Patent ID: 6563912
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
In a system comprising a voice server for providing voice mail services for a plurality of voice mailboxes, an email server for providing email services for a plurality of email addresses, and at least one email client for retrieving email messages associated with an email address from the email server, a method for integrating voice mail and email messaging, performed by the voice server, comprising the steps of:recording a first voice mail message and storing the first voice mail message in at least one voice mailbox; creating a first email message addressed to an email address associated with the at least one voice mailbox; creating a message reference for the first voice mail message, the message reference including data to uniquely identify the first voice mail message on the voice server; sending the first email message and the message reference from the voice server to the associated email address, wherein the email client is adapted to retrieve the first email message from the email server, and by utilizing the message reference, provide services for retrieving and manipulating the voice mail message; receiving a delete command through the voice mail services provided for the voice mailbox; sending a second email message to the designated email address, including instructions to delete the first email message and the corresponding message reference; and deleting the first voice mail message.