JP3088408B2 - Voicemail service method and service system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a voice mail service, and in particular, means for a mail mailer confirming whether or not a message registered in a voice storage device has been surely read by a destination of the message. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional voice mail service, a means for confirming whether a message registered by a voice mail submitter in a voice storage device has been reliably read by the voice mail submitter is provided. There was no problem. Therefore, the voice mail submitter must recall the address of the message by means of a pager or other means of confirmation, or by other means of communication.

[0003] In the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-58848, entitled "Button Telephone Device" (hereinafter referred to as "prior art document"), a person other than a voice mail submitter checks the reading status of the voice mail. Service has been proposed. This prior document assumes the following situation. "For example, a customer makes a call from the public line, an agent (registrant) responds to the call using his / her desk phone, and the registrant enters a key on his / her telephone because the designated person is absent. To specify the box number corresponding to the port number of the telephone number of the person in charge, and record the customer's message there ... ", in which case the customer who is the mail mailer is the agent We are confident that the voice mail will be reliably read by the designated person with full trust of the (registrant), and the agent (registrant) should confirm the voice mail reading on behalf of the customer. Therefore, the service system proposed in the prior document is configured as such.

[0004] That is, in the system proposed in the prior art document, as described in claim 1 of the claims, in a key telephone apparatus provided with a voice storage means for storing a message, Destination storage means for storing destinations, listened information storage means for storing whether or not each destination person has heard the message, and a registrant who has performed an operation for storing the message in the voice information storage means , And control means for outputting information as to whether or not the message has been heard to the telephone set.

[0005]

However, the situation when using voice mail is not limited to the situation assumed in the prior art. In a general situation, there is a problem that the mailer of the voice mail cannot be relieved without confirming that the voice mail has been read by the other party.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and there is provided a voice mail service system capable of confirming that a voice mail has been surely read by a destination addressee. It is intended to provide. It is another object of the present invention to provide a service system that hardly burdens the mail mailer for this confirmation.

[0007]

According to the system of the present invention,
When the message registered in the voice storage device by the voice mail submitter is confirmed by the notification party (voice mail subscriber), the confirmed message is transmitted to the pager (pager) terminal of the voice mail submitter specified at the time of posting the voice message. , The registered message is
Voicemail if the expiration of the confirmation
An unconfirmed notification message was sent to the pager terminal of the submitter .

In other words, according to the voice mail service method of the present invention, a terminal which intends to post a voice mail transmits a voice message which is to be notified to the exchange accommodating the terminal by the voice mail, Notification destination I of posting notification message to notify posting
D and (identifier), the voice is notified destination of the confirmation notification message posting the voice mail to notify that it has been confirmed to the other party specified by the notification destination ID
Sending the ID of the pager terminal used by the mail submitter , storing the voice message sent by the terminal in a voice storage device in the exchange, and sending the mail notification sent by the terminal in the exchange. Storing the notification destination ID of the message in a storage unit in the exchange, wherein in the exchange, the destination of the confirmation notification message sent by the terminal is
Pager terminal used by the mailer of the voice mail
Storing the ID of the voice message in the voice storage device in the switch, and after the storing of the voice message in the voice storage device is completed, the mail is sent to the other party specified by the notification destination ID of the posting notification message. A step of sending a notification message, wherein after the voice message has been confirmed by the party identified by the destination ID of the posting notification message in the exchange , the voice mail that is the destination of the confirmation notification message
To whom the submitter is identified by the ID of the pager terminal to be used, the step of sending an acknowledgment message, even after a predetermined time in the exchange before
Specified by the notification destination ID of the mailing notification message
That the voice message has not been confirmed by the other party
Of the confirmation notification message
The ID of the pager terminal used by the mailer
Send an unconfirmed notification message to the specified
And issuing step .

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a terminal, reference numeral 2 denotes an exchange, reference numeral 3 denotes a voice storage device, reference numeral 4 denotes an encoding device, reference numerals 5 and 6 denote pager terminals, Reference numeral 10 denotes a public line network. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the exchange 2 in FIG. 1. In FIG.
Reference numeral 22 denotes a switch control unit, reference numeral 23 denotes a central control unit, reference numeral 24 denotes a storage unit, reference numeral 25 denotes a voice storage control unit, and reference numeral 26
Denotes a message transmission unit, and 27 denotes a message creation unit.

The terminal 1 is, for example, a telephone terminal connected to a public line network 10, and the exchange 2 is configured as shown in FIG. 2, and operates under program control. The voice storage device 3 stores voice data of the voice mail service under the control of the voice storage control unit 25 of the exchange 2. The encoding device (encoder) 4 encodes a message created by the message creating unit 27 and output from the message sending unit 26 and sends the encoded message. The pager terminal 5 is a pager terminal used by the voice mail submitter to receive a notification result of the confirmation of the voice mail, and the pager terminal 6 is used by the other party who is the destination of the voice mail to receive the notification of the voice mail posting. It is a pager terminal.

The input control unit 21 of the exchange 2 controls the connection processing from the terminal 1, and the switch control unit 22 connects the data communication bus between the central control unit 23, the input control unit 21, and the voice storage control unit 25. Perform control. The central control unit 23 controls the entire exchange 2. The storage unit 24 stores data necessary for providing a boy mail service. The voice storage control unit 25 controls the voice storage unit 3 according to an instruction from the central control unit 23. The message transmitting unit 26 sends the notification message and the like created by the message creating unit 27 to the encoding device 4. The message creation unit 27 creates a posting notification message, a confirmation result notification message, and the like in response to a request from the central control unit 23.

FIG. 3 is a format diagram showing an example of data stored in the storage unit 24. The memory area is divided for each user who uses the voice mail service, and a target user area assigned to one user has a voice. A confirmation status flag 24-A indicating the confirmation status of the message, and an identifier of the other pager that notifies that the voice mail has been posted (in this specification, the identifier is I
Abbreviated as D. The notification partner pager ID is the ID of the pager terminal 6 in this example. ), A confirmation result notification ID field 24-C for storing the ID of the other pager for notifying the confirmation result of the voice mail, and a confirmation predetermined in the voice mail service. A confirmation result notice term field 24-D indicating the result notice term is provided.

Next, the overall operation will be described. The central control unit 23 of the exchange 2 that has detected the request for voice mail posting from the terminal 1 instructs the voice storage control unit 25 to store a voice message. At the same time, the notification pager ID (the notification pager ID is the ID of the pager terminal 6) and the voice mail confirmation result notification pager ID (ID of the pager terminal 5) of the mailing notification specified by the voice mail mailer are also entered. Register in the storage unit 24. When the registration of the voice message is completed, the central control unit 23 causes the message creating unit 27 to create a message to the notification destination of the posting notification, and notifies the notification destination pager ID (pager terminal) registered in the storage unit 24 from the message transmission unit 26. 6) is transmitted.

When the notification partner confirms the voice message registered in the voice storage device 3, the central control unit 23 causes the message preparation unit 27 to prepare a voice mail confirmation result notification message, and the pager terminal registered in the storage unit 24. 5, the message transmitting unit 26 transmits a confirmation result notification message. If the voice mail is not confirmed within the confirmation notice period set in the storage unit 24, an unconfirmed notification message is sent from the message transmission unit 26 to the pager terminal 5 registered in the storage unit 24.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing each processing step in the voice mail service of the present invention.
Reference numeral 9 denotes each processing step. Hereinafter, FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG.
The operation of the system shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. When there is a voice mail posting request from terminal 1,
The central control unit 23 causes the switch unit 22 to set a path to the voice storage device 3, and issues a voice message storage request to the voice storage control unit 25. When confirming that the voice message has been input normally, the voice storage control unit 25 stores the voice message in the voice storage device 3 (step A in FIG. 4).
1-A3).

The central control unit 23 transmits the pager ID of the mailing notification partner input from the terminal 1 (I of the pager terminal 6).
D) and the pager ID of the notification destination of the confirmation notification message
(ID of the pager terminal 5) is registered in the fields 24-B and 24-C of the target user area in the storage unit 24, respectively. In addition, the central control unit 23 sets a confirmation state flag in the field 24-A of the target user area. When the confirmation state flag is in the set state, it indicates that the voice mail has not been confirmed by the notification partner. Further, the central control unit 23 registers a confirmation notification time limit (a numerical value predetermined in the voice mail service) in the field 24-D of the target user area (FIG. 4).
Step A4).

Next, the central control unit 23 requests the message creating unit 27 to create a voice mail posting notification message. The created posting notification message is sent from the message transmitting unit 26 to the field 24-B of the target user area.
Is sent to the pager ID registered in FIG.
Step A5). Next, the central control unit 23 monitors whether the registered voice message has been confirmed by the voice message notification partner (step A6 in FIG. 4). When the voice mail is confirmed by the notification partner (step A in FIG. 4)
6 "Yes"), the process proceeds to step A7, where the confirmation status flag (24-A in FIG. 3) is reset (indicating that confirmation has been completed), and a confirmation notification message is transmitted.

This confirmation notification message is sent to the central control unit 23.
In response to the request, the message is created by the message creating unit 27 and sent from the message sending unit 26 via the encoding device 4. Before the voice message is confirmed by the notification partner (step A6 “No” in FIG. 4), if the confirmation notification expiration date has passed (step A8 “No” in FIG. 4), the process proceeds to step A9 and sends an unconfirmed notification message. The unconfirmed notification message is created by the message creating unit 27 in response to a request from the central control unit 23, and sent out from the message sending unit 26 via the encoding device 4. Both the confirmation notification message and the unconfirmed notification message are transmitted to the pager terminal having the ID stored in the confirmation result notification ID field 24-C of the target user area.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and that there are many variations within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the ID of the pager terminal 5 used by the user of the terminal 1 is used as the confirmation result notification ID, but a mobile phone or a FAX ID used by the user of the terminal 1 can be used. In this case, the notification in steps A7 and A9 in FIG. 4 is made to the mobile phone or the facsimile.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, a confirmation notification message is sent to a voice mail submitter, so that the voice mail submitter can confirm that the voice mail has been confirmed to the notification partner. There is an effect that it can be easily known.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a voice mail service system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the exchange shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a format diagram showing an example of a format of data stored in a storage unit 24 shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the system shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Terminal 2 Switching device 3 Voice storage device 4 Encoding device 5 Pager terminal 6 Pager terminal 10 Public line network 21 Input control unit 22 Switch control unit 23 Central control unit 24 Storage unit 24-A Confirmation status flag 24-B Posting notification destination ID Storage field 24-C Confirmation result notification partner ID storage field 24-D Confirmation result notification expiration date storage field 25 Voice storage control unit 26 Message transmission unit 27 Message creation unit

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-79654 (JP, A) JP-A-9-261348 (JP, A) JP-A-10-112756 (JP, A) JP-A 8- 228228 (JP, A) JP-A-7-30658 (JP, A) JP-A-7-58848 (JP, A) JP-A-6-338843 (JP, A) JP-A-2-137460 (JP, A) JP-A-63-252028 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04M 3/42-3/58

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A terminal which intends to post a voice mail sends a voice message which is to be notified to the exchange accommodating the terminal by the voice mail, and a posting notification message which notifies the posting of the voice mail. the previous ID (identifier), a notification destination of the confirmation notification message posting the voice mail to notify that it has been confirmed to the other party specified by the notification destination ID the
ID of the pager terminal used by the voice mail submitter
In the exchange, storing the voice message sent by the terminal in a voice storage device, In the exchange, the notification destination ID of the posting notification message sent by the terminal is stored in the exchange. Storing in a storage unit, in the exchange , posting the voice mail as a notification destination of the confirmation notification message sent by the terminal.
Storing the ID of the pager terminal used by the user in the storage unit in the exchange, after the storage of the voice message in the voice storage device is completed in the exchange, specified by the notification destination ID of the posting notification message that party to the step of sending a posting notification message, after the confirmation of the voice message by the other party specified by the notification destination ID of the mailing notification message at the exchange is completed, the notification destination of the confirmation notification message The page used by the mailer of the voicemail
To party identified by the ID of the turbocharger over terminal, the step of sending an acknowledgment message, the projection even after a predetermined time in the exchange
Phase specified by the notification destination ID of the box notification message
When confirmation of the voice message by hand is not completed,
The voice that is the destination of the confirmation notification message
Depending on the ID of the pager terminal used by the mail submitter
Send unconfirmed notification message to specified recipient
Voice mail service method comprising the steps of: 2. The voice mail service method according to claim 1, wherein a notification destination I of the posting notification message is sent.
After the confirmation of the voice message is completed by the party identified by D, the destination of the confirmation notification message
Pager submitter of the voice mail to be used is
The step of sending a confirmation notification message to the other party specified by the terminal ID includes storing the voice message in the voice storage device in the exchange, and then sending the notification destination I of the posting notification message.
And a step of setting a confirmation status flag in the storage unit until the confirmation of the voice message is completed by the party identified by D. 3. A voice storage device for storing a voice message to be notified by voice mail, and an encoding device for encoding a message to a pager terminal,
Attached to a program-controlled exchange, the exchange controls an input control unit for controlling connection with a terminal accommodated in the exchange, and controls connection of a data communication path between control units in the exchange. A switch control unit, a voice storage control unit that controls storage of voice messages in the voice storage device, a notification destination ID, a confirmation notification message, and an unconfirmed notification of a posting notification message input from a voice mail submitter.
Of the voice mail to which the notification message is sent
Stores the ID of the pager terminal box making's use, the ball
A file that further stores the confirmation result notification deadline for each email
Storage section with a password, the posting notification message, the confirmation notification message ,
A message creating unit that creates a message that has not been confirmed, a message sending unit that sends the message created by the message creating unit through the encoding device, and after a voice mail voice message is stored in the voice storage device, A posting notification message is created and sent to the notification destination ID of the posting notification message stored in the storage unit, and the voice message of the voice mail is confirmed by the destination specified by the notification destination ID of the posting notification message. After that, a confirmation notification message is created, and the corresponding button which is the notification destination of the confirmation notification message stored in the storage unit is created.
It is sent to the ID of the pager terminal used by the mailer and is stored in the field of the storage unit.
If no confirmation is made within the time limit, an unconfirmed notification message
Is created, and the unconfirmed notification message stored in the storage unit is created.
The voice mailer who is the notification destination of the message
A voice mail service system for sending to a pager terminal ID to be used . 4. The voice mail service system according to claim 3 , wherein the storage unit further includes a confirmation status flag for each voice mail, and after the voice message of the voice mail is stored in the voice storage device, Until confirmed by the other party specified by the notification destination ID of the posting notification message,
A voice mail service system, wherein the confirmation status flag is set.