Patent ID: 8014499

Claim:
A method in a user computer for sending a voice message, the method comprising: recording by an executable browser plug-in resource in the user computer a voice message spoken by a calling party based on encoding parameters recognized by a voice messaging system configured for storing voice messages for a plurality of voice messaging subscribers, the user computer distinct from the voice messaging system, the recording including the executable browser plug-in resource encoding the voice message according to a prescribed encoding protocol utilized by the voice messaging system for recording voice messages; storing by the user computer the voice message within a data file having a selectable Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type recognizable by the voice messaging system as a voice message, the MIME type identifying the prescribed encoding protocol; and outputting from the user computer the data file using a prescribed messaging protocol for transfer to a destination voice mailbox accessible by the voice messaging system for a corresponding one of the voice messaging subscribers distinct from the calling party; wherein the outputting step includes outputting the data file using an executable e-mail client configured for sending the data file using a prescribed e-mail protocol as the prescribed messaging protocol, and outputting the data file to the destination voice mailbox according to one of SMTP protocol and IMAP protocol.