WO2006092811A2

WO2006092811A2 - A system and method for delivering voice mail

Info

Publication number: WO2006092811A2
Application number: PCT/IN2006/000069
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ayyappa Nagubandi
Original assignee: Ayyappa Nagubandi
Priority date: 2005-03-03
Filing date: 2006-03-01
Publication date: 2006-09-08
Also published as: WO2006092811A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to E-mail delivery system and, in particular, to a voice e- mail transmission system whereby a voice message can be effectively transmitted from the sender's end to one or more recipients through a server based graphical interface. Importantly, the voice e-mail system of the invention would enable the user to record a message with microphone or any other digital audio equipment and transmit the same to a server based graphical interface to selected recipients. The system would further enable the recipient to reply and / or forward the voice e-mail at other selected e-mail addressees. The invention is also directed to a method for voice e-mail transmission using the above system and to a computer program adapted for use in the system and the method of voice e-mail transmission of the invention.

Description

A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING VOICE EMAIL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to E-mail delivery system and, in particular, to a voice e- mail transmission system whereby a voice message can be effectively transmitted from the sender's end to one or more recipients through a server based graphical interface. Importantly, the voice e-mail system of the invention would enable the user to record a message with microphone or any other digital audio equipment and transmit the same to a server based graphical interface to selected recipients. The system would further enable the recipient to reply and ?^' or forward the voice e-mail at other selected e-mail addressees. The invention is also directed to a method for voice e-mail transmission using the above system and to a computer program adapted for use in the system and the method of voice e-mail transmission of the invention.

BACKGROUND ART

It is well known that with the advent of internet e-mails and, in other words, exchanging of e-mails between internet users has been very common and extensively used throughout the world. In the technique of transmission of electronic mails it is common that user information mentioning e-mail ids of internet users can be managed by a corresponding e-mail server device. Technology relating to "User-Information" is already established by using established protocols (i. e., methodology accepted by long practice or continued, accepted practice). Commonly, the e-mail server devices transmit e-mails using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). In a SMTP technique, on sending an e-mail, the recipient server first determines the existence of the "Service Provider" of the sender; verifies the address of the recipient and accepts/stores the message on its server on such verification. The process is therefore essentially web enabled i. e., interlinking of different servers. The user is required to view the e-mail stored in the hard disk of the server by retrieving it on the individual email - id. In case, the e-mail addressee is not the addresses managed by the recipient server, the e-mail is transmitted to the server managing the corresponding e-mail. The World Wide Web (WWW) enables such wide spread transmission of e-mails from one server to other and in the process transmit electronic mails through different servers - of the sender and recipient source.

Electronic mail (e-mail) has rapidly become a significant tool for communication within organization and between organizations and outside parties such as their customers.

Initial communication usually consists of ASCII (American Standard Code for

Information Interchange) text. However, text e-mail messages have over the years progressed to include graphics, audio and even video files which are transmitted along with e-mails to target audience in the manner mentioned above, by adopting the SMT Protocol.

As discussed above, e-mails are largely web based and are universally accessible without any proverbial limitations or as geographic time etc. The content of such e-mail is not necessarily restricted to^' the computer but also to its extended^' format such as the PDA and now also to the mobile phone. Usually, such PDAs or Mobile phones are provided with large storage capacities with facilities like, directories; group IDS, instant, global connectivity. Usually, e-mail in the form of text involves simple typing of the text message and sending it in text form to identified recipient. The technology of such e-mail communication using SMT Protocol is significantly applied across the globe; the same is restricted to "typed or digital text". It, by limitations, does not include the voice component. In short when the 'text' is typed the protocol becomes functional and carried out all dictates till the 'message' is received/stored/retrieved at receiver end. E-mail therefore is not a solution to those^" who cannot send "typed message". This dis-enabling factor could be literacy based, language based or any other challenge of the genre.

Voice e-mails have thus been of extreme utility and is very often required to be transmitted with or without text content. Voice e-mails are 'simply, voice recorded files that get submitted onto Mail Server. Unlike any typical e-mail where the sender gives the mail ID and here instead of typing any text message it is required to transmit mails containing voice message. ' ^■ . .

Any voice e-mail is today either by a 'Chat-facility' or as an 'attachment'. While the former is restricted to persons subscribed to a common facilitator, and by nature a duplex communication, the later brings with it challenges of space, downloading time of attachment and security. Hitherto, in order to send a voice e-mail in the existing system, the user has to record a voice message by using players like Win Amp etc., which comes as a separate software and then attach the recorded message and send to the recipient. At the recipient's end, the users have to download the attached recorded message in order to listen to the voice message. Such limitations of conventional voice e-mail delivery system are found to be of relevance as far as regular and fast transmission of voice e- mails are concerned. Importantly, it is found to be inconvenient and inefficient to develop, deliver and maintain user specific applications and utilities. Technological advancement has led to conferencing facilities with users across the globe. However, voice e-mail conferencing presently available does not permit the user to store the communication. Moreover, such voice e-mail systems presently available do not provide any interface for retrieval of the voice message, if required, unless under a common service provider.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is thus the basic object of the present invention to provide a system and a method of voice e-mail transmission which would provide for the much desired transmission of voice message through a Graphical User Interface (GUI) which would facilitate fast and effective transmission, storage and also possible retrieving of voice messages to benefit wide scale use and application of voice e-mails.

Another object of the present.^'invention is directed to a server based interface for storage and transmission of voice e-mails from the sender to one or more recipients which would avoid the limitations of the conventional voice e-mail delivery system, which are either specific to facility provider or depend on server size or bandwidth and now no solution for virus with the 'attachments'. Another object of the present invention is directed to a server based interface for voice transmission and in particular voice e-mail transmission which would favor convenient and efficient system for delivery and maintain user specific applications and utilities

Yet another object of the present invention is directed to a voice e-mail transmission system which would facilitate more advantageous and effective use of conferencing facilities with many users across the globe and, more importantly, enable permitting the user of a voice e-mail conferencing to also store the communication for retrieval and use as and when desired.

Another object of the present invention is directed to a system and method of voice e- mail transmission, which would enable the mail user to send a text and voice recording messages to multiple users through the interface for recording voice messages.

It is yet another object of the present invention to overcome the problems of recording a voice message using separate software, attach and send which are mentioned in the background art, now can be directly recorded and send without having any attachment for sending the voice part.

Yet another object of the present invention is directed to a voice e-mail transmission system which would provide an interface for recording voice messages and forwarding of mails with encrypted name of the file in which the voice message is stored and sent along with the actual message as either a part of the message or as a URL. A further object of the present invention is directed to provide for a voice e-mail transmission system with tools, which would defy language localization wherein the recipient would have the option of listening to the voice message in his or her native language.

A further object of the present invention is directed to voice e-mail transmission system having a server based interface wherein the mail is delivered to the server and only authentic users are allowed to log in to see and hear their mails.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a method of voice e-mail transmission wherein the limits on the size of each voice e-mail and the total mail box can be calibrated based on optimizing experience, total server size and bandwidth and other relevant logistics.

A further object of the invention is to provide for programmed computer systems and server based system adapted, to favor voice e-mail transmission more effectively and with user friendly attributes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the basic aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for voice e-mail transmission comprising:

a device for generating the voice e-mail; an interface for instant recording the voice message, sending such recorded message to one/or plural recipients through a software as adapted for recording and storing the voice e-mail on a server with a file name;

and apply similar interface for further interaction;

at the receiving end, the technology implies receiving the embedded message in voice mode with facility to hear, save, forward and reply.

Yet another basic aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for voice e- mail transmission comprising:

a device for generating the voice e-mail;

an interface for instant recording the voice message, sending such recorded message to one/or plural recipients through a software as adapted for recording and storing the voice e-mail on a server with a file name;

and apply similar interface for further interactions;

at the receiving end, the technology implied receiving the embedded message in voice mode with facility to hear, save, forward and reply. In the above disclosed system for voice e-mail transmission, the user records the messages using hardware devices such as microphone or any other digital audio equipment and command the 'Record facility' that is visible on the website.

Importantly, the said server comprises Graphical User Interface for receiving, recording voice messages and send the same to single/multiple users (recipients). The system is adapted such that when the mail is sent, the encrypted name of the file in which the voice message is stored is also sent along with the actual message as either a part of the message or as a URL. Also, the Server is suitably programmed for recording of the Voice message. In the above system the server is adapted to store the message into a file and move into the appropriate user folder on the server and the file name of the Voice message allotted. Such messages can also be replayed or forwarded. On recording message, the same can be replayed, heard, altered, saved, sent, copy forwarded. For hearing a message the user can go to the file which in turn retrieves the message from the back-end and plays the same for the benefit of the user.

Such a server interface is adapted to receive and store Voice messages of predetermined sizes based on the size of each voice e-mail, total mail box which are calibrated based on optimizing operating conditions, total server size and bandwidth and other relevant logistics. Preferably, the server interface is adapted to allow only authentic users to log in to hear their mails stored in the server interface. The software embedded enables the sending/receiving of voice e-mail generated from a PC/Laptop/Mobile Phone/PDA to be received using a Mobile/Laptop/PDA/PC.

Also, the sender is provided with means for sending a voice e-mail to receiver along with /instead of a text mail. A voice recording device is therefore planted with the text space. The server is adapted to receive the said text mail and/or voice file with the help of request object and the receiver receives the file with a response object such as to read text mail and listen to the voice e-mail.

Another aspect of the inventibn is that voice e-mail is not compulsory. Thus provided a method for user may choose to deliver an e-mail with or without audio message.

However for generating a voice e-mail can be by using a device such as a microphone or any other digital audio equipment;

Using the interface for recording the voice message and sending to one recipient/or multiple recipients by recording and storing the voice e-mail under a file name in said interface;

Before sending the interface includes the facility to hear, ^' correct, save, send immediately, and send later or forward to multiple accounts. Recipient having provision for receiving and playing such voice e-mail playing the voice under the file name in the message.

Importantly, the voice recorded files are submitted to the audio communication server for transmission to the recipient. The method thus includes sending text and voice messages to multiple recipients through the server based interface for recording voice messages. When the mail is sent, the encrypted name of the file in which the voice message is stored is also sent along with the actual message as either a part of the message or as a URL. The server stores the file and moves into appropriate user folder and the file name is duly allotted.

Following the above method according to the invention the method for delivering a voice e-mail can be retrieved from the back end and played to the user or the user gets access through a link to the resource in the selected web page to play the message, for others.

The recipient has to establish authentic log-in before having access to the message.

The method provides for a very simple user friendly interface of voice e-mail involving at user end basic conventional voice means to send and receive the voice e-mail through the server.

The invention is also directed to "a computer readable information recording medium which records a program on server based storage, a computer readable information storage medium which stores^'the recorded message on a server, and a computer readable information recording medium which decodes a recorded message from a server and delivers the same to the user.

It is thus possible by way of the above disclosed voice e-mail transmission system to provide an effective system of voice e-mail transmission involving simple means for the user to record a message with microphone or any other digital voice equipment and deliver it and providing a means for accessing of voice e-mail from Graphical User Interface. The above system thus favors a simple method' for achieving voice e-mail transmission by way of an effective server based Graphical User Interface.

The use of voice e-mail overcomes any user concerns for size of saving such messages and the bandwidth and makes it convenient and efficient to develop, deliver and maintain user specific application and utilities.

Importantly, by way of the afore discussed system and method the mail user can send text and voice recording messages to many users through the interface by recording a single voice message. When the mails are sent, the encrypted name of the file in which the voice messages are stored is also sent along with the actual message as either a part of the message or as a URL. The details of the invention, its objects and advantages are explained hereunder in greater detail in relation to non-limiting exemplary illustration as per the accompanying

figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES Figure 1 is a flow chart of the voice e-mail transmission system in accordance with the present invention involving the server based interface;

Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating the interaction between the components wherein sender sends a voice e-mail to receiver by using voice recording device; juxtapositioned with text mail facility.

Reference is first invited to Figure 1, which illustrates the use of an application of the voice e-mail transmission system in accordance with the present invention. As represented in said figure in accordance with the above server based interface in the system, the sender sends the voice e-mail, which is received by the receiver. For such purpose as shown in the Figure, the sender sends the voice e-mail from sources such as PC/Laptop/mobile phone/PDA. Mail server is adapted to receive the request and passes the request to a particular user/receiver. In particular, the mail receiver with mobile/ laptop/a PC etc., receives the request and can open and view the voice e-mail using monitor and audio device. The receiver can reply or forward the mail to other users or senders. The receiver can choose to respond by text/voice/both formats of mail. Reference is now invited to Figure 2, which is a flow chart illustrating the interaction between the component wherein the sender sends a voice e-mail to receiver by using text mail and a voice recording device. The mail server receives the text mail and voice file with the help of request object. Receiver receives the file with help of response object and can read the text mail and listen to the voice message. The receiver can, if required, reply back or forward the mail. Both the sender and the receiver must have voice facilities.

In particular, to record a message the sender can use a microphone or any other digital voice equipment and then mail or deliver it while the receiver can use a voice unit for accessing the voice e-mail from a server based graphical interface.

Importantly, as apparent from the above illustrative embodiments the voice e-mail delivery system is not necessarily dependent on system/user specific or on the server size and the bandwidth and is directed, to favor convenient and efficient manner of voice e- mail transmission.

Importantly, as a step forward of the prior art, the voice message is not required to be downloaded to be heard. It only requires to be played to be heard.

Advantageously, also the voice e-mail transmission system would provide for wide scale application and use of voice based communications especially conferencing facilities with many users across the globe. Importantly, the system of the invention would permit the user to store the communication and provide for much desired interface for retrieval of voice e-mails.

Delivery of the original voice and not a downloaded format is the key of the new invention system.

Claims

WE CLAM:

1. A system for voice e-mail transmission comprising:

an algorithm for generating the voice e-mail;

an interface for recording the voice message and adapted to selectively carry out atleast one of the following:

(i) sending to multiple recipients through a server means, adapted for recording and storing the voice e-mail under a file name;

(ii) selectively sending to sirigle or 'multiple recipients through a server means adapted for recording and storing the voice :e-mail under a file name;

(iii) forwarding through a server means a message embedded with the file name to a single recipient;

(iv) forwarding through a server means a message embedded with the file name to multiple recipients;

(v) forwarding through a server means a message embedded with the file name to multiple recipients constituting a single characteristic user group; and (vi) forwarding through a server means a message embedded with the file name to multiple recipients constituting multiple characteristic user groups.

2. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to claim 1 wherein the user records the messages using devices such as microphone or any other digital audio equipment.

3. A system for voice e-mail. •transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 2 wherein the said server comprises graphical interface for receiving, recording voice messages and send the same to multiple users/recipients.

4. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 3 adapted such that when the mail is sent, the encrypted name of the file in which the voice message is stored is also sent along with the actual message as either a part of the message or as a URL.

5. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 4 wherein the server is suitably programmed for recording of the Voice message.

6. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 5 wherein the server is adapted to store the message into a file and move into the appropriate user folder on the server and the file name of the Voice message duly allotted.

7. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 6 wherein the server is adapted to embed the allotted file name to the Voice message and forward the same selectively to the user/recipient.

8. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 7 wherein for hearing of the message by the user, the filename of the voice is retrieved from the message which in turn retrieves the message from the back-end and played selectively to the user/recipient .

9. A system for voice e-mail .transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 8 wherein for hearing of the message by the user, the user is provided with a URL to the resource upon clicking whereby the user is re-directed to a web page where the Voice message file can be played.

10. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 9 server interface adapted such that the recipient has the option of playing the voice.

11. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 10 comprising said server interface ^" adapted to receive and store Voice messages of predetermined sizes based on the size of each voice e-mail , total mail box which are calibrated based on optimizing operating conditions, total server size and bandwidth and other relevant logistics.

12. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 11 comprising said server interface allows only authentic users to log in to listen their mails stored in the server interface.

13. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 12 wherein the device for generating the Voice comprises a voice e-mail generated from a

PC/Laptop/mobile phone/PDA.

14. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 13 wherein the mail receiver also receives the message using a mobile/a laptop/a PDA.

15. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 14 wherein the mail receiver is provided with provision for replying or forwarding the voice e-mail received at the receivers end.

16. A system for voice e-mail transmission according to anyone of claims 1 to 15 wherein the sender is provided with means for sending a voice e-mail to receiver by using a text mail and voice recording device and the mail server is adapted to receive the said text mail and audio/voice file with the help of request object and the receiver receives the file with a response object such as to read text mail and listen the voice e- mail.

17. A method for delivering a voice e-mail comprising the steps of: providing an algorithm for generating the voice e-mail;

using an interface for recording the voice message and selectively carrying out at least one of the following: (i) sending to multiple recipients through a server means adapted for recording and storing the voice e-mail under a file name;

(ii) sending to single or multiple recipients through a server means adapted for recording and storing the voice e-mail under a file name;

(v) forwarding through a server means a message embedded with the file name to multiple recipients constituting a single characteristic user group; and

(vi) forwarding through a server means a message embedded with the file name to multiple recipients constituting multiple characteristic user groups.

18. A method for delivering a voice e-mail as claimed in claim 17 wherein the voice recorded file is submitted to the mail server for transmission to the recipient.

19. A method for delivering a voice e-mail as claimed in anyone of claims 17 or 18 comprising sending text and voice messages to multiple recipients through the server based interface for recording voice messages.

20. A method for delivering a voice e-mail as claimed in anyone of claims 17 to 19 wherein when the mail is sent, the encrypted name of the file in which the voice message is stored is also sent along with the actual message as either a part of the message or as a URL.

21. A method for delivering -. a voice e-mail as claimed in anyone of claims 17 to 20 wherein the server stores the file and moves into appropriate user folder and the file name of the voice message duly allotted.

22. A method for delivering a voice e-mail as claimed in anyone of claims 17 to 21 wherein the message is retrieved from the back end and played selectively to the user/recipient or the user/recipient gets access through a URL to the resource in the selected web page to play the message.

23. A method for delivering a voice e-mail as claimed in anyone of claims 17 to 22 wherein the recipient plays the voice message.

24. A method for delivering a voice e-mail as claimed in anyone of claims 17 to 23 wherein the recipient has to establish authentic log-in before having access to the message.

25. A method for delivering a voice e-mail as claimed in anyone of claims 17 to 24 comprising using conventional voice and audio means to send and receive the voice e- mail.

26. A computer readable information recording medium which records a program for controlling a server based storage and forwarding of voice e-mail using the system according to claim 1.

27. A computer readable information recording medium which records a program for controlling a server based method for providing a voice e-mail service, according to claim 17.

28. A system for voice e-mail transmission substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures.