Patent ID: 8218737

Claim:
A computer-implemented system for providing message-based communications via a centralized voice message server, comprising: a plurality of communication devices; and a voice message server interfaced with the communication devices over a data network, comprising: a control module initiating a session upon receipt of a sign-in request from one of the communication devices, verifying an identity of a user associated with that communication device, and assigning the user to at least one discussion group during the session, the discussion group comprising one or more other signed-in users each associated with an other communication device located at a location removed from the communication device; a security module receiving a voice message from the user via the communication device and encrypting the voice message for each of the other signed-in users in the discussion group using keys unique to the other communication devices associated with the other signed-in users; a voice processing module providing the encrypted voice message to the other signed-in users in the discussion group via the other communication devices; and a processor to execute the modules.