Patent ID: 7266184
Filing Date: 2007-09-04
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A system for notifying a computing device of an incoming message, the system comprising: a message server coupled to a data communications network for receiving the incoming message; a public communications system coupled to the message server, the message server for securely communicating to the communications system that the incoming message awaits retrieval by the computing device; and a communications line coupled to the communications system and to the computing device, the communications system for signaling the computing device over the communications line that the incoming message awaits retrieval by such computing device, wherein the incoming message includes a destination address associated with the computing device, and wherein the communications line is identified by an identifier, the system further comprising a database associating the destination address with the identifier, the message server accessing the database and determining the identifier based on the destination address and communicating to the communications system that the incoming message awaits retrieval by the computing device at the communications line as identified by the identifier, wherein the communications system signals the computing device over the communications line by providing a recognizable dial tone signal that is different than a regular dial tone signal in response to the computing device periodically and automatically causing the communications line to be off-hook, wherein the communications system includes a secure server and wherein the message server utilizes an encryption method to communicate an encrypted SS7 message indicating that the incoming message awaits retrieval with the secure server of the communications system, the SS7 message including indicia identifying the computing device, via the communications tine coupled to the computing device, and wherein the encryption method is based on a security code corresponding to the communications line and wherein the security code is shared between the message server and a central office comprising the secure server in the communications system.