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Description  |
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to the field of voice processing. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a mechanism for integrating
voice messaging with an electronic text messaging system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Since the advent of telephone communications, callers have frequently
failed to make contact with the person they are calling either because
that person is on another line, away from the phone, or otherwise
preoccupied. Time and effort are wasted by playing telephone tag. This
problem is especially acute in the business environment as customers are
faced with unanswered calls, extended waits on hold, unconveyed important
information, etc. Communication within an organization between employees
is also a problem because of availability at the same time of the people
who need to communicate. Time zone differences, especially in regards to
international calls, particularly aggravate this issue.
Traditionally, a caller who cannot get hold of the person they are trying
to contact could leave a message with a receptionist or secretary.
However, written messages are notoriously prone to inaccuracies and are
practically limited in length. Furthermore, this approach only works
during business hours when the receptionist or secretary is available to
pick up the incoming call.
In response to the shortcomings of handwritten messaging, electronic voice
and text messaging systems have been developed. A number of voice and text
messaging systems are known in the art and are commercially available. A
voice messaging system is used to automate the answering of incoming calls
from the outside telephone network and the taking of messages when the
extensions are not answered by the called parties. Voice message systems
are also used for people using any standard DTMF (Dual Tone
Multi-Frequency) phone to call the voice message system and create
messages that are then addressed and sent to one or more select other
users of the system. Such voice messaging systems incorporate features,
such as the recording of voice messages for users in what are known as
"mailboxes". Commonly, voice messaging systems may also be accessed by
users calling from PBX extensions or from the telephone network over
incoming trunks to access their mailbox to listen to voice messages.
In most known voice messaging systems, answering of incoming trunk calls by
the voice messaging system is accomplished by instructing the PBX to
direct the incoming calls to a group of extensions. Voice ports of the
voice messaging system are coupled with this group of extensions and
appear to the PBX simply as single line telephone sets in a hunt group.
Typically, the voice messaging system will answer a call directed to it
and provide a pre-recorded voice message allowing the caller to "log-on"
(i.e., enter a user identification number and security code) to access
their mailbox in order to listen to or send voice messages. Internal users
on the PBX can directly call the group of extensions in the hunt group to
access the voice messaging system.
In addition to handling calls received by the PBX from incoming telephone
trunks and direct internal calls, an important function of known voice
messaging systems is the handling of calls which do not successfully reach
the originally intended extension either because the extension was busy,
did not answer, or had intentionally been placed in a mode in which it was
not accepting calls. Such a function may be accomplished in known voice
messaging systems by instructing the PBX to forward all such unanswered
calls to a group of extensions coupled with the voice ports of the voice
messaging system. As is know in the prior art, for example U.S. Pat. No.
4,926,462, voice message systems are also connected to the PBX in such a
way as to receive information about the originally called extension number
so that the voice message system can answer the call with the greeting of
the called party and take a voice message that goes into the voice mailbox
for that called person.
Another mechanism which has been used for the transmission and receipt of
text messages involves computers. With the advent of personal computers
and workstations, computing power was distributed to users at the desktop
level. As is well know in the prior art, these personal computers (PCs)
and workstations can be connected using Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide
Area Network (WAN) hardware and software technology.
The interconnection of PCs and workstations into networks is becoming
increasingly popular and one of the most common applications is that of
electronic mail (E-mail). E-mail allows users to compose, send, and
receive messages on their PCs or workstations over a LAN or WAN.
Originally, E-mail systems only handled text-based messages. Increasingly,
they are being enhanced to also support the transmission of other formats
of information, such as graphics, spread sheets, facsimile, and voice.
Most of the E-mail systems available for PC network environments require a
file server computer on the LAN. The most popular file server LAN software
system is sold by Novel.TM. (Netware.TM.) or Microsoft.TM. (LAN
Manager.TM.). These software systems allow programs on individual PCs to
access fries on a computer running the file server software. These files
can either be shared access or assigned to a particular individual. They
also support what are called "peer-to-peer" communications protocols,
which allow PCs to send and receive data to and from other PCs on the LAN.
The E-mail software running on a particular user's PC uses a file server on
a LAN as the "post office" for the mail messages. As an example, there is
a shared file on the server that is the "user directory". It has
information such as each users' E-mail addresses and passwords. The file
server is also where the messages are stored when they are waiting to be
accessed by a user. The server also contains information for each user
regarding how many messages they have, the date and time of creation of
each message, who it is from, who else was copied, etc. This information
is sometimes called a message header or "envelope" information. Also
supported in these E-mail systems is the ability to send E-mail messages
to other E-mail systems located on a different LAN (usually via a
dedicated WAN connection or via dial-up modems). In these cases there is
software running on one of the PCs on the LAN that handles the moving of
messages and of all the message header information from one file server
via the WAN to another file server. There is also software that keeps the
directories of these different LAN based E-mail systems automatically
updated.
As indicated previously, the E-mail systems also support the ability to
attach other files that are stored on the server as part of the E-mail
message. In some E-mail systems, the names of these attached files might
also be part of the message header information. These E-mail systems
typically have available Application Program Interfaces (APIs) which allow
software programs to be written to use the E-mail directory, message
handling, user access and security mechanisms of that particular E-mail
system for facilitating the development of other applications. The two
most common LAN based E-mail systems are Microsoft Mail.TM. and Lotus
cc:.TM.. Microsoft.TM. supports a set of APIs called Messaging Application
Program Interface (MAPI) and Lotus.TM. supports, as do other software
companies, APIs called Vendor Independent Messaging (VIM).
In prior art voice messaging systems, the methods for keeping track of user
directories, message header information, and the messages themselves is
unique to each manufacturer. Virtually all these methods are different
from the methods the E-mail software systems use to perform the same
functions for E-mail. This means that a business organization that has
both E-mail and voice messaging must maintain two user directories, two
mailboxes per user, and two wide area networking and directory update
systems. This is both inconvenient for the users and more expensive to
manage for the business.
Therefore, there exists a need in the prior art for an integrated voice and
electronic messaging system. Such an integrated system would allow
companies to maintain only one directory for all voice and E-mail users,
maintain only one method of wide area networking both kinds of messages,
and give the users only one mailbox to check and use for all types of
messages (e.g., voice, fax, text, graphic, etc.).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, the APIs of a commercially available E-mail
system and the ability to attach voice files as part of an E-mail message
are used to implement a voice messaging system. The voice file is created
by using a board in a PC which connects to a phone system to accept
incoming phone calls and to convert the analog voice signal into a digital
format. For the purposes of this disclosure this will be called the voice
gateway PC. Conversely, the digital format is converted back to the analog
voice signal for playback of a stored voice file. A voice message is
recorded by storing the digital voice data on the file server using a
uniquely created file name. To send a voice message, the voice file stored
on the server is attached to an E-mail message and "sent" using the
appropriate API. For receiving a voice message, the voice file attached to
an E-mail message is retrieved and transferred to the gateway PC.
Thereupon, the board which is connected to a phone system converts the
voice file from a digital format to an analog voice signal for playback
over the phone line.
There are three methods of creating and sending voice messages. In the
first method, a user at his PC can elect to send an E-mail message by
using the standard E-mail message software. But instead of just typing in
the text of a message, he can access another application running on his PC
to send a peer-to-peer message to the voice gateway PC on the LAN. The
voice gateway PC is connected to the phone system so that it can call the
phone associated with the user's PC in order to record a voice message.
When he answers the phone, the gateway PC records his voice message using
the voice board and writes the digitized voice data onto the file server
with a unique file name and attaches that file name to the E-mail message
that is waiting to be sent.
In the second method, an unanswered call to a particular user's phone will
be forwarded to a phone port of the voice gateway PC. The PBX informs the
PC of that particular extension which did not answer. The voice gateway PC
converts the extension number to an E-mail address, plays a personal
greeting file pre-recorded by the user, and records the caller's voice
message onto the server. It will then select the appropriate E-mail APIs
necessary for sending an E-mail with the attached voice file to the user's
E-mail address.
In the third method, a user directly calls the voice gateway PC. By using
signals from his DTMF phone, which are translated by the phone interface
board on the PC to digital signals, the user enters his extension number
and E-mail password in order to "log-on" to his mailbox, Note that the
E-mail password must have been set to all numeric digits if it is to be
the same as used directly by the voice message phone user. However, it
would be possible for the voice message user to enter an alphabetic
password using multiple numeric digits to represent the selected
alphabetic character. The user can then send commands from his DTMF phone
to create the voice message which will be stored on the server and also to
address voice messages using the recipient's voice mailbox number. The
voice gateway PC software uses the APIs to send the voice files to the
appropriate E-mail user.
There are two methods for retrieving voice messages. In the first method,
when a user views his E-mail "inbox" on his PC, some of the messages may
contain voice fries as a result of any of the three sending methods above.
If the user opens such a message and "selects" the voice file attached,
the software running on his PC recognizes that the file name is of a
particular type. Thereupon, it activates a software application on the PC
which sends a command (using peer-to-peer communication) to the voice
gateway PC to ring the user's phone and to play the voice file selected.
In the second method, the user calls into the system from a DTMF phone
directly to the voice gateway PC. As described above, the user logs-on to
his mailbox via the phone. The voice gateway PC software selects the
appropriate APIs to search the user's E-mail message for attached voice
files. The APIs also can be used to obtain information from the user's
E-mail mailbox regarding the number of messages which have voice
attachments. The voice gateway PC can speak this count to the telephone
user, and allows the user to play a voice file through the use of DTMF
buttons on the telephone. Other standard voice messaging features such as
save, erase, forward, reply, etc., are also supported.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of
limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like
reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:
FIG. 1 shows a client-server system architecture upon which the present
invention may be practiced.
FIG. 2 shows a flowchart describing the steps for a caller logging into his
or her mailbox using an E-mail system.
FIG. 3 shows a flowchart describing the steps for providing a caller with a
message summary for review of his or her messages.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the steps for scanning the mailbox of the
caller for a voicemail system which is integrated with MAPI E-mail
systems.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing the steps for message playback of new
messages of a voicemail system integrated with MAPI E-mail systems.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart describing the steps for message playback of
saved/old messages of a voicemail system integrated with MAPI E-mail
systems.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart describing the steps for sending a message from one
user to another over the telephone with MAPI E-mail systems.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing the steps for a call answering operation
with MAPI E-mail systems.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the steps for saving and deleting messages
and marking messages as read with MAPI E-mail systems.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the steps for replying to a message during
message playback with MAPI E-mail systems.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the steps for scanning the mailbox of the
caller using the VIM (Vender Independent Messaging) APIs supported by
Lotus cc:Mail.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the steps for message playback of new
messages with a VIM type E-mail system;
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the steps for sending a message from one
user to another over the telephone with a VIM type E-mail system.
FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the steps for a call answering operation
with a VIM type E-mail system.
FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the steps for marking as read and deleting
messages for a VIM type E-mail system.
FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the steps for replying to a message during
message playback with a VIM type E-mail system.
FIG. 17 shows a computer display as may be implemented for an integrated
voice and electronic mail system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
An integrated voice and electronic mail system is described. In the
following description, numerous specific details are set forth such as
specific APIs, prompts, menus, software code, subroutine calls, etc., in
order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It
will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present
invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other
instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram
form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention.
The present invention applies to a computer network-based voice processing
system. A network of personal computers, workstations, servers, hubs,
concentrators, routers, bridges, etc., is coupled to and interfaces with a
standard telephone system in order to create, send, and receive voice
messages as well as electronic mail messages according to a single
integrated message handling mechanism. The present invention also allows
for access of messages from a remote phone. The present invention also
allows for the taking of a voice message as the result of an unanswered
phone call and the putting of that voice message into a designated user's
E-mail mailbox.
Referring to FIG. 1, a client-server system architecture upon which the
present invention may be practiced is shown. A number of phones 101A-C are
connected to a local PBX 102. PBX 102 has several trunks 110-112, which
provide transmission of analog voice signals to and from the local
telephone network. Also coupled to PBX 102 is voice gateway 103. Voice
gateway 103 is additionally coupled to a LAN 105 which in turn also
connects a file server 106 and PC workstations 107-109. The file server
provides disk (or disks) 106B for storage use by the computers on the LAN.
Voice gateway 103 is a computer with voice processing and network
interface cards such as those available from Dialogic.TM. or Rhetorex.TM.
Corporation. The voice gateway 103 is connected via lines 104a to PBX 102.
There may also be an additional connection between voice gateway 103 and
PBX 102 that is the PBX Integration Link 104B for providing information
when an unanswered call is forwarded to one of the lines 104A on the
original called extension number.
An E-mail software package, such as Microsoft Mail.TM. or Lotus
cc:Mail.TM., is installed on the PCs 107-109 and on the voice gateway PC
103. Thereby, E-mail capabilities are provided for each of the PCs on LAN
105. The file server 106 is used as the "post office" for the E-mail
system. In an alternative embodiment, the present invention is applicable
to wide area networks (WANs) using the E-mail software packages available
to provide messaging capabilities across different LANs. That is, for
workstations and PCs connected on a LAN with a file server, the two LANs
are interconnected using commercially available routers, bridges, or
gateways.
Software in the voice gateway 103 uses the voice processing cards connected
to PBX 102 to convert analog voice signals to digital signals and sends
the digital signals to file server 106 to be stored on its disk drive
106b. For playing voice messages the voice files stored on the file server
disk 106B are retrieved and sent to the voice gateway 103 to be converted
by the voice processing cards from digital data to analog data.
Furthermore, voice cards implemented in a PC, can also send DTMF digits to
dial a phone number, decode DTMF digits as commands, detect calls ringing
in, answer calls (i.e., go off-hook), flash to indicate to the phone
system a request for a PBX function (e.g., transfer), hangup, etc.
The voice gateway 103 can be called directly by one of the phones 101A-C or
can call one of the phones 101A-C to play or record voice messages. The
voice gateway 103 can also be accessed directly by a call coming in on a
trunk 110-112 being connected via lines 104a to the voice processing cards
in voice gateway 103. As indicated previously, calls to phones 101 that
are not answered can be forwarded by the PBX 102 to one of lines 104A and
information about the extension number of the phone 101A-C is transferred
via link 104B to the voice gateway. The integration of voice messaging
with an E-mail system is accomplished in part through the use of
Application Program Interfaces (APIs). An API defines the sets of standard
function calls to interface to the messaging system that can be invoked
from an application program. Basically, an API is comprised of a group of
subroutines that allows programmers to write code for using the E-mail
directory, E-mail message handling mechanisms, E-mail security systems,
etc., that already exist for most E-mail systems. By taking advantage of
the APIs, access is gained to an E-mail system's directory and message
handling mechanisms so as to integrate voice messages with the E-mail
system. In other words, a developer can write code for modifying the
interface for an E-mail system so as to include voice messages. In this
way voice files may be managed equally as well as text files, or other
attachment files.
Among the APIs are the "Messaging Application Program Interface" (MAPI)
promoted by Microsoft used for interfacing to Microsoft Mail.TM. and other
MAPI compliant e-mail products; and "Vendor Independent Messaging" (VIM)
promoted by Lotus and others for interfacing to Lotus cc:Mail.TM. and
other VIM compliant e-mail products. Table 1 below lists the MAPI and VIM
APIs used for implementing the voice messaging functions previously
described. There are now and may be in the future other E-mail API's that
one of ordinary skill could use to produce the invention. These are given
only as methods for two embodiments of the present invention. In the
following description, digitized voice files are identified by the four
character extension .vox.
TABLE 1
______________________________________
What's happening
MAPI call VIM API call
______________________________________
PC/Workstation Software Operations
Record a message
MAPISendDocuments
SMISendMail
and then press the
mail button
Listen to voice
No special API
No special API
messages found
function required -
function required -
in the user's mail
autoloads special
autoloads special
folder/In Tray
application on the
application on the
Inbox PC based on PC based on
association to .VOX
association to .VOX
extension extension
General Housekeeping
Administration
Assign voicemail
A template that
Use the cc:Mail Admin
box numbers
has two additional
(DOS) program to create
and passwords;
fields aliases for existing
also default
`Voice mailbox
users. These aliases
telephone Number` and contain the mailbox
extensions
`Default Telephone
number as the name,
required for
Extension` is the telephone extension
`Connect to
defined. in the comments field
Sender`. The standard Mail
and user name in the
address book form
address field.
has two `Phone
Number` fields.
The `Phone number
#2 is used as the
Voice mailbox
number, and Phone
number #1 is the
extension number.
Voice Gateway
A text file VIMGetDefaultSessionInfo
User Table
containing the
VIMOpenSession
Creation. The
MAPI address book
VIMOpenAddressBook
User Table is
is created using the
VIMEnumerateAddress
created MS-Mail BookEntries
periodically and
template.exe VIMCloseAddressBook
is updated every
utility, which is
VIMCloseSession
time the Voice
read into memory.
Gateway is
This contains the
restarted.
required
information about
the users.
General Session
InitMAPI VIMInitialize
Management
MAPILogon VIMOpenSession
MAPILogoff VIMCloseSession
DelnitMAPI VIMTerminate
PBX Integrated Call Answering
Call forwards to
Look up the Look up the extension
Voice Gateway
extension number in the user table
with called
number in the created at start-up to get
extension user table E-mail Mailbox number.
number created at start-
information
up to get E-mail
Mailbox number.
External caller
MAPILogon VIMGetDefaultSessionInfo
records message
MAPISendMail VIMOpenSession
for the called
MAPILogoff VIMCreateMessage
extension user. VIMSetMessageHeader
Need to send VIMSetMessageRecipient
voice file to the VIMSendMessage
users E-mail VIMCloseSession
address.
User Calls In to Listen to Messages
User calls Voice
Check name Check name from user
Gateway to
from user table.
table. Check password
check voice
Check password
using VIMOpenSession
messages. User
using
enters Voice
MAPILogon
mailbox
number and
password.
Count and MAPIFindNext VIMOpenMessageContainer
access voice
MAPIReadMail VIMEnumerateMessages
files. (look for .vox
VIMOpenMessage
files) VIMEnumerateMessageItems
MAPIFreeBuffer
(look for .vox files)
MAPILogoff VIMGetMessageItem
VIMCloseMessage
VIMCloseMessageContainer
VIMCloseSession
Tell User how
All .vox files
All .vox files found above
many voice
found above have been extracted from
messages. have been their messages and their
extracted from
filenames are sent to the
their messages
Voice gateway PC for
and their playing back.
filenames are
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