US 6,650,739 B1 · Method of providing personal messaging using a virtual messaging assistant

Abstract

This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing automated personal messaging assistance with the capability of checking a user's destination for arrival and forwarding messages by a preferred modality. The present invention is directed to, in a general aspect, a method of providing personal messaging using a virtual messaging assistant. The virtual messaging assistant has a voice user interface and provides a human-like voice which interfaces with the user' and with callers. The personal messaging assistant provides forwarding of messages to a destination in accordance with user selected preferences. The personal messaging assistant receives incoming messages. The personal messaging checks the user's calendar to find out where the user is expected to be. Then the personal messaging assistant calls the expected destination and inquires whether the user has arrived. If the user has arrived, the personal messaging assistant forwards messages by a preferred mode, such as, for example, via facsimile, to the destination. The personal messaging assistant handles important confidential messages by making sure that the user is at the destination prior to forwarding those messages. Thus, the user is provided with a service was previously unavailable in a continuous manner.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method of providing personal messaging using a virtual messaging assistant with a voice user interface system comprising the steps of:

a) providing a personal messaging assistant that can be set with messaging preferences of a user and interact with a user calendar and user contact information;
b) selecting messaging preferences for processing messages;
c) receiving an incoming message for the user;
d) checking the user calendar to obtain the user's expected destination;
e) calling the user's expected destination
f) verifying that the user has arrived at the expected destination;
g) verifying that the preferred modality is available at the destination;
h) transmitting the message to the destination;
(i) recognizing the user's behavior patterns associated with the user's arrival at the expected destination;
and
(i) adjusting the verification process of step (f) in accordance with the user's behavior patterns,
wherein in step (i), the virtual messaging assistant recognizes that the user arrives late to expected destinations and adjusts the verification process to call the expected destination at a time later than the expected arrival time and based upon the amount of time that the user habitually arrives late.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of providing personal messaging using a virtual messaging assistant

Life of this patent

Method of providing personal messaging using a virtual messaging assistant

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10