World Wide Web access for voice mail and page
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for providing subscribers with an integrated message processing system. The message processing system allows for the receipt, transmission and management of messages. Allowable message types include voice messages, pages, facsimile messages and electronic mail messages. The message processing system displays the information to the subscriber using a web browser. The majority of the graphical user interface resides locally in order to minimize the amount of data downloaded at run-time. The message processing system may be used locally in a closed environment or over the Internet.
1. A message processing system, comprising:
(a) a management component including at least one server, wherein said management component manages a plurality of messages by:
(i) storing each of the plurality of messages in a first file format;
(ii) upon request:
retrieving a message in the first file format;
converting the message in the first file format to a message in a second file format if necessary; and
supplying the requested message to a subscriber;
(b) a display component, wherein said display component displays the plurality of messages;
(c) a remote client;
(d) a communications media, wherein said communications media facilitates communications between said remote client and said management component, and wherein said display component is transmitted to said remote client over said communications media.
2. The message processing system of claim 1 , wherein said display component is a self-contained program providing a user interface, the self-contained program stored and executed on said remote client.
3. The message processing system of claim 2 , wherein said display component is a JAVA™ application.
4. The message processing system of claim 1 , wherein said communications media is a selected one from a group comprising a wireless network, a public switched telephone network, an Internet and a private network.
5. The message processing system of claim 1 , wherein said display component is a self-contained program for execution on said remote client and is downloaded to said remote client if said remote client does not have said self-contained program or said remote client has an older version of said self-contained program.
6. The message processing system of claim 5 , wherein said self-contained program is automatically downloaded to said remote client if said remote client has an older version of said self-contained program.