AONA
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`
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`61B2
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`3066252
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`a2) United States Patent
`US 6,625,261 B2
`(10) Patent No.:
`Sep. 23, 2003
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Holtzberg
`
`(54) METHOD, SYSTEM AND ARTICLE OF
`MANUFACTURE FOR BOOKMARKING
`VOICEMAIL MESSAGES
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: Laurie Ann Holtzberg, Cupertino, CA
`(US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Southwestern Bell Communications
`Services, Inc., Pleasanton, CA (US)
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`US.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/741,927
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Dec. 20, 2000
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2002/0076014 AL Jun. 20, 2002
`
`i
`. HO4M 1/64
`(51)
`Int. Cl.’ ..
`(52) US. CL...
`379/88.23;379/74; 379/88.25
`
`(58) Field of Search........
`379/67.1, 68, 76,
`379/88.04, 88.16, 88.22, 88.25, 88.26, 88.27,
`88.01
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,031,218 A
`5,388,151 A
`5,526,407 A
`5,568,540 A
`5,664,060 A
`5,668,863 A *
`5,732,216 A *
`5,751,794 A
`5,842,170 A
`5,922,045 A *
`
`.............. 704/233
`7/1991 Galand et al.
`..
`. 379/88.12
`2/1995 Khalid et al.
`.
`. 379/88.01
`6/1996 Russell et al.
`...
`. 379/88.25
`10/1996 Grecoet al.
`...
`. 379/88.22
`9/1997 Jarrett et al.
`9/1997 Bieselin et al.
`. 379/88.22
`3/1998 Loganetal.
`wee 704/201
`..
`5/1998 Kugell et al.
`............ 379/88.22
`11/1998 Daberko et al.
`............ 704/278
`7/1999 Hanson ......ccceeeee 709/206
`
`
`
`........... 704/270.1
`7/1999 Barbara et al.
`5,926,789 A “
`...
`wee 704/210
`4/2000 Tucker et al.
`6,055,495 A
`..
`wee 704/201
`6/2000 Bannai et al.
`6,076,052 A
`.....ccceeeee. 379/230
`8/2000 Weser et al.
`6,104,803 A
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`
`
`EP
`JP
`
`1102461 A2* 5/2001
`2001-216334
`*
`8/2001
`
`+ HO4M/3/533
`» GO6F/17/30
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`“Unified messaging, fax server—Captaris CallXpress product
`release history” [online]. Captaris, 1998 [retrieved on Feb.
`12, 2002]. Retrieved from the Internet: <URL:http:///www-
`.captaris.com/ctg/solutionsand
` __products/latest_prod-
`uct_releases/products—cx.html>.*
`CallXpress for Windows NT® User’s Guide Version 5.03,
`Applied Voice Technology, 1998.*
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner—Fan Tsang
`Assistant Examiner—Ovidio Escalante
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Brinks Hofer Gilson &
`Lione
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A voicemail system includes a voicemail bookmarking
`procedure that permits users to bookmark voicemail mes-
`sages during message playback. Upon receiving a bookmark
`request from a user, the procedure generates a bookmark
`pointer defining a starting point for subsequent playback of
`the message. The bookmark pointer can be based, in part, on
`a timing offset value entered by the user while making the
`bookmark request. The timing offset value defines a user-
`selected playback starting point that occurs before the mes-
`sage time at which the bookmark request was made. The
`value of the timing offset can be user selected.
`
`18 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`64—-—
`
`
`CALL ANSWERING
`
`DEVICE / DTMF
`
`INTERFACE
`
`
`
`USER
`INTERFACE
`86, PROGRAM
`BOOKMARKING
`PROCEDURE
`
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`VOICE
`RECORDER|~9
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`
`FACE
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`PROCESSOR
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`RECOGNITION
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`72¢
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`VOICEMAIL.
`DB
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`0001
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`Facebook Ex. 1007
`Facebook Ex. 1007
`U.S. Pat. 8,243,723
`US. Pat. 8,243,723
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 23, 2003
`
`Sheet 1 of 4
`
`US 6,625,261 B2
`
`
`
`
`
`
`USER CALLS INTO
`VOICEMAIL SYSTEM
`
`REQUEST
`MESSAGE PLAYBACK
`
`
`20
`
`22
`
`24
`
`
`
`
`
`SET VOICE MAIL
`BOOKMARK
`
`26
`
`STORE BOOKMARK
`
`28
`
`UPDATE MESSAGE
`INDICATOR
`
`i)
`
`0002
`0002
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 23, 2003
`
`Sheet 2 of 4
`
`US 6,625,261 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Sep. 23, 2003
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`Sheet 3 of 4
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`U.S. Patent
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`Sep. 23, 2003
`
`Sheet 4 of 4
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`US 6,625,261 B2
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`

`

`US 6,625,261 B2
`
`1
`METHOD, SYSTEM AND ARTICLE OF
`MANUFACTURE FOR BOOKMARKING
`VOICEMAIL MESSAGES
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`‘The present invention generally relates to audio recording,
`devices, and in particular, to voicemail systems.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Voicemail systems allow telephone callers to leave
`recorded messages for called parties when the calledparties
`are unavailable. Most voicemail systems record messages if
`the called party’s phone line is either in use or does not
`answer. In either case, the voicemail system answers the
`phone call and records the message. Typically, the message
`is digitized and stored on a computer hard disk for later
`playback by the called party.
`To play recorded messages, a mailbox owner calls the
`voicemail system and accesses stored voice messages using
`a sequence of touchtone or voice commands.In response to
`these commands, the voicemail system can perform various
`functions with respect to message playback. For example, a
`mailbox owner can fast forward, rewind, delete or skip a
`message during playback. In some voicemail systems, dur-
`ing a message playback, the listener can fast forward or
`rewind either to the end of the message or a specific amount
`of time. Using these voicemail systems to play back specific
`middle portions of messages, it is frequently the case that
`listeners must repeatedly enter fast-forward commands to
`get the systems to skip ahead to the desired places in the
`messages.
`Although the playback functions of currently-available
`voicemail systems are adequate in many situations, there is
`room for improvement. For instance, some users may findit
`inconvenient and time consumingto select specific portions
`of messages for playback using conventional fast forward
`and rewind functions available with some voicemail sys-
`lems.
`
`Accordingly, there is a need for an improved voicemail
`system that permits users to conveniently select portions of
`stored messages for playback.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a methodofsetting a voicemail
`bookmarkin accordance with an embodimentof the present
`invention.
`
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram ofa telecommunication system
`in accordance with another embodiment of the present
`invention.
`
`FIG, 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an exemplary
`data structure associated with a voice mailbox provided by
`the voicemail system of FIG. 2.
`FIG. 4 is a flow chart
`illustrating the operation of the
`voicemail system shownin FIG. 2.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
`
`It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a
`voicemail system that permits users to bookmark messages
`during message playback. Bookmarks can beset by entering
`appropriate touch-tone or voice commands. A bookmark
`defines a starting point within the message at which subse-
`quent playbacks of the message can begin. The ability to
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`bookmark messages significantly improves the convenience
`of playing back specific portions of stored voicemail mes-
`sages.
`
`Turning now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1,
`there is illustrated a flow chart 20 illustrating a method of
`setting a voicemail bookmark in accordance with an
`embodiment of the present invention. In step 22, a user calls
`into a voicemail system. After connecting to the voicemail
`system, the user enters information conventionally associ-
`ated with accessing a voicemail box such as a user ID and/or
`password. Provided that there are voicemail messages stored
`for the user, the user requests message playback (step 24).
`During playback of the message,
`the user can enter a
`command to set
`a voicemail bookmark (step 26). The
`command can be entered using one or more touch-tone
`digits or voice commands at
`the user’s telephone. The
`voicemail system responds to this command by setting a
`bookmark pointer corresponding to the message being
`played back.
`According to one aspect ofthe invention, one of the digits
`entered can specify a timing offset that causes the playback
`starting point to be set at a specified period of time before the
`point in the message at which the bookmark request is made.
`This permits a “warm-up” period to be added to the book-
`marked voicemail message.
`In step 28, the bookmark pointer is stored by the voice-
`mail system so that the user can subsequently access the
`message at the place indicated by the bookmark. The book-
`mark pointer can specify a computer memory location
`associated with a file containing the content of the stored
`voicemail message. In addition, the bookmark pointer can be
`based, in part, on the timing offset entered by the user.
`In step 30, a voice message indicator generated by the
`voicemail system is updated to indicate that the bookmarked
`message is no longer a new message, and has been book-
`marked by the user. The voicemail system can be configured
`to cause the message indicator to be displayed at the user’s
`terminal unit using a standard protocol and display interface.
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a telecommunication system
`60 in accordance with another embodiment ofthe present
`invention. The telecommunication system 60 includes a
`plurality of terminal units 64, a telecommunication switch
`66, and a voicemail system 68. The terminal units 64 can be
`any suitable end-user device, such as a telephone, cellular
`phone,or the like, for permitting voice communication over
`a commercially-available telecommunications network 62.
`The switch 66 can be any suitable commercially-available
`telecommunication switch,
`located at
`a private branch
`exchange (PBX)or central office, for allowing the terminal
`units 64 to access the voicemail services of the voicemail
`system 68,
`The voicemail system 68 can be a voicemail server
`communicating with the switch 66 over a standardinterface.
`The voicemail system 68 includes a processor 70, voicemail
`database (DB) 72, a memory 73, and interface port 76, a call
`answering device/dual-tone of multi frequency (DTMF)
`interface 78, a voice playback subsystem 80, a voice
`recorder 82, and a speech recognition subsystem 84, A
`memory 73 can store a user interface program 74 that is
`executable by the processor 70, The user interface program
`74 includes a bookmarking procedure 86 that permits the
`voicemail system 68 to provide the voicemail bookmarking
`feature.
`
`The voicemail system 68 can be implemented using a
`Compact Service Node, available from Lucent
`Technologies, Inc., configured and programmed to perform
`
`0006
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`US 6,625,261 B2
`
`3
`the functions disclosed herein. The switch 66 can be an
`advancedintelligent network (AIN) compatible switch, such
`as the 5ESS switch, also available from Lucent
`Technologies, Inc.
`FIG. 3 illustrates a data structure 100 of an exemplary
`voice mailbox stored in the voicemail DB 72. Each voice
`mailbox in the database 72 has associated with it a user ID
`102. Associated with each user ID 102,
`is one or more
`message IDs 104 for identifying voicemail messages stored
`in the DB 72 for the user. Also associated with each user ID
`102 is one or more bookmark IDs 106 for identifying
`voicemail bookmarks associated with the owner of the
`voicemail box,
`
`For each message ID 104, the DB 72 stores an associated
`voice message record 108. The voice message record 108
`can contain a sender ID 110 identifying the caller leaving the
`message, a time stamp 112 indicating the time at which the
`message was recorded and one or more system flags 114 for
`configuring system parameters and functions relating to the
`message. The message record 108 also includes the message
`content 116, which can include the recorded voice message
`digitized into a format suitable for storage in the DB 72 and
`for playback by the voice playback subsystem 80. The
`message content 116 can be compressed and/or encrypted
`using standard speech processing algorithms.
`The bookmark ID 106 has associated with it a bookmark
`record 118 containing a message [ID 120 and a bookmark
`pointer 122. The message ID 120 identifies the bookmarked
`message. The bookmark pointer 122 can be a specific
`memory location indicating a playback starting point in the
`message content 116 at which the stored message is played
`back when the user subsequently selects the bookmark
`playback feature.
`FIG, 4 is a flow chart 150 illustrating the operation ofthe
`voicemail system 68. In step 151, the voicemail system 68
`generates an audio user selection menu for a user that has
`called in, The menu can be generated by the user interface
`program 74, executing on the processor 70 to generate a
`synthesized interactive voice response interface using the
`voice playback subsystem 80. The menu can provide selec-
`tions conventionally associated with voicemail systems, as
`well as selections related to voicemail bookmarking, such as
`play back or deletion of bookmarked voicemail messages.
`In step 158, a user selects the message playback option
`from the menu. This causes the voicemail system to begin
`the playback ofstored messages. During message playback,
`the user can enter a command that starts the bookmark set
`subroutine 152. In this subroutine, the system 68 receives a
`bookmark request from the user (step 160). The bookmark
`request can be a predefined sequence of one or more
`touch-tone entries. Alternatively, the bookmark request can
`be a voiced command by the user and processed by the
`speech recognition subsystem 84, The bookmark request
`causes the voicemail system 68 to record a memory address
`identifying the current location in the stored voice message
`being played back.
`The bookmark request can include a timing offset value
`that defines a warm up period immediately preceding the
`point in time of the message playback at which the book-
`mark is requested. The timing offset causes the bookmarked
`message to be played back starting from the beginning ofthe
`warm up period, The timing offset can be entered as a
`touch-tone signal defining a period in seconds. For example,
`immediately after entering the touch-tone command for the
`bookmark request, a user could push the digit “7”to indicate
`a timing offset of seven seconds, so that upon subsequent
`
`4
`playback of the bookmarked message, the playback will
`begin seven secondsbefore the point at which the bookmark
`request occurred in the message. Likewise, other digits
`could be pushed to enter other timing offset values, e.g., “1”
`for a one second offset, “2” for a two second offset, and so
`on.
`
`In step 162, a memory address corresponding to the
`timing offset value is computed by the voicemail system 68.
`This can be accomplished by determining the number of
`bytes required to represent a unit time of recorded voice. The
`bytes per second value can then be multiplied by the timing
`offset value entered by the user to convert the user-entered
`offset value to a corresponding memory addressoffset value.
`This address offset value can then be combined with the
`memory address correspondingto the request to generate the
`bookmark pointer.
`The bookmark pointer is then stored in the bookmark
`record (step 164). In step 166, a user message indicator
`generated by the voicemail system 68 is updated to indicate
`that the bookmarked message is no longer a new message.
`The message indicator can be a visual indication, such as
`text, displayable on a user terminal unit.
`Other bookmark-related subroutines, specifically the
`bookmark delete and playback subroutines 154-156, can be
`initiated by the user through the menu. Concerning the
`delete subroutine 154, if upon presenting the user menu, the
`voicemail system 68 receives a request to delete a stored
`voice message or bookmark(step 168), the delete bookmark
`subroutine 154 is initiated. The delete request can be entered
`by a user using a touch-tone or a voice command, and can
`specify one or more bookmarks or messages to be deleted.
`Upon receiving the delete message command, any book-
`marks corresponding to the deleted message are likewise
`deleted (step 170) from the DB 72. Similarly, upon receiving
`a delete bookmark command, the corresponding bookmark
`is deleted.
`
`The bookmarked-message playback subroutine 156
`allows the voicemail system 68 to play back bookmarked
`voicemail messages stored in the DB 72. In step 172, the
`voicemail system 68 receives a bookmark playback request.
`The bookmark playback request can be either a touch-tone
`or voice command entered by the user to select a previously
`bookmarked message for playback. The request can specify
`a particular bookmark ID. Upon receiving the bookmark
`playback request,
`the voicemail system 68 retrieves the
`bookmarked message from the voicemail DB 72 and plays
`back the message starting from the position indicated by the
`bookmark pointer. To playback the stored message,
`the
`message content
`is provided to the voice playback sub-
`system 80, which generates an audio representation of the
`messages to the user terminal.
`While specific embodiments ofthe present invention have
`been shown and described,
`it will be apparent
`to those
`skilled in the art that the disclosed invention may be modi-
`fied in numerous ways and may assume many embodiments
`other than those specifically set out and described above.
`Accordingly, the scope of the invention is indicated in the
`appended claims, and all changes that come within the
`meaning and range of equivalents are intended to be
`embraced therein.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A telecommunication system, comprising:
`a switch; and
`a service node in communication with the switch, the
`service node comprising:
`a processor for executing software programs;
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`US 6,625,261 B2
`
`5
`a memory, operatively coupled to the processor;
`a user interface program, stored in the memory and
`executable by the processor, for setting a bookmark
`pointer associated with a voicemail message in
`response to a bookmark request
`received during
`playback of the voicemail message; and
`a voice playback subsystem, operatively coupled to the
`processor,for playing back the voicemail message to
`a user al a specified period of time before a point in
`the voicemail message at which the bookmark
`request was received without receiving a rewind
`command from the user during the voicemail mes-
`sage playback; and wherein the bookmark request
`includes a timing offset value,
`2. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the
`service node further comprises:
`a voicemail database for storing the voicemail message.
`3. The telecommunication system of claim 2, wherein the
`user interface program stores in the voicemail database a
`bookmark record comprising a message identifier and the
`bookmark pointer.
`4. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the
`user interface program includes a subroutine for permitting
`a user to enter a timing offset associated with the bookmark
`request.
`5. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the
`service node further comprises:
`a voice recorder, operatively coupled to the processor, for
`recording an incoming voice message in a predeter-
`mined format for storage in a voicemail database.
`6. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the
`service node further comprises:
`a speech recognizer, operatively coupled to the processor,
`for responding to voice commands received by the
`voicemail system.
`7. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the
`service node further comprises:
`a call answering device, operatively coupled to the
`processor, for automatically answering incoming tele-
`phone calls to the voicemail system.
`8. A computer-usable medium storing a computer pro-
`gram product, comprising:
`means for receiving a bookmark request during playback
`of a voicemail message;
`meansfor setting a bookmark pointer associated with the
`voicemail message in response to the bookmark
`request;
`means for storing the bookmark pointer; and
`means for playing back the voicemail messagestarting at
`a specified period of time before a point in the voice-
`mail message at which the bookmark request was made
`without receiving a rewind command from the user
`during the voicemail message playback by the means
`for playing back; and wherein the bookmark request
`includes a timing offset value.
`9. The computer-usable medium ofclaim 8, further com-
`prising:
`means for receiving a request to delete one ofa stored
`voicemail message and a voicemail bookmark; and
`meansfor deleting the voicemail bookmark in response to
`the request.
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`10. The computer-usable medium of claim 8, further
`comprising:
`means for updating a voicemail message indicator in
`response to receiving the bookmark request.
`11. The computer-usable medium of claim 8, wherein the
`computer-usable medium is part of a service node.
`12. A method for bookmarking a voicemail message,
`comprising:
`(a) playing back a voicemail message stored in a voice-
`mail database;
`(b) receiving a bookmark request during the voicemail
`message playback;
`(c) receiving a request for playback of the voicemail
`message from a user; and
`(d) playing back the voicemail message starting al a
`specified period of time before a point in the voicemail
`message at which the bookmark request was made
`without receiving a rewind command from the user
`during the voicemail message playback of (d); and
`wherein the bookmark request includes a timing offset
`value.
`13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
`updating a voicemail message indicator in response to the
`bookmark request.
`14. The method ofclaim 12, further comprising:
`setting a bookmark pointer associated with the voicemail
`message in response to the bookmark request; and
`storing the bookmark pointer;
`wherein the timing offset value defines the specified
`periodof time immediately preceding a playbackstart-
`ing point defined by the bookmark pointer.
`15. The method ofclaim 14, further comprising:
`determining a memory location within the stored voice-
`mail message based on the timing offset value and the
`playback starting point.
`16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
`setling a bookmark pointer associated with the voicemail
`message in response to the bookmark request; and
`storing the bookmark pointer.
`17. The method of claim 12, wherein the acts recited in
`claim 1 are performed by a service node,
`18. A system, comprising:
`a telecommunications switch for processing calls by sub-
`scriber units;
`a service node comprising:
`a voicemail server, operatively coupled to the telecom-
`munications switch, including a user interface pro-
`gram for configuring the voicemail server to set a
`bookmark pointer associated with a stored voicemail
`message in response to a voicemail bookmark
`request from at least one of the subscriber units; and
`a voice playback subsystem for playing back the voice-
`mail message to a user at a specified period oftime
`before a point in the voicemail message at which the
`bookmark request was received without receiving a
`rewind command from the user during the voicemail
`message playback; and wherein the bookmark
`request includes a timing offset value.
`Ce ee ee
`
`0008
`0008
`
`