KR20070034057A - System and method for providing offline generated voicemail messages with a chronological timestamp defined by current and final docking of a portable device - Google Patents

Abstract

The communication system includes a gateway and a plurality of docking stations, each docking station receiving devices, each connected to the gateway, identifying the received device, and adapted to download a voicemail message from the received device to the gateway. The gateway clock provides the first (ECD) and last possible (Ty) creation date timestamps for the message and defines the interval range stamp for each voicemail message. The last timestamp is then applied to the generated offline message and can be updated by offline interaction with additional user devices to carry the later timestamp Ty.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING OFFLINE CREATED VOICEMAIL MESSAGES WITH RANGE TIMESTAMP DEFINED BY THE CURRENT AND LATEST DOCKING OF A PORTABLE DEVICE}

The present invention relates to an asynchronous distributed communication system and a method for operating and maintaining timing integrity of the system. The present invention provides an inexpensive user device or handset without accurate timing or clocking capability, and the handset provides content and voicemail messages with other handsets at unpredictable times with the central components of the system. There is a special but not limited application for asynchronous communication systems that exchange.

Voicemail systems are well known. Systems are also well known in which a user is provided with a handheld computing device (personal digital assistant or handheld computer) suitable for e-mail and other communications via the Internet or other wide area networks. Such known systems can be asynchronous in that receiving and responding to a communication or message can usually be separated by a suitable time period of minutes, hours or days. Such systems rely on the precise timestamping of messages and communications both at the heart of the network (e.g., e-mail or news / usenet server) components and especially on the handheld device itself.

For example, an e-mail message can be prepared by a user offline, which user offline is not connected to the Internet and therefore is not connected to an e-mail server. Since the user's computing device has a clock / calendar, each such email is stamped with the time of creation by email application on the device. Then, at a later time or another day, the user connects to the server and the message is uploaded to the server for subsequent download by the intended recipient, as such recipients then connect to the server. The email server typically further provides a message with a timestamp corresponding to receipt (upload) of the message by the server and transmission (downloading) of the message to the intended recipient device by the server.

Such a message is correctly time stamped by both the central server and the device generating the message and receiving the message when receiving the email for sending (uploading) and when sending (downloading) such email to the receiving device. It is a relatively simple and simple task for an email application of the receiving device to arrange the date and time for the user.

In a similar manner, Usenet discussions are grouped and arranged by "post" time and subject into "threads" that are presented to the user accordingly.

In these known systems, both the device and the central component have access to the correct clock to enable event time stamping.

However, there is a problem with an asynchronous communication system that inexpensive devices do not have any independent timing capability. If so, how does the receiving device temporarily instruct it to download the message or upload the message?

Such problems are also significantly exacerbated when considering inexpensive devices that have "offline" or direct device-to-device message exchange capabilities, which may lead to outdated or outdated messages. Because the device receiving such a message does not have any means to indicate such status.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a communication system comprising a gateway and a plurality of docking stations, each receiving a device and connected to the gateway, each such docking station identifying a received device, Download the voicemail message to the received device, and is adapted to upload the voicemail message from the received device to the gateway,

These gateways

The first docking event contains the earliest possible creation date (ECD) timestamp for the message,

The second docking event includes clock means for providing a last possible creation date timestamp Ty for the message, thereby defining an interval rangestamp for each voicemail message.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for maintaining voicemail message integrity in a communication system, the method comprising

Providing an uploaded message to the gateway with an initial possible creation date (ECD) timestamp at the docking event;

Providing a final possible creation date timestamp Ty for downloading the message to define an interval range stamp ECD-Ty for each downloaded voicemail message.

In the foregoing aspect, only the central gateway has access to the clock, so that the gateway provides the initial generation time for the message when uploaded to it, and the final generation time Ty when subsequently downloaded from such gateway. . The receiving device therefore receives a message with an interval range stamp corresponding to the upload (first docking event) and download (second docking event) of the voicemail message.

The message on the device can therefore be arranged according to an interval range stamp indicating the upload / download period for the message.

In one embodiment, the final generation time Ty is used by the receiving device as a timestamp marker for the voicemail message subsequently generated by the user of the device. Perhaps this is the invention of using the time as the time of creation for a newly generated offline message as the last download time-is the claim 2 incorporated in claim 1?>

Because of this feature, offline generated messages in the period between docking with the central gateway can be arranged for upload according to currently stored Ty timestamps.

Advantageously, if a receiving device without a clock communicates with an additional similar device in an inter-docking period, the comparison of the stored Ty of the exchanged message allows the receiving device to update its stored Ty. This new Ty is then applied as the original creation date for new messages created on the device from that point forward. The offline generated message is therefore advantageously at least arranged for uploading taking into account the original creation date. In particular, messages generated offline are given an initial creation date corresponding to the later of the docking event (online to the gateway) or device exchange (offline).

Therefore, a message received by a device with little or no clock / timing capability can be at least arranged by a sequence that provides a rangestamp interval and at least the worst case timing interval for the user. For example, the recipient user may have such a message generated on or after the initial creation date indicating the last time the producer / sender of the message docked to the central system or exchanged the message with an additional device offline and also at the time Ty. You will see that it has been downloaded.

In another embodiment, an additional range stamp is attached to the content and / or voicemail message for download to the device, which limits the validity or response time. The additional range stamp is determined in part according to a stored record indicating the frequency of previous docking events. The device then advantageously compares the additional range stamp period with the stored ECD and thus indicates the validity or response period to the user.

Embodiments of the invention are now described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary system structure.

3 is a graphical representation of message exchange and timing update.

1 illustrates a communication system for providing content and personal communication in an asynchronous manner. The program of content downloaded to the portable device 10 is determined by a user profile initially determined by user demographics. This user profile may be modified using an interactive voice response (IVR) subscription from any telephone on a public switched telephone network (PSTN). In addition, subscribers can access and play interactive content through a standard telephone. Refreshing the content of the device (uploading of received new voicemail and new programming as well as uploading of voicemail and program responses to be delivered) may also be performed via the PSTN. The PSTN operator's billing system used to collect micropayments can be used to bill users who use these services.

In the system, the portable device 10 has a facility for receiving and storing structured audio programs in memory for later playback. This offline playback is bidirectional and the user's response is stored on the device and then uploaded to the content or service provider. Content is exchanged between the handset 10 and the network in a periodic wired docking process. A public switched telephone network is used as a means for organizing the program and the downloaded content.

When various content providers (governmental organizations, career centers, health centers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), radio stations) create new available content, they are marked up (from markup language to voice interactive media format) -VIMF The local content center (RCC) 12 is in editorial control and makes an initial proposal for distribution to various interest groups.

The RCC 12 is then responsible for exporting new content to the distribution centers, namely the Internet Tele-Center (ITC) 14 and the Data Card Refresh Service (DCRS) 16, which is responsible for the data card. Is also optionally responsible for the fabrication. The ITC is an Internet access point and can be in the form of a tele-center, kiosk, suitably configured ATM, post office or dedicated DCRS. By caching content at these centers, the burden of distributing a significant amount of content to limited bandwidth is much less. The proposed synchronization process for the handset 10 can take two routes, one of which is the docking of the handset (or card only) in the ITC 14 and the other of inherent data in the DCRS 16. It is to refresh the card 18 (to be used in the handset 10).

If docked in ITC 14, the user ID will be verified and there will be an opportunity for the user to refine their online configuration and modify sensitive information such as their security code. At the same time, routine information exchange can take place. This exchange of information usually takes the form:

1. Voice messages from the user (“voice mails”) and awaiting delivery are uploaded.

2. The response you previously created for programming is uploaded.

3. Unnecessary programming and data on the card are deleted.

4. A new voicemail about the user is downloaded.

5. The new program is downloaded.

When a user is docked at the DCRS, the data card owners usually do not exist, and the card 18 is simply "docked" and refreshed before being shipped back to their owners. The refresh process will be the same as above, except that the user will not be present, of course, to apply refresh or to interact with any service (eg to modify the profile, etc.).

Handset 10 has a USB2.0 data connection that provides up to a data rate of 480 Mbit / s. The data card 18 used in the handset 10 could have between 32MB and 256MB of on-board flash memory, which means that the ITC 14 or DCRS 16 has the ability to upload and download ready. Assuming you have pre-cached content, you will need at least a few minutes to refresh.

Via ITC 14, communication with device 10 is through gateway 20. In most cases, the ITC 14 is connected to the gateway 20 via a telephone network (PSTN).

The communication system includes a gateway 20 and a plurality of docking stations (ITC or DCR) 14, 16. Each docking station 14 or 16 is connected to a gateway 20, which is for receiving devices, which are handsets 10 or data cards 18. Each station 14 or 16 is arranged to identify handset 10 or data card 18, download voicemail from gateway 20 to handset 10 or data card 18, and download voicemail. Upload to the gateway 20.

Each docking station 14 or 16 is also arranged to download programs to the handset 10 or data card 18 and to send back responses to these programs to the handset 10 or data card 18. Receive from

Gateway 20 may receive messages in a form other than voicemail, and may convert these messages into voicemail. Similarly, gateway 20 may receive voicemail from handset 10 or data card 18 and may convert these messages into a format other than voicemail. The gateway 20 is also arranged to determine the destination of the received voicemail and to communicate with the server to deliver such voicemail.

The system provides a simple "telephone-number" oriented addressing system for voicemail, which is as simple as phone calls. The user selects the recipient (or reply to the voicemail) and then talks the message to the handset 10. This message is sent to the recipient at the next docking opportunity.

The system (via RCC and ITC) provides an absolute criterion for arbitrary time stamping and timing calculations for content takers, ie content creators, service providers and users as shown in FIG. 2.

The RCC maintains a database of all published content, along with a database of transaction records with each user. When a user synchronizes their handsets, the RCC can gather the most relevant content to satisfy the user's various subscription subscriptions. The RCC is responsible for various users of the shared data card and can minimize the upload and download of content to and from the device by avoiding the download of any object already present on the card. This includes uploading / downloading voicemail and voicemail assets and application and subscription assets (including user responses and service-provider feedback). As illustrated at 100, a user may be physically away from the system connection with the user device or data card being sent for periodic refreshing (eg, by a courier service).

Inaccuracies in time-stamping by the handset are expected and managed so that communication between content keeper can proceed with confidence and trust. Time-stamping of events, such as message replay, message generation, or subscription response, are recorded as events in the earliest and weighted range of time ("bookends" or "range stamps"). As indicated by 104, the application from the content provider is given a systematically accurate timestamp at the time of publication, that is, the application is uploaded to the central system / gateway 20 at that time. At 106, voicemail from a service provider, such as a time stamp during uploading, is also given.

The transfer of system time in the off-line component also further reduces the inaccuracy of the time stamps for events that are broken or "away" from the central system. For example, when a user's data carrier, such as a flash memory data card, is refreshed into the central system, the system time of such synchronization event is updated for the card as indicated by 102. If this card is a card shared by a different user, the card can be read or written off-line by the different user (referring to the sequence on the card) before the next system refresh. Then during the next refresh, this sequence can be synchronized back to the central system. For example, one user A can write a single message to their out-box, which out-box reaches only via the central system with another user B sharing the card. It is addressed to all possible users (C). User B can now read the message in their in-box by inserting a card into their handset without connecting to the system, after which user B has access to it You can 'delete'. However, the messages in user A's out-box are still retained on the card so that upon the next docking to the system, the messages must be sent to the user C by the central system.

Despite offline uncertainties, further details of the different techniques for managing such systems are given below in this section.

The system comprises a central gateway (server) and clock means for time stamping the uploaded message from the device to the central gateway and for message time stamping on download by the recipient. Thus, each voicemail message passing through the gateway is associated with a range stamp.

One problem that can arise in centralized systems with long cycles without docks and refreshes is that more and more messages generated and exchanged within a community do not have a clear creation date (upload or No download timestamps). If the last dock and refresh cycle were used as the original creation date, it could be weeks before, and the recipient of the message could not immediately tell when the message was created in the last week and how it relates to the current content.

To help reduce errors in estimating the age of a message, the transfer of timestamps from one device to another during offline voicemail exchange with a single user or shared data carrier is supported.

For example, in the scenario shown in FIG. 3:

Maria docks at time T0, in which case T0 is adopted by her device as the last docking time, which implicitly refers to the first creation date (ECD) for the messages she generates from this point forward. to be.

Maria generates a message M1 about Ronaldo.

Maria passes her card to Ronaldo and puts it in his handset to read the message at time T1.

Ronaldo's handset copies its time stamp (T0) to Maria's card (this is the ECD marked with the message M1).

If T0 is later than the ECD in Ronaldo's handset, the ECD in Ronaldo's handset is updated to T0.

Ronaldo generates a message R1, which is labeled with an ECD of T0.

Maria generates a message M2 to send to Paolo, and docks and refreshes at time T3. T3 is now the ECD on her device.

Maria creates a message (M3) to send to Ronaldo and initiates an offline voicemail exchange at T4.

Ronaldo's handset copies the time stamp (T3) on Maria's card (this is the ECD with the message M3).

T3 is later than the ECD (T0) in Ronaldo's handset, and the ECD in Ronaldo's handset is updated to T3.

At T5 Ronaldo passes the message R1 to George by handing his data card to George. George (and George's device) can distinguish that a message was generated after T0. The ECD T3 may also be adopted by George's device if George's ECD is older.

By reading this disclosure, other modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications may involve other features that are already known in the design, manufacture, and use of telecommunication systems, the infrastructure and components of the communication system, which other features do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. It may be used in place of or in addition to features already described in the specification.

Singular expressions preceding elements in the specification and claims do not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

As noted above, the present invention is applicable to operating and maintaining asynchronous distributed communication systems and timing integrity of such systems.

Claims (11)

A communication system comprising a gateway and a plurality of docking stations, each docking station requesting a device, connected to the gateway, downloading a voicemail message from the gateway to an accepted device, and receiving the from the accepted device. Adapted to identify the accepted device, for uploading the voicemail message to the gateway, The gateway is Provide the first possible creation date (ECD) timestamp for the message upon the first docking event, And clock means for providing a final possible creation date timestamp (Ty) for the message upon a second docking event to define an interval rangestamp for each voicemail message. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device applies the last possible creation date timestamp Ty of the second docking event to each subsequent voicemail message generated on the device, followed by a new original creation date (ECD). A communication system, adapted to store a last possible creation date timestamp Ty. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the device compares the stored ECD with the ECD received in the next voicemail message from an additional device in an offline or device-to-device message exchange event, And if the received ECD indicates a later time than the stored ECD, it is adapted to replace the stored ECD with the received ECD with respect to the next voicemail message generation. 4. A communication system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the device is adapted to further provide a sequence number in each next generated message. The system of claim 1, wherein the system stores the record of previous device docking events and provides additional range stamps with content and / or voicemail messages for download from the gateway to the device. And the additional range stamp limits the validity or response period associated with the content or voicemail message for download. 6. The communication system of claim 5, wherein the device is adapted to compare the stored ECD with additional range stamps regarding downloaded content or voicemail and to indicate the validity of the content or voicemail according to the comparison. A method for maintaining voicemail message integrity in a communication system, Providing a message uploaded to the gateway at the docking event with an initial possible creation date (ECD) timestamp; Providing a final possible creation date timestamp (Ty) for the downloaded message to define an interval range stamp (ECD-Ty) for each downloaded voicemail message. Way to maintain. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the last possible creation date Ty of the second docking event is applied to each subsequent voicemail message generated on the device after the second docking event, and the final possible creation as a new original creation date ECD. And storing a date Ty, wherein said method further comprises storing a date Ty. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: comparing the stored ECD with an ECD provided in a next voicemail message received from another device at an offline or device-to-device message exchange event; If the received ECD indicates a docking event later than the stored ECD, replacing the stored ECD with the received ECD for the next voicemail message generation, further comprising: maintaining the integrity of the voicemail message in the communication system. . 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: storing a record of previous device docking events; Using the record to provide an additional range stamp to the content or voice mail message for download, wherein the additional range stamp limits the validity or response time. Way. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: comparing the stored ECD with additional range stamps for downloaded content or voicemail, Indicating the validity of the content or voicemail in accordance with the comparison.

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