Patent ID: 6493321
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for providing an alternate communications path in the event of a communications failure, said method comprising the steps of:attempting to complete a communications link from a sending user to a recipient through a first communications network; detecting a failure in said attempted communications link; determining whether said sending user desires to leave a message for said recipient; receiving said message from said sending user at a server local to said sending user if said sending user desires to leave said message; storing said message at said local server; sending said message through a selected communications network that normally is used to pass two-way conversation information from a calling party to a called party, in a delay-permissible non-real-time manner to a server that is local to said recipient when capacity on said selected network is available; receiving said message at said server that is local to said recipient; and initiating a procedure for notifying said recipient that a message is waiting.