Patent ID: 6577712
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: H04L,H04M,Y10S

Abstract:
A distributed voice mail system in a packet-based mobile communications network, comprising:a server in a control layer of the network, said server including: storage means for storing voice mail messages for a mobile subscriber; accessing means for storing the voice mail messages in the storage means and retrieving the voice mail messages from the storage means; and server communication means for sending and receiving the voice mail messages through a packet-based network; and at least one media gateway (MGW) in a connectivity layer of the network, said MGW being controlled by the server, and including: interfacing means for receiving calls and voice mall messages from calling subscribers and the mobile subscriber; coding means connected to the interfacing means for coding the received voice mail messages, if necessary, utilizing a coding technique compatible with the mobile communications network, said coding means coding the voice mail message if the message is not compatibly coded for the mobile communications network, and through-connecting the voice mail message without change if the message is already compatibly coded for the mobile communications; and MGW communication means for sending the coded voice mail messages through the packet-based network to the server, and receiving the coded voice mail messages from the server; wherein the server controls the at least one MGW to provide voice mail services to the mobile subscriber.