, for example touch tones, to carrier VMS 24. The signals may be sent 508 at a time based on predetermined conditions being met 507. Predetermined conditions may be, for example, a certain time length and/or depth of silence being detected indicating that the IVR is awaiting a response, a predetermined time transpiring from initiation of the call based on anticipated carrier WR scripts, certain words being detected by, for example, a speech recognition feature of the voicemail application, etc., or any combination.
The signals sent 508 may be based on user data 104, 404, such as, for example, touch tones corresponding to account numbers and passwords in account/device data 156 that are cross-referenced to the subscriber's account. The steps of sending 508 and receiving 506 signals to navigate the IVR in the carrier VMS 24 may be repeated as desired by the subscriber in order to fetch new data from the carrier VMS 24. Fetch can be scheduled to be done every 15 minutes, hourly, daily, weekly, or manually from, for example, a command sent from terminal 18, 20, 22, 418.
Processor 108 begins recording the signals 510 received from the call 506 based on a predetermined criteria, for example, an anticipated script from the IVR, a predetermined time passing, speech recognition of a key word or string such as “first new message”, change of voice frequency, etc. In one embodiment, the processor 108 begins recording of the signals 510 at the initiation of the call. The signals may correspond to header information, for example, time and date stamp or caller ID, audio from voice messages left, prompts from the carrier's VMS 24 IVR, etc.
Processor 108 then stops recording the signals 512 based on a predetermined criteria, for example, a threshold duration and/or level of silence, a sound detected, etc. The signals are then saved 514 as a raw audio file.
Processor 108 then again sends 508 and receives 506 signals to navigate the carrier's VMS 24 IVR system to play and record a second message, etc., until the processor 108 determines that all messages have been received. At that point, the processor 108 disconnects 516 the connection to carrier VMS 24.
As shown in
In one variation, the comparison 606 is done by transcribing the audio files via speech recognition 607 and comparing a transcription to previously transcribed messages or headers stored in the user data 104, 404. Speech recognition may be effected through known systems, such as, for example CMUSphinx™ or other available speech recognition applications capable of detecting and recognizing speech from signals.
Although the method of
Although
If correct, information relating to the audio files, such as, for example transcribed headers of the voicemails, directory structure, file name, links for playing audio files, etc., can be displayed 706 on the subscriber terminal 18, 20, 22, 418. The subscriber can, for example, select 708 the information displayed and the processor 108 sends commands 710 via the network 12, 14, 16, 412 and the terminal 18, 20, 22 performs the requested task, e.g., display additional information about the voicemail 712, send commands to save the voicemail in a different directory 714 in the user data 104, 404, with a different file name 716, play the audio 718 from the message through the terminal's speakers faster, slower, rewind, fast forward, etc.; export, forward, or convert the message file to a separate format, device, user, website, email, social network (publically visible or via private link), etc. 719 through, for example a file transfer or through sending a link to the voicemail, etc. The subscriber may also request to view or edit their user profile 720 by editing data stored in the account/device data 156.
In one embodiment, a subscriber may indicate descriptions, categories, or associations related to the voicemail 721, such as “favorites,” “ex-girlfriends”, or “Anna”. This tag/pointer data can then be sent 722 via network 12, 14, 16, 412. The data can then be stored 724 according to instructions in the tag/edit/convert application 120 in the user data 104, 404 as tag/pointer data 158 and correlated to that voicemail. The descriptions, categories, or associations can thereafter be displayed 726 in connection with that particular voicemail or a number of similarly-described voicemails, which could be displayed as albums or directories. A voicemail may also be tagged with a picture. For example, a saved voicemail of a subscriber's wife announcing she is pregnant may later be tagged with a stored or uploaded photo of the newborn child. In one embodiment, the tag/edit/convert application 120 instructs the processor to store automatic tags for the voicemails. For example, all voicemails received on a user's birthday, as cross-referenced in the account/device data 156, may be accessed through a directory/album “birthday”. Likewise, all voicemails received from a user's family members, as cross-referenced in the account/device data 156, may be accessed through a directory/album “family,” and voicemails received from a user's family member on their birthday may be accessed through both the “family” and “birthday” directories/albums. Although the tags are discussed in terms of pointers, it is also within the scope of the invention for the messages to be saved in directory structures according to the description.
The voicemail data stored on voicemail server 801 may also be transferred 1210, or a link to it may be sent, to a webserver hosting a web-site/humor blog 830 accessible via the network 812 to the online public at additional user terminals 819. The data may be transferred anonymously, with designated tags 1224 entered by the subscriber. The web server 830 may allow the online public to play the voicemail 1228, and/or categorize 1224, rate 1222, comment on, etc. the particular voicemail. That information can then be transferred back through network 812 to voicemail server 801 to be stored in the user data 104, 404 for correlated to that voicemail.
The web server 830 in one embodiment can also collect voicemails or voicemail links from multiple sources and/or categorize the voicemails under common tags and/or categories. It may also tally ratings, comments, etc., for various voicemails and display a list of, for example, the highest rated voicemails. It can also provide a search function by tag and/or category to allow the online public 819 to find, for example, voicemails tagged “horrible bosses” or “calling in sick”. A voicemail may “go viral” as it gains exposure. In one embodiment, for example, a “battle of the stars” could occur with celebrities, bands, singers, etc. sending competing vocal voicemails to each other, to be followed by and rated by fans. The web server 830, web interface application 130, or native application 450 may allow users to “follow” a particular subscriber, search the database for key terms and/or trends, list comments from multiple voicemails, display profile information from a particular subscriber, as well as allow seamless access to the subscriber's own saved voicemails 104, 404, directories/categories, and tags, as described above in relation to web interface application 130, web server 430, and native application 450.
Referring now to
Some advantages of systems as described herein are readily apparent, in that voicemails may be archived for an unlimited time, even if the voicemail service is provided by any carrier. Voicemails may effectively and efficiently managed and categorized, so that they can be found easily and grouped intuitively. Albums may be created and shared with, for example, descendants, as well as the general public.
The embodiments of the invention described herein are illustrative, rather than restrictive. Modification may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61722866 | Nov 2012 | US |
