Method and arrangement in a communication network

(54) (56) (57)

PATENT HOLDER Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, 126 25 Stockholm SE

INVENTOR'S OFFICE NAME

John May, Dublin IE

Ericsson Radio Systems AB

Method and device in a communication network

CALLED PUBLICATIONS: - - SUMMARY:

The invention relates to a service in a communication network (100), comprising a voice message system (VMS1), which contains a mailbox which has been assigned to a voice mail subscriber (MS1). According to the invention, the communication network (100) transmits a voice message (105) from the calling party (TEI) to the voice message system (VMS1), where the message is stored in the mailbox. At a later time, the communication network transmits a request (106) on the status of the voice message, from the calling party (TEI), to the voice message system (VMS1). The voice messaging system (VMS1) sends back information (107), which reflects the status of the voice message to the calling party (TEI). In response to activities carried out by the voice mail subscriber (MS1) regarding the voice message (105), the message status can be changed between the saving of the voice message and the receipt of the status request in the voice message system (VMS1).

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The numbers in brackets indicate international identification code, iNID code. Letters in clamps indicate international document code.

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TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method and a device in a communication network intended to provide a voice mail-related service. More precisely, the service refers to providing message status information for voicemails stored in a voicemail system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Voice mail is a feature of modern telephone systems, both Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN) and Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMN) networks, which allow a calling party to leave a voicemail so that it can later be picked up by a caller. The voice message is saved in a mailbox, which is assigned to the called party in a voice messaging system VMS (Voice Messaging System). The called party can later pick up and listen to the saved voicemail. The voicemail function is most commonly used in the event that a call cannot be completed successfully, e.g. because the called party is a mobile phone user in a cellular network, and that this has their mobile phone turned off.

One problem with the voice mail function, which will alternatively be referred to as a call answering function, is that unless the called party contacts the calling party, then the calling party will not be able to find out if the called party has listened to the voice message or not.

European patent application EP 0 371 609 discloses a procedure in an electronic mail system, intended to provide an electronic mail sender, with a confirmation of 30 selected activities performed by a recipient. The method comprises the steps of

512 132 designate a selected electronic letter for which a confirmation of selected activities that a recipient performed is desired, monitoring the activities of the recipient of the electronic letter, and transmitting a confirmatory message to the sender in response to the selected activities performed by the recipient.

Thus, before sending the electronic letter from a first computer system to which the sender is connected, the sender identifies the electronic letter as a message, for which confirmation of certain selected activities that the recipient performs is desired. Upon receipt of the electronic message in a second computer system to which the receiver is connected, the second computer system begins to monitor the activities of the recipient, and when one of the selected activities is carried out with the electronic letter, the confirmation message is sent to the first computer system. The procedure described in EP 0 371 609 is only applicable in electronic mail systems, ie systems where messages can be sent between and / or received by two computer systems or workstations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem addressed by the present invention is to provide a service that allows a calling party who has left a voicemail in a mailbox assigned to a voicemail subscriber to be able to obtain information about the message status of the voicemail.

The problem is mainly solved by a procedure in which the calling party, after leaving the voicemail, requests to know the status of the voicemail, and in response to this request is informed of the status of the message. The solution includes a voice messaging system and a communication network with the necessary means for the procedure to be carried out.

More specifically, the problem is solved as follows. The communication network transmits the voice message from the calling party to the voice message system. The voicemail 512 132 system saves the voicemail in the mailbox that has been assigned to the voicemail subscriber, and initiates a data structure that handles information about the status of the voicemail to indicate that the message has not been played. At a later date, the communication network transmits a request for the message status of the voice message from the calling party. The voicemail systems send back information about the status of the voicemail to the calling party.

After the voice message is saved, but before the voice message request status is received by the voice message system, activities can be performed with the voice message, such as playing or deleting the message, which results in the message status being updated.

The object of the invention is thus to enable the calling party, after leaving a voicemail in the mailbox assigned to the voicemail subscriber, to receive information on the status of the voicemail, upon request to the voicemail system.

An advantage of the invention is that the calling party can find out if the voicemail subscriber has listened to the voicemail or not.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments and also with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a view illustrating a communication network.

Figures 2A-2B are flowcharts illustrating a method according to a first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a block schematic illustration of a voicemail system.

Figure 4 is a block schematic illustration of a data structure for a mailbox.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 is a view depicting a communication network 100 in which the inventive service can be realized. The communication network 100 has been reproduced as comprising a PLMN network, which in this example constitutes a cellular network 101, and a PSTN network, which will simply be referred to as a telephone network 102. The illustrated cellular network 101 has a network structure which is consistent with e.g. GSM specifications. The cellular network 101 includes a home location register HLR1 (Home Location Register, HLR), where subscription information for mobile subscribers10 is stored. The cellular network 101 further comprises a main mobile telephone exchange GMSC1 (Gateway Mobile Switching Center, GMSC), which functions both as a regular mobile telephone exchange (Mobile Switching Center, MSC), and as a so-called "gateway" for connecting the cellular network 101 with the telephone network. 102nd A base station BS1 is connected to the main mobile telephone exchange GMSC1, via a base station controller

BSC1 (Base Station Controller, BSC). The base station BS1 provides radio coverage of a portion of the geographical area served by the main mobile telephone exchange GMSC1. A mobile phone MS1 communicates via radio with the base station BS1 and enables a user, who will be referred to as a mobile subscriber, to communicate with other parties connected to the communication network.

The cellular network 101 also includes a voice messaging system VMS1, which is connected to the main mobile telephone exchange GMSC1. The mobile subscriber is also a voicemail subscriber, and consequently there is a mailbox in the voicemail system assigned to this particular subscriber. If a calling party tries to call the mobile subscriber when it is unavailable, e.g. Because the mobile phone MS 1 is switched off, the calling party will be routed to the voice message system VMS1, and there will be the opportunity to leave a voice message in the mobile subscriber / voicemail subscriber's mailbox. In Figure 1, reference MS 1 is used to alternately represent both the mobile subscriber / voicemail subscriber as well as his or her mobile phone. Because the role of the voice mail subscriber is the one with the greatest

512 In the description of the invention, that party will often be referred to as the "voice mail subscriber MS1".

The telephone network 102 includes a local station LEI (Local Exchange), to which a telephone TEI is connected, and which allows a telephone subscriber having a subscription to the telephone network 102 to communicate with other parties connected to the communication network 100, e.g. . For the mobile subscriber MS1.1 figure 1, the reference TEI is used to alternately represent both the telephone subscriber as well as his telephone.

Since all means described above are well known to those skilled in the art, the general functions of each of these network members will not be elaborated further. Note also that Figure 1 is intended solely to serve as an illustration of the invention, so that only the means necessary to serve this purpose are included in Figure 1.

Figures 2A-2B produce flow charts illustrating a method according to a first embodiment of the invention.

At step 201 of Figure 2A, the mobile subscriber MS1 activates a call forwarding service in the cellular network 101, so that at least some calls to the mobile subscriber MS 1 will be routed to the voice messaging system VMS 1. The activation can either be performed directly, by sending signals from the mobile phone MS 1, or indirectly by requesting network operator personnel to activate the call forwarding service. There are several different call forwarding services known to those of ordinary skill in the art and which, according to certain criteria, determine when a call should be forwarded to a voice messaging system VMS 1. Examples of these criteria / services are call forwarding when it is busy, call forwarding when the cellphone cannot be reached, call you do not get an answer, call forwarding without reservation, etc.

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At a later date, a calling party may e.g. telephone subscriber TEI make a call to the mobile subscriber MS1. The cellular network 101 forwards the call to the voice message system VMS1, and the communication network 100 thus establishes at step 202 a first connection 103 in Figure 1, between the calling party TEI and the voice message system VMS1. The voice message system VMS1 uses voice calling, which invites the calling party to leave a voice message in the mailbox, which is assigned to the voice mail subscriber MS1.

Assuming that the calling party wants to leave a voice message, at step 203, the communication network 100 uses the first connection 103 to transmit a first voice message 105 from the calling party TEI to the voice message system VMS1. At step 204, the voice message system VMS1 saves the first voice message 105 in the mailbox, which is assigned to the mobile subscriber MS1. The international subscriber number of the calling party TEI is also transmitted, using a call identification service, to the voice message system VMS1, in which it is associated with the first voice message 105.

At step 205, the voicemail system VMS 1 initiates a data structure which handles information about the message status of the first voicemail 105, so that the initial message status indicates the message as unread.

At a later date, the calling party TEI wants to know if the voice mail subscriber has listened to the first voice message 105. Therefore, at step 206, at the request of the calling party ,1, a second connection 104 in Figure 1 establishes the calling party TEI and the calling party ΊΈ1. voice messaging system VMS1. The connection is established as follows. The calling party TEI requests from the communication network 100 to establish the second connection 104 by dialing the interurban code for the cellular network 101, a service code, and the directory number of the mobile subscriber. For example, suppose the interurban code is 070, the service code is * 1 *, and the mobile subscriber's directory number is 6724132, then the calling party will dial 070- * l * -6724132. The telephone network 102 recognizes the interurban code, ie knows that the call is to be routed to the main mobile telephone exchange

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GMSC1 in the cellular network 101. The main mobile telephony switch GMSC1 recognizes the service code, ie knows that the calling party wants to query the voice message system VMS 1 according to the status of the voice message. The subscriber mail subscriber of the mobile subscriber in the home directory HLR1 contains information that is set according to whether or not the mobile subscriber / voicemail subscriber MS1 allows access to his mailbox for status checking by other parties. The main mobile telephone exchange GMSC1 interacts with the home directory HLR1, to determine whether the mobile subscriber / voicemail subscriber MS 1 allows such access. If access is not allowed, the caller is informed that status check of messages in the mailbox, which is assigned to the mobile subscriber MS1, is disabled. If access is allowed, the second connection 104 is connected between the voice message system VMS1 and the calling party TEI.

At step 207, the communication network 100 uses the second connection 104 to transmit, from the calling party TEI to the voice message system VMS1, a request 106 for the message status of the first voice message 105. At step 208, the voice message system VMS 1 plays a second voice message, indicating the message status of the first voice message, which the communication network 100 transmits from the voice message system VMS1 to the calling party TEI using the second connection 104.

In more detail, steps 207 and 208 are realized as follows. At step 207, the voice messaging system VMS 1 uses voice prompting to ask the calling party TEI for a date when the message was sent, and for an international subscriber number, which was used as the calling party number, ie used as an A number when the first voice message was provided. The calling party answers by entering the date and the A number, via a keypad on their phone TEI. The communication network 100 transmits the date and the A-number to the voice message system VMS1, using so-called Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) coding codes, which are well known in the art. After the date and A number have been received, the voice message system VMS 1 searches for messages in the mailbox, which is assigned to the voice mail subscriber

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MS1, which is linked to the acquired A-number, and which were saved at the given date. The last message is selected and the message status is forwarded by the second voice message at step 208. The second voice message, in addition to forwarding the message status of the first voice message, can also inform the calling party TE 1 of when the last activity that caused a status change took place. If no message is found that matches the specified date and A number, the voice message system VMS 1 plays a voice message that says "No message exists". If the voice messaging system VMS1 finds multiple messages MS1, which have been linked to the provided A number and saved on the given date, the calling party TEI will have the opportunity to go through the list of messages according to the last in / first out method , LIFO).

The voicemail subscriber MS 1 can, at any time after the first message is saved, establish a connection to the voicemail system VMS 1 and request from the voicemail system VMS1, to carry out activities with the saved first message, which will change the message status of the message. Figure 2B illustrates at step 221 how such a request from the voice mail subscriber MS1 is received by the voice messaging system VMS1. At step 222, the voice message system VMS 1 determines the nature of this request. If the procedure at step 222 results in an alternate "PLAY", the voice message system VMS1 plays the first voice message at step 223, and updates at step 224 the message status of the first voice message, to indicate that the message has been played. If the procedure at step 222 results in an alternate "DELETE", the voice message system VMS1 at step 226 determines the previous status of the first message. If the procedure at step 226 results in an alternate "PLAYED", the voice message system VMS1 at step 227 updates the message status of the first voice message to indicate that the first message has been deleted by the voice mail subscriber after it has been played. If the procedure at step 226 results in an alternative "NOT PLAYED", the voicemail system VMS 1 at step 228 updates the message status of the first voicemail message 132 to indicate that the message has been deleted by the voicemail subscriber without the subscriber having listened to the message.

The first voicemail can be deleted, not only by the voicemail subscriber MS1, but also by the voicemail system VMS 1 when the voicemail system VMS 1 discovers that the first voicemail has been unread for a system parameter controlled time period. If this situation occurs, the voicemail system VMS 1 updates the message status to indicate that the first voicemail was never played, and has been deleted by the VMS 1 voicemail system.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of the voice message system VMS 1. The voice message system comprises a network interface 301, a memory unit 302, and a controller 303.

The network interface 301 provides an interface to the rest of the communication network

100th It is through this interface that the calling party TEI and the voicemail subscriber MS 1 interact with the voicemail system VMS 1.

For each mailbox that is defined in the voice message system VMS 1, the memory unit 302 includes a data structure for a mailbox. Figure 4 illustrates the data structure of the mailbox 400, which is intended for the voice mail subscriber MS 1. It includes a mailbox register record 401, including information pertaining to the entire mailbox e.g. the identity of the voice mail subscriber MS1 to which the mailbox has been assigned. It also contains a reference to a list of registry entries of voicemail information 402, one for each voicemail handled by the mailbox. Each register record of the voicemail information handles information regarding a voicemail received by a calling party. The information handled in one of the voice message information register records 402 includes:

• international subscriber number for the calling party, e.g. telephone subscriber TEI;

• message status indicating the status of the voice message;

512 • The date and time when the voice message was saved;

• the date and time of the last change in message status;

• a reference to a voice message register entry 403;

• a link to a possible other registry entry of voicemail information 402 in the mailbox.

The voice message register record 403 handles the voice message itself e.g. the first voice message 105 from the calling party TEI. Obviously, there are several ways to organize a data structure for a mailbox, apart from the way illustrated in Figure 4.

The controller 303 of Figure 3 comprises:

Means for storing the first voice message 105 from the calling party TEI, in the data structure of the mailbox 400, and initiating the data structure for the mailbox 400, i.e., the register record of the voice message information 403, upon saving the first voice message 105, so that the initial message status indicates the message has not been played;

• means for receiving a request 106 from the calling party TEI, on the message status of the first voice message 105;

Means for reporting to the calling party TEI, information 107 reflecting the status of the first voicemail, by playing a second voicemail, indicating the message status of the first voicemail;

Means for playing the first voice message 105 at the request of the voice mail subscriber MS1, and updating the data structure of the mailbox 400, ie. the voicemail information record 402, to indicate that the first voicemail has been played;

512 132 means for deleting the first voicemail 105, i.e., voicemail register record 403, from the data structure of the mailbox 400, at the request of the voicemail subscriber MS1, and updating the data structure of the mailbox 400, i.e. the register record of the voicemail information 402, to indicate, depending on, played or not, whether the first voicemail message has been deleted by the voicemail subscriber, after the subscriber has played the message, or the first voicemail message has been deleted by the voicemail subscriber, without the subscriber having played the message;

Means intended, when the controller 303 determines that the first voicemail 105 has been unread for a period of time, which is controlled by a system parameter, automatically deletes the first voicemail from the data structure of the mailbox 400, and updates the data structure of the voicemail information 40, i.e. the register record of voicemail information2 , to indicate that the first voicemail was never played, and has been deleted by the voicemail system.

Note that when the controller 303 deletes the first voice message 105, the register record of the voice message 403 is immediately deleted, but the register record of the voice message information 402 is retained for a system parameter controlled time period, e.g. two weeks. In this way, the voice message system VMS 1 is capable of reporting the message status of the first voice message 105, even when the present message has been deleted.

An example of a suitable platform for building a voice message system VMS1, in accordance with the present invention, is the MXE platform from Ericsson Messaging Systems Inc.

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The main mobile telephone exchange GMSC1 in the cellular network 101 and the local station LE1 in the telephone network 102 work together as a transmission means for establishing connections 104-105, between the calling party TEI and the voice message system VMS1, for transmitting information between the calling party TEI and the voice message system over these connections.

There are several ways of providing alternative embodiments of the present invention by modifying the first embodiment described.

The invention can of course also be applied to other types of cellular networks, e.g. AMPS / D-AMPS, PDC, NMT etc., by offering voice mail services to mobile subscribers, but also in communication networks that offer voice mail services to fixed telephony or ISDN subscribers.

In the described first embodiment of the present invention, the A number of the calling party is automatically transmitted, using the Calling Line Identification (CLI) service, when the first voice message is recorded and saved. When the calling party later requests to know the message status of the first voice message, the calling party enters the A number via a keypad on their phone. The reason for saving the A number when leaving the first voice message, as well as providing the A number when making a request for the message status, is to offer a means to relate the status request to the saved first voice message. There are several different alternative ways in which this can be done. An alternative is to trust that the CLI service provides the A number, even when a message status request is made. However, this requires that the calling party uses the same A number, ie uses the same telephone line / mobile phone, both when the first voice message is saved and when a request for the message status is made.

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A second alternative is to have the calling party provide a code number e.g. his national registration number, or his birthday number or any other selected code number, both when the voicemail is left and when a request for the message status is made. Note that preferably the calling party 5 should be asked to select the code number in such a way that the risk of two different persons choosing the same number is minimized.

A third option to relate a message status request to the saved first voice message, would be to have the voice message system select a message key, and send that key to the calling party when the message is saved. The calling party then needs to provide the message key when making a request for the message status.

In the described first embodiment of the invention, the status of the voice message is returned to the calling party as a second voice message. However, the status can also be reported in the form of an alphanumeric message, provided that the calling party has the necessary means to receive and display alphanumeric messages.

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