Abstract:
A voice messaging system comprises a common message store, a local data store located remotely from the common message store, and a media server. The media server is operable to receive a call directed to a number serviced by the media server, prompt the user for a voice message, direct the voice message to the local data store for temporary storage, notify the common message store that the voice message is present in the local data store, respond to a request to transfer the voice message to the common message store, and direct the local data store to erase the message upon receipt of a communication from the common message store that the voice message was successfully saved.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application entitled, “Message Durability For Voice Messaging System,” filed Jun. 30, 2004 and accorded application No. 60/584,270, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
   This application is related to co-pending U.S. utility patent application entitled “Distributed IP Architecture For Telecommunications System,” filed Mar. 15, 2005 and accorded application Ser. No. 11/080,744, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   Systems and methods that relate generally to voice messaging are invented and disclosed. More particularly, systems and methods for managing messages communicated using a voice messaging architecture with geographically distributed components. 
   2. Related Art 
   Over the past several decades, voice mail has continued to expand and establish itself as a key element in the successful operations of most businesses. Some voice mail systems consist of components that communicate with each other on the client side of a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and thus, have been geographically co-located. This can be a great disadvantage for companies that have geographically dispersed offices. 
   In today&#39;s global economy, even small businesses may have a need for multiple offices for serving clients, interacting with vendors, or various other reasons. Presently available wide area networks including the Internet support email, video conferencing and other products that allow dispersed business sites appear more seamless and integrated. In addition, wired and wireless telephonic networks provide network-based voice mail services that are used by small business and personal consumers to communicate with others wherever they may be located. Other telecommunication products have been developed to provide voice mail service to small businesses, and other institutions such as schools, hospitals, government offices, and the like. These other telecommunication products generally include local voice message storage. 
   However, a significant problem that still exists for geographically dispersed offices is providing a telephonic system that operates as a single, co-located system while still serving the specialized needs of the various offices. Establishing a separate data storage facility at each office can be a costly endeavor as duplicative hardware must be purchased and maintained at each site. Furthermore, logistics for enabling inter-office voice mail access can become complex. 
   A centralized storage facility could reduce cost and provide a seamless voice mail platform. However, integrating a centralized storage facility for voice messages across a geographically disperse enterprise is problematic because of system latency when processing voice messages between remotely located sites. One component of system latency is the time it takes to identify the particular storage medium where the message was stored and correctly position a read/write mechanism proximal to the identified medium. System latency is also affected by the speed and capacity of the underlying network or networks used to couple remotely located sites to the central storage facility. 
   System latency presents a new challenge. On the one hand, the subscriber needs assurance that the voice message was delivered and properly stored at a central location. On the other hand, requiring the subscriber to wait for delivery of the voice message and for confirmation from the central storage facility of the received voice message is not desirable. Accordingly, further improvements to geographically disperse voice mail systems are desired. 
   SUMMARY 
   An embodiment of a system for message storage assurance comprises a common message store, a local data store located remotely from the common message store, and a media server. The media server is operable to receive a call directed to a number serviced by the media server, prompt the user for a voice message, direct the voice message to the local data store for temporary storage, notify the common message store that the voice message is present in the local data store, respond to a request to transfer the voice message to the common message store, and direct the local data store to erase the message upon receipt of a communication from the common message store that the voice message was successfully saved. 
   Related methods of operation are also provided. An embodiment of a method for message storage assurance comprises polling a local data store co-located with a local voice mail system to determine if a voice message has been stored to the local data store, notifying a common message store, located remotely from the local data store, when the voice message is present in the local data store, transferring the voice message from the local data store to the common message store, and waiting for a communication from the common message store of successful receipt of the voice message. 
   Other features and advantages of the systems and methods for message storage assurance will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. All such additional features and advantages are within the scope of the systems and methods for message storage assurance in a geographically distributed messaging system as protected by the accompanying claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     The systems and methods for message storage assurance can be better understood with reference to the following figures. The components within the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of message storage assurance in a geographically distributed messaging system. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of geographically distributed messaging system. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a message durability subsystem that can be implemented within the distributed messaging system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of a message channel from the document server to the common message store of the message durability subsystem of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the distributed messaging system of  FIG. 1  when a subscriber generates a voice message. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the distributed messaging system of  FIG. 1  when a subscriber retrieves a voice message. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for generating and locally storing a voice message. 
       FIG. 7  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for message storage assurance that can implemented using the distributed messaging system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  are a flow diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of a method for message storage assurance that can implemented using the distributed messaging system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  are a datagram illustrating an embodiment of message flow through the system of  FIG. 1  during a message store. 
       FIGS. 10A and 10B  are a datagram illustrating an embodiment of message flow through the system of  FIG. 1  during message retrieval. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   A distributed telecommunications system provides functionality to support modern small or large office business settings, such as call forwarding, auto-attendant, voice mail, voice messaging, etc. The telecommunications system is made up of components that can be located in various locations that are remote from each other. Each of the components is coupled to an Internet protocol (IP) based wide-area network. The system provides message storage assurance to subscribers and enables a caller to generate a message and terminate the communication with a voice recorder without having to wait on-the-line for a confirmation that the voice message was successfully delivered and stored. The system also provides message durability in that once the voice message is recorded, the system ensures that despite device and network service outages, the voice message is saved in the common message store. 
   A geographically distributed messaging system  100  comprising a media server  120 , document server  160 , and a common message store  170 , provides for message storage assurance and durability of voice messages. Media server  120  couples the distributed messaging system  100  to one or more networks. Document server  160 , located remotely from the media server  120 , manages storage of voice messages in common message store  170 . The complexities of interfacing to telecommunications networks such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN)  115  are handled through a signaling gateway function (SGF)  117  coupled between media server  120  and PSTN  115  with SigTran protocol used in the link between media server  120  and SGF  117  and signaling system 7 (SS7) is used to perform out-of-band signaling in support of the call-establishment, billing, routing, and information-exchange functions between SGF  117  and PSTN  115 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , media server  120  is also coupled to PSTN  115  via T1/E1 or other multiple channel links. 
   A voice over IP (VoIP) gateway  133  integrates the media server  120  with a modular voice processor  130  or other devices that use session initiation protocol (SIP). Access control  107  manages the complexities of integrating multiple media servers  120  with Internet protocol (IP) network  105 . When a single media server  120  is used, a communication link using SIP, SigTran, or the H.323 messaging protocols couples media server  120  to IP network  105 . One or more automatic-speech recognition (ASR) modules  135  and one or more text-to-speech (TTS) conversion modules are coupled to media server  120  to enable both audio and text input and output to/from distributed messaging system  100 . A voice over IP (VoIP) gateway  133  integrates the media server  120  with a modular voice processor  130  or other devices that use session initiation protocol (SIP). A simplified protocol is used for communications between the remaining components of the distributed messaging system. 
   Voice extensible markup language (VoiceXML or VXML) is one mode of communication between media server  120  and remotely located document server  160 . VXML, which uses hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) to communicate information in packets, allows a user to interact with devices coupled to IP networks using voice-recognition technology. Instead of a traditional graphical user interface based browser, VXML relies on a voice browser and/or any of a plethora of voice-based devices such as telephones, mobile phones and combination devices. Instead of a traditional browser that relies on a keyboard and a mouse, VXML relies on a voice browser and a voice-based device. Using VXML, the user interacts by listening to audio output that is either pre-recorded or synthesized and submits input through the user&#39;s natural speaking voice or a touch-tone keypad. VXML is designed for creating audio dialogs that feature synthesized speech, digitized audio, and recognition of spoken and dual-tone multiple frequency encoded inputs, recording of voice messages, and mixed conversations. As will be explained in further detail below, VXML HTTP requests are communicated from media server  120  to document server  160 , which manages the storage, confirmation, and retrieval of voice messages saved in common message store  170 . 
   Application server  150 , coupled to document server  160  and Internet  155 , provides a mechanism for subscribers of the distributed messaging system and third-parties with proper access privileges to access previously stored voice messages from common message store  170 . 
   Messages are durable when once a subscriber records a message in a VXML session, the message is saved and accessible via a common message store remotely located from the subscriber despite media server  120  failures, document server  160  failures and wide area network service outages. This is accomplished because message storage from a local data store to the remotely located common message store can be asynchronous. That is, the subscribing caller does not need to wait on-the-line for acknowledgement of a successful transfer of the message. Because the common message store comprises an array of disks, the messages and metadata stored therein can survive numerous device failures and request restarts for transfers of message blocks. 
     FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a message durability subsystem  200  that can be implemented within the distributed messaging system  100  of  FIG. 1 . The message durability subsystem  200  comprises media server  120 , document server  160 , and common message store  170 . Media server  120  comprises a message deposit application  222  coupled to VXML browser  224 . Message deposit application  222  prepares and controls the media server  120  to enable message recording. VXML browser  224  is further coupled to sender  140  and local data store  220 . VXML browser  224  communicates with sender  140  via TCP/IP. Local data store  220  comprises file system  226 , which provides a filename and path to associate with the actual voice data and database  228 , which saves and associates metadata with a recorded voice message. 
   Sender  140  communicates requests to document server  160  via simple object access protocol (SOAP). Sender  140  provides a socket connection for VXML browser  224 . The socket connection can be accessed by multiple languages using multiple computing platforms. Request information transferred to the document server  160  includes attachment file path and name, message type identifier, message status identifier, time for delivery, originator identifier, and identifiers for one or more recipients. Sender  140  is configured to save the request including message request delivery state information into local data store  220 , send message header information (metadata) together with the attachment file to the document server  160 , delete the request and delivery information when the message has been successfully delivered to the document server  160 , and retry delivery for messages that are not successfully delivered. 
   Document server  160  comprises receiver  262 , message server  264 , message manager  266 , unified message service  280 , layered service provider server  268 , and application  270 . Receiver  262  is configured to receive the SOAP requests from sender  140 , retrieve the message information and attachments, invoke the unified message service to create a Java message service message and save the created message in message server  264  persistently. Receiver  262  is further configured to handle SOAP fault reporting when data transfer errors occur. Unified message service  280  communicates with message server  264  via connector  285 . Message server  264  provides persistent storage to the message and related data on the document server  160 , asynchronous message delivery, ensures once-and-only-once delivery of the message to the common message store  170 , and deletes the message when the message has been successfully stored in the common message store  170 . Message manager  266  gets messages from the message server  264 , then forwards them to the common message store  170  using the link provided by the unified message service application interface and the layered service provider server  268 . Message manager  266  is configured to status the message server  264  regarding whether the message was successfully delivered to the common message store  170 . Message manager  266  is further configured to retry message delivery for messages that were not successfully uploaded and integrated with the common message store  170 . 
   Two approaches for providing message attachment are contemplated. The first approach is that the attachment content of the SOAP message received by the receiver  262  is delivered to the message server  264  together with the header information or metadata as one Java message service compatible message without writing to an intermediate file. Using this approach, the receiver  262  and the message server  264  have the flexibility to be distributed so that any document server is able to deliver a message stored in the message server  264  to the common message store. 
   The alternative approach is that the attachment content of the SOAP message received by receiver  262  is saved into a file, then the file name and message metadata are delivered to the message server  264 . Using this approach, the message server handles text data only. 
   Application server  270 , interposed between unified message service  280  and VXML browser  224 , exposes previously stored messages to one or more subscribers communicatively coupled to media server  120 . 
     FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of a message channel  300  that links document server  160  to the common message store  170  of the message durability subsystem  200  of  FIG. 2 . As indicated in  FIG. 3 , application  270 , operable on or in communication with document server  160 , is coupled via unified message service  280  and a layered service provider (LSP) server  268  to an upper library  340  and lower library  350 . The unified message service  280  includes a connector  285  configured as a common object request broker architecture (CORBA) client. Layered service provider server  268  is configured as CORBA server. Layered service provider server  268  provides a robust, efficient and scalable message and subscriber preference adjustable service. Connector  285  communicates with layered service provider server  268  via Internet Inter-ORB protocol (IIOP). Upper library  340  is a high-level application interface that encapsulates device-specific logic in lower library  350 . Upper library  350  includes multiple functions for supporting messaging services. Lower library  350  uses a peer-to-peer protocol to communicate with storage device  360 , storage device  362 , and storage device  368  and additional storage devices (not shown) under the management and control of common message store  170 . 
     FIG. 4  is a system diagram illustrating the components and data flow within the distributed messaging system  100 . Distributed voice messaging system  100  includes a message durability subsystem  200 , which comprises media server  120 , document server  160 , and a common message store (not shown). The media server  120  can be configured with internal and or externally coupled data storage devices used to provide the previously introduced file system  226  and local data store  228  functions. Media server  120  is communicatively coupled to remotely located document server  160  via a packet-switched wide area network. Media server  120  is further coupled to PSTN  115 . 
   In operation, subscriber  405  initiates a call with a telephone  410  at a location coupled to PSTN  115 . The call is established over PSTN  115  and terminated by media server  120 , which provides the telephony interface between PSTN  115  and distributed messaging system  100 . Message deposit application  222 , operable within media server  120 , generates a new filename for the message about to be recorded and collects or otherwise generates new metadata  432  in accordance with one or more identifiers used to classify or otherwise describe the nature of the call, subscriber, and the voice message. Metadata  432  is associated with the filename. 
   The message deposit application  222  addresses the VXML browser  224 , sender  140 , file system  226 , and local data store  228  to ensure the media server  120  is prepared to record the voice message. If any of these devices reports a non-ready condition to the message deposit application  222 , the message deposit application  222  immediately informs the subscriber  405  that a system failure has occurred that the message cannot be recorded and aborts the recording process. Otherwise, if each of the media server devices is ready, voice message  434  is recorded and temporarily stored within media server  120 . Thereafter, the subscriber  405  can access other system functions or terminate the call without waiting for acknowledgment that the voice message  434  has been saved in the common message store  170 . 
   The message deposit application  222  in accordance with a self-generated initialization trigger or an externally generated signal forwards a request to sender process  440  to forward the data to remotely located document server  160 . Sender process  440  accepts the request  444 , saves the request  444  and metadata  442  in a local database, and forwards the request  444  via an IP based network to a receiver associated with the document server  160 . The document server  160 , in turn saves a received copy of metadata  462  and message  464  in a common data store  170  (not shown). 
     FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the distributed messaging system of  FIG. 1  when a subscriber retrieves a voice message. As indicated by the illustrated embodiment, document server  160  may be associated with or controlled by various applications operable on application server  150 . Thus, a subscribing user with appropriate access to an IP based network that is coupled to application server  150  can access, review, comment, and forward previously stored voice messages integrated via document server  160  in common message store  170 . In addition to providing access to subscribers via application server  150 , previously stored voice messages can be returned to a subscribing caller  405  coupled to the distributed voice messaging system  100  via PSTN  115 . One or more applications operable on or in communication with document server  160  can return voice messages via VXML browser  224  associated with media server  120 . 
     FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method  600  for generating and locally storing a voice message. As described above, the media server  120  is configured to record and locally store incoming voice messages. Media server  120  provides the locally stored voice messages to document server  160  at an appropriate time for transfer to common message store  170 . Media server  120  is configured with appropriate processing resources to concurrently store one or more incoming voice messages in a local data store coupled to the media server  120 , while allowing access to previously stored “local” voice messages. 
   Method  600  begins with block  602  where a call, originated by a subscriber of the distributed voice messaging system  100  ( FIG. 1 ) is serviced by media server  120 . Next, as indicated in block  604 , the subscriber is prompted to record a voice message at some time during the call. The subscriber records the voice message, as shown in block  606 . Thereafter, media server  120  generates a filename for the voice message and associates appropriate metadata for identifying the voice message, as indicated in block  608 . After the voice message has been recorded, the filename, voice message and any header information, such as metadata is stored in a local data store  228 , as indicated in input/output block  610 . 
   Metadata associated with the voice message includes storage location, type, caller, session, urgency, and confidentiality identifiers. The local storage location identifier contains an absolute path and filename of the data file on local file system  226 . The type identifier indicates whether the processed message is a voice or a fax message. The caller identifier indicates a subscriber identification if the message depositor is a subscriber of the system. Otherwise, the caller is identified as a “guest.” The session identifier indicates a depositor session identification. The urgency identifier indicates whether the associated message is a high priority message or a standard priority message that may be processed and addressed in due course. The confidentiality identifier indicates whether the message is designated for access to a limited number of recipients. Metadata associated with the voice message also identifies the message sender and one or more message recipients. 
   Additional and optional metadata associated with a voice message may include information indicative of a preferred date and time for delivery. When not associated with the message the media server  120  is configured to periodically initiate the transfer of a new message to common message store  170 . 
   Conditional metadata is also associated with some messages processed by the distributed messaging system  100 . For example, conditional metadata identifies when the stored voice message is a comment referring to an attached forwarded message. In addition to a forwarded message identifier, conditional metadata includes forwarded message note and dictation length identifiers. The forwarded message identifier is the message identifier associated with the forwarded voice message. The forwarded message note identifier is a separate identifier associated with a note or comment regarding the forwarded message. The dictation length identifier indicates the length of the forwarded message associated with the note. 
     FIG. 7  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for message storage assurance  700  that can be implemented using the distributed messaging system  100  of  FIG. 1 . The method for message storage assurance  700  involves forwarding the locally-recorded and stored messages at the appropriate time to the common message store  170  and sending confirmation back to the media server  120  that the message has been stored. The method for storage assurance  700  begins with block  702  by polling the local data store associated with the media server  120  for new voice messages  434 . When a new voice message  434  has been detected, as indicated by a positive response from query  704 , the media server  120  provides an indication to the document server  160 , which in turn, notifies the common message store  170  in block  706  of the presence of the new message. 
   As indicated in block  708 , the common message store prepares space for the new voice message designated for integration in common message store  170 . Next, as shown in block  710  and query block  712 , common message store  170  requests message content using a block-by-block repetitive process until the entire message has been delivered via the document server  160  and received in the common message store  170 . Once the entire message has been received, common message store  170  sends an acknowledgement that the entire message has been received, as shown in block  714 . The acknowledgement issued from the common message store  170  is received and forwarded by document server  160  as shown in block  716 . The acknowledgement received by document server  160  is forwarded to the media server  120  as shown in block  718 . The acknowledgement received by media server  120  confirms that the voice message has been successfully stored and integrated with common message store  170 . In an alternate embodiment, polling for new messages in the local data store  228  associated with the media server  120  may be performed by software or firmware operable within the document server  160  or by an application in communication with document server  160 . In this way, one or more remotely located devices can be configured to monitor multiple media servers. 
     FIGS. 8A and 8B  are a flow diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of a method  800  for message storage assurance that can implemented using the distributed messaging system  100  of  FIG. 1 . Method  800  begins with block  802  where a local data store  228  co-located with a local voice mail system is polled to determine if a voice message has been stored to the data store  228 . Thereafter, as indicated by input/output block  804 , the common message store  170  is notified that a new voice message is present in the (remotely located) local data store  228 . Next, the voice message is transferred to the common message store  170  from the local data store  228  as illustrated in input/output block  806 . A query  808  and an associated wait process  810  are repetitively performed until the voice message has been successfully stored in its entirety in the common message store  170 . At this point, the voice message has been stored in the common message store  170 . As indicated by connector A, which associates the steps illustrated in  FIG. 8A  with those shown in  FIG. 8B , method  800  continues with block  812  where the stored voice message is made available to the subscriber and those with access privileges that are communicatively coupled to the document server  160  and common message store  170 . In block  814 , the message stored in the local data store  228  is deleted. The functions illustrated in blocks  812  and  814  may be performed out-of-sequence or substantially simultaneously. 
     FIGS. 9A and 9B  are a datagram illustrating an embodiment of message flow through the distributed message system  100  of  FIG. 1  during a message transfer from local data store  228  to common message store  170 . As shown in the sample embodiment, a host of communications are sent and received by various system entities. A caller device both records a message and forwards an object tag to a VXML browser. The VXML browser saves or otherwise associates the recorded message into a file and sends a request to temporarily store the message in the local data store. A sender process accepts the request, saves the request in a local database, forwards the request to a receiver associated with the document server  160 . The receiver delivers the message via a unified message service to a message server. The message server queues the message request, receives, and forwards the message to a message manager. The message server retains the message and associated metadata until it receives an acknowledgement from the message manager that the message has been successfully processed into the common message store. In the illustrated embodiment, once the message server queues the message, an acknowledgement is forwarded to the VXML browser via the unified message service connection, receiver, and sender in that order. When the sender receives the acknowledgement that the message has been queued in the message server, the sender deletes the message and associated data that were temporarily stored in the local data store. In an alternative embodiment, the acknowledgement stream from the message server to the VXML browser may be withheld or otherwise delayed until the message server receives a positive acknowledgment from the common message store. 
   The message manager receives the message from the message server and forwards the message to a unified message service application interface, which in turn forwards the message via a LSP server that deposits the message in the common message store  170 . Once the common message store has successfully deposited the message, an acknowledgement message identified by the associated message identifier is forwarded to the message server via the LSP server, unified message service application interface and message manager, in that order. In response, the message server deletes the message and associated metadata. 
     FIGS. 10A and 10B  are a datagram illustrating an embodiment of message flow through the distributed messaging system  100  of  FIG. 1  during message or greeting retrieval from common message store  170 . As shown in the sample embodiment, a host of communications are sent and received by various system entities. A VXML browser initiates a request to get voice message blocks which is forwarded via a message application and message server to an upper or first library. When the request is for voice message blocks, the upper library responds to the request by issuing a get account data process. If the account data is not available in the upper library, the upper library forwards a request to get the account data from the lower or second library. The upper library caches the account data returned from the lower library. Thereafter, the upper library uses the cached account data to issue a request for message record data. If the message record data is not available in the upper library, the upper library forwards a request to the record data from the lower library. Thereafter, the upper library uses the record data to generate a request for a voice block. Not illustrated but implied by the datagram, the lower library responds by forwarding the identified voice block from the common message store which is returned to the VXML browser via the upper library, message server, and message application interface in that order. 
   When the request is for a greeting, the upper library responds to the request by issuing a get greeting message data process. If the greeting message data is not present in the upper library, the upper library forwards a request to get the greeting message data from the lower or second library. The upper library caches the greeting message data returned from the lower library. Thereafter, the upper library uses the cached greeting message data to issue a request for a voice block that includes the greeting. Not illustrated but implied by the datagram, the lower library responds by forwarding the identified voice block from the common message store which is returned to the VXML browser via the upper library, message server, and message application interface in that order. 
   The flow diagrams of  FIGS. 6-8B  and the datagrams of  FIGS. 9 and 10  show the architecture, functionality, and operation of a possible implementation via software and or firmware associated with a host of communicatively coupled hardware devices that causes the process of collection, integration and distribution of voice-based messages to be performed. In this regard, each block represents a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the drawings. For example, two blocks shown in succession in the flow diagram of  FIG. 8B  may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. 
   The operational software programs that may be used by the various devices of the distributed messaging system  100 , as well as operational software that may be used in conjunction with the VXML browser, telephonic devices, and applications that interface with distributed messaging system  100 , which comprise an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
   The computer-readable medium can be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection (electronic) having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM) (magnetic), a read-only memory (ROM) (magnetic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory) (magnetic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. 
   While various embodiments of the systems and methods for message storage assurance have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the accompanying claims. Accordingly, the systems and methods for message storage assurance are not to be restricted beyond the attached claims and their equivalents.