System allowing telephone customers to send and retrieve electronic mail messages using only conventional telephonic devices
View Patent ↗A novel communication system allows telephone customers to send and retrieve e-mail using only conventional telephone units. The system includes an “E-mail Device” (EMD), which is a special host computer for enabling customers to remotely create, send, retrieve and store e-mail messages. The EMD resides in the central office as part of a PSTN, or with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Subscribers to the e-mail service can give calling parties the option of leaving e-mail messages when the subscribers' telephone lines are busy. Customers can also create and send e-mail messages by either dialing an access code to connect directly to the EMD, or dialing an ISP with a resident EMD. Once connected to the EMD, the customer is guided through menus to send either pre-stored or custom e-mail messages to a chosen customer, telephone number, or e-mail address. The message information and details are entered via the touch-tone pad, or by voice, followed with voice-to-text conversion. Retrieval of e-mail messages is also through conventional telephone units by placing a call to the EMD and specifying the Destination Number of interest. The EMD can require the entry of a PIN for security purposes. Audio versions of the e-mail messages are played for the customer. The customer can then store the text versions of the messages if desired.
1. A method of creating and sending electronic mail (“e-mail”) messages, said method comprising the steps of:
a) connecting a telephone customer to an e-mail device (EMD) via only a telephone call from a touch-tone telephone unit, wherein said EMD resides in a central office of a Public Switched Telephone Network or is under the domain of an Internet Service Provider;
b) upon connection of said customer to said EMD, providing said customer with a menu of options for e-mail creation and transmission, said menu of options including an option to create a new e-mail message, an option to select an e-mail message from a list of pre-recorded e-mail messages and stored in said EMD, and an option to modify any one of said pre-recorded e-mail messages;
c) via said EMD, constructing an e-mail message at least partially based upon input information input by said customer via an alphanumeric keypad of said telephone unit;
d) in response to said customer's input, identifying a recipient of said e-mail message, the identity of said recipient corresponding to at least one of a Destination Telephone Number or an e-mail address;
e) storing said e-mail message temporarily in said EMD;
f) sending said e-mail message to the identified recipient via a wide area network, said wide area network comprising an Internet; and
g) generating a confirmation report for delivery to said customer, said confirmation report confirming the retrieval of said e-mail message by the recipient.
2. The method in claim 1 , wherein the information input by said customer includes voice information, and said method further comprises the step of:
converting said voice information from said telephone unit to text information.
3. The method in claim 1 , wherein step a) is triggered by said customer dialing an access code via said telephone unit.
4. The method in claim 3 , further comprising the step of said customer dialing a security code.
5. The method in claim 1 , wherein step a) is triggered at the request of said customer when a dialed Destination Telephone Number is “busy.”
6. The method in claim 1 , wherein said e-mail message contains a text portion and a file attachment.
7. The method in claim 6 , wherein said file attachment contains audio information input by said customer.
8. A method of retrieving electronic mail (“e-mail”) messages, said method comprising the steps of:
a) connecting a telephone customer to an e-mail device (EMD) via only a telephone call from a touch-tone telephone unit;
b) upon connection of said customer to said EMD, providing said customer with a menu of e-mail messages for which said customer is the intended recipient;
c) via said EMD, converting text information in an e-mail message to audio information;
d) playing an audio version of an e-mail message to said customer;
e) generating a confirmation report for delivery to a sender of an e-mail message, said confirmation report confirming the retrieval of said e-mail message by said telephone customer;
f) providing said customer with a menu of options for reply e-mail creation and transmission, said menu of options including an option to create a new reply e-mail message, an option to select a reply e-mail message from a list of pre-recorded reply e-mail messages and stored in said EMD, and an option to modify any one of said pre-recorded reply e-mail messages;
g) via said EMD, constructing a reply e-mail message at least partially based upon input information input by said customer via an alphanumeric keypad of said telephone unit;
h) in response to said customer's input, identifying a recipient of said reply e-mail message, the identity of said recipient corresponding to at least one of a Destination Telephone Number and an e-mail address;
i) storing said reply e-mail message temporarily in said EMD;
j) sending said reply e-mail message to the identified recipient via a wide area network, said wide area network comprising an Internet; and
k) generating a confirmation report for delivery to said customer, said confirmation report confirming the retrieval of said reply e-mail message by the recipient.
9. The method in claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
re-storing a retrieved e-mail message for future access by the intended recipient.
10. The method in claim 8 , wherein reply e-mail message information input by said customer includes voice information, and said method further comprises the step of:
converting voice information from said telephone unit to text information.
11. The method in claim 8 , wherein said reply e-mail message contains a text portion and a file attachment.
12. The method in claim 11 , wherein said file attachment contains audio information input by said customer.
13. The method in claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:
determining whether said customer is an intended recipient of an e-mail message based upon the customer's Calling Party Number.
14. The method in claim 8 , wherein step a) is triggered by said customer dialing an access code via said telephone unit.
15. The method in claim 14 , further comprising the step of said customer dialing a security code.
16. The method in claim 8 , further comprising the step of: prior to step a), notifying a customer that he or she has e-mail by a “distinctive ringing” pattern.
17. The method in claim 8 , further comprising the step of: prior to step a), notifying a customer that he or she has e-mail by a “stutter” dial tone.
18. A system for creating and sending electronic mail (“e-mail”) messages, said system comprising:
a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);
an e-mail device (EMD), wherein said EMD resides in a central office of said PSTN or is under the do-main of an Internet Service Provider; and
at least one touch-tone telephone unit adapted to connect a telephone customer to said EMD with a telephone call via said PSTN;
wherein said EMD comprises:
a menu generator adapted to generate for said customer, a menu of options for e-mail creation and transmission, said menu of options including an option to create a new e-mail message, an option to select an e-mail message from a list of pre-recorded e-mail messages and stored in said EMD, and an option to modify any one of said pre-recorded e-mail messages;
an e-mail message constructor adapted to construct an e-mail message at least partially based upon input information input by said customer via an alphanumeric keypad of said telephone unit;
an e-mail recipient identifier adapted to, in response to said customer's input, identify a recipient of said e-mail message, the identity of said recipient corresponding to at least one of a Destination Telephone Number or an e-mail address;
an e-mail message memory adapted to store said e-mail message;
an e-mail message sender adapted to send said e-mail message to the identified recipient via a wide area network, said wide area network comprising an Internet; and
a confirmation report generator adapted to generate a confirmation report for delivery to said customer, said confirmation report confirming the retrieval of said e-mail message by the recipient.
19. The system in claim 18 , wherein the information input by said customer includes voice information, and said system further comprises:
a voice-to-text converter adapted to convert voice information from said telephone unit to text information.
20. The system in claim 18 , wherein said system is adapted to connect said telephone unit to said EMD by said customer dialing an access code via said telephone unit.
21. The system in claim 20 , wherein said system is further adapted to connect said telephone unit to said EMD by said customer dialing a security code via said telephone unit.
22. The system in claim 18 , wherein said system is adapted to connect said telephone unit to said EMD at the request of said customer when a dialed Destination Telephone Number is “busy.”
23. The system in claim 18 , wherein said e-mail message contains a text portion and a file attachment.
24. The system in claim 23 , wherein said file attachment contains audio information input by said customer.
25. A system for retrieving electronic mail (“e-mail”) messages, said system comprising:
a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);
an e-mail device (EMD), wherein said EMD resides in a central office of said PSTN or is under the do-main of an Internet Service Provider; and
at least one touch-tone telephone unit adapted to connect a telephone customer to said EMD with a telephone call via said PSTN;
wherein said EMD comprises:
an intended recipient identifier adapted to determine whether said customer is an intended recipient of an e-mail message based upon the customer's Calling Party Number;
a menu generator adapted to generate for said customer, a menu of e-mail messages for which said customer is the intended recipient;
a text-to-voice converter adapted to convert text information in an e-mail message to audio information;
an e-mail message player adapted to play an audio version of an e-mail message to said customer;
a confirmation report generator adapted to generate a confirmation report for delivery to a sender of an e-mail message, said confirmation report confirming the retrieval of said e-mail message by said customer;
a menu generator adapted to generate for said customer, a menu of options for reply e-mail creation and transmission, said menu of options including an option to create a new reply e-mail message, an option to select a reply e-mail message from a list of pre-recorded reply e-mail messages and stored in said EMD, and an option to modify any one of said pre-recorded reply e-mail messages;
a reply e-mail message constructor adapted to construct a reply e-mail message at least partially based upon input information input by said customer via an alphanumeric keypad of said telephone unit;
a reply e-mail recipient identifier adapted to, in response to said customer's input, identify a recipient of said reply e-mail message, the identity of said recipient corresponding to at least one of a Destination Telephone Number or an e-mail address;
a reply e-mail message memory adapted to store said reply e-mail message;
a reply e-mail message sender adapted to send said reply e-mail message to the identified recipient via a wide area network; and
said confirmation report generator being adapted to generate a confirmation report for delivery to said customer, said confirmation report confirming the retrieval of said reply e-mail message by the recipient.
26. The system in claim 25 , wherein said EMD further comprises:
e-mail message memory adapted to re-store a retrieved e-mail message for future access by the intended recipient.
27. The system in claim 25 , wherein reply e-mail message information input by said customer includes voice information, and said EMD further comprises:
a voice-to-text converter adapted to convert voice information from said telephone unit to text information.
28. The system in claim 25 , wherein said reply e-mail message contains a text portion and a file attachment.
29. The system in claim 28 , wherein said file attachment contains audio information input by said customer.
30. The system in claim 25 , wherein said system is adapted to connect said telephone unit to said EMD by said customer dialing an access code via said telephone unit.
31. The system in claim 30 , wherein said system is further adapted to connect said telephone unit to said EMD by said customer dialing a security code via said telephone unit.
32. The system in claim 25 , wherein said system is adapted to notify a customer that he or she has e-mail by a “distinctive ringing” pattern.
33. The system in claim 25 , wherein said system is adapted to notify a customer that he or she has e-mail by a “stutter” dial tone.