# US 7,412,037 B2 · Method, system, and storage medium for providing comprehensive facsimile information within a voicemail system

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- Number: US 7,412,037 B2
- Document ID: US7412037B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/727,186
- Filed: 2003-12-02
- Published: 2005-06-02
- Granted: 2008-08-12
- Earliest claimed: 2003-12-02
- Assignees: AT&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc.
- Inventors: Karen S. Mullis; Anita Hogans Simpson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7412037B2

## CPC

- H04N 1/00488: {providing an audible output to the user}
- H04N 1/00244: {with a server, e.g. an internet server (fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324)}
- H04N 1/324: {intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange}
- H04N 1/32406: {in connection with routing or relaying, e.g. using a fax-server or a store-and-forward facility (stored and forward data switching systems H04L12/54)}
- H04N 1/32438: {Informing the addressee of reception}
- H04N 2201/0039: Connection via a network
- H04N 2201/0068: Converting from still picture data
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

Exemplary embodiments relate to a method, system, and storage medium for providing comprehensive facsimile information within a voicemail system. The method includes receiving and storing a facsimile at a voicemail system. The method also includes interpreting elements of a facsimile using an optical character recognition device. Upon receiving a request by a voicemail recipient to access a voice mailbox, the method includes converting interpreted elements of the facsimile into audible speech via a text-to-speech engine, formatting the converted elements resulting in a voicemail facsimile notification, and presenting the voicemail facsimile notification to a communications device associated with the voicemail recipient.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for providing comprehensive facsimile information within a voicemail system, comprising:
receiving a facsimile at a voicemail system;
storing the facsimile in recipient voice mailbox;
interpreting elements of the facsimile, the interpreting performed by optical character recognition software; and
upon receiving a request by a voicemail recipient to access the voice mailbox, and absent any pre-defined user preferences with respect to the handling of the facsimile:
converting the interpreted elements of the facsimile into audible speech via a text-to-speech engine,
formatting the converted elements resulting in a voicemail facsimile notification,
presenting the voicemail facsimile notification and options to a communications device associated with the voicemail recipient, the options including:
printing the facsimile,
deleting the facsimile from the recipient voice mailbox,
storing the facsimile in the recipient voice mailbox for later retrieval, and
forwarding the facsimile to a networked fax-capable voice mailbox, and
implementing one of the options selected by the recipient.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the elements are selected from a header in the facsimile.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the header includes:
a sender's facsimile number;
a time and date of the facsimile transmission; and
a number of pages transmitted.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the header further comprises at least one of:
a sender's name; and
a sender's organization.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting the voicemail facsimile notification further includes presenting a scripted audio message along with the voicemail facsimile notification.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
interpreting elements includes identifying abbreviated forms of the elements; and
converting interpreted elements includes expanding the abbreviated forms of the elements.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the communications device comprises at least one of:
a wireless remote telephone;
a wireline remote telephone;
a voice over Internet telephone; and
a remote computer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the facsimile is transmitted via at least one of:
a facsimile machine;
a facsimile-enabled computer;
a facsimile-enabled voicemail system; and
a personal digital assistant.

### Claim 9

A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for providing comprehensive facsimile information within a voicemail system, the storage medium including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:
receiving a facsimile at a voicemail system;
storing the facsimile in a recipient voice mailbox;
interpreting elements of a facsimile located in the facsimile, the interpreting performed by optical character recognition software; and
upon receiving a request by a voicemail recipient to access the voice mailbox, and absent any pre-defined user preferences with respect to the handling of the facsimile:
converting the interpreted elements of the facsimile into audible speech via a text-to-speech engine,
formatting the converted elements resulting in a voicemail facsimile notification,
presenting the voicemail facsimile notification of the facsimile and options to a communications device associated with the voicemail recipient, the options including:
printing the facsimile,
deleting the facsimile from the recipient voice mailbox,
storing the facsimile in the recipient voice mailbox for later retrieval, and
forwarding the facsimile to a networked fax-capable voice mailbox, and
implementing one of the options selected by the recipient.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the elements are selected from a header in the facsimile.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The storage medium of claim 10, wherein the header includes:
a sender's facsimile number;
a time and date of the facsimile transmission; and
a number of pages transmitted.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The storage medium of claim 10, wherein the header further comprises at least one of:
a sender's name; and
a sender's organization.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the presenting the voicemail facsimile notification further includes presenting a scripted audio message along with the voicemail facsimile notification.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The storage medium of claim 9, wherein:
interpreting elements includes identifying abbreviated forms of the elements; and
converting interpreted elements includes expanding the abbreviated forms of the elements.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the communications device comprises at least one of:
a wireless remote telephone;
a wireline remote telephone;
a voice over Internet telephone; and
a remote computer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the facsimile is transmitted via at least one of:
a facsimile machine;
a facsimile-enabled computer;
a facsimile-enabled voicemail system; and
a personal digital assistant.

### Claim 17

A communications network system for providing comprehensive facsimile information within a voicemail system, comprising:
a server executing a voicemail system that includes at least one voice mailbox;
a comprehensive voicemail tool executing on the server the comprehensive voicemail tool including optical character recognition software and a text-to-speech engine;
a link to a facsimile sending device;
a link to a remote facsimile recipient device; and
a facsimile received at the voicemail system the facsimile transmitted by the facsimile sending device,
wherein the comprehensive voicemail tool performs:
storing the facsimile in the at least one voice mailbox,
interpreting elements of the facsimile using the optical character recognition software, and
upon receiving a request by a facsimile recipient to access the voice mailbox, and absent any pre-defined user preferences with respect to the handling of the facsimile:
converting interpreted elements of said the facsimile into audible speech via a text-to-speech engine,
formatting converted elements resulting in a voicemail facsimile notification,
presenting the voicemail facsimile notification elements of the facsimile and options to the facsimile recipient, the options including:
printing the facsimile,
deleting the facsimile from the recipient voice mailbox,
storing the facsimile in the recipient voice mailbox for later retrieval, and
forwarding the facsimile to a networked fax-capable voice mailbox, and
implementing one of the options selected by the recipient.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the elements are selected from a header in the facsimile.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the header includes:
a sender's facsimile number;
a time and date of the facsimile transmission; and
a number of pages transmitted.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the header further comprises at least one of:
a sender's name; and
a sender's organization.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the voicemail facsimile notification further includes a scripted audio message along with the voicemail facsimile notification.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein:
interpreting elements includes identifying abbreviated forms of the elements; and
converting interpreted elements includes expanding the abbreviated forms of the elements; and
wherein, the remote facsimile recipient device comprises at least one of:
a wireless telephone;
a wireline telephone;
a voice over Internet telephone; and
a computer.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The communications network system of claim 17, wherein the facsimile sending device comprises at least one of:
a facsimile machine;
a facsimile-enabled computer;
a facsimile-enabled voicemail system; and
a personal digital assistant.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The communications network system of claim 17, wherein the communications network comprises at least one of:
a public switched telephone network;
an Internet network;
a radio network; and
a VoIP network.