Patent ID: 7508924
Filing Date: 2009-03-24
Classification: G06Q,H04L,H04M,H04N,Y10S

Abstract:
1. An electronic mail gateway to facilitate cross-media messaging between an online information service and a telecommunications service comprising: an electronic mail messaging system of said online information service for delivering electronic mail messages addressed to subscribers of said online information service; a telecommunications service mailbox associated with said electronic mail messaging system for receiving electronic mail messages addressed to said subscribers of said online information service; a subscriber profile database for storing rules to be applied to electronic mail messages arriving at said electronic mail messaging system, said rules comprising subscriber preferences for receiving electronic mail messages at said online information service or said telecommunications service; an electronic mail distributor connected to said electronic mail messaging system for; (1) applying said rules to electronic mail messages addressed to said subscribers of said online information service arriving at said electronic mail messaging system; (2) accessing a telecommunications service routing information database to locate routing information for said telecommunications service mailbox; and (3) modifying said electronic mail messages according to said routing information for routing of said electronic mail messages to said telecommunications service mailbox; a computer at said telecommunications service for: 1) receiving from said telecommunications service mailbox electronic mail messages routed to said telecommunications service mailbox; 2) storing messages for subscribers of said online information service specifying a preference for receiving electronic mail messages at said telecommunications service; and 3) locating and converting messages for audio output when subscribers specifying a preference for receiving electronic mail messages at said telecommunications service call said telecommunications service to retrieve selectively routed electronic mail messages.