US 6,792,085 B1 · System and method for unified messaging with message replication and synchronization

Abstract

A unified messaging system is provided that includes two-way synchronization and replication of messages. The unified messaging system includes a workstation, a voice-mail server, and an e-mail server. The workstation may be a personal computer, for example. The workstation includes an agent to monitor messaging activities within the workstation mailbox. Also, the voice-mail server includes a proxy e-mail client (PEC) to operate and retrieve e-mail messages in the absence of the workstation. In accordance with the system and method of the invention, two-way synchronization and replication is provided. The two-way synchronization and replication operates between the workstation and the voice-mail server. Specifically, the replication operates between the e-mail store, e.g., the mailbox, of the workstation and the voice-mail store of the voice-mail server. The replication duplicates messages in each of the mailbox of the workstation and the voice-mail message store of the voice-mail server. Thus, the voice-mail message store contains both the voice-mail and the e-mail. Further, the e-mail message store contains both the e-mail and the voice-mail.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A messaging system for providing access to e-mail messages and voice-mail messages, the messaging system comprising:

a workstation that interfaces with a user, the workstation comprising:
an agent responsible for e-mail message replication and synchronization of both e-mail and voice-mail messages;
a voice-mail service provider responsible for voice-mail message replication and sending voice-mail messages;
an e-mail service provider for retrieving and sending e-mail messages;
a messaging sub-system for supporting the voice-mail service provider and the e-mail service provider, and
a workstation mailbox for storing messages, said agent monitoring message activity in the workstation mailbox, and said messaging sub-system delivering e-mail messages to the workstation mailbox;
a voice-mail server that sends and receives voice-mail messages, the voice-mail server comprising a voice-mail message store for storing messages, the voice-mail server responsible for voice-mail message and e-mail message replication, synchronization and storage in concert with the agent;
an e-mail server that sends and receives e-mail messages;
and
a communication system variably connecting each of the workstation, the voice-mail server, and the e-mail server with each other;
wherein the voice-mail server receives a voice-mail message and stores the voice-mail message in the voice-mail message store, the voice-mail server communicates a copy of the voice-mail message to the voice-mail service provider, the voice mail service provider delivers the voice-mail message to the messaging sub-system that creates the voice-mail message in the workstation mailbox of the workstation.

8 more elements

A messaging system for providing access to e-mail messages and voice-mail messages, the messaging system comprising:

a workstation that interfaces with a user, the workstation comprising:
an agent responsible for e-mail message replication and synchronization of both e-mail and voice-mail messages;
a voice-mail service provider responsible for voice-mail message replication and sending voice-mail messages;
an e-mail service provider for retrieving and sending e-mail messages;
a messaging sub-system for supporting the voice-mail service provider and the e-mail service provider, and
a workstation mailbox for storing messages, said agent monitoring message activity in the workstation mailbox;
a voice-mail server that sends and receives voice-mail messages, the voice-mail server comprising a voice-mail message store for storing messages, the voice-mail server responsible for voice-mail message and e-mail message replication and, synchronization of both e-mail messages and voice-mail messages in concert with the agent;
an e-mail server that sends and receives e-mail messages;
and
a communication system variably connecting each of the workstation, the voice-mail server, and the e-mail server with each other;
wherein a proxy e-mail client retrieves e-mail messages from the e-mail server when the agent is not logged on to the voice-mail server, the proxy e-mail client is inactive when the agent is logged on to the voice-mail server;
and wherein the voice-mail server communicates with the workstation to determine if the workstation is in connection with the voice-mail server, the voice-mail server activating the proxy e-mail receiver if the voice-mail server determines that the workstation is not in connection.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for unified messaging with message replication and synchronization

Life of this patent

System and method for unified messaging with message replication and synchronization

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36