Patent ID: 6226359
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
In a voice mail system having addressable storage for storing digital format voice mail messages in mailboxes associated with respective telephone numbers of a plurality of served subscribers that are connectable to the voice mail system through respective local loops of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and at least one telephone central switching office, the digital voice mail messages comprising header identification and voice information content, a method for communicating voice mail messages between the voice mailboxes comprising the steps of:designating at least one of the voice mailboxes as a private voice mailbox;storing a voice mail message received by the voice mail system from a first subscriber in the first subscriber's associated voice mailbox;in response to a request from the first subscriber to transfer the voice mail message stored in the storing step to an identified second subscriber voice mailbox, determining whether the first subscriber voice mailbox is designated private;in response to a private designation determination in said determining step, concealing the identification of the first subscriber voice mailbox in the header portion of the message; andforwarding the message, with the identification of the first subscriber voice mailbox concealed, to the second subscriber voice mailbox.