Method, system and article of manufacture for bookmarking voicemail messages

A voicemail system includes a voicemail bookmarking procedure that permits users to bookmark voicemail messages during message playback. Upon receiving a bookmark request from a user, the procedure generates a bookmark pointer defining a starting point for subsequent playback of the message. The bookmark pointer can be based, in part, on a timing offset entered by the user while making the bookmark request. The timing offset value defines a user-selected playback starting point that occurs before the message time at which the bookmark request was made. The value of the timing offset can be user selected.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to audio recording devices, and in particular, to voicemail systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Voicemail systems allow telephone callers to leave recorded messages for called parties when the called parties are unavailable. Most voicemail systems record messages if the called party's phone line is either in use or does not answer. In either case, the voicemail system answers the phone call and records the message. Typically, the message is digitized and stored on a computer hard disk for later playback by the called party.

To play recorded messages, a mailbox owner calls the voicemail system and accesses stored voice messages using a sequence of touchtone or voice commands. In response to these commands, the voicemail system can perform various functions with respect to message playback. For example, a mailbox owner can fast forward, rewind, delete or skip a message during playback. In some voicemail systems, during a message playback, the listener can fast forward or rewind either to the end of the message or a specific amount of time. Using these voicemail systems to play back specific middle portions of messages, it is frequently the case that listeners must repeatedly enter fast-forward commands to get the systems to skip ahead to the desired places in the messages.

Although the playback functions of currently-available voicemail systems are adequate in many situations, there is room for improvement. For instance, some users may find it inconvenient and time consuming to select specific portions of messages for playback using conventional fast forward and rewind functions available with some voicemail systems.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved voicemail system that permits users to conveniently select portions of stored messages for playback.

It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a voicemail system that permits users to bookmark messages during message playback. Bookmarks can be set by entering appropriate touch-tone or voice commands. A bookmark defines a starting point within the message at which subsequent playbacks of the message can begin. The ability to bookmark messages significantly improves the convenience of playing back specific portions of stored voicemail messages.

Turning now to the drawings, and in particular toFIG. 1, there is illustrated a flow chart20illustrating a method of setting a voicemail bookmark in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In step22, a user calls into a voicemail system. After connecting to the voicemail system, the user enters information conventionally associated with accessing a voicemail box such as a user ID and/or password. Provided that there are voicemail messages stored for the user, the user requests message playback (step24). During playback of the message, the user can enter a command to set a voicemail bookmark (step26). The command can be entered using one or more touch-tone digits or voice commands at the user's telephone. The voicemail system responds to this command by setting a bookmark pointer corresponding to the message being played back.

According to one aspect of the invention, one of the digits entered can specify a timing offset that causes the playback starting point to be set at a specified period of time before the point in the message at which the bookmark request is made. This permits a “warm-up” period to be added to the bookmarked voicemail message.

In step28, the bookmark pointer is stored by the voicemail system so that the user can subsequently access the message at the place indicated by the bookmark. The bookmark pointer can specify a computer memory location associated with a file containing the content of the stored voicemail message. In addition, the bookmark pointer can be based, in part, on the timing offset entered by the user.

In step30, a voice message indicator generated by the voicemail system is updated to indicate that the bookmarked message is no longer a new message, and has been bookmarked by the user. The voicemail system can be configured to cause the message indicator to be displayed at the user's terminal unit using a standard protocol and display interface.

FIG. 2is a block diagram of a telecommunication system60in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The telecommunication system60includes a plurality of terminal units64, a telecommunication switch66, and a voicemail system68. The terminal units64can be any suitable end-user device, such as a telephone, cellular phone, or the like, for permitting voice communication over a commercially-available telecommunications network62. The switch66can be any suitable commercially-available telecommunication switch, located at a private branch exchange (PBX) or central office, for allowing the terminal units64to access the voicemail services of the voicemail system68.

The voicemail system68can be a voicemail server communicating with the switch66over a standard interface. The voicemail system68includes a processor70, voicemail database (DB)72, a memory73, and interface port76, a call answering device/dual-tone of multi frequency (DTMF) interface78, a voice playback subsystem80, a voice recorder82, and a speech recognition subsystem84. A memory73can store a user interface program74that is executable by the processor70. The user interface program74includes a bookmarking procedure86that permits the voicemail system68to provide the voicemail bookmarking feature.

The voicemail system68can be implemented using a Compact Service Node, available from Lucent Technologies, Inc., configured and programmed to perform the functions disclosed herein. The switch66can be an advanced intelligent network (AIN) compatible switch, such as the 5ESS switch, also available from Lucent Technologies, Inc.

FIG. 3illustrates a data structure100of an exemplary voice mailbox stored in the voicemail DB72. Each voice mailbox in the database72has associated with it a user ID102. Associated with each user ID102, is one or more message IDs104for identifying voicemail messages stored in the DB72for the user. Also associated with each user ID102is one or more bookmark IDs106for identifying voicemail bookmarks associated with the owner of the voicemail box.

For each message ID104, the DB72stores an associated voice message record108. The voice message record108can contain a sender ID110identifying the caller leaving the message, a time stamp112indicating the time at which the message was recorded and one or more system flags114for configuring system parameters and functions relating to the message. The message record108also includes the message content116, which can include the recorded voice message digitized into a format suitable for storage in the DB72and for playback by the voice playback subsystem80. The message content116can be compressed and/or encrypted using standard speech processing algorithms.

The bookmark ID106has associated with it a bookmark record118containing a message ID120and a bookmark pointer122. The message ID120identifies the bookmarked message. The bookmark pointer122can be a specific memory location indicating a playback starting point in the message content116at which the stored message is played back when the user subsequently selects the bookmark playback feature.

FIG. 4is a flow chart150illustrating the operation of the voicemail system68. In step151, the voicemail system68generates an audio user selection menu for a user that has called in. The menu can be generated by the user interface program74, executing on the processor70to generate a synthesized interactive voice response interface using the voice playback subsystem80. The menu can provide selections conventionally associated with voicemail systems, as well as selections related to voicemail bookmarking, such as play back or deletion of bookmarked voicemail messages.

In step158, a user selects the message playback option from the menu. This causes the voicemail system to begin the playback of stored messages. During message playback, the user can enter a command that starts the bookmark set subroutine152. In this subroutine, the system68receives a bookmark request from the user (step160). The bookmark request can be a predefined sequence of one or more touch-tone entries. Alternatively, the bookmark request can be a voiced command by the user and processed by the speech recognition subsystem84. The bookmark request causes the voicemail system68to record a memory address identifying the current location in the stored voice message being played back.

The bookmark request can include a timing offset value that defines a warm up period immediately preceding the point in time of the message playback at which the bookmark is requested. The timing offset causes the bookmarked message to be played back starting from the beginning of the warm up period. The timing offset can be entered as a touch-tone signal defining a period in seconds. For example, immediately after entering the touch-tone command for the bookmark request, a user could push the digit “7” to indicate a timing offset of seven seconds, so that upon subsequent playback of the bookmarked message, the playback will begin seven seconds before the point at which the bookmark request occurred in the message. Likewise, other digits could be pushed to enter other timing offset values, e.g., “1” for a one second offset, “2” for a two second offset, and so on.

In step162, a memory address corresponding to the timing offset value is computed by the voicemail system68. This can be accomplished by determining the number of bytes required to represent a unit time of recorded voice. The bytes per second value can then be multiplied by the timing offset value entered by the user to convert the user-entered offset value to a corresponding memory address offset value. This address offset value can then be combined with the memory address corresponding to the request to generate the bookmark pointer.

The bookmark pointer is then stored in the bookmark record (step164). In step166, a user message indicator generated by the voicemail system68is updated to indicate that the bookmarked message is no longer a new message. The message indicator can be a visual indication, such as text, displayable on a user terminal unit.

Other bookmark-related subroutines, specifically the bookmark delete and playback subroutines154-156, can be initiated by the user through the menu. Concerning the delete subroutine154, if upon presenting the user menu, the voicemail system68receives a request to delete a stored voice message or bookmark (step168), the delete bookmark subroutine154is initiated. The delete request can be entered by a user using a touch-tone or a voice command, and can specify one or more bookmarks or messages to be deleted. Upon receiving the delete message command, any bookmarks corresponding to the deleted message are likewise deleted (step170) from the DB72. Similarly, upon receiving a delete bookmark command, the corresponding bookmark is deleted.

The bookmarked-message playback subroutine156allows the voicemail system68to play back bookmarked voicemail messages stored in the DB72. In step172, the voicemail system68receives a bookmark playback request. The bookmark playback request can be either a touch-tone or voice command entered by the user to select a previously bookmarked message for playback. The request can specify a particular bookmark ID. Upon receiving the bookmark playback request, the voicemail system68retrieves the bookmarked message from the voicemail DB72and plays back the message starting from the position indicated by the bookmark pointer. To playback the stored message, the message content is provided to the voice playback subsystem80, which generates an audio representation of the messages to the user terminal.

While specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed invention may be modified in numerous ways and may assume many embodiments other than those specifically set out and described above. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents are intended to be embraced therein.