WO2002039705A1 - Emetteur-recepteur combinant telephone et messagerie vocale - Google Patents

Emetteur-recepteur combinant telephone et messagerie vocale Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2002039705A1
WO2002039705A1 PCT/US2000/041980 US0041980W WO0239705A1 WO 2002039705 A1 WO2002039705 A1 WO 2002039705A1 US 0041980 W US0041980 W US 0041980W WO 0239705 A1 WO0239705 A1 WO 0239705A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
voice
mail message
mail
called party
digital
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2000/041980
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
James P. Hamley
Original Assignee
Six Sigma, Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Six Sigma, Ltd. filed Critical Six Sigma, Ltd.
Priority to AU2001234386A priority Critical patent/AU2001234386A1/en
Priority to PCT/US2000/041980 priority patent/WO2002039705A1/fr
Publication of WO2002039705A1 publication Critical patent/WO2002039705A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
    • H04M1/64—Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations
    • H04M1/65—Recording arrangements for recording a message from the calling party
    • H04M1/6505—Recording arrangements for recording a message from the calling party storing speech in digital form

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the telephone art and, in particular, to a combination telephone and voice-mail transceiver.
  • Answering machines are commonly available devices which allow the receiving party of a telephone call to elect to store an incoming caller's message to an electronic storage medium. Thus, if the receiving party is not available to take the call, or if he or she is available yet elects not to directly talk with a calling party, they may simply allow the answering machine to store the caller's voice message.
  • voice-mail systems have been created which allow a calling party the opportunity to record for later playback by the receiving party a given communication.
  • Voice-mail systems are normally either telephone company provided or are provided by companies on private branch exchanges. Thus, they are not generally available to the public to the same level that answering machines have become commonplace.
  • telephone company provided voice-mail as with a standard answering machine message, the calling party spends total message real time on the telephone line while the message for the receiving party is being recorded, thereby incurring a billing for the entire real time use of the telephone network.
  • voice-mail there is a growing tendency to utilize its services, but for the fact that it is only available on PBX and via telephone company provided service as described above. It would be desirable, therefore, if a calling party calling from a standard office or residential telephone unit would be given the opportunity to select making a standard call in real-time or recording and transmitting a voice-mail message to his or her receiving party.
  • the calling terminals provided voice- mail reception capabilities with a convenient notice and access by the telephone terminal users.
  • a telephone control unit is adapted for both transmitting and receiving voice-mail messages. It comprises a voice-mail transmitter which includes a detector that detects that a voice-mail message is to be sent. The transmitter further includes storage capability to store the voice-mail messages in memory. A compression means compresses the stored voice-mail message.
  • a predetermined header is then attached to the compressed voice-mail message.
  • the header and compressed voice-mail message are then transmitted over the telephone network to a user-dialed voice-mail receiver.
  • the voice-mail receiver includes a receiver for receiving the message over the telephone network.
  • a detector detects the presence of a predetermined voice-mail header in the message and, in response to header detection: 1) strips off the voice-mail header; 2) decompresses the voice-mail message and 3) transduces the voice-mail message upon user-desired replay.
  • the transmitter further includes an analog-to-digital converter for converting the voice-mail message to a digital format.
  • the digital signal is then stored and processed through a digital compression algorithm before being transmitted over the telephone network with the attached header signal.
  • the receiver further includes a digital-to-analog converter which converts the received digital messages from the transmitter over the telephone network into an analog signal format.
  • Figure 1 if a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the inventive telephone control unit and illustrates the use of a voice-mail mode switch, indicator light, and a voice-mail waiting indicator light;
  • Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the principal components, and their interrelationship, of the preferred embodiment of the voice-mail transceiver
  • Figures 3A and 3B are a logic flow diagram illustrating the preferred embodiment of the logical sequence performed by the inventive voice- mail transmitter.
  • Figure 4 is a logic flow diagram illustrating the preferred logic step sequence performed by the inventive voice-mail receiver.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the telephone control unit indicated generally at 10, which allows for the transmission and reception of voice-mail.
  • a base unit 12 which contains the principal electronics for the voice-mail transceiver 10.
  • a conventional telephone keypad arrangement 14 which may include standard speed dialing pads.
  • a cradle recess 16 which is adapted to receive a conventional handset 18.
  • a standard hook switch 20 is provided within the cradle recess 16 .
  • the handset 18 includes a conventional microphone 22 in its mouthpiece and a conventional speaker 24 at its earpiece.
  • the handset 18 connects to the base unit 12 through a conventional coiled cord 26.
  • the present telephone control unit 10 allows a user to both transmit and receive voice-mail messages.
  • a switch 30 which the user activates when desirous of placing a voice-mail transmission.
  • a provided indicator 32 (which, preferably, is a conventional light-emitting diode), lights to indicate voice-mail mode.
  • an indicator 34 also, preferably, a light emitting diode
  • a provided switch 36 also in the faceplate of base unit 12 is activated by the user to thereby allow message replay.
  • the telephone control unit 10 in the conventional manner connects via standard cord 40 and module plug 42 to the telephone network.
  • FIG 2 is a block diagram which illustrates the preferred construction of the voice-mail transceiver shown in Figure 1.
  • a handset 18 which includes a microphone 22 in the handset and a speaker 24 in the ear portion of the handset.
  • the handset connects to the base unit, indicated generally at 12, by means of a cable 26.
  • a voice-mail mode switch 30 Provided on the base unit 12 are a voice-mail mode switch 30, a voice- mail on indicator 32, a voice-mail waiting indicator 34 and a voice-mail replay switch 36.
  • base unit 12 Also provided on base unit 12 is a standard keypad 14 which may also include speed dialing pads.
  • connection from the base unit 12 to the telephone network is via a cable 40 and a standard modular plug 42.
  • central processing unit 50 includes read-only memory (ROM) 52.
  • ROM read-only memory
  • a program which resides permanently on the ROM 52 provides the instruction set for the CPU allowing it to power-up and perform many of the functions described below.
  • the CPU 50 has associated random access memory (RAM) 54 which CPU 50 uses for the purpose of both reading and writing digital signals to perform the functionality described below. Also associated with CPU 50 is a date/time module 53 used by CPU 50 to date and time tag messages as described below.
  • RAM random access memory
  • D/A digital-to-analog
  • the CPU 50 connects through an interface circuit 62 to the voice-mail on indicator 32, voice-mail mode switch 30, voice-mail waiting indicator 34, voice-mail replay switch 36 and the keypad 14.
  • FIG 3 is a logic flow diagram which details the logical steps performed by the CPU 50 in the course of its function as a voice-mail transmitter.
  • the system From the begin mode 100 which may reflect the user pulling the handset 18 out of the cradle, and thereby activating hook switch 20 "off-hook", the system first enters a decision block 102 to determine if the voice-mail mode has been selected.
  • the voice-mail mode is selected by a user activating the voice-mail mode switch 30 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. If the voice-mail mode has not been selected, the logic allows a user to place a real time call as normal, as shown in block 104. If, however, the voice-mail mode has been activated, the system enters block 106 and transmits a message to the caller, namely "dictate message then press # key".
  • the user's message is then analog-to-digitally converted and stored in memory with an associated date/time tag at block 108.
  • decision block 110 it is determined whether or not the # key has been pressed. If it has not, the system reverts to the A/D-D/A conversion block 108. If, however, the # key 110 has been pressed, the system reproduces to the caller the message, "enter the number of the party you want to receive your voice-mail" at block 112. The user may then manually enter the receiving party's number via the keypad or, if the keypad is provided with an appropriate speed dial number, the user may simply activate the appropriate keypad, whereby the system then loads the receiving party's phone number at block 114.
  • the user's stored digital message is then compressed by conventional digital data compression means at block 116.
  • the system then goes "off hook” and transmits over the telephone network the receiving party's telephone number, at block 120.
  • the system then enters a decision block 122 to determine whether or not the receiving party's unit connects to the transmitted call. If it does not connect, the system then disconnects from the telephone network (goes off-hook at block 124) waits a period of time at block 126, and reinstitutes the off-hook and transmission of the receiving party's number block 120.
  • block 130 is entered and the transmitting unit transmits a predetermined header signal to the receiving party's unit to thereby indicate that a voice-mail message is to be transmitted.
  • the system determines whether or not it has received a voice-mail acknowledgment signal from the receiving unit within a five second period. If the voice-mail acknowledgment signal is not received within the five second period, the system proceeds to block 124 to thereby disconnect and repeat the process.
  • the system proceeds at block 140 to transmit the compressed voice-mail message.
  • the transmitter enters block 142 and transmits a predetermined end-of-message command signal. This results in a hang-up, at block 144 of the transmitting unit.
  • the receive mode begins at 200.
  • the system operates to detect whether or not an incoming call has been detected in which event the receiving telephone unit goes "off-hook" at block 202.
  • a decision block 204 is then entered to determine whether or not the received message contains the predetermined voice-mail header signal from the transmitting unit. If the received signal does not include the transmitted header signal, block 210 is entered and the system activates the ringer of the associated telephone unit and processes the incoming message as a standard real time telephone call.
  • the system responds at block 212 to strip off the header.
  • block 214 is entered and the receiving unit transmits a predetermined voice-mail acknowledgment signal back to the transmitting unit thereby letting the transmitting unit know that a voice-mail message may be transmitted.
  • the receiving unit receives and stores the compressed voice-mail message from the calling unit.
  • the receiver determines whether or not an end-of-voice-mail signal has been received. If it has not, the system iterates to block 216. However, if an end-of-voice-mail signal is transmitted by the calling unit, the receiver responds at block 220 by hanging up (going on-hook) and providing an indication to the user at the receiver that a voice-mail message is waiting to be reviewed.
  • Operation of the voice-mail transceiver for purposes of allowing a user to review his or her voice-mail messages begins at 300.
  • the system first determines at decision block 302 whether a user has commanded that the stored voice-mail messages be replayed. If no such command is received, the system iterates back to the input of block 302. However, upon a user indicating (as by the voice-mail replay button 36) that he or she wishes to replay any stored voice-mail messages, the system then enters block 304 and decompresses the stored voice-mail message. The decompressed voice-mail message is passed to block 306 where it is digital-to-analog converted back into the original voice-mail message as first recorded at the transmitter.
  • the system then enters block 308 at which point the system reproduces the voice-mail message to the user.
  • a telephone control unit which includes a voice-mail transceiver has been described in detail.
  • the transceiver allows the calling party to determine whether or not voice-mail or standard calls are desired. And, if a voice-mail transmission is desired, the caller's message is compressed to thereby reduce telephone network usage.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
  • Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne une unité de commande téléphonique (12) permettant à l'appelant de choisir éventuellement un appel soit téléphonique standard, soit par messagerie vocale. Si on choisit une messagerie vocale (32), le système permet à l'utilisateur de dicter le message qui est alors converti d'analogique en numérique et stocké en mémoire. Une fois que l'utilisateur a choisi le numéro de téléphone du destinataire, le système compose le numéro et envoie un signal à l'unité de destination d'en-tête indiquant qu'une transmission par messagerie vocale est souhaitée. Si l'unité réceptrice détecte l'en-tête de messagerie vocale, elle envoie un signal d'accusé de réception, l'unité émettrice comprime de façon numérique le message vocal stocké et émet le message comprimé par le réseau téléphonique à destination du site récepteur. Ce dernier émet à destination de l'utilisateur un flash indiquant (34) qu'un message vocal est en attente. Lorsque l'utilisateur reproduit le signal de message vocal (36), le site destinataire décompresse et convertit du numérique à l'analogique le signal en vue de sa reproduction par l'utilisateur.
PCT/US2000/041980 2000-11-03 2000-11-03 Emetteur-recepteur combinant telephone et messagerie vocale WO2002039705A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2001234386A AU2001234386A1 (en) 2000-11-03 2000-11-03 Combination telephone and voice-mail transceiver
PCT/US2000/041980 WO2002039705A1 (fr) 2000-11-03 2000-11-03 Emetteur-recepteur combinant telephone et messagerie vocale

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2000/041980 WO2002039705A1 (fr) 2000-11-03 2000-11-03 Emetteur-recepteur combinant telephone et messagerie vocale

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002039705A1 true WO2002039705A1 (fr) 2002-05-16

Family

ID=21742185

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2000/041980 WO2002039705A1 (fr) 2000-11-03 2000-11-03 Emetteur-recepteur combinant telephone et messagerie vocale

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2001234386A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2002039705A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2380896A (en) * 2001-08-21 2003-04-16 Nec Corp Transmitting recorded voice data together with signal to control processing at receiver
GB2468338A (en) * 2009-03-05 2010-09-08 Marcus Lewis A headset outputting audio messages comprising menu options to a user who inputs commands via a joggle wheel on the headset based on the options

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5422942A (en) * 1992-09-14 1995-06-06 Sony Corporation Incoming call transfer terminal
US5509061A (en) * 1993-05-28 1996-04-16 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method for storing messages in networked message memory units
US5623538A (en) * 1995-08-30 1997-04-22 Lucent Technologies Inc. Shared distribution of internal message storage facilities by a plurality of communication terminals
US5995595A (en) * 1997-10-14 1999-11-30 Ameritech Corporation Method of sharing and transferring information between ISDN telephones
US6119233A (en) * 1997-05-15 2000-09-12 Hawkins; Charles C. Secure data communication system

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5422942A (en) * 1992-09-14 1995-06-06 Sony Corporation Incoming call transfer terminal
US5509061A (en) * 1993-05-28 1996-04-16 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method for storing messages in networked message memory units
US5623538A (en) * 1995-08-30 1997-04-22 Lucent Technologies Inc. Shared distribution of internal message storage facilities by a plurality of communication terminals
US6119233A (en) * 1997-05-15 2000-09-12 Hawkins; Charles C. Secure data communication system
US5995595A (en) * 1997-10-14 1999-11-30 Ameritech Corporation Method of sharing and transferring information between ISDN telephones

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2380896A (en) * 2001-08-21 2003-04-16 Nec Corp Transmitting recorded voice data together with signal to control processing at receiver
GB2380896B (en) * 2001-08-21 2004-09-08 Nec Corp Voice data transmission method communication system and communication terminal
GB2468338A (en) * 2009-03-05 2010-09-08 Marcus Lewis A headset outputting audio messages comprising menu options to a user who inputs commands via a joggle wheel on the headset based on the options

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2001234386A1 (en) 2002-05-21

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