Voice mail system that downloads an applet for managing voice mail messages

A method of notifying a subscriber to a voice mail system that there is at least one new voice mail message waiting for the subscriber, comprising the steps of:

• executing a program at a client terminal where the subscriber is located, said client terminal including a display device, said program performing the steps of:
• allocating an area of said display device to said program;
• transmitting successive requests from said program to said voice mail system to inquire whether there are any new voice mail messages waiting for the subscriber, wherein the time interval between successive requests is of the order of ten minutes or less;
• receiving information from the voice mail system at the program at the client terminal regarding any new voice mail messages waiting for the subscriber;
• and
• displaying at least part of the received information directly on the allocated area of said client terminal, without first saving the received information at the client terminal other than incidentally as required for the display, wherein the displayed information is generally maintained in said allocated area until updated by information received for a subsequent request;
• thereby providing to the subscriber a continuously updated indication of the presence of any new voice mail message.

A client system for allowing a subscriber to a voice mail system to determine whether he or she has at least one new voice mail message, said client system being connected to said voice mail system via a network, and comprising:

• a display
• program means executing on the client system;
• said program means including:
• means for allocating an area of said display to said program;
• means for transmitting successive requests to said voice mail system to inquire whether there are any new voice mail messages waiting for the subscriber, wherein the time interval between successive requests is of the order of ten minutes or less;
• means for receiving information from the voice mail system regarding any new voice mail messages waiting for the subscriber;
• and
• means for displaying at least part of the received information directly on the allocated area of said client system, without first saving the received information at the client system other than incidentally as required for the display, wherein the displayed information is generally maintained in said allocated area until updated by information received for a subsequent request;
• thereby providing to the subscriber a continuously updated indication of the presence of any new voice mail message.

A WWW server, operable in conjunction with a voice mail system including means for storing voice mail messages for at least one subscriber, said server including:

• means responsive to a request from a subscriber at a WWW client terminal, for returning to said WWW client terminal an applet for execution at said WWW client terminal, said applet providing on execution at the client terminal a continuously updated indication of whether said subscriber has any new messages stored in the voice mail system and including:
• means for acquiring an area of a client terminal display device;
• means for transmitting successive requests to said WWW server to inquire whether there are any new voice mail messages waiting for the subscriber, wherein the time interval between successive requests is of the order of ten minutes or less;
• means for receiving information from the WWW server regarding any new voice mail messages waiting for the subscriber;
• and means for displaying at least part of the received information directly on the acquired area of said client terminal display device, without first saving the received information at the client terminal other than incidentally as required for the display, wherein the displayed information in said acquired area is generally maintained until updated by information received for a subsequent request;
• and
• means responsive to said successive requests from the applet to retrieve the requested information from the voice mail system.

A method of operating a WWW server in conjunction with a voice mail system for storing voice mail messages for at least one subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

• responsive to a request from a subscriber at a WWW client terminal, returning to said WWW client terminal an applet for execution at said WWW client terminal, said applet providing on execution at the client terminal a continuously updated indication of whether said subscriber has any new messages stored in the voice mail system by acquiring an area of a client terminal display device;
• transmitting successive requests to said WWW server to inquire whether there are any new voice mail messages waiting for the subscriber, wherein the time interval between successive requests is of the order of ten minutes or less;
• receiving information from the WWW server regarding any new voice mail messages waiting for the subscriber;
• and displaying at least part of the received information directly on the acquired area of said client terminal display device, without first saving the received information at the client terminal other than incidentally as required for the display, wherein the displayed information in said acquired area is generally maintained until updated by information received for a subsequent request;
• and
• responsive to said successive requests from the applet, retrieving the requested information from the voice mail system.