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`US007535890B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Rojas
`
`(IO) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7 ,535,890 B2
`May 19, 2009
`
`(54) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSTANT VOiP
`MESSAGING
`
`2007/0112925 Al *
`2007/0174403 Al *
`
`5/2007 Malik ......................... 709/206
`7 /2007 Barry ......................... 709/207
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: Michael J. Rojas, North Canton, OH
`(US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Ayalogic, Inc., Akron, OH (US)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 799 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 10/740,030
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Dec. 18, 2003
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2005/0135333 Al
`
`Jun.23,2005
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`H04L 12/66
`(2006.01)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ....................................... 370/352; 709/206
`(58) Field of Classification Search ................. 370/354,
`370/352
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6,763,226 Bl *
`7/2004 McZeal, Jr ................. 455/90.2
`2003/0087632 Al *
`5/2003 Sagi et al. ................... 455/414
`2003/0126207 Al*
`7/2003 Creamer et al. ............. 709/204
`2004/0030046 Al *
`............... 525171
`2/2004 Schultes et al.
`2004/0122906 Al*
`6/2004 Goodman et al.
`........... 709/206
`2004/0128356 Al*
`7/2004 Bernstein et al. ............ 709/206
`2004/0252679 Al* 12/2004 Williams et al.
`............ 370/356
`2005/0053230 Al*
`3/2005 Gierachf ................ 379/406.06
`2005/0105697 Al*
`5/2005 Hollowell et al. ........ 379/88.13
`2006/0167883 Al *
`7/2006 Boukobza .................... 707/10
`2006/02687 50 Al * 11/2006 Weiner ....................... 370/260
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`"Teliphone
`
`http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/nemnsw/callmn/prodlit/
`cm33_ds.htm; "Data Sheet Cisco CallManager Version 3.3", Nov.
`22, 2002.
`http:/ /www. ci sco .com/ en/US/products/hw I switches/ps 19 25 I
`products_data_sheet_09 l 86a00800a3c3d.html; "Data Sheet Cisco
`MGX 8000 Series" (date unknown).
`http://www.hsteliann.com/ english/?zone~3 l OO-V2 l P;
`3100-V21P", 2003.
`http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles.AT 519994 7 519 .html;
`"Device Profile: snom 100 VoIP phone", May 15, 2002.
`http://www.pingtel.com/pr xpressa.jsp; No limits with the advanced
`industry standard SIP phone; Dec. 8, 2003.
`AudioCoded Enabling Technology Products, TPM-1100 VoP Media
`Gateway Modules, copyright 2003.
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner-Creighton Smith
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Scully, Scott, Murphy &
`Presser, P.C.
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`There is provided an instant voice messaging system (and
`method) for delivering instant messages over a packet(cid:173)
`switched network, the system comprising: a client connected
`to the network, the client selecting one or more recipients,
`generating an instant voice message therefor, and transmit(cid:173)
`ting the selected recipients and the instant voice message
`therefor over the network; and a server connected to the
`network, the server receiving the selected recipients and the
`instant voice message therefor, and delivering the instant
`voice message to the selected recipients over the network, the
`selected recipients being enabled to audibly play the instant
`voice message.
`
`70 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
`
`208
`
`212
`
`I AUDIO
`IVM CLIENT FILE
`
`: I
`
`~·
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`200
`(
`
`202
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`IVM
`SERVER
`
`I
`/
`I
`I
`I
`~ 2 0 6
`
`IVMCLIENT
`(VoIP
`PHONE)
`
`Page 1 of 27
`
`Page 1 of 27
`
`Samsung Exhibit 1022
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 19, 2009
`
`Sheet 1 of 9
`
`US 7,535,890 B2
`
`100
`
`i
`
`120
`
`102
`
`= LEGACY
`SWITCH
`110
`
`FIG~ 1
`(PRIOR ART)
`
`Page 2 of 27
`
`Page 2 of 27
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 19, 2009
`
`Sheet 2 of 9
`
`US 7,535,890 B2
`
`214 1t
`
`208
`
`212
`
`AUDIO
`FILE
`
`IVMCLIENT
`
`218
`/~ \ \
`
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`
`200
`(
`
`204
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`IVM
`SERVER
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`U
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`(VoIP
`PHONE)
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`FIG. 2
`
`Page 3 of 27
`
`Page 3 of 27
`
`

`

`320
`)
`
`MESSAGING
`SYSTEM
`
`208
`
`302
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`CLIENT
`ENGINE
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`DOCUMENT
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`DATA-
`316
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`I
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`ENCRYPTION COMPRESSION
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`TO LOCAL
`IVMSERVER
`202
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`d r.,;_
`tit w
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`Page 4 of 27
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`Page 4 of 27
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`

`

`436
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`402
`)
`SERVER COMMUNICATION PLATFORM
`SERVER ENGINE h.-404
`(SWITCHING CORE)
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`TOIVM
`CLIENTS
`206,208
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`SYSTEM
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`MANAGER
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`SERVER
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`420
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`
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`ImP
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`Page 5 of 27
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`Page 5 of 27
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`

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`Page 6 of 27
`
`Page 6 of 27
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`

`

`510
`
`202
`
`IVM
`SYSTEM
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`602
`
`IP
`NE1WORK
`(INTERNET)
`MESSAGES
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`102
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`Page 7 of 27
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`Page 7 of 27
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`

`

`604,606
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`Page 8 of 27
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`Page 8 of 27
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`

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`Page 9 of 27
`
`Page 9 of 27
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 19, 2009
`
`Sheet 9 of 9
`
`US 7,535,890 B2
`
`918
`
`920
`
`922
`
`900
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`
`Page 10 of 27
`
`Page 10 of 27
`
`

`

`US 7,535,890 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSTANT VOiP
`MESSAGING
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Technical Field of the Invention
`The present invention generally relates to Internet tele(cid:173)
`phony (IP telephony). More particularly, the present inven(cid:173)
`tion is directed to a system and method for enabling local and
`global instant VoIP messaging over an IP network, such as the
`Internet, with PSTN support.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`Traditional telephony is based on a public switched tele(cid:173)
`phone network (i.e., "PSTN"). In the PSTN, a telephone
`terminal is electrically connected to a conventional or legacy 15
`switch. The telephone terminal and the legacy switch com(cid:173)
`municate via a proprietary protocol, which may be different
`depending on the vendor of the legacy switch. Circuit switch(cid:173)
`ing provides a communication path (i.e., dedicated circuit) for
`a telephone call from the telephone terminal to another device 20
`over the PSTN, including another telephone terminal. During
`the telephone call, voice communication takes place over that
`communication path.
`An alternative to the PSTN is Voice over Internet Protocol
`(i.e., "VoIP"), also known as IP telephony or Internet tele- 25
`phony. In the IP telephony, a VoIP terminal device is con(cid:173)
`nected to a packet-switched network (e.g., Internet) and voice
`communication from the VoIP terminal device is digitized,
`packetized and transmitted over the packet-switched network
`to a destination VoIP terminal device, which reconstructs the 30
`packets and audibly plays, stores or otherwise processes the
`transmission. The VoIP terminal device may be a VoIP tele(cid:173)
`phone or a general-purpose personal computer (PC) enabled
`for IP telephony. More specifically, the PC is programmed
`with the software and equipped with audio input/output 35
`devices ( e.g., a combination of microphone and speaker or a
`headset) to serve as a VoIP terminal device. The PC so enabled
`and equipped will herein be referred to as a VoIP terminal
`device or a VoIP softphone.
`FIG. 1 is an illustrative example of a prior art IP telephony 40
`system 100. The IP telephony system 100 comprises a packet(cid:173)
`switched IP network 102, such as the Internet, which trans(cid:173)
`mits VoIP traffic from and to a plurality of terminal devices
`104, 106 and 110. Terminal device 104 is a VoIP softphone
`that is enabled for IP telephony over the network 102. Termi- 45
`nal device 106 is a VoIP telephone, which is connected to the
`network 102 via a softswitch 108. The VoIP softswitch 108 is
`disposed on the packet-switched network ( e.g., Internet) 102
`between an origination terminal device (such as VoIP soft(cid:173)
`phone 104) and a destination terminal device (such as VoIP
`telephone 106), and routes packets over the packet-switched
`IP network 102. The softswitch 108 may also manage and
`perform administrative functions for the terminal device or
`devices (e.g., VoIP telephone 106) to which it is connected.
`Whether the terminal device is a VoIP softphone 104 or a VoIP
`telephone 106, the terminal device is connected to the IP
`network 102 via a networking standard such as Ethernet,
`Bluetooth, IEEE 1394 (also known as "Firewire"), IEEE
`802.11 (also known as "WiFi"), or networking over serial
`communication channels such as the Universal Serial Bus
`(i.e., "USB"). Data communication over the network then
`takes place using a connection protocol, e.g., transfer control
`protocol/Internet protocol (i.e., "TCP/IP").
`Further regarding FIG. 1, terminal device 110 is a legacy
`telephone that is connected to a legacy switch 112 for ( circuit(cid:173)
`switched) voice communications over the PSTN 116 with
`other terminal devices. A media gateway 114 may be pro-
`
`2
`vided between the legacy switch 112 and the packet-switched
`network 102 to enable IP telephony between the legacy tele(cid:173)
`phone 110 and a VoIP terminal device, such as a VoIP soft(cid:173)
`phone 104 or VoIP telephone 106. More specifically, the
`media gateway 114 converts the audio signal carried over
`PSTN to packets carried over the packet-switched IP network
`102. In addition, a media gateway 118 may be disposed over
`the PSTN 116 and connected to a softswitch 120 to convert
`the audio signal from the legacy telephone 110 to packets
`10 routed over the IP network 102 via the softswitch 120.
`Voice messaging in both the VoIP and PSTN is known.
`More specifically, the foregoing systems may be provided
`with a facility to allow users to leave voice messages for
`recipients, which is a feature that is familiar to anyone who
`uses a telephone. Conventionally, leaving a voice message
`involves dialing the recipient's telephone number (often
`without knowing whether the recipient will answer), waiting
`for the connection to be established, speaking to an operator
`or navigating through a menu of options, listening to a greet(cid:173)
`ing message, and recording the message for later pickup by
`the recipient. In that message, the user must typically identify
`himself or herself in order for the recipient to return the call.
`Instant text messaging is likewise known. More specifi(cid:173)
`cally, a user is provided with a client terminal, which is
`typically a general-purpose PC programmed with instant text
`messaging software and in data communication over an IP
`network with an instant text-messaging server. The instant
`text-messaging server presents the user, via the client termi(cid:173)
`nal, with a list of persons who are currently "online" and
`ready to receive text messages on their own client terminals.
`The user then uses the client terminal to select one or more
`persons to whom the message will be sent and types in a text
`message. The text message is sent immediately via the text(cid:173)
`messaging server to the selected one or more persons and is
`displayed on their respective client terminals.
`However, notwithstanding the foregoing advances in the
`VoIP/PS TN voice communication and voice/text messaging,
`there is still a need in the art for providing a system and
`method for providing instant VoIP messaging over an IP
`network. More particularly, there is a need in the art for
`providing local and global instant voice messaging over VoIP
`with PSTN support.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is directed to a system and method
`for enabling local and global instant VoIP messaging over an
`IP network, such as the Internet.
`According to an embodiment of the present invention,
`50 there is provided an instant voice messaging system for deliv(cid:173)
`ering instant messages over a packet-switched network, the
`system comprising: a client connected to the network, the
`client selecting one or more recipients, generating an instant
`voice message therefor, and transmitting the selected recipi-
`55 ents and the instant voice message therefor over the network;
`and a server connected to the network, the server receiving the
`selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor, and
`delivering the instant voice message to the selected recipients
`over the network, the selected recipients being enabled to
`60 audibly play the instant voice message.
`According to another embodiment of the present invention,
`there is provided an instant voice messaging system for deliv(cid:173)
`ering instant messages over a packet-switched network
`enabling public switched telephone network (PSTN) support,
`65 the system comprising: a PSTN telephone connected to the
`network for providing input audio; a client connected to the
`network, the client selecting one or more recipients, generat-
`
`Page 11 of 27
`
`Page 11 of 27
`
`

`

`US 7,535,890 B2
`
`3
`ing an instant voice message therefor using the input audio
`provided by the PSTN telephone, and transmitting the
`selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor
`over the network; a server connected to the network, the
`server receiving the selected recipients and the instant voice
`message therefor, and delivering the instant voice message to
`the selected recipients over the network, the selected recipi(cid:173)
`ents being enabled to audibly play the instant voice message.
`According to a further embodiment of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion, there is provided an instant voice messaging system for 10
`delivering instant messages over a packet-switched network,
`the system comprising: a voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP)
`telephone connected to the network for providing input audio;
`a client connected to the network, the client selecting one or
`more recipients, generating an instant voice message therefor 15
`using the input audio provided by the VoIP telephone, and
`transmitting the selected recipients and the instant voice mes(cid:173)
`sage therefor over the network; a server connected to the
`network, the server receiving the selected recipients and the
`instant voice message therefor, and delivering the instant 20
`voice message to the selected recipients over the network, the
`selected recipients being enabled to audibly play the instant
`voice message.
`According to still another embodiment of the present
`invention, there is provided an instant voice messaging sys(cid:173)
`tem for delivering instant messages over a plurality of packet(cid:173)
`switched networks, the system comprising: a client con(cid:173)
`nected to a local network, the client selecting one or more
`external recipients connected to an external network outside
`the local network, generating an instant voice message there- 30
`for, and transmitting the selected recipients and the instant
`voice message therefor over the local network and the exter(cid:173)
`nal network; and a server connected to the external network,
`the server receiving the selected recipients and the instant
`voice message therefor, and delivering the instant voice mes- 35
`sage to the selected recipients over the external network, the
`selected recipients being enabled to audibly play the instant
`voice message.
`According to yet another embodiment of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion, there is provided an instant voice messaging system for 40
`delivering instant messages over a plurality of packet(cid:173)
`switched networks enabling public switched telephone net(cid:173)
`work (PSTN) support, the system comprising: a PSTN tele(cid:173)
`phone connected to a local network for providing input audio;
`a client connected to the local network, the client selecting 45
`one or more external recipients connected to an external
`network outside the local network, generating an instant
`voice message therefor using the input audio provided by the
`PSTN telephone, and transmitting the selected recipients and
`the instant voice message therefor over the local network and 50
`the external network; a server connected to the external net(cid:173)
`work, the server receiving the selected recipients and the
`instant voice message therefor, and delivering the instant
`voice message to the selected recipients over the external
`network, the selected recipients being enabled to audibly play 55
`the instant voice message.
`According to yet a further embodiment of the present
`invention, there is provided an instant voice messaging sys(cid:173)
`tem for delivering instant messages over a plurality of packet(cid:173)
`switched networks, the system comprising: a voice-over-in- 60
`ternet-protocol (VoIP) telephone connected to a local
`network for providing input audio; a client connected to the
`local network, the client selecting one or more external recipi(cid:173)
`ents connected to an external network outside the local net(cid:173)
`work, generating an instant voice message therefor using the
`input audio provided by the VoIP telephone, and transmitting
`the selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor
`
`4
`over the local network and the external network; an server
`connected to the external network, the external server receiv(cid:173)
`ing the selected recipients and the instant voice message
`therefor, and delivering the instant voice message to the
`selected recipients over the external network, the selected
`recipients being enabled to audibly play the instant voice
`message.
`According to still a further embodiment of the present
`invention, there is provided an instant voice messaging sys(cid:173)
`tem for delivering instant messages over a plurality of packet(cid:173)
`switched networks, the system comprising: a client con(cid:173)
`nected to an external network, the client selecting one or more
`recipients connected to a local network, generating an instant
`voice message therefor, and transmitting the selected recipi(cid:173)
`ents and the instant voice message therefor over the external
`network; an external server system connected to the external
`network, the external server system receiving the selected
`recipients and the instant voice message, and routing the
`selected recipients and the instant voice message over the
`external network and the local network; a local server con(cid:173)
`nected to the local network, the local server receiving the
`selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor, and
`delivering the instant voice message to the selected recipients
`over the local network, the selected recipients being enabled
`25 to audibly play the instant voice message.
`According to an embodiment of the present invention,
`there is provided a method for instant voice messaging over a
`packet-switched network, the method comprising: selecting
`one or more recipients for instant voice messaging at a client;
`generating an instant voice message for the selected recipi(cid:173)
`ents at the client; transmitting the selected recipients and the
`instant voice message therefor over the network from the
`client to a server; receiving the selected recipients and the
`instant voice message therefor at the server; delivering the
`instant voice message from the server to the selected recipi(cid:173)
`ents over the network; and audibly playing the instant voice
`message at the selected recipients.
`According to another embodiment of the present invention,
`there is provided a method for instant voice messaging over a
`packet-switched network enabling public switched telephone
`network (PSTN) support, the method comprising: providing
`input audio via a PSTN telephone connected over the net(cid:173)
`work; selecting one or more recipients for instant voice mes-
`saging at a client; generating an instant voice message using
`the input audio from the PSTN telephone for the selected
`recipients at the client; transmitting the selected recipients
`and the instant voice message therefor over the network from
`the client to a server; receiving the selected recipients and the
`instant voice message therefor at the server; delivering the
`instant voice message from the server to the selected recipi-
`ents over the network; and audibly playing the instant voice
`message at the selected recipients.
`According to a further embodiment of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion, there is provided a method for instant voice messaging
`over a packet-switched network, the method comprising: pro(cid:173)
`viding input audio via a voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP)
`telephone connected over the network; selecting one or more
`recipients for instant voice messaging at a client; generating
`an instant voice message using the input audio from the VoIP
`telephone for the selected recipients at the client; transmitting
`the selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor
`over the network from the client to a server; receiving the
`selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor at
`65 the server; delivering the instant voice message from the
`server to the selected recipients over the network; and audibly
`playing the instant voice message at the selected recipients.
`
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`
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`

`US 7,535,890 B2
`
`5
`According to still another embodiment of the present
`invention, there is provided a method for instant voice mes(cid:173)
`saging over a plurality of packet-switched networks, the
`method comprising: selecting one or more external recipients
`for instant voice messaging at a client connected to a local
`network, the one or more external recipients connected to an
`external network outside the local network; generating an
`instant voice message for the selected external recipients at
`the client; transmitting the selected external recipients and the
`instant voice message therefor over the local network and the 10
`external network; receiving the selected external recipients
`and the instant voice message therefor at an external server
`connected to the external network; delivering the instant
`voice message to the selected external recipients over the
`external network; and audibly playing the instant voice mes- 15
`sage at the selected external recipients.
`According to yet another embodiment of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion, there is provided a method for instant voice messaging
`system over a plurality of packet-switched networks enabling
`public switched telephone network (PSTN) support, the 20
`method comprising: providing input audio via a PSTN tele(cid:173)
`phone connected to a local network; selecting one or more
`external recipients for instant voice messaging at a client, the
`one or more external recipients connected to an external
`network outside the local network; generating an instant 25
`voice message for the one or more external recipients using
`the input audio provided by the PSTN telephone; transmitting
`the selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor
`over the local network and the external network; receiving the
`selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor at a 30
`server connected to the external network; delivering the
`instant voice message to the selected recipients from the
`server over the external network; and audibly playing the
`instant voice message at the selected recipients.
`According to still a further embodiment of the present 35
`invention, there is provided a method for instant voice mes(cid:173)
`saging system over a plurality of packet-switched networks,
`the method comprising: providing input audio via a voice(cid:173)
`over-internet-protocol (VoIP) telephone connected to a local
`network; selecting one or more external recipients for instant 40
`voice messaging at a client, the one or more external recipi(cid:173)
`ents connected to an external network outside the local net(cid:173)
`work; generating an instant voice message for the one or more
`external recipients using the input audio provided by the VoIP
`telephone; transmitting the selected recipients and the instant
`voice message therefor over the local network and the exter(cid:173)
`nal network; receiving the selected recipients and the instant
`voice message therefor at a server connected to the external
`network; delivering the instant voice message to the selected
`recipients from the server over the external network; and 50
`audibly playing the instant voice message at the selected
`recipients.
`According to yet a further embodiment of the present
`invention, there is provided a method for instant voice mes(cid:173)
`saging over a plurality of a plurality of packet-switched net- 55
`works, the method comprising: selecting one or more recipi(cid:173)
`ents connected to a local network at a client connected to an
`external network; generating an instant voice message for the
`selected recipients at the client; transmitting the selected
`recipients and the instant voice message therefor over the
`external network from the client to an external server system;
`receiving the selected recipients and the instant voice mes(cid:173)
`sage at the external server system; routing the selected recipi(cid:173)
`ents and the instant voice message over the external network
`and the local network; receiving the selected recipients and 65
`the instant voice message therefor at a local server connected
`to the local network; delivering the instant voice message to
`
`6
`the selected recipients over the local network; audibly playing
`the instant voice message at the selected recipients.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The objects, features and advantages of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion will become apparent to one skilled in the art, in view of
`the following detailed description taken in combination with
`the attached drawings, in which:
`FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a prior art IP telephony
`system;
`FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary local IVM system for
`enabling instant voice messaging according to the present
`invention;
`FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary IVM client of FIG. 2 for
`enabling instant voice messaging according to the present
`invention;
`FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary IVM server of FIG. 2 for
`enabling instant voice messaging according to the present
`invention;
`FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary global IVM system com(cid:173)
`prising a local IVM system and global IVM clients, according
`to the present invention;
`FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary global IVM server system
`depicted in FIG. 5, according to the present invention;
`FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary transport server depicted in
`FIG. 6, according to the present invention;
`FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary directory server depicted in
`FIG. 6, according to the present invention; and
`FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary global IVM system com(cid:173)
`prising a plurality of local IVM systems and global IVM
`clients, according to the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is directed to a system and method
`for enabling local and global instant VoIP messaging over an
`IP network with PSTN support.
`FIG. 2 is an exemplary illustration of a local instant voice
`messaging (IVM) system 200 according to the present inven(cid:173)
`tion. The instant voice messaging system 200 comprises a
`local IVM server 202 that provides the core functionality for
`enabling instant voice messaging with PSTN support accord-
`45 ing to the present invention. The architecture of the local IVM
`server 202 will be described in detail hereinbelow with ref-
`erence to FIG. 4. According to the exemplary IVM system
`200, the local IVM server 202 is enabled to provide instant
`voice messaging to one or more IVM clients 206 and 208, as
`well support instant voice messaging for PSTN legacy tele(cid:173)
`phones 110. It is noted that although FIG. 2 depicts one of
`each IVM client 206, 208 and legacy telephone 110 for clarity
`and brevity, the local IVM server 202 is enabled to support a
`plurality of each of the foregoing IVM clients 206, 208 and
`legacy telephone 110. The local packet-switched IP network
`204 interconnects the IVM clients 206, 208 and the legacy
`telephone 110 to the local IVM server 202 as well as inter(cid:173)
`connecting the local IVM server 202 to the local IP network
`204. The network 204 may be a local area network (LAN), a
`60 wide area network (WAN), or the like, which supports both
`wired and wireless devices. The exemplary IVM client 208 is
`a VoIP softphone, the architecture of which will be described
`in detail hereinbelow with reference to FIG. 3. A microphone
`212 is connected to the IVM client 208 and enables the
`recording of an instant voice message according to the present
`invention into an audio file 210 for transmission to the local
`IVM server 202 over the network 204. An input device 218
`
`Page 13 of 27
`
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`

`

`US 7,535,890 B2
`
`7
`( e.g., a keyboard) is connected to the IVM client 208 to select
`one or more recipients that are to receive the recorded instant
`voice message. Although not depicted in FIG. 2, the input
`device 218 may include a trackball, digitizing pad or mouse,
`or the like. A display device 216 is connected to the IVM
`client 208 to display instant voice messages recorded and/or
`received by a userofthe IVM client 208.Anaudio device 214,
`such as external speaker, is connected to the IVM client 208
`to play received instant voice messages. It is noted that the
`microphone 212, audio device 214, display device 216 and 10
`input device 218 may form integral parts of the IVM client
`208.
`Further with reference to FIG. 2, IVM client 206 is inter(cid:173)
`connected via the network 204 to the local IVM server 202.
`An exemplary IVM client 206 is a VoIP telephone, which
`comprises a screen display (not shown) capable of displaying
`instant voice messages recorded and/or received by a user of
`the IVM client 206 according to the present invention. The
`VoIP telephone 206 further comprises a handset and/or
`speakerphone for recording instant voice messages and !is- 20
`tening to instant voice messages received at the VoIP tele(cid:173)
`phone 206 according to the present invention. The VoIP tele(cid:173)
`phones which may be implemented to provide instant voice
`messaging functionality according to