(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`
`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization
`International Bureau
`
`I 111111111111111111111111111111 I II Ill lllll 11111111111111111111111111111111111111
`
`(43) International Publication Date
`15 February 2001 (15.02.2001)
`
`PCT
`
`(10) International Publication Number
`WO 01/11824 A2
`
`(51) International Patent Classification 7:
`
`H04L 12/00
`
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`PCT/US00/21555
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`
`7 August 2000 (07.08.2000)
`
`(25) Filing Language:
`
`(26) Publication Language:
`
`English
`
`English
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`60/147,612
`
`6 August 1999 (06.08.1999) US
`
`(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): ECALL
`INC. [US/US]; 33-41 Newark Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
`(US).
`
`Inventors; and
`Inventors/Applicants (for US only): ZYDNEY, Herbert
`[US/US]; 3080 Grand Bay Boulevard, Longboat Key, FL
`34228 (US). WOLMAN, T., Barton [US/US]; 27 East 13
`Street, New York, NY 10003 (US). TYDEMAN, F., Don(cid:173)
`ald [US/US]; 10 Princeton Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025
`(US). RUMMER, L., Steven [US/US]; 1027 Park Avenue,
`Sellersville, PA 18960 (US).
`
`(72)
`(75)
`
`-;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
`--;;;;;;;;;;;;;; =
`;;;;;;;;;;;;;; = ==
`
`(74) Agent: COX, J., Donald, Jr.; Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan,
`Griffinger & Vecchione, P.C., One Riverfront Plaza,
`Newark, NJ 07102 (US).
`
`(81) Designated States (national): AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU,
`AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ,
`DE, DK, DM, DZ, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR,
`HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR,
`LS, LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ,
`NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM,
`TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW.
`
`(84) Designated States (regional): ARIPO patent (GH, GM,
`KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), Eurasian
`patent (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European
`patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE,
`IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF, CG,
`CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
`
`Published:
`Without international search report and to be republished
`upon receipt of that report.
`
`For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid(cid:173)
`ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearing at the begin(cid:173)
`ning of each regular issue of the PCT Gazette.
`
`~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
`
`~
`Q0 (54) Title: METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VOICE EXCHANGE AND VOICE DISTRIBUTION
`~
`~
`...._ (57) Abstract: A method for voice exchange and voice distribution between users of computer networks comprises the following
`;
`steps: creating a message in a voice container; contacting a central server to locate a recipient of the message; forwarding the message
`to the recipient if the recipient is available; storing the message at the central server when the recipient is not available for forwarding
`
`O when the recipient is available. The method also allows the control of the origination, distribution and listening to these messages,
`
`:;..... and also offers the options of ringing a pre-configured phone number at the recipient's request for the delivery of the message or
`;;-,,,- forwarding the message to another Internet or voice container enabled device.
`
`Page 1 of 56
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`Samsung Exhibit 1006
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`METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VOICE EXCHANGE AND VOICE
`DISTRIBUTION
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to the field of packet communications, and more
`
`particularly to voice packet communication systems.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Many users of on-line services utilize text-based communication systems for
`
`the exchange of messages. Two well known text-based communication systems
`
`techniques are e-mail, wherein text messages are placed in a central file associated
`
`with a destination address, to be downloaded at a later time when the recipient "logs
`
`in" and instant messaging, where text is typed and exchanged between computers
`
`when a "buddy" address (or group address) is present in an address field. Although it
`
`is possible to attach files to the text file for the transfer of non-text formats, including
`
`graphic and audio files, this technique is greatly limited. When an audio file is
`
`attached, the technique lacks a method for convenient recording, storing, exchanging,
`
`responding and listening to voices between one or more parties, independent of
`
`whether or not they are logged in to their network.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is a system and method for voice exchange and voice
`
`distribution utilizing a voice container. Based on states, rules and type of devices
`
`provided, voice containers can be stored, transcoded and routed to the appropriate
`
`recipients instantaneously or stored for later delivery. The present invention system
`
`1
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`and method for voice exchange and voice distribution allows a software agent with a
`
`user interface in conjunction with a central server to send, receive and store messages
`
`using voice containers.
`
`In addition, the present invention for voice exchange and
`
`voice distribution provides the ability to store messages both locally and centrally at
`
`the server whenever the recipient is not available for a prescribed period of time.
`
`Additionally, the present invention allows manual or pre-programmed control of the
`
`origination, distribution and listening to these messages, and also offers the options of
`
`ringing a pre-configured phone number at the recipient's request for the delivery of
`
`the message or forwarding the message to another Internet or voice container enabled
`
`device.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`A more complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained from
`
`consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which:
`
`FIG. 1 is a high level functional block diagram of the system for voice
`
`exchange and voice distribution;
`
`FIG. IA is the high level functional block diagram of FIG. 1 including a voice
`
`format detection and translation system;
`
`FIG. 2 is a high level overview of the system architecture;
`
`FIG. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of the voice container structure;
`
`FIG. 4 is a high level flow chart for PC to PC and PC to network
`
`communications utilizing the system for voice exchange and voice distribution;
`
`2
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`FIG. 5 is a high level flow chart for dial in emulation from a telephone
`
`utilizing the system for voice exchange and voice distribution;
`
`FIG. 6 is a high level flow chart for spot calling utilizing the method and
`
`system for voice exchange and voice distribution;
`
`FIG. 7 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method and
`
`system with respect to the originator;
`
`FIG. 8 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method and
`
`system with respect to the central server;
`
`FIG. 9 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method and
`
`system with respect to the recipient;
`
`FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to the originator of
`
`a voice spot;
`
`FIG. 11 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to the central server
`
`for a voice spot;
`
`FIG. 12 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to the recipient of a
`
`voice spot;
`
`FIG. 13 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to the originator
`
`and recipient for an anonymous voice communication;
`
`3
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`FIG. 14 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to the central server
`
`for an anonymous voice communication;
`
`FIG. 15 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to the central server
`
`for emulation through a telephone system;
`
`FIG. 16 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to the originator of
`
`a voice container with multimedia attachments;
`
`FIG. 17 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to the central server
`
`for a voice container with multimedia attachments;
`
`FIG. 18 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to the recipient of a
`
`voice container with multimedia attachments;
`
`FIG. 19 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to preparing a voice
`
`container without a PC; and,
`
`FIG. 20 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the method
`
`and system for voice exchange and voice distribution with respect to playing a voice
`
`container on a non-PC based appliance.
`
`4
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS ILLUSTRATIVE
`
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`Although the present invention, a method and system for voice exchange and
`
`voice distribution, is particularly well suited for use in connecting Internet users and
`
`shall be so described, the present invention is equally well suited for use in other
`
`network communication systems such as an Intranet, Extranet and interworking with
`
`traditional PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). While the present invention
`
`is particularly well suited for voice exchange it is equally well suited for any form of
`
`audio message exchange.
`
`When the present invention, a method and system for voice exchange and
`
`voice distribution is accessed by a communication device through a non-packet link,
`
`the voice packet (voice container) is converted into the corresponding protocol and
`
`form necessary for communication with the communication device as well as to cross
`
`through the non-packet link.
`
`Transaction Control
`
`Protocol/Internet
`
`Protocol
`
`(TCP/IP)
`
`1s
`
`the
`
`communications standard between hosts on the Internet. TCP/IP defines the basic
`
`format of the digital data packets on the Internet allowing programs to exchange
`
`information with other hosts on the Internet.
`
`Domain names direct where e-mail is sent, files are found, and computer
`
`resources are located. They are used when accessing information on the World Wide
`
`Web (Web or WWW) or connecting to other computers through Telenet. Internet
`
`users enter the domain name, which is automatically converted to the Internet Protocol
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`5
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`address by the Domain Name System (DNS). The DNS is a service provided by
`
`TCP/IP that translates the symbolic name into an IP address by looking up the domain
`
`name in a database.
`
`E-mail was one of the first services developed on the Internet. Today, e-mail
`
`is an important service on any computer network, not just the Internet. E-mail
`
`involves sending a message from one computer account to another computer account.
`
`E-mail is used to send textual information as well as files, including graphic files,
`
`executable file, word processing and other files. E-mail is becoming a popular way to
`
`conduct business over long distances. Using e-mail to contact a business associate
`
`can be faster than using a voice telephone, because the recipient can read it at a
`
`convenient time, and the sender can include as much information as needed to explain
`
`the situation.
`
`Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) was developed to provide for reliable
`
`and efficient transfer of e-mail between different communication environments.
`
`SMTP is independent of a particular transmission subsystem and requires only a
`
`reliable data stream channel.
`
`The ability to relay e-mail between different
`
`communication environments is an important feature. SMTP is described in Internic
`
`RFC #821, entitled "Simple Mail Transfer Protocol" dated August 1982
`
`(http://ds.internic.net/rfc/rfc821.txt), which is incorporated herein by reference.
`
`A transport service provides an interprocess communication environment
`
`(IPCE). An IPCE may cover one network, span several networks, or a subset of a
`
`network.
`
`IPCEs are not one-to-one connections, but may communicate through
`
`another process, such as a mutually known IPCE. E-mail is a use of interprocess
`
`6
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`communications. E-mail can be communicated between processes in different IPCEs
`
`by relaying them through a process connecting two or more IPCEs. Therefore e-mail
`
`can be relayed between hosts on different transport systems by a host on both
`
`transport systems.
`
`The interconnection between different systems requires a standard for the
`
`format of e-mail messages. One such standard is described in Internic RFC #822,
`
`entitled "Standard For The Format Of ARP A Internet Text Messages" dated August
`
`13, 1982 (http://ds.internic.net/rfc/rfc822.txt), which
`
`is
`
`incorporated herein by
`
`reference.
`
`In 1989, researchers at CERN (The European Laboratory for Particle Physics)
`
`wanted to provide a better method for widely dispersed groups of researchers to share
`
`information. The researchers needed a system that would enable them to quickly
`
`access all types of information with a common interface. By the end of 1990,
`
`researchers at CERN had a textual browser and a graphical browser developed.
`
`A browser is an application which knows how to interpret and display
`
`hypertext documents that are located on the Web. Hypertext documents contain
`
`commands, references and links to other text and documents. This allows a reader to
`
`quickly access related text.
`
`In addition to text, many documents contain graphics,
`
`audio and animation.
`
`HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is an application-level protocol for
`
`distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. It is a generic, stateless,
`
`object-oriented protocol which can be used for many tasks, such as name servers and
`
`7
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`distributed object management systems, through extension of its request methods
`
`(commands). A feature of HTTP is the typing and negotiation of data representation,
`
`allowing systems to be built independently of the data being transferred. HTTP is
`
`described in a working document of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF),
`
`entitled "HyperText Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1" dated November 22, 1995, which
`
`is incorporated herein by reference.
`
`HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is an authoring software language used
`
`to create Web pages. HTML is basically ASCII text surrounded by HTML commands
`
`in angle brackets, which are then interpreted by a browser. Standard Generalized
`
`Markup Language (SGML) is a text-based language for describing the content and
`
`structure of digital documents. SGML documents are viewed with transformers,
`
`which render SGML data the way Web browsers render HTML data. Extensible
`
`Markup Language, is a pared-down version of SGML, designed especially for Web
`
`documents.
`
`It enables designers to create their own customized tags to provide
`
`functionality not available with HTML.
`
`A Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) is a pointer or link to a location. The
`
`URL contains a transmission protocol, such as HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP),
`
`a domain name of the target computer system, a page identifier and a bookmark.
`
`The WWW is the graphical data transfer area of the Internet. This is the area
`
`of the Internet Home Pages and web sites are found. The WWW has become a
`
`popular place to advertise businesses, but it can also be used as a front end for
`
`electronic commerce (e-commerce). Many companies have on-line ordering on their
`
`web sites. While this segment of the web is not growing as fast as many analysts
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`predicted, it is still gammg wide acceptance as the public's trust of web security
`
`grows.
`
`An Intranet is similar to the Internet except it is used to disseminate
`
`information within a company's network and is protected from the general public
`
`through the use of a Firewall. Sometimes, the users on an Intranet will have access to
`
`sites on the Internet, but unregistered users on the Internet do not have access to the
`
`Intranet.
`
`An Internet Browser is a program that is able to read HTML and follow
`
`Hyperlinks in order to present the information included on a World Wide Web site. In
`
`addition, a browser has the capability of entering data on forms included on those web
`
`sites and has the capability to download information off of a web site. Most Internet
`
`browsers increase the speed of data transmission by sending downloaded data to a
`
`cache directory, where it can be accessed again the next time the data is requested
`
`rather than downloading it off the web site again.
`
`On-line commerce, or e-commerce, uses the Internet, of which the World
`
`Wide Web is a part, to transfer information about goods and services in exchange for
`
`payment or customer data needed to facilitate payment. Potential customers can
`
`supply a company with shipping and invoicing information without having to tie up
`
`sales staff. The convenience offered to the customer is that they don't have to drive
`
`around town all day looking for the product they want.
`
`An intelligent agent must have the capability to take actions leading to the
`
`completion of a task or objective, such as accessing security databases for validation
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`of credit card information, reading e-mail, determining status of a recipient of a
`
`message, validation of message addressing, etc., without trigger or input from an end(cid:173)
`
`user. The details of the programming of the intelligent agent are known to those
`
`skilled in the art. The functioning and design of intelligent software agents are
`
`described in "Software Agents: An Overview" by Hyacinth S. Nwana, Knowledge
`
`Engineering Review, Vol. 11, No. 3 pp 1-40, September 1996 and "Intelligent
`
`Agents: A Technology And Business Application Analysis" by Kathryn Heilmann et
`
`al., URL: http://www-iiuf.unifr.ch/pai/users/chantem/heilmann, 1998, which are
`
`herein incorporated by reference.
`
`Description of the Method
`
`The present invention system and method for v01ce exchange and voice
`
`distribution between computers, telecommunication devices and Internet appliances
`
`provides the ability to communicate spontaneously, in the user's own voice, without
`
`the limitations of written communications for natural expression.
`
`In a broad
`
`overview, the present invention for voice exchange and voice distribution provides a
`
`voice intercom system with instant messaging, distributed over the Internet. The
`
`present invention is like a voice intercom system in that one of the parties in the
`
`conversation may speak or listen, but not both at once.
`
`Referring to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a high level functional block diagram of
`
`the system for voice exchange and voice distribution. The present invention system
`
`and method for voice exchange and voice distribution 20 allows a software agent 22
`
`with a user interface in conjunction with a central server 24 to send, receive and store
`
`messages using voice containers illustrated by transmission line 26 in a pack and send
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`mode of operation to another software agent 28. A pack and send mode of operation
`
`is one in which the message is first acquired, compressed and then stored in a voice
`
`container 26 which is then sent to its destination(s). In addition, the present invention
`
`for voice exchange and voice distribution provides the ability to store messages 30
`
`both locally and centrally at the server whenever the recipient is not available for a
`
`prescribed period of time. Additionally, the present invention allows users to send and
`
`receive voice messages via convention analog phones 32 and 34 in which case the
`
`user's agent 36 is located remote to the user and preferably proximate to or integrated
`
`with the server. In this the remote agent allows manual or pre-programmed control of
`
`the origination, distribution and listening to these messages, and also offers the
`
`options of ringing a pre-configured phone number at the recipient's request for the
`
`delivery of the message or forwarding the message to another Internet or voice
`
`container enabled device.
`
`With reference to FIG. lA, the present invention is designed to adapt to the
`
`voice and data compression capabilities of the user's existing hardware and software
`
`platform. More specifically, the agent of the present invention may be adapted to
`
`work on a personal computer, wireless handheld computer such a personal data
`
`assistant (PDA), digital telephone, or beeper.
`
`In each case different voice and
`
`compression applications and data formats may be available as dictated by the
`
`hardware platform and software residing thereon. The present invention includes a
`
`voice/compression software detector 38 and 40 that communicates the format of the
`
`voice data to be transmitted and/or received.
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`Voice data is transmitted to the server in the format provided by the agent .
`
`Where the Personal Computer includes several voice compressions formats the agent
`
`may include a hierarchical list of preferred formats in which the most preferred format
`
`is selected. Criteria for selecting the format may include transmission bandwidth,
`
`lossy versus lossless compression and voice quality parameters such as sampling rates.
`
`The voice data is transmitted in a voice container. The term "voice containers" as
`
`used throughout this application refers to a container object that contains no methods,
`
`but contains voice data or voice data and voice data properties. In the latter case,
`
`voice data properties may be tailored to the use desired by the user or may be inherent
`
`from the voice data and/or hardware platform upon which the agent is reusing. For
`
`example, the agent when reusing from a PDA may only have one voice data format
`
`available. In later versions of the Windows 95, 98, 2000 and NT operating system by
`
`Microsoft, the GSM data compression or codec is included. The server is adapted to
`
`recognized the voice format of voice data contained in the voice containers, this
`
`information may be communicated by the agent prior to a voice container
`
`transmission, included in the voice container or provided to the server from the agent
`
`when polled by the server.
`
`In the presently preferred embodiment, the data format available is provided to
`
`the server upon the initial session communication between the agent and the server.
`
`Voice containers transmitted from a sending agent to a receiving agent have different
`
`data formats are routed through the server in which a translator 42 converts the voice
`
`data in the voice containers from the sender's data format to the receiver's data
`
`format.
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`Referring to FIG. 2 there is illustrated a high level overview of the system
`
`architecture. A Software Agent utilized by the sender of the voice container provides
`
`the following functionality: log on to a central server 46; authenticate to the central
`
`server 48; address the recipient(s) and pack message into a voice container or multiple
`
`voice containers 50; and, enable transport 52 of the voice container to the recipient or
`
`the central server.
`
`A central server 1s made up of several sub-components including an
`
`authentication server 54, a message server 56, a notification server 58, a registration
`
`server 60, a proxy server 62, an OA&M Server 64, a capabilities exchange 66, a
`
`compression engine 68, a transcoding server (translator) 70 and transport server 72.
`
`Those structures are discussed in further detail below.
`
`The Central Server provides
`
`the following functionality: register and
`
`authenticate the senders and receivers; control the identifiers of software agents;
`
`maintain and provide the status of all software agents; store the voice container if the
`
`recipients are not available; converts the voice container for PSTN (Public Switched
`
`Telephone Network); and, generate outgoing calls and emulate the software agent
`
`when the sender or recipient is a traditional phone or other voice container enabled
`
`device.
`
`A Software Agent utilized by
`
`the recipient provides
`
`the following
`
`functionality: log on to the central server; authenticate to the central server; retrieve
`
`any undelivered voice containers; and, unpack the voice container and play the
`
`message.
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`The Connection Service Description
`
`Software Agent - Sender: With a simple software agent loaded on a Personal
`
`Computer (PC) or other Internet compatible appliance, the sender will log on,
`
`authenticate, and notify the central server of its status. To create a message, the
`
`software agent will address, pack and send the message in a voice container.
`
`Central Server: The central server in conjunction with the software agent
`
`controls, stores and switches the voice containers to the appropriate recipients. The
`
`server will initially register and authenticate the software agent. It will track and
`
`maintain the status of all software agents. It will notify the software agent to send the
`
`voice container directly to the recipient if the recipient is available or it will store the
`
`voice container for the intended recipient if the recipient is not available. In addition,
`
`it will also convert the voice container for delivery over traditional phone networks if
`
`the recipient is a phone or to other voice container enabled devices.
`
`Software Agent - Recipient: If the recipient is not on-line, the messages will
`
`be transported to them when they log on to a network. The software agent will open
`
`the voice container upon arrival and play the message to the user.
`
`To use the present invention system and method for voice exchange and voice
`
`distribution, the originator selects one or more intended recipients from a list of names
`
`that have been previously entered into the software agent. The agent permits a number
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`of distinct modes of communication based on the status of the recipient. The status of
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`all recipients entered into the software agent is frequently conveyed to the software
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`agent by the central server. This includes whether the core states of whether the
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`recipient is online or offline, but also offers related status information, for example
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`whether the recipient does not want to be disturbed.
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`For online recipients, the
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`software agent is also notified on the recipient's Internet Protocol (IP) address.
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`Considering just the two core states, the software agent offers the originator
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`alternative ways to communicate with the recipient. This choice can either be dictated
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`by the originator or automatically selected by the software agent, according to rules
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`that are stored. More than two choices are available when all the status information is
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`considered.
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`If online, the originator can either begin a real-time "intercom" call which
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`simulates a telephone call or a voice instant messaging session, which allows for an
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`interruptible conversation. The choice of these modes depends on the activities of
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`both parties, the intended length of conversation and the quality of the
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`communications path between the two individuals, which is generally not controlled
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`by either party. The previously stored IP address is used to enable direct, peer-to-peer
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`communications.
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`If off line, the originator can either begin a voice mail conversation that will be
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`delivered the next time the recipient logs in or can be delivered to the recipient's e­
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`Mail as a digitally encoded MIME attachment. Again, the choice of delivery options is
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`based on the interests of both parties and whether the recipient is sufficiently mobile
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`that access to the registered computer is not always available. For these cases, the
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`voice containers are delivered to the central server to manage the ultimate delivery to
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`the recipient.
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`Once the delivery mode has been selected, the originator digitally records
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`messages for one or more recipients using a microphone-equipped device and the
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`software agent. The software agent compresses the voice and stores the file
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`temporarily on the PC if the voice will be delivered as an entire message. If the real
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`time "intercom" mode has been invoked, a small portion of the digitized voice is
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`stored to account for the requirements of the Internet protocols for retransmission and
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`then transmitted before the entire conversation has been completed. Based on status
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`information received from the central server, the agent then decides on whether to
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`transport the voice containers to a central file system and/or sends it directly to
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`another software agent using the IP address previously stored in the software agent. If
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`the intended recipient has a compatible active software agent on line after log on, the
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`central server downloads the voice recording almost immediately to the recipient. The
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`voice is uncompressed and the recipient can hear the recording through the speakers
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`or headset attached to their computer. The recipient can reply in a complementary
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`way, allowing for near real-time communications. If the recipient's software agent is
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`not on line, the voice recording is stored in the central server until the recipient's
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`software agent is active. In both cases, the user is automatically notified of available
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`messages once the voice recordings have been downloaded to storage on their
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`computer. The central server coordinates with software agents on all computers
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`continuously, updating addresses, uploading and downloading files and selectively
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`retaining voice recordings in central storage.
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`In all cases, the originator can include and reference other Internet and file
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`based information, by including that in the data elements of the format. For example,
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`an e-Mail recipient could choose to reference thee-Mail but respond with voice to one
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`or more addressees of thee-Mail. The forwarded recipients could either receive this in
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`the software agent, which can portray the original e-Mail, or as a standard MIME
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`attachment toe-Mail, or in both ways depending on administrative settings.
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`Limited by current dial-up bandwidth, voice containers are exchanged to
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`enable users to experience a comfortable, but somewhat delayed, conversation.
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`However, as bandwidth deployment
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`increases via cable modems, high-speed
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`subscriber lines, and other techniques, the conversational gaps are reduced and an
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`even more natural sounding conversation results.
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`Interworking with other services
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`Telephone connections, using Touch Tone control codes, can emulate the
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`basic service, allowing users on any telephone connection to send voice recordings to
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`others or to receive their own recordings. Calls may be originated from the central
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`server to one or more telephones, based on rules and preferences provided by the
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`recipient, when a voice container is completed. The central server will transcode the
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`voice component to commonly used network formats. It will then ring (or otherwise
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`alert) the distant telephone and allow the individual who answers to either listen to the
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`voice container or let it remain in storage. Moreover, the answerer can be given the
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`option of speaking a voice destined for the originator, which will again be transcoded
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`and returned to the subject system, for delivery to the originator. Finally, mobile users
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`can call into the central server and request to hea