Message storage and delivery system

ES 2 326 565 T3

DESCRIPTION

Message storage and sending system.

Field of the invention

This invention relates to a system and a method for storing and delivering messages, and, more particularly, to a system and a method for storing messages and for delivering the messages via the Internet, to a desired recipient.

Description of the prior art

One type of system, such as that described in US Patent No. 5,257,112, assigned to Okada, can route an incoming call to a specific facsimile [fax] machine based on codes entered with telephone push buttons. part of the sender or sender of the message. Another type of system, such as that described in US Patent No. 5,115,326, assigned to Burgess et al., Or US Patent No. 5,247,591, assigned to Baran, requires the issuer to use a page specially formatted cover page that is read by the system. This type of system, however, overloads the sender, who may very well be a customer or consumer, by requiring the sender to take special steps or additional steps to transmit a facsimile message. These systems are therefore neither very efficient nor desirable.

Another type of routing system links a fax machine to a Local Area Network (LAN) in an office. For example, in the systems disclosed in the Baran and Burgess et al. Patents, once the system has read the cover sheet to determine the intended recipient for the facsimile message, the system sends an email message to the recipient. over the local network connecting the fax machine to the recipient's computer. Other office systems, such as US Patent No. 5,091,790, assigned to Silverberg, and US Patent No. 5,291,546, assigned to Giler et al., Are linked to the voicemail system of the office and can leave a message with the intended recipient that a fax message has been received. Some systems that are even more advanced, such as US Patent No. 5,317,628, assigned to Misholi et al., And US Patent No. 5,333,266, assigned to Boaz et al., Are connected to a network. office premises and provide integrated control of voice messages, e-mail messages, and fax messages.

The various systems for routing facsimile messages and possibly messages of other types that are received in the office are very sophisticated and expensive systems. While these office systems are desirable in that they can effectively route messages in the office to their intended recipients, the systems are extremely expensive and only companies with large numbers of employees can offset the costs of the system with the benefits that the system provides. system will provide to your society. Thus, for most companies, it remains a problem to efficiently and quickly route messages to their intended audiences. It remains a problem, too, for most companies to route messages in a way that can preserve the confidential nature of the messages.

Even for companies that have a message routing system, and especially those that do not have a system at all, it is often difficult for a person to retrieve fax messages while out of the office. Typically, a person out for work has to call the office and be informed by someone in the office about the fax messages that have been received. Consequently, the person must call the office during normal business hours when someone is in the office and is therefore limited in how long information about a facsimile message can be transmitted.

If the person out for work wants to view the fax message, someone in the office has to forward the message to a fax machine that is accessible to the person. Since this accessible machine is often a facsimile machine located in another company or in a hotel where the person is staying, it is difficult for the person to receive the facsimile message without risking its content being discovered. On the other hand, since someone in this person's office must remember to send the message, and because someone at the accessible facsimile machine must direct the message to the person outside the office, the person may not receive all fax messages or have to wait to receive messages.

Retrieval of fax messages, as well as voicemail messages, when you are out of the office, is not free of charge. For some, the person must often incur long distance telephone charges when the person calls the office to check for messages and to have someone in the office forward the messages to another facsimile [fax] machine. The person will then incur the costs of transmitting the message to a fax office or hotel reception, as well as the reception location's own charges for the use of their equipment. While these charges are certainly not substantial, the charges are nonetheless expenses incurred when the person is out of the office.

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However, while the facsimile machine is an indispensable piece of equipment for many businesses, the facsimile machine presents a number of problems or costs. Many businesses or households suffer because they are unable to reap the benefits of the fax machine. For businesses that do have facsimile machines, the business has to bear the normal costs of running the facsimile machine, in addition to the costs that may be incurred when the facsimile machine or machines are unable to receive a message. Furthermore, facsimile messages may not be efficiently or reliably routed to the intended recipient, and their content may be revealed or disclosed during the routing procedure. The costs and problems of routing a fax message are compounded when the intended recipient is out of the office.

Many of the problems associated with fax messages are not unique to fax messages only, but are also associated with voicemail messages and data messages. When it comes to voice messages, many companies do not have voice mail systems and must write down the messages. Therefore, the person outside the office should call during normal business hours to find out who called. The information in these messages is usually limited simply to the person who called, their number, and perhaps some indication of the nature of the call. For businesses that have voicemail, the person out of the office must call and often incur long distance charges. There is, therefore, a need for a system for storing and delivering voice messages that can be easily and cheaply accessed at any time.

As regards data messages, the transmission of the message often requires some coordination between the sender or sender and the recipient. For example, the recipient's computer must be on to receive the message, which usually occurs only when someone is present during normal business hours. Consequently, the recipient's computer is typically only capable of receiving a data message during normal business hours. Many homes, as well as businesses, may lack a dedicated or dedicated data line, and must switch the line between the telephone, the computer, and the fax machine. In such a situation, the sender must call and inform the recipient to switch the line by passing it to the computer, and may have to wait until the sender can receive the message. Retransmission of data messages to another location, such as when someone is out of the office, can only further complicate delivery. It is therefore often difficult to transmit and receive data messages, and it is also difficult to forward the messages to another location subsequently.

Purposes of the invention

It is an object of the invention to reliably and efficiently route messages to a desired recipient.

It is another purpose of the invention to route messages to the intended recipient while keeping the content of the message confidential.

It is another purpose of the invention to allow the intended recipient to access the messages easily and with minimal costs.

It is a further purpose of the invention to allow the simultaneous reception of more than one message by the intended recipient.

It is a further object of the invention to enable the intended recipient of a message to access the message at any time and practically anywhere in the world.

It is still a further purpose of the invention to allow the intended recipient of a message to browse or scroll through the received messages.

It is still another purpose of the invention to promptly notify a desired recipient that a message has been received.

It is still another purpose of the invention to deliver messages according to the preferences of the intended recipient.

It is still a further purpose of the invention to record and track correspondence, such as facsimile messages, voice mail messages, and data transfers.

Presentation of the invention

In accordance with the present invention, a system and a method for storing and delivering messages are configured to receive an incoming call and detect an address signal associated with the incoming call, such that the address signal is associated with a user of the message storage and delivery system, receive a message that accompanies the address sign, such that the message is in a first file format, convert the message from the first file format to a second file format, store the message in the second file format within a storage area, retrieve the message once

ES 2 326 565 T3 a request has been received from the user to transmit at least a portion of the message to the user over the Internet, in such a way that the second file format is any type of generalized extensive inclusion language that can be used to exchange information through the Internet.

Also according to the present invention, a method for storing and delivering a message for a user comprises the steps of receiving an incoming call and detecting an address signal associated with the incoming call, the address signal being associated with a user, receiving a message associated with the address sign in a first file format, converting the message into a second file format, store the message in the second file format in a storage area, receive a request requesting the message from the user, and retrieve the message from the storage area and transmit at least a portion of the message to the user over the Internet, as such So the second file format is any standard type of generalized wide-inclusion language that can be used to exchange information over the Internet.

Additional purposes, advantages, and novel features of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows and will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this description or by practicing the invention. The purposes and advantages of the invention can be realized and achieved by the accompanying claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, illustrate one embodiment of the present invention and, in conjunction with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating message storage device connections and an MSDS delivery system;

Figure 2 is a global or ensemble flow diagram of the operations for transmitting a message to the MSDS of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a global flow diagram of the operations for receiving a message stored in the MSDS of Figure 1;

Figures 4 (A) and (B) are flow diagrams of the operations for the generation of HTML files [hypertext extensive inclusion language - "hyper-text mark-up language"] according to user preferences;

Figure 5 is a flow chart of operations to generate requested information;

Figure 6 is a flow chart of operations for converting a facsimile [fax] message into HTML files;

Figure 7 is an exemplary display of a first page of a facsimile message in accordance with a fourth display option;

Figure 8 is a flow chart of operations for converting a voice message to an HTML file;

Figure 9 is a flow chart of operations for converting a data message to an HTML file;

Figure 10 is a flow chart of the operations to detect the type of call received in the MSDS 10;

Figure 11 is a flow chart of operations for receiving voice messages;

Figure 12 is a flow chart of operations to interact with a call from the owner or holder;

Figure 13 is a more detailed block diagram of MSDS 10;

Figure 14 is a block diagram of the central processor of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a block diagram of the Internet Server of Figure 13;

Figures 16 (A) and 16 (B) represent possible layers of software or programming for the Internet Server of Figure 13.

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Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring to Figure 1, a message storage and delivery system (MSDS) 10 is connected to a central office 20 of the telephone company via at least one direct inward dialing trunk link. (DID - "direct inward dialing") 15. With each call made over the trunk link of DID 15, an address signal is provided to the MSDS 10 indicating the telephone number being called. The DID 15 trunk can carry a large number of phone numbers or addresses. Preferably, the DID trunk 15 comprises a number of DID trunks 15 connected in parallel between the central office 20 and the MSDS 10, such that the MSDS 10 can simultaneously receive more than one call, and what is Furthermore, they can simultaneously receive more than one call for a single phone number or address.

The central office 20 is connected to a number of third elements. For example, the central office 20 may be connected to a facsimile [fax] machine 24, a telephone terminal 26, and a computer 28, such that each connection is made through a separate telephone line. While a single computer 28 is shown in Figure, individual computer 28 may actually represent a local area network that is connected via central office 20 to MSDS 10. Although facsimile machine 24, telephone terminal 26 and computer 28 have been shown on separate lines, it is to be understood that one or more of these devices may share a single line.

The MSDS 10 is also connected to a network, preferably the "World Wide Web" 30. While the Internet 30 has been shown as a single entity, it is to be understood that the Internet 30 actually consists of in a conglomerate of computer networks and it is a structure that is constantly evolving and changing. The MSDS 10 is therefore not limited to the current structure or form of the Internet 30, but encompasses any future changes or additions to the Internet 30. On the other hand, the MSDS 10 has been shown to be directly connected to the Internet 30, such as through its own node or portal. The MSDS 10, however, can be implemented with any appropriate connection to the Internet 30, such as through an intermediate Internet access provider.

Referring to Figure 2, which represents a global operation of the invention, in step 40 a telephone call directed to a number that is served by the MSDS 10 is initiated, by a third party, for example, to via the facsimile machine 24, the telephone terminal 26 or the computer 28. The incoming telephone call can therefore carry a facsimile message, a voice message or a data message. At step 42, the address signal associated with the initiated call is routed through central office 20, past DID trunk 15, and to MSDS 10.

When the call arrives at the MSDS 10, the call is routed within the MSDS 10 in a manner that will be described in greater detail later, with reference to Figure 13. In step 46, the MSDS 10 answers or answers the call. and receives the address signal from the trunk of DID 15. Next, in step 48, the call is established between the MSDS 10 and the third item, and, in step 50, the MSDS 10 receives the message transmitted over the telephone line. The message is stored in step 52, a database located within the MSDS 10 is updated in step 54, and the intended recipient for the message is notified in step 56. The intended recipient for the message uses the services provided by the MSDS 10, so hereafter he will be referred to as a user. In step 58, the message is converted or passed into a hypertext-wide inclusion language (HTML - "hyper-text mark-up language").

Once the MSDS 10 receives a message for one of its users, the user can then communicate with the MSDS 10 at any time and in any position, by connecting to the World Wide Web 30 and retrieving the message stored inside the MSDS 10. Referring to Figure 3, in step 60, the user first connects to the Internet 30, such as through a personal computer 32, which can be connected to the Internet in any appropriate way, such as through his own portal or node, or through some intermediate access provider. The personal computer 32 is not limited to a single computer, but may instead comprise a computer network, such as a local area network located within an office.

Once connected to the Internet 32, in step 62, the user accesses with a hypertext search engine the Universal Resource Locator (URL - "Universal Resource Locator") associated with his or her MSDS mailbox 10. A Hypertext Transfer Protocol Deamon (HTTPD - “Hypertext Transfer Protocol Deamon”) [program that runs in the background on a web server and waits for input requests to respond to them] located inside the SMDS 10, receives the URL request at the stage 64 and, in step 66, request user authentication. The user then provides their ID and password in step 68 and, if these are considered valid in step 70, the MSDS 10 provides computer 32 with access to the mailbox in step 72. If the ID and password are invalid as determined in step 70, then HTTPD sends computer 32, in step 74, an authentication failure message.

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Once the user gains access to the mailbox in step 72, the user can request information stored inside the MSDS 10. The MSDS 10 receives the request in step 76 and, in step 78, determines whether the information exists. As common practice, the MSDS 10 also determines the validity of the request in step 78. The request from the user will include the user's voicemail number, message identifier, display preferences, and, if the message is a facsimile message, a page identifier. If for any reason the request is not valid, such as when a saboteur or intruder is trying to gain access to privileged information, the request for the information will be terminated.

If the requested information is available, then, in step 80, the information is transmitted via the Internet 30 to the user's computer 32. If, on the contrary, the information does not exist, then, in step 82, the MSDS 10 will generate the requested information and will then send the information to the user's computer through the Internet 30, in step 80.

Before accessing the mailbox in step 72, the user is preferably sent a welcome page or other information of a similar type that allows the user to get up to date with the services provided by the MSDS 10, open an account with the MSDS 10 or get access to an account. Once access is facilitated in step 72, the user is provided with information indicating the total number of messages stored in their mailbox, within the MSDS 10. Preferably, the information sent by the MSDS 10 indicates the total number number of messages for each type of message, and also the total number of saved or saved messages versus the total number of new messages.

The user is also preferably given at this stage the option to change account information. Account information may include the user's email address, how messages should be reviewed, information on the user's “pager” or portable pager, as well as other user preferences. Display options and other usage preferences will be discussed in more detail later.

The general information of the HTML file that indicates the total number of different messages, is provided with a certain number of ligatures or links, which are also declared links or references. In general, a link allows a user of computer 32 to retrieve information located in another file. For example, preferably a link to a listing of the facsimile messages is provided in the display of the total number of messages. When the user selects the link for the fax list, the MSDS 10 extracts the message and displays the file containing the fax list, such as the "faxlist.html" file. The other types of messages, such as voice messages and data messages, will have similar links on the overview page to their respective HTML listing files.

When a new message is received in step 54 of Figure 2, the user's mailbox is updated to display the total number and types of messages. The MSDS 10 can also update other files in addition to the total message listing. Additionally, at this time, the MSDS 10 sends an email message to the user's computer 32 to inform the user of the message that has just arrived. The MSDS 10 may also send a notification to the user by means of a "pager" or portable pager system, such that the user is notified almost instantaneously that a message has arrived.

The MSDS 10 also generates additional information according to user preferences. These preferences for how the MSDS 10 is configured for the user include options for how messages are received. With facsimile messages, for example, the user can vary the amount or type of information that will be supplied with the list of facsimile messages, by selecting an appropriate option. Other options are also available, such that the user can custom tailor the MSDS 10 to the user's own computer 32 or to their own personal preferences.

For example, when a facsimile message is received, the MSDS 10 will update, in step 54, the total list of all messages in order to indicate the messages that have just been received, and can, additionally, generate the files of HTML for the fax message that was just received, according to user preferences. When the user later requests information about the message in step 76, the HTML information has already been generated and the MSDS 10 can directly send the requested information to the user in step 80. If, on the other hand, the user wishes to view the message according to one of the other options, the MSDS 10 will generate the HTML files in step 82, according to that other option, at the time of the request.

A first option available to the user in order to view a facsimile message is a text-only listing of the messages. The information in the textual listing preferably includes the date and time the message was received in the MSDS 10, the telephone number from which the message was transmitted, the number of pages, the size of the pages and the size of the message in bytes. The messages, of course, can be listed with other types of information. When the user selects one of the facsimile messages from the list, a request is sent to the HTTPD located within the MSDS 10, which causes the message to be downloaded from the Internet 30 to the user's computer 32. Once the message is received by computer 32, the message can be displayed, printed, or saved for viewing again.

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The second through fifth options allow the user to preview an image of the facsimile message, before having the message downloaded from the MSDS 10, via the Internet 30, to the computer 32. The second option allows the user view the list of messages with a reduced size image of the cover page following each entry in the list. When the user selects one of the messages from the list, the selected facsimile message is transmitted through the Internet 30 to the computer 32. The user can also develop drop-down through the lists in the event that it is not possible to present visually all messages at the same time on computer 32.

The third option provides the user with a full-size view of the cover page of each fax message. The user can quickly develop flyers through the cover pages of each message without downloading the entire message to the computer 32. The full-size view of the cover pages allows the user to clearly distinguish any comments that may have been captured on the cover page, which is not possible with just a reduced image of the cover page, available through the second option.

The fourth option provides the user with a reduced size image of each page and allows the user to develop a drop-down with the entire message. The user can, therefore, read the entire facsimile message on the screen before the message is downloaded to the computer 32. With this option, the user can scroll through the pages of the facsimile message and can also jump to the next message. or the previous message. Additionally, the user has the option of enlarging a page to have a full-size view of the page. When one of the messages is selected, as with the other options, the HTTDP located within the MSDS 10 causes the facsimile message to be transmitted over the Internet 30, to the user's computer 32.

With a fifth option, the full size image of each page is transmitted to the user's computer 32. The user can develop dropdowns through the pages of the facsimile message and easily read the content of each page. If the user wants the message to be downloaded to computer 32, the user selects the message and the HTTPD comprised within the MSDS 10 transmits the message to the user's computer 32 via the Internet 30.

As discussed above, once the database has been updated in step 54, the MSDS 10 will generate additional information based on the option selected to display the facsimile messages. More specifically, as shown in Figure 4 (A), if the first option has been selected, as determined in step 100, then, in step 102, the MSDS 10 will generate the textual listing of the facsimile messages with links or references to the respective facsimile files. The HTML files are then transferred to an Internet Server in step 104.

If the first option is not selected, the MSDS 10 then determines whether the second option has been selected in step 106. With the second option, the facsimile messages are listed together with a reduced size image of the cover page. In order to generate this information, the cover page of the facsimile file is extracted in step 112, and a list of the facsimile messages is generated with a small view of each cover page, linked to its respective file of facsimile. The generated HTML files are then sent to the Internet Server in step 104.

When the third option has been selected, as determined in step 114, a full size image of the cover page is sent to computer 32. The full-size image of the cover page is generated by first extracting the cover page from the facsimile file in step 116. Next, the cover page is converted into a full-size HTML image in step 118, and, in step 120, the listing with the embedded cover page, linked to the facsimile file, is generated.

If, in step 122, it is determined that the fourth option has been selected, then a reduced size image of each page is provided to the user, with the option to enlarge the page to more clearly see the content of the page. Referring to Figure 4 (B), the information necessary for the third option is produced by first extracting the first page of the facsimile message in step 124. A reduced-size HTML image is created in step 126, and then, in step 128, a full-size HTML image is created. In step 130, the list with small images included or incorporated of the pages is generated, with links to the full-size images. If the page is not the last page, as determined in step 140, then the next page is extracted in step 142 and steps 126 to 130 are repeated to generate the HTML files for the other pages of the facsimile message. Once the last page has been converted to an HTML file according to a third option, the files are transferred to the Internet Server in step 104.

In step 144, the SMDS 10 determines if the fifth option has been selected. The fifth option provides the user with a full size image of each page of the facsimile message. Although only five options have been explained, the invention can be practiced with additional options. Consequently, if additional options exist and the fourth option has not been selected, the MSDS 10 will then determine if one of the additional options has been selected. However, in the case of the preferred embodiment of the invention, which has so

ES 2 326 565 T3 only five options, the MSDS 10 will assume that the fifth option has been selected if none of the first four options was found to be selected.

The information necessary to display the pages of the facsimile message according to the fifth option is generated by first extracting the first page of the facsimile message at step 146. At step 148, an HTML image is created to full size of the page, and in step 150 a listing with an embedded image is generated, which is linked to the previous and next pages. In the event that the page is not the last page, as determined in step 152, the MSDS 10 extracts the next page and generates the HTML file for that page. Once all the pages have been converted to HTML files according to the fourth option, the files are sent to the Internet Server at cover 104.

While Figures 4 (A) and (B) describe the operations of the MSDS 10 at the time a message is received, Figure 5 represents a global flow diagram of the operations of the MSDS 10 when the user requests a page of information in a different display format than the user's preferred choice for the display of the message. Figure 5 is therefore a more detailed illustration of how the MSDS 10 generates the necessary information in step 82 of Figure 3.

In general, as shown in Figure 5, the MSDS 10 first determines the type of image that is needed in step 82a. For example, at this stage, the MSDS 10 will determine if images are needed, if only one image of the cover page is required, if one image is needed for each page, and if the image needs to be full-size, full-size or both full-size and reduced-size images are required. In step 82b, the MSDS 10 determines if the image has already been created. If the image has not been created, then at step 82c, the MSDS 10 will extract the page from the facsimile file and, at step 82d, will generate the required HTML image. As explained above, the required image can be only of the cover page, of all the pages, and can be an image of the page of real size and / or of reduced size. In step 82e, the image is included or embedded with links or links to other HTML files. These links or links may consist of references to the next and previous pages and also to the next and previous facsimile messages. Finally, the HTML file that has the embedded image and the links is sent to the user in step 80 shown in Figure 3.

The procedure for converting a facsimile message into HTML files according to the fifth option will be described with reference to Figure 6. This procedure will take place in step 54 when the message is received and if the fifth option is the preferred option by the user to visually present the messages. It is to be understood that a similar type procedure will also take place if the user requests an information page according to the fifth option when the user is retrieving a facsimile message and the fifth option is not the preferred option by the user. The conversion procedure in accordance with the other options will be apparent to those skilled in the art and therefore will not be explained in more detail.

Referring to Figure 6, when the facsimile message is received, the message is in a Tagged Image File Format / Facsimile (TIFF / F - "Tagged Image File Format / Facsimile"), and each page of the facsimile is separated into a separate file. Each page of the facsimile message is then converted from the TIFF / F format into a Portable Pixel Map (PPM) format. The PMM files are then converted to Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) files and then to separate HTML files. Thus, each page of the fax message is converted into a separate HTML file. TIFF / F files can be converted to PPM with an available software or programming package titled “LIBTIFF”), and PPM files can be converted to GIF files with an available software package found on “Portable Pixel Map. Tools ”(“ Portable Pixel Match Tools ”).

The invention is not limited by this exact conversion procedure or by the particular software packages used in the conversion procedure. For example, TIFF / F files can be converted to another portable file format through any other type of intermediate format, or they can be converted directly to GIF format. On the other hand, instead of GIF, fax messages can be converted to JPEG, BMP, PCX, PIF, PNG, or any other suitable file format.

Files can be identified by any suitable file name. In the preferred embodiment, the files for each user are stored in a separate directory assigned only to that user, because an entire directory for a given user can generally be more easily protected than individual files. Memory, however, can be organized in other ways, so that files for the same user are stored in different directories. The first part of the file name is a number, preferably determined sequentially, according to the order in which messages arrive for that user. The preferred naming convention for naming file names is shown in Figure 6. Each page of the fax message is saved as a separate file, with an extension defined by the file format. Thus, the files will end with an extension consisting of ".TIFF", ".PPM", ".GIF" or ".HTML", according to the specific file format. In the example shown, the separate pages have file names that end with the respective page number; for example, the first page ends with a "1". The files, however, are preferably ended with one letter or with multiple letters

ES 2 326 565 T3 in order to indicate the order of the pages. For example, page 1 may end in "aa", page 2 may end in "ab", and so on. The invention, however, is not limited to the naming convention that has been described, but encompasses other conventions that will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

As shown in Figure 6, in addition to the GIF files that represent the pages of the facsimile message, the HTML file includes a number of links or references. In the example shown, the first HTML file has a link to for the "Next Page". The link to is defined as a = <A HREF = “2.html"> Next page </a> (“a = <A HREF = “2.html"> Next page </a>”) and will reference, hence to the second HTML file when a user selects the "Next Page". The second HTML file has link b for "Previous Page" and link c for "Next Page", and the third HTML file has link d for "Previous Page." With these particular HTML files, the user can develop scrolls through each page of the facsimile message, and view a full-size image of the page.

Each HTML file preferably contains added links in addition to the "Next Page" and "Previous Page" links. For example, each HTML file can contain a link to the next fax message, a link to the previous fax message, as well as a link to return to the fax list. HTML files preferably contain "Save" and "Delete" links. When the "Save" link is selected, the user will have the ability to save or save the message under a more descriptive name for the message. The "Delete" link is preferably followed by a question as to whether the user is sure they want to delete the message. Other links, such as a link to the general listing, will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be provided as well.

Figure 7 provides an example of a display according to the fifth option for the first of the facsimile message shown in Figure 6. The display headings provide information about the telephone number from which the message was sent. message, the date and time the message was received on the MSDS 10, as well as an indication of the page of the message being displayed. The main part of the visual presentation is the full-size page image. At the bottom of the visual, a link is provided to "Next Page" and another link to "Return to Fax List." Additional information on the display may also be provided, such as a link to a company in charge of running the MSDS 10.

Next, Table 1 shows an example of the “1.html” file to generate the visual presentation shown in Figure 7.

(Table goes to next page)

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TABLE 1 <HTML>

<TITLE> Fax received on May 31, 1995, at 1:58

PM, from (404) 249 6801; Page 1 of 3 </ TITLE>

</CABECERA>

<BODY>

<Hl> Fax from (404) 249 6801 </Hl>

<H2> Received May 31, 1995 at 1:58 PM </H2>

<H2> Page 1 of 3 </H2>

<IMG SRC = "l.gif">

<P>

<A HREF = “2.html"> Next page </a>

<HR>

<A HREF = “faxlist.html"> Return to the fax list </A>

<P>

This page was automatically generated by FaxWeb (tm) (trademark) on May 31, 1995 at 2:05 PM.

<P>

© 1995 NetOffice, Inc.

<HR>

<Address>

<A HREF-“http://www.netoffice.com/"> NetOffice,

Inc. </A>

PO Box 7115

Atlanta, Ga. 30357 <A HREF-“mailto:info@netoffice.com">

info@netoffice.com </A>

</ Address>

</BODY>

</HTML>

As is evident from the listing in Table 1, the image file “1.gil” for the first page is embedded within the HTML file “1.html”. It is also evident from the listing that the link to the "Next Page" directs the MSDS 10 to the second page of the facsimile message, which has the name "2.html", and that the link to the "Return to fax listing" directs MSDS 10 to the file name “faxlist.html” [“faxlist.html”], which contains the list of fax messages.

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A procedure for converting a voice message to an HTML file is illustrated in Figure 8. The voice message is initially stored in a VOX format or in an AD / PCM format and is retrieved in step 170. The voice message is then converted to either an AU format, or a WAV format, according to user preference, and is stored in memory. Preferably, the message is initially in AD / PCM format and converted to WAV, but voice files can alternatively be stored and converted to file formats other than those described, such as the RealAudio (RA).

At step 174, the listing of all voice messages is then updated to include a listing of the voice message that was just received and a link to the voice message. For example, the original voice message can be stored with the file name "1.vox", and it is converted to the WAV and stored with a file name "1.wav". The HTML file “voicelist.html” [“voicelist.html”], which contains a list of all voice messages, will then have a link to the file name “1.wav”, along with identifying information for the message. voice, just like when the message was received.

The list of voice messages may have additional links or references. For example, each voice message may have a link that directs the MSDS 10 to a file that contains a short sample of the message. In this way, when the user selects this link, the user can receive the first 5 seconds of the message or some other predefined number of seconds. As with the fax message list, the voice message list preferably also has links to “Save” and “Delete”.

Figure 9 illustrates a procedure for converting a data message to HTML. In step 180 the data file is retrieved from a database, and in step 182 the HTML file containing the list of data messages is updated to include a listing of the message that was just received, together with identifying information. For example, the HTML file for the listing "datalist.html" ["datalist.html"] will be updated to include a link to a data file "file 1.1" ["file 1.1"], and will have information such as the time and date the data was transmitted, the size of the data file, as well as additional identifying information.

Because the MSDS 10 can retrieve messages of various types, such as a facsimile message, a voice message, or a data message, the MSDS 10 must be able to determine the type of message that is being sent over the trunk link. DID 15. Referring to Figure 10, when an incoming call is received, the MSDS 10 goes off-hook at step 200 and begins to generate a ringing sound. If a facsimile [fax] ringing tone is detected at step 202, then the ringing sound is stopped at step 204 and the message is received as a facsimile message at step 206. Similarly, when it is detected at step 208 a data modem [modulator-demodulator] ringtone, the ringtone is stopped at step 210 and the message is identified as a data message at step 212.

If the MSDS 10 detects a DTMF digit in step 214, the ringing sound is stopped in step 216 and the MSDS 10 then determines which digit was pressed. When the digit is a "1" as determined in step 218, the message is identified as a facsimile message. The MSDS 10 thereafter will receive and store the facsimile message in the manner previously described with reference to Figure 2. If the digit is identified as a "0" in step 220, the call is identified as a call from an owner or holder and will be processed or dealt with in a manner that will be described later with reference to Figure 12. As will be apparent , other digits may cause the MSDS 10 to take additional steps. If any other DTMF digit is pressed, the MSDS 10 activates, in step 224, a voice calling system which will be described in more detail later with reference to Figure 11.

With step 226, the MSDS 10 will enter a loop that continuously checks for the presence of a fax ringtone, a data modem ringtone, or a DTMF digit. If after n ringing touches none of these tones or digits have been detected, the ringing sound is stopped at step 228 and the voice calling system is activated at step 224.

Referring to Figure 11, when a face ringtone or modem ringtone is not detected, the voice calling system begins at step 230, playing a voice greeting. If the greeting was not interrupted by a DTMF digit as determined in step 232, then the caller is prompted to leave the voice message at step 234 and, at step 236, the voice message is recorded and stored in memory. At step 238, a number of options appear to the caller, such as listening to the message, saving the message, or recording the message. Since the selection of these options with DTMF digits will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the details of this subroutine or subroutines will not be described in further detail. When the caller wishes to re-record the message, as determined in step 240, the caller is again prompted to leave a message in step 234. If the caller does not wish to re-record the message, the call is terminated in step 242.

If the voice greeting is interrupted by a DTMF digit, as determined in step 232, then the MSDS 10 finds out which digit was pressed. In step 244, if the digit is a "0", the MSDS 10 detects that the call is a call from an owner. When the digit is a "1", the MSDS 10 is informed, in step 206, that the call carries a facsimile message. As explained above with reference to Figure 10, the other DTMF digits may cause the MSDS 10 to take additional steps. If an invalid digit has been pressed, the routine defaults, at step 248, to step 234 of prompting the caller to leave a message.

ES 2 326 565 T3

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific interactive voice response system that has been described with reference to Figure 11. As explained above, the invention can respond to DTMF digits other than just a "0" and a "1". Other additional variations or alterations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Referring to Figure 12, when the call is considered a call from an owner, the caller is first inquired about the password in step 250. The password is received in step 252 and, if found correct at step 254, a set of advertisements is played to the user. These announcements will preferably inform the owner of the number about the new messages that have been received, the number of stored messages, the number of facsimile messages, the number of data messages and the number of voice messages. Other announcements can, of course, be made at this time as well.

In step 258, the owner or holder then receives a recording of the owner's menu with the appropriate DTMF digit for each option. For example, the DTMF digit "1" may be associated with message playback, the DTMF digit "2" may be associated with an options menu, and the DTMF key symbol "*" may be associated with returning to a previous menu or ending the call if there is no previous menu.

In step 260 a DTMF digit is detected and appropriate action is taken based on the received digit. Thus, if the digit is determined to be a "1" at step 264, the holder can play a message at step 266. At step 266, the owner is welcomed with a menu that provides the holder with options for play or download new messages, saved messages, fax messages, data messages, or voice messages. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the owner may receive one or more menus at step 266 and the owner may enter one or more digits of DTMF in order to play or download a particular message.

If, on the other hand, it is determined in step 268 that the digit is a "2", then the owner receives a menu of options in step 270. With the menu of options, the owner can enter or change certain parameters of the MSDS. 10. For example, the owner can change their password, the owner can change the way the facsimile messages are displayed on the computer 32, the owner can change the image file format from GIF to other format, the owner can select the file formats for voice messages, as well as other options.

If the DTMF key symbol "*" is received, as determined in step 272, then the owner is returned to the previous menu. The “*” key symbol is also used to end the call when the holder has returned to the initial menu. The "*" key symbol is therefore universally recognized by MSDS 10 throughout the various menus as a command to return to the previous menu.

In the event that the owner enters a MTMF digit that is not being used by the MSDS 10, the owner receives an indication, at step 276, that the key is invalid and the owner is then provided again with the key. owner's menu in step 258. If the owner does not enter any DTMF digits while the owner's menu is playing, as determined in step 260, the menu will be played again n times. Once the menu has been played n times, as determined in step 262, the call will then be terminated at step 278.

If the password is incorrect, as determined in step 254, then the MSDS 10 checks if the user has made more than "n" attempts at step 280. If no "n" attempts have been made, then it will be displayed. visually the user an incorrect password message at step 182 and the user will once again be prompted to provide the password at step 250. Once the user has made "n" attempts to enter the correct password, the MSDS 10 will play a failure message to the user at step 284 and then terminate the call at step 286. The The concrete number "n" can be three, such that the call is terminated after three unsuccessful attempts.

The owner's menu can respond to an additional number of DTMF digits and can be structured in other ways. For example, separate DTMF digits can direct the owner to the respective types of messages, such as a fax message, a data message, or a voice message. Also, separate DTMF digits can direct the owner to a new message recording or a saved message recording. Other variants will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

A more detailed diagram of MSDS 10 is shown in Figure 13. As shown in Figure, a plurality of DID trunks 15 are received by an input / output device 17 and are sent to a central processor 3. The links DID 15 trunks can be modified to occur at any appropriate number necessary to accommodate the anticipated number of phone calls that can be made to the MSDS 10. The input / output device 17 routes a call on one of the DID trunks 15 to an access or open door of the central processor 3, and is preferably a DID Interface Box manufactured by the Exacom.

The central processor 3 receives the calls over the DID trunks 15 and stores the messages in a storage device 11 according to the software 7. Preferably, a separate directory is established.

ES 2 326 565 T3 is stored in the storage device 11 for each user who has an account on the MSDS 10, such that all messages for an individual user will be stored in the same directory. It is to be understood that the number of processors within the core processor 3 depends on the number of DID trunks 15. With a greater number of DID trunks 15 capable of handling a greater number of telephone calls, the central processor 3 can actually understand a number of computers. The input / output device 17 will then function to route the incoming calls to an available computer within the central processor 3.

A more detailed diagram of central processor 3 is shown in Figure 4. Central processor 3 comprises a telephone line interface 21 for DID trunk 15. Telephone interface 21 provides call sounds and other communication interface functions with the phone lines. The signals from the telephone interface 21 are routed to a pulse / tone decoder 23 and a digital signal processor (DSP) 25. The pulse / tone decoder 23 detects the address signal by extracting it from an incoming call, and sends the address signal over a bus 29 to a microprocessor 27. The DSP performs the necessary signal processing on incoming calls and routes the signals processed to the microprocessor 27.

Microprocessor 27 will then read the address signal from pulse / tone decoder 23 and store the message from DSP 25 in an appropriate directory on storage device 11. As already explained above, the central processor 3 can comprise a certain number of computers or, more precisely, a certain number of microprocessors 27, such that each microprocessor 27 handles calls from a certain number, such as four, of DID trunks 15. The microprocessor 27 may comprise any suitable microprocessor, but at least one 486 PC is preferable.

In addition to taking care of incoming calls and storing messages in storage device 11, central processor 3 also coordinates the interactive voice response system of MSDS 10. The software 7 will incorporate the flow diagrams of the operations to receive a message, shown in Figure 3, to detect the type of message in an incoming call, shown in Figure 10, to receive voice messages, which are shown in Figure 11, and to receive a call from the owner or owner, shown in Figure 12. Based on the above-mentioned flowcharts and the respective descriptions, the production of the software 7 is within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art and will not be described in any further detail.

The Internet Server 5 is connected to the central processor 3, such as through a local area network, and also has access to the storage device 11. The Internet Server 5 carries out a number of functions according to the programming or software 9. For example, the Internet Server 5 retrieves the data files stored in the storage device 11 by the host computer 3 and converts the files into the appropriate HTML files. The converted HTML files are then stored on the storage device 11 and can be downloaded to the computer 32 via the Internet 30. The Internet Server 5 also handles requests from the computer 32, which could require the retrieval of files from storage device 11 and possibly the generation of additional HTML files.

The software 9 for the Internet Server 5 would therefore incorporate the flow diagram of the operations to generate the HTML files according to the user's preferences, which is shown in Figure 4, to generate the information requested from a user, shown in Figure 5, to convert facsimile messages to HTML, shown in Figure 6, to convert voice messages to HTML, shown in Figure 8, and to convert data messages into HTML, shown in Figure 9. Based on the flowcharts referenced above and their respective descriptions, the production of the software 9 is within the capacity of a person with ordinary knowledge in the field. technical and does not need to be described in any additional detail.

In any case, Figure 15 shows a more detailed block diagram of Internet Server 5. Internet Server 5 is running or running on a suitable operating system (OS) 39, which is preferably Windows NT. The Internet Server 5 has a number of application programs 31, such as those described in the flowcharts explained above, for communication with the central processor 3 and for accessing data from the storage device 11 and also from memory 33.

The memory 33 will contain, among others, the data indicative of the preferences of each user. Thus, for example, when a facsimile message in the TIFF / F format is retrieved from the Internet Server 5, the Internet Server 5 will find out from the data in memory 33 the preferred option for displaying the message from facsimile and will generate the appropriate HTML files.

All interface functions with the Internet 30 are taken over by HTTPD 37, which, in the preferred embodiment, is a NetScape Communications Corp "Enterprise Server". Any User Requests , such as the request for a file, will be managed by the HTTPD 37, transferred through the CGI [Common Gateway Interface - "Common Gateway Interface"] 35, and then retrieved by the application programs 31. The application programs 31 will then take appropriate actions in accordance with the

ES 2 326 565 T3 request, such as the transfer of the requested file, through the CGI 35, to the HTTPD 37 and then, through the Internet 30, to the user's computer 32.

The Internet Server 5 may be connected to a "pager" or portable pager system 13. With the arrival of a new message, in addition to sending an e-mail message to the user's voice mailbox, the Internet Server 5 can also activate the “pager” alert system 13 or portable pager in such a way that a "Pager" or portable pager 15. In this way, the user can receive an almost instantaneous notification that a message has arrived.

The paging system 13 or portable pager is preferably one that transmits alphanumeric characters in such a way that it is possible to forward a message to the user's portable pager 15. The Internet Server 5 therefore comprises a signal processor 41, designed to generate signals recognized by the portable pager notification system 13, as well as a telephone interface 43. Signal processor 41 preferably receives information from application programs 31 and generates a handheld pager message in a handheld pager or "pager" file format, such as XIO / TAP. Telephone interface 43 will include a modem, automatic dialing device, and other components suitable for communicating with portable pager paging system 13.

The information from the application programs 31 may simply notify the user of a message, or it may provide more detailed information. For example, for a facsimile message, the information from the application programs 31 may comprise CSI information identifying the telephone number of the sender. The user will therefore receive a message on the "pager" or portable pager 15 informing the user that a facsimile message has been received from a specified telephone number. The amount and type of information that can be sent to the user by the "pager" or portable pager 15 may vary according to the capabilities of the pager system 13 or portable pager, so that it can provide a larger quantity. or less information than the examples provided.

The Internet Server 5 is not limited by the structure shown in Figure 15, but may comprise additional components. For example, the HTTPD 37 will be linked to the Internet 30 through some type of interface, such as a modem or a router or routing device. The Internet Server 5 may be connected to the Internet 30 through conventional telephone lines, ISDN [Integrated Service Digital Network] lines, a T1 circuit, a T3 circuit, or in other ways and with other technologies, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

On the other hand, it is not necessary for the Internet Server 5 to be connected to the Internet 30, but can connect to other types of networks. For example, Internet Server 5, or, more generally, Network Server 5, can connect to a large private network, such as one established for a large company. The Network Server 5 will function in the same way, converting messages into HTML files, receiving requests for information from users over the network, and transmitting the information to users.

Also, at least one interface circuit will be located between the Internet Server 5 and the central processor 3 in order to provide communication capabilities between the Internet Server 5 and the central processor 3. This network interface can be provided both within the Internet Server 5 and Central Processor 3, as within only one of Internet Server 5 and Central Processor 3.

Figures 16 (A) and 16 (B) show examples of the software layers of the Internet Server 5, such that Figure 16 (A) represents the Internet Server 5 in an asynchronous communication mode and the Figure 16 (B) represents the Internet Server 5 in a synchronous communication mode. As shown in the Figures, the software 9 for the Internet Server 5 may further comprise an Internet Deamon to operate the HTTPD 37. The software 9 for the Internet Server 5 will also include TCP / IP [Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol "] or other transport layers. On the other hand, although authentication is provided through HTTPD 37, authentication of the user's password and ID can be supplemented or replaced by other forms of authentication.

The term "synchronous" has been used to refer to a mode of operation of the MSDS 10 in which all possible HTML files for a message are generated the instant the message is received. The HTML files can be generated by the central processor 3 or by the application programs 31. Then, when an information request is received later by the HTTPD 37, the information has already been generated and the HTTPD 37 only needs to retrieve the information from the storage device 11 and transmit the information to the user's computer 32. With a synchronous mode of operation, the CGI 35 will be unnecessary.

The MSDS 10 preferably operates in accordance with an asynchronous mode of operation. In an asynchronous mode of operation, the information requested by the user may not be available and may have to be generated after the request. The asynchronous mode of operation is preferred because fewer files are generated, thereby reducing the required size of the storage device 11. Because the information requested by a user may not be available, the links cannot specify the file name, such as "2.html", but will instead contain a command for the file. For example, a link can be defined as (“<AHREF =“ webdefax / users / 2496801 / viewpage. Cgi? FAX-- NUM = 1 & PAGE = 1 & VER14

ES 2 326 565 T3

MODE = FULL ”> (<AHREF =“ faxweb / users / 2496801 / viewpage.cgi? FAX-- NUM = 1 & PAGE = 1 & VIEW-MODE = FULL ”>) to make the CGI 35 run in a page view program , such that page 1 of facsimile message 1 will be displayed in a full size image. CGI 35 will generate the requested information when the information has not been generated, and, otherwise, CGI 35 will retrieve the information and send the information to HTTPD 37 for transmission to the user.

Thanks to the invention, the MSDS 10 can reliably receive voice, facsimile [fax] and data messages for a plurality of users, and can receive more than one message for one user at one time. The messages are stored by the MSDS 10 and can be retrieved at the user's convenience at any time by connecting to the Internet 30. The “World Wide Web” 30 is an ever-expanding network that enables the user to retrieve messages from virtually anywhere in the world. Since the user only needs to incur a local charge to connect to the Internet 30, the user can retrieve or review messages at a relatively low cost.

Even for users who are in the office or at home, the MSDS 10 provides a number of benefits. The user will not need a facsimile machine, a voice mail system, or a dedicated or dedicated machine for receiving data messages. The user also does not have to worry about losing part of the message or violating the confidential nature of the messages. The user, of course, can still have a facsimile machine and a dedicated computer for data messages. The MSDS 10, however, will allow the user to take advantage of the "call forwarding" property of the telephone company, so that messages can be transferred to the MSDS 10 at the user's convenience, such as when the user is out of bounds. the office.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form that has been disclosed. Numerous modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings.

For instance:

The software 7 and software 9 are not limited by the exact shapes of the flow diagrams shown, but can be varied to suit the particular hardware or physical devices incorporated in the invention. The software can comprise additional treatments not shown, or it can combine one or more of the shown treatments into a single procedure. On the other hand, software 7 and 9 can be run by a single computer, such as a Silicon Graphics Workstation, or it can be run by a larger number of computers.

The facsimile messages are preferably subjected to signal processing such that the images in the facsimile messages are converted from a two-tone black and white image to a variable gray scale image. As is known in the art, a grayscale image of a facsimile message provides a better image than a simple black and white image of the message. The signal processing may comprise any suitable standard contrast curve treatment or method, such as successive periodic overlap rectification or a smoothing or deburring filter. Signal processing can take place concurrently with the conversion from TIFF / F to GIF and is preferably carried out for both full-size and reduced-size images of facsimile messages.

On the other hand, a greater or lesser number of options may be provided to the user when displaying or retrieving the messages. The options are not limited to the exact forms provided, but may allow the user to retrieve the messages in other formats. The options can also allow a user to join two or more messages into a single message, delete parts of a message, or otherwise modify the content of the messages. Also, the various menus provided to the user through the telephone may have a greater number of options, and the MSDS 10 may accept responses that involve more than a single digit of DTMF.

The specific DTMF digits that have been described in the various menus are only examples and, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, other digits may be used instead. For example, a “9” can be used instead of a “*” to exit the menu or return to the previous menu. Also, the DTMF digits can be changed according to the user's personal convention. If the user had a previous voicemail system, the user can customize the commands to match the commands used in the previous system to provide a smooth transition to MSDS 10.

MSDS 10 can restrict a user from accessing only certain types of messages. For example, a user may want the MSDS 10 to store only facsimile messages in order to reduce the cost of using the MSDS 10. In such a situation, the MSDS 10 will perform an additional step of checking that the message type received by a user is a type of message that the MSDS 10 is authorized to receive from the user. When the message is of an unauthorized type of message, the MSDS 10 can ignore the message entirely, or the MSDS 10 can inform the user that someone has tried to send a message to the MSDS.

10.

On the other hand, the MSDS 10 has been described to have a central processor 3 to take care of incoming calls and the Internet Server 10 to interface with the Internet 30. The invention can be carried out

ES 2 326 565 T3 to practice in various different ways than with independent processors. For example, the central processor 3 and the Internet Server 5 can comprise a single computer or workstation to handle incoming calls and to interface with the Internet 30. The MSDS 10 can convert the messages into HTML files before storing messages. Likewise, the central processor 3 can communicate with the "paging" or portable pager warning system 13, instead of with the Internet Server 5. Additionally, as explained above, the central processor 3 can comprise a certain number of microprocessors 27 for managing a large number of DID trunks.

The invention has been described in such a way that it converts the messages to HTML and transmits the HTML files over the Internet to the computer 32. The HTML format is, however, only the currently preferred format for exchanging information over the Internet 30 , and it is, at present, only one of the types of a Generalized Wide Inclusion Standard Language. The invention is therefore not limited by the HTML format, but can be practiced with any type of mixed media page layout language that can be used to exchange information over the Internet 30.

With respect to the transmission of messages to the user's computer 32, the MSDS 10 allows the user to sample the voice message or preview the facsimile message without requiring the MSDS 10 to transmit the entire message to the computer 32. This The ability to sample is a significant benefit since transmission of the entire message will frequently compromise the computer 32 for a fairly long period of time. In this way, with the ability to preview or sample, the user can determine whether the user needs the message to be transmitted to computer 32.

If the user does decide that the entire message needs to be transmitted, as discussed above, the user's computer 32 could be receiving the message for a relatively long period of time. Once the complete message has been received, the user then has the options to view, listen to, retrieve or save the message. Alternatively, the user's computer may instead indicate the content of the message to the user as the message is being received.

For example, with a voice message, the user's computer 32 can send the message to an audio speaker as the message is retrieved. In this way, the message will be reproduced in real time and the user will not have to wait until the entire message has been received to listen to the message. In order to reproduce the messages in real time, the messages are preferably in a RealAudio (RA) format, which the user can select as the preferred file format for voice messages.

In operation, the MSDS 10 will transmit an HTML file containing an RA file. If the user selects the RA file with the browser on computer 32, the browser will activate a program for use with the RA files. The operations and performance of this program will be apparent to those skilled in the art and will be available as a standalone software package or incorporated within a browser program. The RA program will request the RA data file containing the message from the MSDS 10, and as the RA file is received at the computer 32, this program will reproduce the message in real time.

The MSDS 10 and the user's computer 32 can also be arranged such that each page or even each line of a facsimile message can be displayed as the computer 32 receives the facsimile message. On the other hand, while the transmission of a data message is relatively fast compared to a voice or facsimile message, the computer 32 can also be programmed to allow access to the data message as the message is received. .

The invention has been described as regards the storage and transmission of voice messages. It is to be understood that the voice message will most likely be of the most common type used with any type of audio message and is in no way limited to voice messages only.

The embodiment has been chosen and described for the purpose of explaining the principles of the invention and its practical application, in a manner that enables other skilled in the art to use the invention and the various embodiments, and with various modifications as is convenient for use. particular contemplated. The scope of the invention is intended to be limited only by the claims appended thereto.