WO1995004424A1

WO1995004424A1 - Method of storing a page in a voice mail system

Info

Publication number: WO1995004424A1
Application number: PCT/US1994/007954
Authority: WO
Inventors: David E. Cozad; Christopher Lewis
Original assignee: Motorola Inc.
Priority date: 1993-08-02
Filing date: 1994-07-15
Publication date: 1995-02-09

Abstract

A page stored in page storage (32) in a paging system is converted to a voice mail passage by voice mail converter (34) after a predetermined attempted delivery time. The paging system then connects to a voice mail system and the voice mail message is transmitted to, and stored in, the voice mail system. A voice mail notification message is then generated by voice mail notification generator (35) and stored in page storage (32) of the paging system.

Description

METHOD OF STORING A PAGE IN A VOICE MAIL SYSTEM

Related Inventions

The following patent applications and/or patents relate to the present invention and are assigned to the same assignee as the present application:

Method of Delivering Paging Messages Using Voice Mail invented by Frohman et al. , filed on October 26, 1992, having Serial No. 07/966,660.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, in general, to communication paging systems and, more particularly, to a method of storing a paging message in a voice mail system.

Background of the Invention

In present paging systems, a request for a page is received by the paging system. A paging message is then formulated by the system. This message may be as simple as a tone indicating that someone is attempting to page the user, or can consist of messages such as phone numbers or short, alpha-numeric text messages (e.g. "CALL OFFICE") . If the user is unavailable to receive the page, the system will store the message and periodically attempt to send it. In most commercial systems, there is a limit on the number of pages that can be queued for transmission. This number may vary by the level of service being provided. Once the paging queue for a particular user is full, either old pages can be overwritten - meaning that some pages that a sender thought would be delivered would in fact not be transmitted to the user - or new pages can be refused.

In wireless voice communications systems, such as a cellular communication system, a voice mail option is typically provided to the user. These voice mail systems operate much the same way as a business answering machine where the messages are stored at a central location for all users. The user then calls into the central location and plays the messages. In addition, it is currently envisioned that a paging device may be incorporated into a wireless communication device (e.g. a cellular phone) so that paging may be performed over the wireless voice channel. These types of systems are demonstrated in U.S. Patent No's.: 5,153,903 entitled "Integrated Paging and Radiotelephone System

Having Improved Paging Reliability"; 5,148,473 entitled "Pager and Radiotelephone Apparatus"; and 5,117,449 entitled "Dual Receiver Apparatus for Integrated Paging and Radiotelephone Functions", all of which are assigned to Motorola Inc. and are incorporated herein by reference.

However, the same problem arises with the number of pages that can be retained in the system at any one time. In addition, a page generally has a short life span in that if the page is not answered within a relatively short period of time, there is no need to return the page.

Therefore, there is a need in the industry to provide a method of handling pages in a communication system. In particular, there is a need to provide a method of interfacing a paging system with a voice mail system. However, because of the investment many service providers have made in current voice mail systems, there is a need to provide a paging system which is capable of interfacing with existing voice mail systems.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is block diagram of a communication system capable of implementing the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a messaging center of the communication system; and

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a process embodying the present invention. Detailed Description of the Drawings

Referring initially to FIG. 1, a system design, generally designated 10, embodying a messaging center capable of implementing the present invention is illustrated. It should be noted that while a cellular system is illustrated in this preferred embodiment, this type of messaging system may be implemented with any voice communication system. System 10 consists essentially of a cellular communication system 20, a message center 30, and an external voice mail system 40. The cellular communication system consists of a mobile switch controller (MSC) 21 which couples to a land line network through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 22. Each MSC 21 acts as a switch for one or more base station controllers (BSC) 23 which control one or more base stations (BSs) 24 and 25.

Cellular system 20 will serve a plurality of mobile stations (MSs) 26 by use of one of several protocols, the most common protocols being: the analog mobile phone system (AMPS), time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, or code division multiple access (CDMA) systems. Presently in the art, voice mail services are provided by cellular service providers by means of an external voice mail system 40. This operates in much the same way as a business voice mail system. When a call is placed to a MS which is not answered by the MS, the caller is transferred to the external voice mail system. A recording is then played offering several options to the caller with regard to leaving messages . At the end of the recording, or earlier if the recording is interrupted, a voice message can be lef . The MS will then be able to call into the external voice mail system, either through the cellular network or through an external land line via PSTN 22, and retrieve the voice messages.

However, if the MS is out of the coverage area, there is no means of informing the MS that a voice message has been recorded. Another feature presently contemplated by cellular systems is the addition of paging and/or short message service. This would permit a page containing a phone number or short message (e.g. "CALL OFFICE") to be sent to a MS and displayed. However, this system would face the same problems as present paging systems. If the pages are not acknowledged, they will ^■stack-up taking valuable storage space. In addition, a lot of the cellular capacity would be wasted trying to send old pages. The present invention provides messaging center 30 to overcome the above deficiencies. Message center 30 - also known as digital messaging systems or cellular messaging center - contains a paging operation as well as a voice mail operation. However, many operators have already invested heavily in other voice mail systems, such as those provided by Centigram and Octel . Because of this investment, they are unwilling to eliminate these systems. Therefore a method, as described in detail below, is provided to permit continued use of external voice mail system 40 with message center 30.

In operation, a call will be placed to MS 26. This call may originate from the land line via PSTN 22 or through the local cellular network via MSC 21 and/or BSC 23. If user 26 is not reached, the call will be switched to message center 30 by MSC 21. This may be performed by a direct hook-up or by phone line connection. If a phone line connection is utilized the number for the message center is obtained from a translator table 27 and the message center is dialed. Message center 30 will provide the caller with a menu of services that can be accessed.

Should the voice mail option be selected by the caller, the call will be routed to the external voice mail system 40 through MSC 21. When this is performed, the recording at the front end of external voice mail system 40 will be bypassed and the caller will be permitted to record a message.

After completing the voice message, message center 30 will generate a page with its paging operation. This page is known as a voice mail notification message and is a special page. The voice mail notification message is only established by the message center when a first voice message is left. This prevents a build-up of unnecessary pages in the message center. If the messages are cleared out, and a new message is left, a new voice mail notification message will be generated. When a user next accesses the system, either by way of registration (e.g. powering-up in the system) or placing a call, the system will transfer the voice mail notification message. The voice mail notification message would then be deleted. In a similar situation, the caller may enter the paging portion of the message center either because MS 26 does not respond to a call or by the caller direct dialing the paging system. In the first instance, the caller has elected to leave a page rather than a voice mail message. The page may be a phone number or short message. The page is then placed in the system and transmitted to MS 26. This transmission may either be periodically or triggered when MS 26 takes some action, such as registration. In the present invention, message center 30 attempts to deliver the page at intervals defined by the system operator (e.g. every 5 minutes) . Failure to deliver the page within a second defined time interval (e.g. 4 hours) will cause the system to stop attempting to send the page. Once the second time interval has been exceeded, the page or short message is converted to a voice message by message center 30. Message center 30 will then place a call to the external voice mail system 40 via MSC 21. The voice mail message is then transmitted to and recorded as a voice mail message in external voice mail system 40. A voice mail notification page is then created by message center 30. The voice mail notification page will be transmitted in the same manner as a regular page. It should be noted here that while it is possible to transfer the page as a voice message directly from message center 30 to external voice mail 40, many current voice mail systems do not provide for this capability. Therefore, the converted page is routed through MSC 21. Another possibility is that the voice mail message will be stored in a voice mail system internal to message center 30. In this case, the transfer would be handled in the same way. In FIG. 2, a more detailed block diagram of message center 30 is illustrated. Message center 30 consists of a timer 31, a page storage device 32, and a page delivery device 33. In operation, the page is stored in storing device 32. Periodically, as regulated by timer 31, the page is transferred to page delivery device 33. The page is then transferred to the MSC and transmitted. Once a page delivery attempt time has been exceeded, the page is transferred to a voice mail converter 34 where it is converted to a voice mail message. The voice mail message is then transferred to the voice mail system. A voice mail notification generator 35 then generates a voice mail notification page which is stored in page storage 32. A process, generally designated 50, embodying the present invention is provided in the flow chart of FIG. 3. Process 50 begins where a page has been left and is ready for delivery, step 51. The communication system will then attempt to deliver the page, step 52. If the page is delivered, decision step 53, then the page is deleted, step 54. Process 50 then ends, step 55.

If the page was not delivered, decision step 53, then process 50 determines if a page delivery attempt time is equal to or greater than a maximum time. If the page delivery attempt time is less than the maximum time, then process 50 loops back to step 52. If the page delivery attempt time is equal to or greater than the maximum time, then process 50 determines if the page is a voice mail notification page, decision step 57.

If the page is a voice mail notification page, then process 50 loops back to step 52. If the page is not a voice mail notification page, then process 50 converts the page to a voice mail message, step 58. A voice mail system is then accessed and the voice mail message is recorded therein, step 59. The original page is then terminated, step 60.

The voice mail system is accessed by coupling the paging system to the voice mail system. As described above, this may be directly or through the associated communication system. This coupling is performed by transmitting an access instruction to the voice mail system. The access instruction will serve to identify the subscriber for which the message is intended by way of some user identification number. The access may also require the transmission of a menu selection number or other input to proceed through the front end menu of the voice mail system.

/ Returning to FIG. 3, process 50 next determines if a voice mail notification page exists, step 61. If a voice mail notification page exists, then process 60 ends, step

55. If a voice mail notification page does not exist, then one is created. The present system design permits pages to be left on the system and provides a means of disposing of the page itself without eliminating the page information. In addition, the process provides a method of notifying a subscriber when a page or voice mail message is pending for the subscriber. This reduces the capacity load the pages put on the cellular system while insuring delivery of the information.

Thus, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that there has been provided in accordance with the invention, a method of storing a page in a voice mail system which fully satisfies the objects, aims, and advantages set forth above.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alterations, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations in the appended claims .

Claims

1. A method of storing a page of a paging system as a voice mail message in a voice mail system comprising the steps of: converting said page to a voice mail message; transmitting said voice mail message from said paging system to said voice mail system; and storing said voice mail message in said voice mail system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing a voice mail notification page in said paging system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of storing said voice mail notification page is performed unless a voice mail notification page is presently stored in said paging system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said paging message is one of a phone number and an alpha-numeric message.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of coupling said paging system to said voice mail system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said step of coupling said voice mail system comprises the step of transmitting an access instruction to said voice mail system in response to which access to a user portion of said voice mail system is provided.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said access instruction comprises one of a user identification number and a menu selection.

8. A method of storing a page in a voice mail system comprising the steps of:

(A) attempting to deliver a page to a subscriber;

(B) deleting said page if said page was delivered to said subscriber;

(C) returning to said step (A) if said page was not delivered and a page delivery attempt time is less than a maximum time;

(D) returning to said step (A) if said page is a voice mail notification page;

(E) converting said page to a voice mail message if said page was not delivered, said page delivery attempt time is greater than or equal to said maximum time, and said page is not said voice mail notification page; (F) accessing a voice mail system;

(G) transmitting said voice mail message to said voice mail system;

(H) terminating said page;

(I) storing said voice mail notification page in said communication system unless said voice mail notification page is presently stored in said communication system.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said paging message is one of a phone number and an alpha-numeric message.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of accessing said voice mail system comprises the step of transmitting an access instruction to said voice mail system to access a user portion of said voice mail system.