United States Patent (19)
`Cohn et al.
`
`54 NETWORK-BASED MULTIMEDIA
`COMMUNICATIONS AND DIRECTORY
`SYSTEMAND METHOD OF OPERATION
`75) Inventors: Robert S. Cohn, Saratoga, Calif.;
`Gregory M. Vaudreuil; Carl F.
`Schoeneberger, both of Dallas, Tex.;
`David M. Reece, Arlington, Tex.;
`Carlton C. O'Neal, Dallas, Tex.; Carl
`W. Kalbfleisch, Richardson, Tex.;
`Mark B. Whipple, Dallas, Tex.; James
`R. Swoopes, Plano, Tex.; Alan T.
`Huch; Michael P. Dimitroff, both of
`Dallas, Tex.
`(73) Assignee: Octel Communications Corporation,
`Milpitas, Calif.
`
`21 Appl. No.: 307,517
`22 Filed:
`Sep. 16, 1994
`(51)
`Int. Cl. ...
`... H04M 1/64; H04M 3/50
`(52) U.S. Cl. ......................... 379/89; 379/93.01; 379/201;
`379/207: 379/219; 370/401; 370/407: 370/408;
`370/425; 395/200
`58) Field of Search .................................. 379/68, 88, 89,
`379/93, 94, 100. 201, 207, 219, 220; 370/85.13,
`95.1, 95.2, 95.3, 60, 60.1, 61, 110.1, 67;
`395/200, 200. 1, 200.5
`
`56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4,661,974 4/1987 Bales et al. ............................. 379,198
`4,734.931
`3/1988 Bourg et al. .....
`. 379/93
`4,790.003 12/1988 Kepley et al. ............................ 379/88
`4,797,672
`1/1989 Kousa ..........
`340/825
`4,807.274 2/1989 Kousa ......
`... 379/6
`4,837,798 6/989 Cohen et al.
`. 379/88
`4,879,743 11/1989 Burke et al. .....
`... 479/142
`6/1990 Baral et al. ............................... 379/67
`4,932,042
`7/1990 Brown et al.
`379/21
`4,939,771
`2/1991 Brunson .......
`... 379/67
`4.996,704
`2/1991 O'Malley et al. ...................... 379/100
`4996.707
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`US005740231A
`Patent Number:
`11
`45 Date of Patent:
`
`5,740,231
`Apr. 14, 1998
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`94248O3. 10/1994 WIPO :
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`"Message Transport & Routing Service (MTRS), Technical
`Service & Architecture Description Special Report,
`(SR-INS-002662 Issue 1)", MTRS Industry Forum,
`Bellcore, Jul. 1, 1993.
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`Primary Examiner-Fan S. Tsang
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Baker & Botts, L.L.P.
`57
`ABSTRACT
`A communications system (10) is provided which comprises
`a plurality of network hubs (12). (14), and (16). Network
`hubs (12), (14), and (16) are interconnected through a
`communications network (18). The system (10) intercon
`nects messaging systems (24), (26), (28). (30), (32), (34),
`(36), (40), (42) and (44) having disparate capabilities and
`using disparate communications protocols. The network
`hubs use numbers of connection processors (52) and (54) to
`interact with the messaging systems. A hub database (68)
`and message store (58) are used to store control information
`and messaging information within the network hubs. A
`network processor (60) is used to interact with other hubs
`within the communications system (10). A message router
`(72), connection manager (74), data replicator (76), and an
`administrative event manager (78) are used to control the
`operations of the hub in processing a message. A manage
`ment server (64) and a event processor (70) are used by
`communications system (10) to manage the internal opera
`tions of each of the network hubs. The network center (37)
`contains a customer computer interface system (167) and an
`interactive voice response system (169) to allow user inter
`action with information provider databases (39), a customer
`service system (161), a message tracking system (163), a
`billing system (159), and a Helpline system (157). The
`network center (37) contains a master database (151) that is
`used to synchronize the databases stored in each of the
`network hubs (12). (14), and (16).
`
`56 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`MESSAG
`SYSE
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 1 of 36
`
`

`

`5,740,231
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`5,113,430 5/1992 Richardson, Jr. et al. ............... 379/67
`5.131,020 7/1992 Liebesny et al. .........
`. 379/59
`5,187,735 2/1993 Herrero Garcia et al.
`379/88
`5,193,110 3/1993 Jones et al. ............................... 397/94
`5,331,634 7/1994 Fischer ......
`370/85-13
`5.333,266 7/1994 Boaz et al. ................................ 379/89
`5,339,356 8/1994 Ishii ..............
`... 379/234
`5,363.369 11/1994 Hemmady et al. ....................... 370/60
`5,406,557
`4/1995 Baudoin .................................... 370/6
`5,459,717 10/1995 Mullan et all
`... 379,220
`5,493.564 2/1996 Mullan ................................... 370/58.2
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`"Message Transport & Routing Service (MTRS), Technical
`Service and Architecture Description Special Report,
`(SR-INS-002662 Issue 1)". MTRS Technical Service and
`Architecture Description, Bellcore, May 1993.
`"Message Transport and Routing Service (MTRS), Voice
`Messaging and Beyond", by Angela Liu, Bellcore.
`Hunse, Tom Sheridan. "Voice Mail Service Bureaus-Not
`Just Mailboxes Anymore". Voice Processing Magazine,
`Mar. 1993, pp. 30-34.
`
`
`
`Company Profile of Voice Technologies Group, including a
`description of voice messaging products.
`Various Articles and Documents relating to Envoy Global,
`Inc. and their voice messaging product, the Apogee 2000
`(marked as Exhibits A-N).
`Boudette. Neal "IBM Plans "Smart Messaging Service",
`PC Week, vol. 10, No. 50, Dec. 20, 1993, pp. 1, 16-17.
`Smalley, Eric, et al., “AT&T to unveil On-Line Service
`Feating Intelligent Agents", PC Week, vol. 10, No. 49. Dec.
`13, 1993, p. 1, 10-11.
`"AT&T Bodylink Services Announces Support for
`Microsoft At Work Architecture and Software for Personal
`Communicators". Business Wire, Jun. 9, 1993, pp. 3-4.
`Wexler, Joanie, "AT&T Builds Multimedia Mailboxes'.
`Network World, Jan. 17, 1994, pp. 19, 21.
`Flynn, Laurie, "Apple Adds New Front in Fierce On-Line
`War”, San Jose Mercury News, Business Monday, Jan. 8,
`1994, pp. 1E, 4E.
`Johnson, Bradley, "(Th)e World According to Apple,
`On-line Interactive Service Lures Rivals, to Absorb
`AppleLink". Advertising Age.
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 2 of 36
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 14, 1998
`
`Sheet 1 of 9
`
`5,740,231
`
`
`
`
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 3 of 36
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 14, 1998
`
`Sheet 2 of 9
`
`5,740,231
`
`62
`
`60
`
`FIG. 2
`EXTERNAL INTERFACE
`66
`
`NETWORK
`PROCESSOR
`
`MANAGEMENT
`PROCESSOR
`
`CONTROL
`PROCESSORS
`
`68
`
`TO OTHER HUBS
`AND NETWORK
`OPERATIONS CENTER
`HUB
`EVENT
`DATABASE
`PROCESSOR
`
`d
`
`70
`
`INTERNAL INTERFACE
`
`ANALOG
`CONNECTION
`
`DIGITAL
`CONNECTION
`
`MEDIA
`
`Ms. Ms Ms. Ms. Ms is
`
`69
`
`FILE
`SERVER
`59
`
`MESSAGE
`USTORE
`58
`
`MESSAGE
`STORAGE AND
`RETREVA.
`
`58
`C D
`MESSAGE
`STORE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ANALOG
`MESSAGING
`PROTOCOLS
`
`ANALOG
`DIRECTORY
`MS PROTOCOLS
`
`FIG. 4
`ANALOG CONNECTION PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`
`
`EVEN
`B4YNHCE1 PROCESSOR
`MESSAGE /-80
`MODULE
`contro
`52
`70
`ANALOG
`MODULE
`INTERFACE
`MODULE N82
`tf
`
`
`
`MANAGEMENT
`PROTOCOL.
`MANAGEMENT
`PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 4 of 36
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 14, 1998
`
`Sheet 3 of 9
`
`5,740,231
`
`66
`
`FIG. 3
`CONTROL PROCESSORS
`
`TO MASTER DATABASE
`IN NETWORK
`CENTER
`51
`
`MESSAGE
`ROUTER
`
`CONNECTION
`MANAGER
`
`DATA
`REPLICATOR
`
`ADMINISTRATIVE
`EVENT MANAGER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`8
`
`
`
`f
`
`TO NETWORK
`CENTER
`37
`
`
`
`64
`
`MANAGEMENT
`PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`60
`
`
`
`PROCESSOR
`
`CONNECTION
`PROCESSOR
`
`DIGITAL
`CONNECTION
`PROCESSOR
`
`54
`
`a
`um stata DATABASE ACCESS PROCEDURES
`- - - - MESSAGE STORAGE AND RETRIEWAL
`---- HCP (HUB CONTROL PROTOCOL)
`MS MESSAGE OR DIRECTORY PROTOCOLS
`- - - MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL.
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 5 of 36
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 14, 1998
`
`Sheet 4 of 9
`
`5,740,231
`
`86
`
`94
`
`FIG. 5
`
`EVENT
`PROCESSOR
`POLL
`
`88
`
`
`
`90
`
`CLOSE
`CONNECTION
`
`
`
`MAKE
`CONNECTION
`
`WAIT FOR
`CONNECTION
`
`92
`
`
`
`96
`
`PROTOCOL
`MASTER
`
`PROTOCOL
`SLAVE
`
`98
`
`a C
`MESSAGE
`STORE
`
`58
`
`MESSAGE
`STORAGE AND
`RETRIEWAL
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`59
`
`DIGITAL
`MESSAGENG
`PROTOCOLS
`
`
`
`FIG. 6
`DIGITAL CONNECTION PROCESSOR
`
`EVENT
`PROCESSOR
`
`54.
`
`70
`
`MANAGEMENT 64
`PROTOCOL.
`MANAGEMENT
`PROCESSOR
`
`CONTROL
`MODULE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`MESSAGE
`MODULE
`
`DIGITAL
`INTERFACE
`MODULE
`
`
`
`DIGITAL
`DIRECTORY
`PROTOCOLS
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 6 of 36
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 14, 1998
`
`Sheet 5 of 9
`
`5,740,231
`
`NETWORK PROCESSOR
`
`EVENT
`PROCESSOR
`
`MESSAGE
`STORAGE AND
`RETRIEWAL
`
`
`
`
`
`MESSAGE
`MODULE
`
`
`
`CONTROL
`MODULE
`
`PROTOCOL MANAGEMENT
`PROCESSOR
`
`64
`
`
`
`
`
`60
`
`
`
`
`
`MESSAGE
`STORE
`
`58
`
`122
`
`
`
`MESSAGE
`TRANSFER FI C. 7
`PROTOCOL
`OTHER
`NEWORK
`PROCESSORS
`
`
`
`
`
`52
`
`ANAOG
`CONNECTION
`PROCESSOR
`
`EVENT
`PROCESSOR 70
`
`HCP
`
`
`
`NETWORK
`PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`54
`
`DIGITAL
`CONNECTION
`PROCESSOR
`
`DAABASE ACCESS
`PROCEDURES
`
`MANAGEMENT
`PROTOCOL.
`
`FIG. 8
`
`64
`
`
`
`PROCESS
`
`54
`
`FIG. 9
`
`SEND
`RESPONSE
`
`
`
`136
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 7 of 36
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 14, 1998
`
`Sheet 6 of 9
`
`5,740,231
`
`MESSAGE ROUTER
`138
`
`FIC. 1 O
`
`68
`
`HUB DAT
`B DATABASE
`
`142
`
`
`
`//
`A. ADMINISTRATIVE
`A.
`ADMINISTRATIVE EVENT MANAGER X;
`()
`1:07)
`D
`138
`
`
`
`(7
`/2 C
`
`40
`
`NBOUND
`
`EVENT OUEUE
`
`HUB
`CONTROLLER
`
`DATABASE
`QUERY ENGINE
`140
`MANAGEMENT PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`MESSAGE
`SYSTEM
`
`4.
`
`150
`
`
`
`CONTROL
`MODULE
`
`DATABASE
`QUERY ENGINE
`140
`
`EVENT PROCESSOR
`126
`
`
`
`HCP
`SERVER
`
`DATABASE
`QUERY ENGINE
`128
`
`DATABASE
`HUB
`CONTROLLER QUERY ENGINE
`INBOUND
`140
`MESSAGE
`CONNECTION MANAGER
`?
`138
`7. OUTBOUND
`HUB
`DATABASE
`MESSAGE
`CONTROLLER QUERY ENGINE
`I/
`1
`40 N/
`DATA REPLCAOR
`f
`138
`\ 4 7
`
`
`
`HUB
`
`DATABASE
`
`OUTBOUND
`ADMINISTRATIVE
`
`
`
`72
`
`
`
`74
`
`
`
`76
`
`
`
`78
`
`
`
`64
`
`
`
`70
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 8 of 36
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 14, 1998
`
`Sheet 7 of 9
`
`5,740,231
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`52
`
`ANALOG
`CONNECTION
`PROCESSOR
`
`DIGITAL
`CONNECTION
`PROCESSOR
`
`MANAGEMENT
`PROTOCOL.
`
`MANAGEMENT
`PROTOCOL.
`
`MANAGEMENT
`PROTOCOL
`
`
`
`
`
`NETWORK
`PROCESSOR
`
`MANAGEMENT
`PROTOCOL.
`
`60
`
`FIC. 1 1
`
`MANAGEMENT
`PROCESSOR 64
`
`DATABASE
`QUERY
`ENGINE
`
`DATABASE
`ACCESS
`PROCEDURES
`
`MESSAGE
`STORE
`
`FIG. 12
`
`MEDIA TRANSLATOR
`
`TRANSLAOR BANK
`1440 144b
`144n
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`CONTROL
`MODULE
`
`70
`
`EVE
`NT
`PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 9 of 36
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 14, 1998
`
`Sheet 8 of 9
`
`5,740,231
`
`
`
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`LSl
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`
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`
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`
`WALSAS
`
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`
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`
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`
`Ex.1049
`APPLEINC./ Page 10 of 36
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 10 of 36
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 14, 1998
`
`Sheet 9 of 9
`
`5,740,231
`
`FIC. 14
`
`DESTINATION ADDRESS -> 214-555-2722
`MESSAGE MEDA FC VOICE
`SOURCE ADDRESS O-> 4437
`SOURCE MESSAGING SYSTEM E> CASO1
`
`ARNIE
`
`S
`O
`
`NBOUND USER D
`NETWORK
`COMMUNITY
`E.
`
`-U-
`ARNTE
`
`S
`TO
`
`GREC
`TXDLO3
`
`O
`
`ALL
`
`
`
`
`
`SOURCE USER D, ED 3
`COMMUNITY --> 0
`DESTNATION USER D ced
`DESTINATION MESSAGING SYSTEM =D TXDL03
`
`
`
`ARNIE
`
`ARNE
`
`GREG
`
`OUIBOUND User ID
`E.
`
`
`
`IS
`
`
`
`IS
`
`I
`
`
`
`
`
`ALL
`
`ALl
`
`U
`
`DESTINATION ADDRESS O-> 214-555-2722
`SOURCE ADDRESS c-> 408-555-4.437
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 11 of 36
`
`

`

`5,740.231
`
`1.
`NETWORK-BASED MULTIMEDIA
`COMMUNICATIONS AND DIRECTORY
`SYSTEMAND METHOD OF OPERATION
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This invention relates in general to the field of commu
`nications and information management systems and more
`particularly to an improved network-based voice messaging
`and multimedia communications and directory system and
`method of operation.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`Currently available communications facilities include
`voice communication, electronic mail communication, fac
`simile communication and video communication. These
`communications facilities are augmented by storage and
`retrieval facilities such as voice mail facilities, bulletin board
`services and the like. These various communications facili
`ties have largely been operated on independent platforms.
`interconnected into private networks, and through indepen
`dent and disparate channels of communication.
`While local area network (LAN) based mail systems such
`as cc: Mail or large private electronic mail providers such as
`MCI Mail have facilitated some networking capability in
`electronic mail content, other communications facilities
`such as voice messaging and facsimile transmissions are
`largely localized facilities. For example, typical messaging
`systems are constrained within a single organization such as
`a company or at the broadest within a single local exchange
`carrier facility. In light of the largely local nature of mes
`saging facilities and the incompatibility of proprietary mes
`saging protocols, there has been little effort to supply large
`scale integrated network functionality to these communica
`tions services. In addition, most of these facilities are limited
`to a single media such only voice, only electronic mail, or
`only facsimile transmissions.
`Additionally, in particular, voice messaging systems have
`not provided large scale integrated network functionality
`due to the following limitations:
`1) Their terminal equipment is usually a telephone, which
`can only communicate with audio signaling such as Dual
`Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signals.
`2) The methods of addressing are frequently short, fixed
`length numerical addresses and currently deployed num
`45
`bering schemes.
`3) Messages are typically large, spanning several minutes of
`digitized analog audio signals.
`4) Identity confirmation of the sender or recipient must be a
`spoken identification such as a mailbox number or a
`a.
`5) Directory type functions such as lookup can not be done
`with ASCII type inputs but again are restricted to DTMF
`inputs.
`6) Communications protocols associated with voice mes
`55
`saging systems do not provide the facilities necessary to
`request or specify special services such as media
`translation, subject matter identification and routing, and
`the like.
`A further complication in the growth of existing messag
`ing systems and networks is the parallel increase in the
`complexity of managing the directory and addressing infor
`mation associated with the network. Existing directory
`facilities are usually limited to a single system or, at most,
`a single organization. It is difficult, if not impossible with
`current systems, to acquire and use effectively directory
`information from other facilities as the integrated system
`
`35
`
`2
`increases in complexity as other facilities are added to the
`network. These large scale directories are more complicated
`to deal with in voice messaging systems due to the fact that
`any functionality, such as retrieval or lookup, provided to the
`user is restricted to DTMF inputs.
`The isolated nature of present messaging systems pro
`vides for little standardization that may be used to effect the
`communications between disparate systems that must occur
`for effective networking of systems. As such, even messag
`ing systems that are working in the same media, for
`example, two voice messaging systems, may be incapable of
`transferring information and messages between the systems
`due to the differences in the protocols used by the systems
`to process and transfer messages.
`The management of message traffic in a networked envi
`ronment creates additional concerns. As a message passes
`out of the control of a local messaging system and into the
`network, the responsibility for routing and delivery of the
`message must also pass to the network. This responsibility
`creates a need for a network with significant message
`tracking and management capabilities. The complexity of
`this management task grows enormously as the size of the
`network increases. This complexity further increases with
`voice messaging systems due to the addressing being
`numerical, and limited in size most often to the sender/
`recipient's phone number or some other local private num
`bering plan, and to the size of the addressing fields in any of
`the local networking protocols.
`Accordingly, a need has arisen for an integrated commu
`nications system which supplies network-based voice and
`multimedia communication facilities, and voice and multi
`media directory services for communications including
`voice mail, electronic mail, facsimile transmissions, voice
`transmissions and video transmissions.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`In accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
`a communications system is disclosed which substantially
`eliminates or reduces disadvantages associated with prior
`systems and solutions and provides new solutions never
`before available. In accordance with one embodiment of the
`present invention, a network-based voice and multimedia
`communications system is provided that comprises a plu
`rality of network hubs operable to communicate with each
`other and with local messaging systems. The network hubs
`operate to receive messages in any media using any address
`ing convention from users either directly or through local
`messaging systems and to transmit the messages to other
`users whether located on local messaging systems or other
`wise through the plurality of network hubs. This capability
`introduces a further complication for voice messaging sys
`tems that has yet to be encountered, in that voice messaging
`systems must be accessed and addressed utilizing standard
`DTMF signaling, numerical addressing and directory
`queries, and all within the native protocol of the user
`messaging system. According to one embodiment of the
`present invention, the network hubs are in constant commu
`nication with one another and constantly update a directory
`database which comprises user profiles for users of the
`communications system. The user profiles include identifi
`cation confirmations associated with the users, such as a
`user's spoken name, as well as other user-specific informa
`tion. The communications system is operable to transmit an
`identification confirmation for a given user when another
`user of the communications system attempts to send a
`message to that user. For large scale integrated network
`functionality, interfacing with voice messaging systems
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`65
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 12 of 36
`
`

`

`3
`introduces a further complication for user profiles including
`identification confirmation in that large distributed network
`directories must be built and maintained based upon numeri
`cal addressing and accessed utilizing DTMF signaling and
`the native protocols of the user messaging system.
`According to a further embodiment of the present
`invention, the network hubs are operable to maintain and
`store user profiles that include user preferences associated
`with each user. The communications system of the present
`invention is operable to perform media translations such that
`messages received in one media can be translated into
`another media based upon the preference of the destination
`user as stored in the user's profile information. For large
`scale integrated network functionality, interfacing with
`voice messaging systems introduces a further complication
`for media preference translation in that large distributed
`network directories must be built and maintained, based
`upon numerical addressing, that are accessed utilizing
`DTMF signaling and the native protocols of the user system.
`According to a further embodiment of the present
`invention, the communications system supports mailing list
`distribution of messages. According to this embodiment of
`the present invention, the communications system receives
`a message which is addressed to a configurable mailing list
`comprising a plurality of destination addresses associated
`with users of the communications system. A mailing list
`agent may act as the sender of the message to distribute the
`message to each of the addresses in the mailing list. For large
`scale integrated network functionality, interfacing with
`voice messaging systems introduces a further complication
`for mailing list distribution, in that large distributed network
`30
`directories must be built and maintained. These directories
`must be accessed and addressed utilizing standard DTMF
`signaling, numerical addressing and directory queries using
`the native protocol of the user system.
`According to one embodiment of the present invention,
`the network hubs maintain constant communication paths to
`one another such that the current state of the entire system
`is always available to each of the network hubs. In this
`manner, the location and status of each message within the
`communications system can be tracked and altered at any
`time after the message is created and before the message is
`delivered. For large scale integrated network functionality.
`interfacing with voice messaging systems introduces a fur
`ther complication for accessing and update of user profile
`information, in that large distributed network directories
`must be built and accessed by the numerical addresses of the
`users of the messaging system.
`According to a further embodiment of the present
`invention, access is provided into the communications sys
`tem for nonsubscribers of the communications system. In
`this manner, nonsubscribers can place messages or other
`communications directly onto the communications system
`for delivery. Further, facilities are also provided to deliver
`messages to nonsubscribers by the placement of conven
`tional telephone calls, facsimile transmissions or E-mail
`55
`transmissions to addresses which are provided by the mes
`sage sender. A further complication to the communications
`system for providing nonsubscribers the capability to
`deposit and retrieve messages with voice messaging systems
`requires that the communications system support standard
`telephone interfaces, support numerical addressing, support
`only voice as the entry and exit media, supply identification
`confirmation in a spoken form such as the spoken name or
`spoken address, and provide directory services via DTMF
`signaling.
`65
`According to a further embodiment of the present
`invention, the network hubs may be used to distribute mass
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`50
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`35
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`40
`
`45
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`5,740,231
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`15
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`4
`mailings of message traffic to selected users of the commu
`nications system. According to this embodiment, the user
`profiles associated with each user may contain information
`to allow each user to specify what types of information and
`from whom that user would like to receive and in what
`media and location the user would like to receive the
`information. For large scale integrated network
`functionality, interfacing with voice messaging systems
`introduces a further complication for distribution of mass
`mailings in that large distributed network directories must be
`built and accessed by the numerical addresses of the users of
`the communications system. According to one embodiment
`of the present invention, advertising and other commercial
`special interest information can be routed through the com
`munications system for fees charged to the providers of the
`information. Users of the network are billed for ordinary
`messages router through the network or for information
`services and may be given credit for each advertising
`message actually received to provide an incentive for users
`to receive the advertising message traffic. For large scale
`integrated networkfunctionality, interfacing with voice mes
`saging systems introduces a further complication for pro
`viding advertising and other commercial special interest
`information messaging services in that large distributed
`network directories must be built and maintained, based
`upon numerical addressing and that the messages are deliv
`ered utilizing DTMF signaling and the native protocols of
`the user's messaging system.
`According to a further embodiment of the present
`invention, the communications system is operable to deliver
`compound messages that comprise information in more than
`one media. For example, a single message may comprise
`both a voice message and a facsimile transmission. The
`communications system of the present invention is operable
`to route each portion of the message to an appropriate
`receiving facility associated with the destination user. For
`example, if a compound message is sent that comprises both
`a voice message and a facsimile message, the communica
`tions system of the present invention can deliver both
`messages together or split the two messages and deliver the
`voice message to a voice mailbox associated with the
`intended recipient and deliver the facsimile message to a fax
`destination associated with the intended recipient. The com
`munications system of the present invention is also operable
`to translate messages received in one media to a media
`associated with the facilities of the destination user if the
`destination user does not have or does not desire delivery in
`certain media. For example, if a compound message is sent
`that comprises a voice message and an electronic mail
`transmission but the destination user only has a voice
`mailbox and a fax machine, the communications system of
`the present invention will translate the electronic mail mes
`sage to a facsimile image and transmit the voice portion of
`the compound message to the voice mailbox and the trans
`lated portion to the fax destination. For large scale integrated
`network functionality, interfacing with voice messaging
`systems introduces a further complication for the processing
`of multimedia messages and the split routing that has yet to
`be developed, in that large distributed network directories
`must be built containing the numerical addresses for the
`different media destinations and accessed by the numerical
`addresses of the users of the communications System, and
`delivered utilizing DTMF signaling and the native protocols
`of the user system. Current technology and implementations
`of message addressing using short, fixed length numerical
`addresses are inadequate when trying to implement global
`addressing. The communications system of the present
`
`Ex.1049
`APPLE INC. / Page 13 of 36
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`5,740,231
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`invention must supply additional information and mecha
`nisms to its addressing schemes to create globally unique
`addressing from such short, fixed length numerical
`addresses.
`According to a further embodiment of the present
`invention, the communications system is operable to trans
`late messages between different languages to accommodate
`foreign-speaking users. If the message is not already a text
`message, the communications system of the present inven
`tion will use its media translating capability to place a
`message in a textual format such that an automated language
`translation of the text message can take place. The language
`translated message can then be translated into the appropri
`ate media for the destination user. For large scale integrated
`network functionality, interfacing with voice messaging
`systems introduces further complications for providing lan
`guage translation, in that large distributed network directo
`ries must be built and maintained containing language
`preference information which must be accessed based upon
`numerical addressing and that the messages are delivered
`utilizing DTMF signaling and the native protocols of the
`user system.
`According to a further embodiment of the present
`invention, the communications system is operable to coor
`dinate password based, public and private key or otherforms
`of messaging security to allow for secure transmission and
`receipt of messages through the communications system.
`For large scale integrated network functionality, interfacing
`with voice messaging systems introduces further complica
`tions for providing security features, in that large distributed
`network directories must be built and maintained containing
`the security access keys and methods which must be
`accessed based upon numerical addressing and that the
`messages and security keys are delivered utilizing DTMF
`35
`signaling and the native protocols of the user system.
`According to a further embodiment of the present
`invention, the communications system is operable to receive
`an address or other information associated with an intended
`recipient and to access user profile information associated
`with the intended recipient and retrieve addressing informa
`tion associated with the intended recipient. As such, a sender
`of a message can use whatever information is known about
`an intended recipient of a message to identify the recipient
`and the communications system of the present invention will
`access and use the required addressing information appro
`priate for the identified recipient and the message being sent.
`For large scale integrated network functionality, interfacing
`with voice messaging systems introduces further complica
`tions for providing custom address translation, in that large
`distributed network directories must be built and maintained
`containing numerical address translation information which
`must be accessed based upon numerical addressing and that
`the messages are delivered utilizing DTMF signaling and the
`native protocols of the user system.
`According to a further embodiment of the present
`invention, the communications system is operable to store
`configuration and directory information for messaging sys
`tems that are connected to network hubs used in the com
`munications system of the present invention.
`Accordingly, if a messaging system is damaged or
`destroyed, the stored information can be used to reconfigure
`the repaired system or to initially configure a replacement
`system. Further, messages to be delivered to the damaged
`messaging system may be stored in the network hubs of the
`communications system of the present invention until the
`damaged messaging system is returned to service so that no
`
`6
`messaging traffic is lost during the time required to repair or
`replace the damaged messaging system.
`According to a further embodiment of the present
`invention, the communications system is operable to provide
`directory information to messaging systems that are con
`nected to network hubs of the communications system of the
`present invention but which do not need to use the commu
`nications system of the present invention to actually deliver
`messages. According to this embodiment, a messaging sys
`tem can present the communications system of the present
`invention with a request for directory information and the
`communications system will respond with routing informa
`tion to enable the attached messaging system to deliver the
`message without the further intervention of the communi
`cations system of the present invention. For large scale
`integrated networkfunctionality, interfacing with voice mes
`saging systems introduces further complications for provid
`ing directory addressing services, in that large distributed
`network directories must be built and maintained containing
`address and delivery information which must be accessed
`based upon numerical addressing and that this information is
`delivered to the requesting system utilizing DTMF signaling
`and the native protocols of the user system.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`A more complete understanding of teachings of the
`present invention may be acquired by referring to the
`accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers
`indicate like features and wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the multimedia communi
`cations system of the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the modular software
`architecture which is used in the network hubs of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 3 is a data flow diagram illustrating the flow of
`messages and control information between the software
`modules used in the network hubs of the present invention;
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an analog connection
`processor used in the communications system of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 5 is a state diagram of the analog connection
`processor, the digital connection processor and the network
`processor used in the communications system of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the digital connection
`processor used in the communications system of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the network processor used
`in the communications system of the present invention;
`FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the event processor used in
`the communications system of the present invention;
`FIG. 9 is a state diagram of the event processor use