Forwarding voice messages to a called party using electronic mail
AssigneeAT&T Corp.
InventorsRandy G. Goldberg, Robert Edward Markowitz, Kenneth H. Rosen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and apparatus provides a voice message of a calling party to a called party. The method includes the steps of initiating a telephone call to the called party over a first network and receiving the telephone call at a network node within the first network. The method further includes the steps of determining whether the called party is on-line a second network and receiving the voice message from the calling party. The method further includes the steps of converting the voice message to a digital file and sending an electronic mail message that includes the digital file to the called party.
Claims14
A method of providing a voice message to a called party at a computer when a calling party initiates a telephone call, said method comprising:
- (a) determining whether the called party is on-line with respect to a first network;
- (b) receiving the voice message from the calling party;
- (c) converting the voice message to a digital file;
- (d) sending an electronic mail message that includes the digital file to the called party over the first network if the called party is determined to be on-line;
- (e) receiving an indication when the called party has opened the electronic mail message;
- and
- (f) providing the indication to the calling party.
A method of providing a voice message of a calling party to a called party comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a telephone call at a network node within a first network, wherein the telephone call is initiated by the calling party to the called party over the first network;
- (b) determining whether the called party is on-line with respect to a second network;
- (c) receiving the voice message from the calling party;
- (d) converting the voice message to a digital file;
- (e) sending an electronic mail message that includes the digital file to the called party if it is determined that the called party is on-line;
- (f) receiving an indication when the called party has opened the electronic mail message;
- and
- (g) providing the indication to the calling party.
A voice message network system comprising:
- a network;
- a network node coupled to said network;
- and
- a computer coupled to said network node;
- wherein said network transfers to said network node a telephone call from a calling party to a phone number associated with a called party if the called party does not answer the telephone call;
- and
- wherein said network node is programmed to perform the steps of:
- (a) determining whether the called party is on-line with respect to said computer;
- (b) receiving a voice message from the calling party;
- (c) converting the voice message to a digital file;
- (d) sending an electronic mail message that includes the digital file to said computer if it is determined that the called party is on-line;
- (e) receiving an indication when the called party has opened the electronic mail message;
- and
- (f) providing the indication to the calling party.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.