`US008995433B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Rojas
`
`(IO) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,995,433 B2
`*Mar. 31, 2015
`
`(54) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSTANT VOiP
`MESSAGING
`
`(71) Applicant: Empire IP LLC, New York, NY (US)
`
`(72)
`
`Inventor: Michael J. Rojas, North Canton, OH
`(US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Empire IP LLC, Austin, TX (US)
`
`71006 (2013.01); H04M 2203/4536 (2013.01);
`H04L 65/40 (2013.01); H04M 3/533 (2013.01)
`USPC ......................... 370/352; 709/206; 379/88.17
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`CPC .................. H04L 65/40; H04M 3/533; H04M
`2203/4536
`USPC ........................................... 370/352; 709/206
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by O days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis(cid:173)
`claimer.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 14/224,125
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Mar. 25, 2014
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2014/0204935 Al
`
`Jul. 24, 2014
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation of application No. 13/546,673, filed on
`Jul. 11, 2012, now Pat. No. 8,724,622, which is a
`continuation of application No. 12/398,063, filed on
`Mar. 4, 2009, now Pat. No. 8,243,723, which is a
`continuation of application No. 10/740,030, filed on
`Dec. 18, 2003, now Pat. No. 7,535,890.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`H04L 12/66
`H04L 12/58
`H04M3/533
`H04M7/00
`H04L29/06
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`CPC .............. H04L 51/04 (2013.01); H04L 12/581
`(2013.01); H04M 3/53366 (2013.01); H04M
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6,763,226 Bl
`7,013,155 Bl*
`7,133,687 Bl*
`7,317,929 Bl*
`7,535,890 B2
`8,199,747 B2
`8,243,723 B2
`2003/0087632 Al
`2003/0126207 Al
`2004/0014456 Al
`2004/0030046 Al
`2004/0064317 Al *
`
`7/2004 McZela, Jr.
`3/2006 Ruf et al.
`...................... 455/466
`11/2006 El-Fishawy et al. .......... 455/466
`1/2008 El-Fishawy et al. .......... 455/466
`5/2009 Rojas
`6/2012 Rojas
`8/2012 Rojas
`5/2003 Sagi et al.
`7 /2003 Creamer et al.
`1/2004 Vaananen
`2/2004 Schultes et al.
`4/2004 Othmer et al. ................ 704/260
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner - Creighton Smith
`John R. Kasha; Kelly L.
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm -
`Kasha; Kasha Law LLC
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`Methods, systems and programs for instant voice messaging
`over a packet-switched network are provided. A method for
`instant voice messaging may comprise receiving an instant
`voice message having one or more recipients, delivering the
`instant voice message to the one or more recipients over a
`packet-switched network, temporarily storing the instant
`voice message if a recipient is unavailable; and delivering the
`stored instant voice message to the recipient once the recipi(cid:173)
`ent becomes available.
`
`27 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
`
`LEGACY
`PHONE
`
`Page 1 of 24
`
`LG EXHIBIT 1001
`
`
`
`US 8,995,433 B2
`Page 2
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5/2004 Kwag et al.
`2004/0085456 Al
`6/2004 Goodman et al.
`2004/0122906 Al
`7/2004 Bernstein et al.
`2004/0128356 Al
`9/2004 LaPoint
`2004/0179092 Al
`11/2004 Bear et al.
`2004/0223599 Al
`11/2004 Dahod et al.
`2004/0224678 Al
`2004/0225524 Al* 11/2004 Narasimhan et al. ............. 705/1
`12/2004 Williams et al.
`2004/0252679 Al
`3/2005 Gierachf
`2005/0053230 Al
`
`2005/0105697 Al
`2005/0117591 Al
`2006/0094472 Al*
`2006/0167883 Al
`2006/02687 50 Al
`2007/0112925 Al
`2007/0174403 Al
`2008/0298309 Al
`2010/0070275 Al
`2012/0275452 Al
`2013/0066989 Al *
`2013/0279681 Al
`
`5/2005 Hollowell et al.
`6/2005 Hurtta et al.
`5/2006 Othmer et al. ................ 455/563
`7/2006 Boukobza
`11/2006 Weiner
`5/2007 Malik
`7/2007 Barry
`12/2008 DePietro et al.
`3/2010 Cast
`11/2012 Rojas
`3/2013 Enete et al. ................... 709/206
`10/2013 Weiner
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Page 2 of 24
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`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar.31,2015
`
`Sheet 1 of 9
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`Page 10 of 24
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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar.31,2015
`Mar. 31, 2015
`
`Sheet 9 of 9
`Sheet 9 of 9
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`US 8,995,433 B2
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`Page 11 of 24
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`Page 11 of 24
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`US 8,995,433 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSTANT VOiP
`MESSAGING
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATION
`
`This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applica(cid:173)
`tion Ser. No. 13/546,673, filed Jul. 11, 2012, which is a
`continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/398,063 filed
`Mar. 4, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723, issued Aug. 14,
`2012, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.
`10/740,030 filed on Dec. 18, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,535,
`890, issued May 19, 2009, the entire content and disclosure of
`which is incorporated by reference.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`2
`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
`5 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
`1 o 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(cid:173)
`vided between the legacy switch 112 and the packet-switched
`network 102 to enable IP telephony between the legacy tele-
`15 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
`20 the PSTN 116 and connected to a softswitch 120 to convert
`the audio signal from the legacy telephone 110 to packets
`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
`25 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
`30 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
`40 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
`45 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,
`50 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.
`
`35
`
`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
`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
`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(cid:173)
`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
`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
`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
`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 55
`104, 106 and 110. Terminal device 104 is a VoIP softphone
`that is enabled forIP telephony over the network 102. Termi(cid:173)
`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 60
`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 65
`devices (e.g., VoIP telephone 106) to which it is connected.
`Whether the terminal device is a VoIP softphone 104 or a VoIP
`
`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,
`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(cid:173)
`ents and the instant voice message therefor over the network;
`
`Page 12 of 24
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`US 8,995,433 B2
`
`5
`
`3
`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.
`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,
`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(cid:173)
`ing an instant voice message therefor using the input audio
`provided by the PSTN telephone, and transmitting the 15
`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- 20
`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
`delivering instant messages over a packet-switched network,
`the system comprising: a voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) 25
`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
`using the input audio provided by the VoIP telephone, and
`transmitting the selected recipients and the instant voice mes- 30
`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
`voice message to the selected recipients over the network, the 35
`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(cid:173)
`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(cid:173)
`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
`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
`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
`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
`
`4
`voice message to the selected recipients over the external
`network, the selected recipients being enabled to audibly play
`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(cid:173)
`ternet-protocol (VoIP) telephone connected to a local
`network for providing input audio; a client connected to the
`10 local network, the client selecting one or more external recipi(cid:173)
`ents connected to an external network outside the local net-
`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
`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-
`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
`40 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;
`45 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
`50 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
`55 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(cid:173)
`saging at a client; generating an instant voice message using
`60 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
`65 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.
`
`Page 13 of 24
`
`
`
`US 8,995,433 B2
`
`6
`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(cid:173)
`works, the method comprising: selecting one or more recipi-
`5 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-
`ents and the instant voice message over the external network
`and the local network; receiving the selected recipients and
`the instant voice message therefor at a local server connected
`15 to the local network; delivering the instant voice message to
`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
`
`5
`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 10
`selected recipients and the instant voice message therefor at
`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.
`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 20
`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 25
`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- 30
`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 35
`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 40
`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 45
`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
`inst