System and method for converting electronic mail text to audio for telephonic delivery

A computer-implemented method of converting a textual portion of an electronic mail message to audio for delivery via a telephone connection, comprising:

• receiving an electronic mail message at a mail server, wherein a first address to which said electronic message is directed is not registered on the mail server;
• parsing said first address to identify a telephone number within said first address;
• applying a set of rules to determine the validity of said telephone number;
• wherein said applying step parses said telephone number to ensure that said telephone number does not comprise any of:
• a restricted number, a toll free number, a directory assistance number, and an invalid area code;
• determining whether an audio form of said electronic mail message is authorized to be delivered to a telephone device having said telephone number;
• converting a textual portion of said electronic mail message into an audio message;
• establishing a telephone connection to said telephone device if said telephone number is valid;
• and
• transmitting said audio message over said telephone connection.

A computer-implemented method of telephonically communicating a portion of an electronic mail message to a recipient, comprising:

• receiving an electronic message;
• retrieving a telephone number associated with an addressee of said electronic message;
• wherein said addressee specifies preference settings on how and/or when determining the validity of said telephone number to ensure that said telephone number does not comprise one of predetermined specific numbers messages directed to said addressee's telephone number are or are not delivered;
• generating an audio form of an identifier of an originator of said electronic message;
• generating an audio form of a subject of said electronic message;
• constructing an audio message to include:
• said audio form of said identifier;
• said audio form of said subject;
• and
• an audio attachment received with said electronic message;
• establishing a telephone connection with said addressee according to said addressee's preference settings;
• and
• delivering said audio message through said telephone connection.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for converting text from an electronic message to audio for delivery via telephone, the method comprising:

• receiving an electronic message containing text;
• retrieving a telephone number associated with an addressee of said electronic message;
• determining the validity of said telephone number to ensure that said telephone number does not comprise one of predetermined specific numbers wherein said addressee specifies preference settings on how and/or when messages directed to said addressee's telephone number are or are not delivered;
• converting said text to audio;
• establishing a telephone connection with said addressee according to said addressee's preference settings;
• and
• delivering said audio through said telephone connection.

An apparatus for converting text within an electronic message into audio for delivery via a telephone connection, comprising:

• a message server configured to receive an electronic message from an originator, wherein an address to which said electronic message is directed is associated with a telephone number;
• a rules module configured to apply a set of rules to determine whether said telephone number is valid by ensuring that said telephone number does not comprise any of:
• a restricted number, a toll free number, a directory assistance number, and an invalid area code;
• a converter configured to convert a textual portion of said electronic message into an audio message;
• and
• a call processor configured to establish a telephonic connection with a telephonic device having said telephone number and play said audio message over said telephonic connection.