Apparatus and method for providing multimedia messaging between disparate messaging platforms

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing multimedia messaging between disparate messaging platforms. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a computer system that supports voice, fax, and electronic messaging between disparate messaging interfaces that transmit and receive messages on a variety of networks, including the Internet.

2. Description of the Related Art

Messaging systems that use a voice message format are known in the art. For example, the messaging system as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5, 568,540 to Greco et. al., enables a user to receive messages having a voice mail format either through a telephone or through a personal computer coupled to a LAN. It also provides a graphical user interface ("GUI") on the personal computer to select which voice mail messages to receive and in what order.

However, the messaging system in Greco is a stand-alone system and consequently, cannot provide the advantages of linking to other similar messaging systems, and cannot provide the GUI feature to users not linked to the messaging system via the LAN, i.e., it is a closed messaging system. Thus, the recipient is limited to using the personal computer coupled to the messaging system's LAN if the recipient wishes to use the GUI feature provided by the messaging system. Recipients not connected to the LAN must use a telephone to obtain their messages and do not have the option of retrieving their voice mail messages by such commonly known means as the Internet such as through a personal computer running a web browser. Also, senders and recipients may incur long distance charges if they are not within the local area code of the messaging system phone number when accessing a voice mailbox through a telephone.

Another commonly used format in a messaging system is facsimile transmission and reception ("faxing"). As in voice mail messaging, faxing requires that both the sender and recipient have an apparatus capable of supporting a fax messaging format such as a fax machine or a computer with a fax modem. Fax messaging systems also may incur long distance charges if the receiving fax machine is not within a local area code although non-urgent transmissions may be time-shifted, i.e., the fax may be stored for transmission during off-peak hours, to obtain less costly transmission charges.

Email messaging is another commonly used format in a messaging system that has become almost as ubiquitous as the fax machine. As in the above types of messaging systems, email messaging requires both the sender and the recipient to have access to a common messaging medium, i.e, both must have access to an email account or a suitable network. Email messaging systems also typically do not provide for sending or receiving messages having either a fax or voice mail format. However, unlike in voice mail and faxing messaging systems, sending and receiving email messages usually only requires a dial-up connection to a local internet service provider (ISP) and thus, avoids long distance telephone line charges.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method for integrating voice, fax, and email messaging between disparate messaging interfaces which employ different messaging formats and which use different networks between subscribers and non-subscribers through a switchable communications backbone such as the Internet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an apparatus and method for receiving a message having a first format and for converting the message from the first format to a second format that is compatible for reception by a messaging interface having a destination address corresponding to an intended recipient. In the preferred embodiment, a computer system is used to receive and send messages between messaging interfaces and networks which may be dissimilar from each other. A variety of network interfaces is used to communicate with the networks and which may optionally have a first interface and a second interface for interfacing to a first and second network, respectively. A receiving program or equivalent device receives an incoming message and delivery information from the first interface, where the incoming message has a message content format of a first type. A converter or equivalent device converts the incoming message having the message content format of a first type to a message having a message content format of a second type. The delivery information is used by the converter to determine the message content format of a second type for the message. A presenting program or similar device presents the message having the message content format of a second type to at least one recipient specified in the delivery information. The message content format of a second type includes a type where the message is stored in a location in memory and where the location in memory is pointed to by location information such as a universal resource locator.

The present invention may optionally have the following: a browser interface to control messages presented by the computer system on a real-time basis using hypertext commands; a recipient notification program or equivalent device that determines when a recipient is logged on to a network and if so, provides any messages stored in the recipient's mailbox to the recipient; a connection notification program or equivalent device that notifies the computer system that a recipient is logged on to a network so that the computer system can send to a recipient any messages stored in the recipient's mailbox; a message forwarding program or equivalent device that enables the computer system to forward messages to a second computer system via one of the networks used by the computer system; and an apparatus and method for sending and receiving a destination address including Internet addresses using a DTMF generator such as a standard telephone keypad.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a messaging system in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a messaging server in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the operation of a fax to fax messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the use of messaging servers during the operation of a fax to fax messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing the operation of a fax sent via email messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the use of messaging servers during the operation of a fax sent via email messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing the operation of a fax received as email messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the use of messaging servers during the operation of a fax received as email messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9A is a diagram of a standard telephone keypad illustrating the preferred method of using the keypad to send Internet mail addresses in the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9B is a diagram of a standard telephone keypad button illustrating the preferred method of using the keypad to send Internet mail addresses in the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram showing the operation of a fax presented via web page messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the use of messaging servers during the operation of a fax presented via web page messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram showing the operation of a voice to voice messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the use of messaging servers during the operation of a voice to voice messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram showing the operation of a voice sent via email messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the use of messaging servers during the operation of a voice sent via email messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram showing the operation of a voice presented as web page messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the use of messaging servers during the operation of a voice presented as web page messaging mode in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, a preferred embodiment of the invention is described with regard to preferred process steps and data structures. Those skilled in the art would recognize after perusal of this application that embodiments of the invention can be implemented using circuitry in a microprocessor adapted to the particular process steps and data structures, and that implementation of the process steps and data structures described herein would not require undue experimentation or further invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a messaging system in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention provides messaging between disparate messaging interfaces that may employ different messaging formats and that may use different networks. For example as shown in FIG. 1, the messaging interfaces may include a telephone 110, a fax machine 112, an email server 114, and/or a network terminal 116 such as a personal computer running a messaging application such as an email program or a browser program. The messaging interfaces may be coupled to different networks such as an area network 118, a telephone network 120, an intranet, or a switchable network such as the Internet 122. An area network 118 is defined as any network supporting distributed or centralized computing such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or an intranet. An intranet is defined as a network that links more than one type of network such as a network that links a Novell network and a Windows NT network using an Internet protocol such as the TCP/IP protocol.

FIG. 1 also shows a server 124 or similar computing system that receives delivery information 126 and an incoming message 128 having a content format of a first type, converts the content format of a first type to a processed message having a content format of a second type using the delivery information, provides notification to an intended recipient using the delivery information, and presents the processed message having a content format of a second type to the intended recipient.

The server 124 provides the above by having a first network interface that can support the sending and receiving of messages and delivery information on a network. For example, the first network interface may be a telephone interface 130 which is linked to a first network such as telephone network 120. A telephone network 120 as used herein includes a public switch telephone network 120 (PSTN), central office (E1, T1, etc.), local private branch exchange (PBX) 132, cellular network, or any network that supports voice communication and destination addressing typically found in a standard telephone network. As generally known, a standard telephone network supports user terminals that typically include a telephone 110 and a fax machine 112. The telephone interface 130 is responsible for managing voice and facsimile communication such as answering incoming telephone calls as well as making outgoing calls through the telephone network 120.

The server 124 also has a second network interface that can support the sending and receiving of a message and delivery information on a network. For example, the second network interface may be an area network interface 136 that is linked to an area network and communicates with an area network server such as email server 114 which is connected to the area network. This permits the server 124 via the area network interface 136 to send and receive email messages from the email server 114 or from area network clients such as personal computers 138 and workstations 140 which typically provide messaging capabilities and graphical user interfaces ("GUI"), as known in the art. The area network interface 136 can also be configured to provide the functions of the email server 114.

A sender or a recipient may either be a subscriber or non-subscriber and has the option of using any one of the following types of messaging interfaces such as a telephone 110, fax machine 112, email messaging program, or a web browser program. The messaging interfaces may be linked to a telephone network 120, an area network 118, a remote server 141, or directly to the Internet 122 through an internet service provider (ISP) using a personal computer 142 having a messaging interface such as a voice, fax, email program 144 or web browser program 146.

It is presently contemplated that the present invention is not limited to the above types of telecommunications networks but has a scalable and modular design that can be modified to support other types of networks, e.g., a direct broadcast or satellite network, having the capability to send message types that include voice, fax, and email data simply by adding another network interface to the server that can support the additional network. For example, an intranet network interface may be added to the server, where the intranet network interface supports the sending and reception of messages on an intranet. The above messaging types is illustrative only and is not intended to limit the invention in any way. For example, since the present invention has a scalable and modular design it can be modified to include a network interface that can support the reception and transmission of messages having a video format.

A subscriber 148 is defined as a messaging user who has a "mailbox" 150 allocated in server 124. A non-subscriber 152 is a messaging user who does not have a mailbox allocated in server 124 but may still send and receive messages which are limited to certain message types.

The server 124 also includes a memory 154 that includes user mailbox 150. It is contemplated that the user mailbox 150 contain subscriber information such as subscriber IDs and a portion of memory that is allocated for the storage of messages that are intended for each subscriber listed in the user mailbox. User mailbox 150 can be linked directly to server 124 as shown in FIG. 1 or can be made accessible through a network. Similarly, each network interface used by the server such as the telephone interface and the LAN interface can be integrated with the server in one stand-alone system as shown in FIG. 1, or as physically separate systems integrated together by LAN.

Since the server 124 is scalable, it may also include a third network interface that supports the sending and receiving of messages on a switchable network. For example, the third network interface may be an internet interface 156 for supporting the sending and receiving of messages on the Internet 122, creating a local server node 158. It is presently contemplated that a group of servers may be linked together using the switchable network as a communications backbone to support messaging users within an area that is supported by each server although only local server node 158 and one remote server node 160 are shown to avoid over-complicating FIG. 1.

Since the Internet 122 serves as a switchable communications network that spans the entire globe, this permits the advantage of avoiding long distance charges that are typically encountered when using telephone networks to send messages across large geographical distances, e.g., international phone calls and faxes, while also enjoying the ability to send messages of various types through a unified addressing scheme such as the Domain Name System (DNS) commonly employed on the Internet. As presently contemplated, the local server node 158 and remote server node 160 communicate with each other using the commonly known TCP/IP protocol although the use of this protocol is not intended to be limiting in any way and may be any transmission protocol suitable for connecting a group of servers.

For example, servers are installed in major cities and economic zones to support subscribers in the vicinity with each installation acting as a node on the Internet. Each subscriber will be allocated memory space ("mailbox") in the local server node, and is uniquely identified under the DNS scheme of the Internet. A particular server node in San Francisco can be identified as "sf.sub.-- cp.com", where sf.sub.-- cp.com is the domain name of the server, corresponding to its unique IP address. Subscribers can be identified as <user-name>@sf.sub.-- cp.com or <mailbox-id>@sf.sub.-- cp.com. The variables, <user-name> and <mailbox-id> are the unique user name and mailbox ID assigned to a subscriber who is a member of a particular server node. Thus, every subscriber will have a globally unique unified mail (u-mail) address corresponding to a universal mailbox in the server.

In this embodiment the internet network interface 156 enables the server to use the Internet 122 as a conduit to send or receive messages by supporting a variety of messaging interfaces that are typically used to send or receive messages on the Internet 122. Using FIG. 1 as an example, the internet network interface 156 supports the sending and receiving of fax, email, and voice message types between subscribers and non-subscribers either within a local area 162 supported by a local server, e.g., local server node 158 or within a non-local area 164 supported by a remote server, e.g., remote server node 160, or directly to an intended targeted recipient 148 who can receive messages directly from the Internet 122. It is presently contemplated that the delivery information includes the recipient's destination address and the delivery format of the message.

It is presently contemplated that each server within a group of linked servers such as local server 124 and remote server 141, employ a routing table 166 and routing program 168, enabling each server to determine whether a destination address is within local area 162 or within non-local area 164.

Specifically, the routing program 168 uses the routing table 166 and the destination address to determine which server within the group of linked servers is best suited for message delivery in an area corresponding to the destination address. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, one criteria used by the routing program 168 to determine whether a server is best suited for message delivery is whether that server can deliver the message or enable an intended recipient to obtain the message from the server without or with a reduced network access charge such as a long distance access charge typically encountered when using a telephone network to call a location in a different area code.

Also, it is presently contemplated that one server within the group of servers is designated as the master server for maintaining the routing tables in each server. Each time a new server is added to the group of servers, the master server updates the routing tables in each server reflecting the addition of the new server.

Each server may also provide a forwarding feature that enables a subscriber to have messages stored in one server forwarded to a another server. This forwarding feature has two versions, a virtual mailbox version and a roaming mailbox version, and is provided by a forwarding program 170 or equivalent included within each server. The subscriber may elect to establish a roaming or virtual mailbox simply by calling the server in which the subscriber is a member, choosing a menu option for establishing a roaming or virtual mailbox, and entering the server number from which the roaming or virtual mailbox is to be established. The server number is a unique number allocated for each server within a group of servers that are configured to provide messaging services as presently contemplated in the present invention.

To provide for the virtual mailbox version, the forwarding program forwards all messages stored in a temporary mailbox 172 to the subscriber's mailbox that is located within a server node in which the subscriber is a member such as local server node 158, in FIG. 1. The temporary mailbox 172 is located in a server chosen by the subscriber using a server number that uniquely corresponds to that server. Typically, the server supports an area such as non-local area 164, where a subscriber wishes to obtain messages using local networks but where the subscriber is not a member of the server that supports the area.

The forwarding program 170 provides for a roaming mailbox in a similar manner, except messages are forwarded from the subscriber's universal mailbox 150 to a temporary mailbox 172 created within a server that supports an area where a subscriber wishes to obtain messages such as non-local area 164 ("roaming area"). Again as in the virtual mailbox version, temporary mailbox 172 is part of remote server node 160 which is chosen by the subscriber using a server number that uniquely corresponds server node 160. Roaming area 164 is typically outside an area supported by a server in which the subscriber is a member such as local server node 158 and thus, is reached through the use of remote server node 160.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a messaging server 200 as presently preferred in the present invention.

The server 200 includes a first network interface 202 and a second network interface 204 for sending and receiving messages. The present invention is not intended to be limited to first network interface 202 and second network interface 204 but may be modified to support additional network interfaces 205 to support the sending and receiving of messages on additional networks. However, in order to avoid over-complicating FIG. 2, only first network interface 202 and second network interface 204 are shown.

FIG. 2 also shows a program 206 or equivalent device for receiving an incoming message 208 and delivery information 210 from any network interface available in the server 200 such as through first network interface 202 or through second network interface 204. The incoming message 208 has a message content format of a first type 212 such as a fax, email, or voice format. Note that an email format also includes messages having formats that may be sent via email such as digitized audio, graphics files, and digitized video.

Also shown is a conversion program 214 or equivalent device ("converter") for converting the incoming message 208 having the message content format of a first type 212 to a message 216 having a message content format of a second type 218 ("delivery format"). The converter 214 determines the delivery format 218 according to received delivery information 210.

In addition, a presentation program 220 or equivalent device delivers the message 216 having delivery format 218 to at least one recipient having a messaging interface coupled to a network supported by either first network interface 202 or second network 204. The delivery information specifies the destination of the intended recipient. The presentation program 220 includes a web page generator 222 that provides a delivery format in the form of a web page by storing the incoming message 208 in a location 224 such as a subscriber mailbox in a subscriber mailbox database or any equivalent means such as a memory. The presentation program 220 also includes a message notification program 228 or equivalent device which generates message notification to a recipient specified in the delivery information.

Also, the message notification program 228 is responsive to a connection made to at least one of the networks by a subscriber in which the server is coupled such as the Internet. Specifically, message notification program 228 includes a polling program 230 or equivalent device and a table 232 of network address information 234 such as a permanent internet protocol address. Each network address information 234 stored in table 232 corresponds to a subscriber that is a member of the server in which table 232 is stored. Polling program 230 uses network address information 234 to poll for a subscriber connection, if a message is waiting in the subscriber's universal mailbox. For example, a PING program may be used to poll for a subscriber connection using the permanent internet protocol address. For each subscriber connection found, message notification program 228 generates a message waiting message for transmission to the subscriber.

Message notification program 228 is also responsive to a subscriber connection signal 236 sent by a connection notification program 238 or equivalent. As presently contemplated, connection notification program 238 is a background program running on a computing platform that is used for messaging purposes such as a personal computer 239 running a browser or email program. As known in the art, such background programs are known as terminate and stay resident programs. Connection notification program 238 scans for a network connection made by the computing platform.

When a connection is made, a sending program 240 or equivalent device includes network address information 242 with the subscriber connection signal 236. The network address information is created in response to the connection made by the computing platform or equivalent messaging interface to a network. The network connection may be a connection made to the Internet which results in network address information provided for that connection such as an internet protocol address.

As known in the art, an internet protocol address may or may not be permanently assigned to a messaging interface such as the computing platform discussed immediately above. A permanent internet protocol address is defined for a specific connection made