EP1388252A1

EP1388252A1 - Unified messaging communication method and system with user-specific announcement message

Info

Publication number: EP1388252A1
Application number: EP02735337A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Theobald
Original assignee: Web DE AG
Current assignee: Combots Product GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2001-05-04
Filing date: 2002-05-06
Publication date: 2004-02-11
Also published as: WO2002091723A1; US20040156483A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a unified messaging communication method and a unified messaging communication system (13), said system being capable of being used in common by several users. The inventive communication system comprises a first central computer (3) connectable to the Internet. According to the invention, messages addressed to one user or one group of users can be stored in said computer for later enquiry by the corresponding user or by a member of the user group. Said messages are sent by another user to said user or user group by means of a corresponding message transmission protocol selected from a group of different protocols, and are transmitted to the first computer (3) by means of an intermediary connection of at least one other computer (6). Said central computer (3) comprises a telephone-answering module (10) using a user-specific text which can be determined by the corresponding user or by a member of the corresponding user group.

Description

UNTFTED MESSAGING COMMUNICATION PROCESS AND SYSTEM WITH USER-SPECIFIC ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

The invention relates to a unified messaging communication system according to the preamble of claim 1 and a unified messaging communication method according to the preamble of claim 13.

Data transmission over the Internet continues to grow in importance. Here, e.g. a central computer with e.g. a remote or stationary computer, with a mobile phone, etc. Communication takes place using so-called Internet protocols, in particular the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP), or TCP / IP for short. For this, e.g. software loaded on the remote computer that can understand and evaluate the TCP / IP protocol (socket or TCP / IP stack).

The fastest growing service on the Internet is based on the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and is called the World Wide Web (WWW). Individual documents, so-called websites or web pages, can be transmitted over the World Wide Web.

Before establishing an internet connection between the remote and central computer, the remote computer is e.g. first connected to another web host of an Internet service provider (ISP) assigned to it. Server software corresponding to the client software (i.e. the browser) runs on the remote computer. The web address belonging to the desired website on the central computer is then entered on the remote computer, to which an Internet connection is then established from the further ISP web host assigned to the remote computer.

The web address is given in the form of a domain name assigned to the respective website or a URL (Universal Resource Locator) address. This is made up of several parts. The first part describes the Internet protocol (string "http: /"). This is followed - optionally - by the string "www" as the name for the World Wide Web. The next part of the URL address marks

C0NFIRMATI0N C0PY the respective central computer on which the website is stored and the subsequent part the path to a local directory in which the website is stored on the central computer. The last part of the URL address indicates the exact file name of the website, which is then transferred from the central computer to the remote computer via the Internet, with the ISP web host interposed.

So-called unified messaging systems (UMS) are also known in the prior art. Several communication services based on different technologies, e.g. Fax, SMS (Short Message Service), e-mail - using the Internet - processed via a common, central system

For example, a UMS user can query faxes, SMS short messages and e-mouse addressed to him on a website assigned to him by a central computer of a UMS provider, and send faxes, SMS short messages and e-mails from the website.

Furthermore, so-called direct and so-called indirect Internet telephony methods are known in the prior art. In direct Internet telephony, a voice signal is recorded by a microphone of a transmitter computer, digitized in the sound card of the computer, and then compressed. An Internet connection is then established to a conventional receiver computer The respective Internet telephony user must therefore know the IP address of the person they are talking to or their recipient computer. The voice data can then be transmitted via the Internet from the sender to the recipient computer with the interposition of ISDN cards or modems on the transmitter and receiver computer in the form of IP packets. There the received data is decompressed, the internal sound card of the receiver computer is converted into an analog signal, and transmitted to the loudspeaker of the computer. The transmission of voice data in the opposite direction (i.e. from the receiver computer to the transmitter computer) takes place in a correspondingly reverse manner.

In contrast, in so-called indirect internet telephony, the voice data from

Transmitter computer instead of a conventional receiver computer to a special telephone network Internet interface computer (so-called gateway computer). This dials the desired number of a conventional telephone connection and transmits the voice data as an analog signal to the telephone assigned to the telephone connection. The transmission of voice data in the opposite direction (ie from the telephone to the transmitter computer) is carried out in a correspondingly reverse manner: the telephone network Internet interface computer digitizes the analog voice signal received by the telephone and transmits it via the Internet to the transmitter computer.

The object of the invention is to provide a new type of unified messaging communication system and a new type of unified messaging communication method. »'

The invention solves the above. and further tasks by the subject matter of claims 1 and 13.

Accordingly, the invention provides a unified messaging communication system that can be used jointly by several users, with a first central computer that can be connected to the Internet (or with several central computers that together perform the same functionality as the first one) Converter), in which (or in which) to a user or to a group of users directed messages for later retrieval by the respective user or by a Mi _t membered the user group can be stored, said messages each using one of several possible different message transmission protocols of a further user to the user or the Benoo _t be sent zergruppe, and with the interposition of at least one other computer to the (or the) first computer to be forwarded, since you rchgekennzeichnet that the central computer an answering module has which - a he uses user-specific text that can be specified by the respective user or by a member of the respective user group.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

Particularly preferably, the user or the user group is assigned a telephone number which has an “O12” dialing code under which the messages can be sent by the further user to the user or the user group.

Telephone numbers with a prefix "(0) 12" (from abroad, omit the leading zero, and additional use of the German country code can be reached) can be reserved at the regulatory authority for telecommunications and post (Reg TP) in Germany to offer so-called "innovative services" - without further, more specific specification. Although it has long been possible to reserve such numbers, no such number has been reserved and no "innovative service" has been offered under such a number.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment and the attached drawing

1 shows a unified messaging data communication system;

Figure 2 is a stored in the central computer shown in Figure 1

Telephone number assignment list (note: in an alternative exemplary embodiment, not shown here, instead of this central computer, several central computers are used which together have the same functionality as this).

FIG. 1 shows a unified messaging data communication system 3 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, via which - using the Internet 14 - several communication services based on different transmission protocols and / or technologies, e.g. Voice telephony, fax, SMS (Short Message Service), e-mail are processed centrally.

The data communication system 13 has a central computer 3 (web host) which is connected to the Internet 14. A first computer 1 a assigned to a first user and a second computer 1 b assigned to a second user can use a computer 2 of an ISP (ISP = Internet) Service Provider) are connected to the Internet 14 ^' . The second user can then send, for example, an e-mail to an e-mail address assigned to the first user from his computer 1b. The e-mail is then stored in a storage device (not shown) assigned to the central computer 3, and can later be used by the first user, for example from his computer la, or, for example, from his cell phone using GSM, GPRS, WAP, UMTS or any other transmission protocol 7 from under a certain Internet address or website assigned to the first user. As shown in FIG. 1, in the system 13 according to the invention a first landline telephone 5a and a second landline telephone 5b (and further landline telephones, not shown) are connected to a public telephone network 4, and the mobile telephone 7 and further mobile telephones 8 are on a cellular network 11 connected. The public telephone network 14 is connected to the Internet 14 via a central computer 6 and the mobile radio network 11 via a central computer 9. The mobile telephone 7 is assigned the subscriber line telephone number "0171-777777" (telephone number A), and the first landline telephone 5a is the subscriber line telephone number "089-888888", under which the respective telephones 7, 5a can be called.

All or some of the users of the system 13 are each assigned a ¹ specific telephone number beginning with the prefix “012” (for example the telephone number “012-12-123456789” (telephone number C) is the first user, and the telephone number “012-12” -123123123 "(phone number D) the second user).

For example, the second user can send an SMS text message to the first user at the telephone number C (i.e. the telephone number "012-12-123456789") via the mobile telephone 8. The central computer 9 (or the central computer 6) forwards all messages sent under a telephone number with an “O12” dialing code to the central computer 3 (or all messages sent under a

Telephone numbers with a "012" area code, plus a certain initial number sequence following the area code, are sent (e.g. under a telephone number beginning with the number sequence "012-12"). In addition to SMS text messages, the messages can be e.g. also act as telephony voice messages, etc. (see below).

Before forwarding to the central computer 3, the protocol (e.g. SMS) initially used when sending the respective message is converted into an internet protocol (e.g. TCP / IP) in the central computer 9 (or the central computer 6)

The message forwarded to the central computer 3 is stored in a storage device (not shown) assigned to the central computer 3, and can later be used by the first user e.g. from his computer la, or e.g. can be called up from his WAP or mobile phone 7 at the same Internet address assigned to the first user, e.g. the above E-mail.

If the second user wants to send an SMS instead of a cell phone 8 (or a landline Telephone 5b) send a telephony voice message to the first user under telephone number C (ie make calls with this), a connection between mobile phone 8 (or fixed network) is first described in a corresponding manner as described above in connection with the sending of e-mails -Telephone 5b) and central computer 9 (or central computer 6) established, and then the connection to the central

Computer 3 switched on The central computers 6, 9 then function as telephone network internet interface computers, as is known in indirect internet telephony methods.

In the storage device of the central computer 3, a "follow-me" or telephone number assignment list is stored for all registered system users. Alternatively or additionally, number chains can also be used. FIG. 2 shows an example of the telephone number assignment list 12 of the first user. Its "O12" area code telephone number C (i.e. the telephone number "012-12-123456789") is a number of priority ones, each for a specific one

Telephone numbers belonging to the terminal are assigned (here - with the highest priority - the subscriber line telephone number "0171-777777" (telephone number A) of the mobile telephone 7, and - with the next highest priority - the subscriber answer telephone number "089-888888" assigned to the first landline telephone 5a (telephone number B), etc.).

The central computer 3 first tries to establish a connection to the terminal assigned to the telephone number A with the highest priority, i.e. to manufacture the mobile phone 7. If this is not possible (e.g. because the first user does not answer the corresponding call), after several, e.g. 3 times, unsuccessful

Allow ringing - tries to connect to the terminal assigned to telephone number B with the next highest priority, i.e. to manufacture the phone 5a. Is this also - after repeated, e.g. 3 unsuccessful ringing - not possible, the second user can leave a voice message for the first user, which is saved under the control of a software-implemented answering machine module 10 of the central computer 3 in its storage device. (In principle, the central computer 3 - before calling the answering machine module 10 - can try to establish a connection with any number of other destinations of any kind.)

Before the second user can leave the (answering machine) voice message to the first user, an answering machine text message stored in the central computer 3 is read to him under the control of the answering machine module 10, for example "XXX is temporarily unavailable. If you want to leave a message, please speak after the beep". The corresponding voice data are transmitted via the Internet 14 and the respective central computer 6, 9 to the respective calling terminal (here: to the mobile phone 8 or the landline telephone 5b).

The answering machine text message can be determined by the respective user. For this, the respective, e.g. the first user to call their assigned phone number C (i.e. e.g. the phone number "012-12-123456789"), e.g. via the landline telephone 5a or the mobile phone 7. The central computer 9 (or the central computer 6) routes the connection (due to the "012" or "012-12" dialing code used) to the central station as described above Computer 3 further. The latter carries out a peculiarity check which corresponds to that described below in connection with the retrieval of messages. The respective user can then speak any answering machine text into his landline or mobile phone 5a, 7. The corresponding voice data is then transmitted over the Internet 14 to the central computer 3 via the public telephone network 4 or the mobile radio network 11, with the intermediary of the respective central computers 6, 9, and is stored there as a text message answered

To query his messages, the first user can use the one assigned to him

Call telephone number C (i.e. the telephone number "012-12-123456789"), e.g. via his landline telephone 5a or his mobile phone 7. The central computer 9 (or the central computer 6) forwards the connection as described above (due to the "012" or "O12-12" dialing code used) to the central one Computer 3 further. In this case, the subscriber line telephone number of the respective terminal from which the query takes place (ie the telephone number B of the landline telephone 5a, or the telephone number A of the mobile telephone 7) is transmitted to the central computer 6, 9, and from there the Internet 14 to the central computer 3.

There it is checked whether the first user is authorized to query the stored messages. For example, a PIN query is carried out. Alternatively or additionally, it is checked whether the respective subscriber line telephone number of the terminal from which the query is made is stored in the telephone number assignment list 12 which belongs to the respectively called “O12” telephone number (or to the respective user). (Note: the applicant reserves the right to direct future claims solely to the relevant query authorization control system or procedure, ie claims 1, 6 - 8, 13, without being restricted to a specific area code (Claim 5), and / or without the characterizing part of claims 1 and 13 relating to the answering machine module.

If the respective subscriber line telephone number of the terminal from which the query is made is contained in the telephone number assignment list 12 and / or the PIN transmitted from the respective terminal is correct, the user can call up the messages stored for him. For example, the user is saved by a software-implemented OCR module of the central computer 3, the e-mails or SMS messages stored for him, or e.g. the answering machine module 10 reads out the telephony voice messages stored for it (ie via the Internet 14 using Internet protocols to the respective central computer 6, 9 and from there using eg ISDN, or GSM, GPRS) , UMTS or any other transmission protocols are transmitted via the public telephone network 4 or the mobile radio network 11 to the respective terminal, for example to the landline telephone 5a or to the mobile telephone 7).

Each registered user can determine the subscriber line telephone numbers A, B (and their priority) contained in the assigned telephone number assignment list 12, e.g. over the Internet 14, and the associated Internet address or website.

Instead of using the same list as a "follow-me" list 12 and as an authorization request list 12 (FIG. 2), two separate lists can also be kept for this in an alternative exemplary embodiment (not shown here), which, like the above-mentioned list. Telephone number assignment list each separately via the Internet 14, e.g. are adjustable from the first computer la.

In the case of both exemplary embodiments, it is alternatively or additionally possible that the respective user is directed directly to him via the website assigned to him and stored on the central computer 3 (e.g. from the first computer la), e.g. Query SMS short messages and e-mails, define or change an answering machine text message used by the answering machine module 10, and messages from the website (more precisely: his personal account), e.g. Can send SMS text messages and e-mails.

Claims

Expectations

1. Unified messaging communication system (13), which of several

Users can be used together, with a first central computer (3) which can be connected to the Internet and in which messages directed to a user or to a group of users can be stored for later query by the respective user or by a member of the user group, wherein the messages are each sent from another user to the user or the user group using one of several different message transmission protocols, and are forwarded to the first computer (3) with the interposition of at least one further computer (6), characterized in that the central Computer (3) has an answering machine module (10) which uses a user-specific text which can be specified by the respective user or by a member of the respective user group.

2. System (13) according to claim 1, wherein the definition of the user-specific text is carried out by means of a voice message transmitted to the central computer (3).

3. System (13) according to claim 2, wherein the voice message is transmitted from a telephone (5a, 7) to the central computer (3).

4. System (13) according to claim 1, wherein the definition of the user-specific text is carried out by means of a text message transmitted via the Internet to the central computer (3)

5. System (13) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user or the user group is assigned a telephone number (C), the one

"012" - area code under which the messages can be sent from the other user to the user or the user group.

6. System (13) according to claim 5, wherein the user or the member of the user group can query the messages by the user or the

Member of the user group calls the telephone number (C) assigned to him or the user group.

7. System (13) according to claim 6, which is designed such that the query can be carried out from a terminal (8) having a terminal subscriber line telephone number (A) which is derived from the "O12" telephone number (C ) is different.

8. The system (13) of claim 7, wherein the user or member of the

User group is then authenticated as to authorize the message query if the terminal subscriber line telephone number (A) is in one of the "012"

Phone number assigned list (12) of terminal participants ummem (A, B) is included

'V

9. System (13) according to one of the preceding claims, in which one of the messages sent by the further user is a telephony voice message.

10. System (13) according to claim 9, wherein the telephony voice message, in particular under the control of the answering machine module (10), is stored in the central computer (3).

11. System (13) according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which one of the messages sent by the further user is a telephone text message, in particular an SMS text message.

12. System (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein one of the messages sent by the other user is an email

13. Unmed-Messag ^ g communication method for use in a unified messaging communication system according to one of claims 1 to 12, which can be used jointly by several users, with a first, to ^" the Internet connectable central computer (3), in which messages directed to a user or to a group of users can be stored for later query by the respective user or by a member of the user group, the messages each being used by another user using one of a number of different message transmission protocols or the user group are sent and forwarded to the first computer (3) with the interposition of at least one further computer (6), characterized in that the method comprises the step: Use of a user-specific text that can be defined by the respective user or by a member of the respective user group by means of an answering machine module (10) provided in the central computer (3).