System and method for providing multi-party message-based voice communications
View Patent ↗One embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for providing flexible message-based communications between two or more individuals logically interconnected over a centralized messaging infrastructure. A voice message server interfaces to a plurality of personal communication devices (PCDs) over a wireless data network. Each PCD includes an “Attention” button that alerts the PCD to begin processing voice messages. Voice messages are forwarded to the voice message server and are queued, stored and played to the user of the receiving PCD. Each user must be signed on in a voice messaging session and can participate in one or more moderatable and simultaneous discussion groups.
1. A system for providing flexible message-based communications over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:
a controller, comprising:
an interface to a plurality of devices interconnected over a digital data network, each device being physically located at a location distinctly removed from each other device;
a security module configured to provide security to digital voice messages exchanged with each device by applying encryption using a key unique to each of the devices;
an access module configured to process a sign-in requested by a user via at least one of the devices; and
a session module configured to form a plurality of voice message sessions for the user associated with the at least one device and, for each of the voice message sessions, to add the user associated with the at least one device to a discussion group; and
a voice message server configured to centrally transact the voice message sessions, comprising:
a message queue configured to receive the digital voice messages for the at least one device, to associate a user identifier and a discussion group identifier with each of the digital voice messages, and to transiently store the digital voice messages; and
a queue manager configured to route the transiently stored digital voice messages to another of the devices,
wherein logical participation in a plurality of the discussion groups is provided through exchange of the digital voice messages between the at least one device and each other of the devices in the discussion groups.
2. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a message router to perform store-and-forward processing of the transiently stored digital voice messages.
3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the devices are grouped in a relationship selected from the group comprising one of a one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-many.
4. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage device configured to persistently store each such digital voice message.
5. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a voice processing component configured to process analog voice into the digital voice messages.
6. A system according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a speech recognition component configured to transcribe the digital voice messages using the device.
7. A system according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a speech recognition component configured to transcribe the digital voice messages using a proxy voice server interfaced to the device over a voice network.
8. A system according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a speech recognition component configured to transcribe the digital voice messages using translation logic integrated into the device.
9. A system according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a voice communications interface configured to concurrently transact voice communications over a voice network relative to the voice message session.
10. A method for providing flexible message-based communications over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:
interfacing a plurality of devices over a digital data network, each device being physically located at a location distinctly removed from each other device;
providing security to digital voice messages exchanged with each device by applying encryption using a key unique to each of the devices;
processing a sign-in requested by a user via at least one of the devices;
forming a plurality of voice message sessions for the user associated with the at least one device and, for each of the voice message sessions, adding the user associated with the at least one device to a discussion group; and
centrally transacting the voice message sessions, comprising:
receiving the digital voice messages for the at least one device;
associating a user identifier and a discussion group identifier with each of the digital voice messages;
transiently storing the digital voice messages; and
routing the transiently stored digital voice messages to another of the devices,
wherein logical participation in a plurality of the discussion groups is provided through exchange of the digital voice messages between the at least one device and each other of the devices in the discussion groups.
11. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
performing store-and-forward processing of the transiently stored digital voice messages.
12. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
grouping the devices in a relationship selected from the group comprising one of a one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-many.
13. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
persistently storing each such digital voice message.
14. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
processing analog voice into the digital voice messages.
15. A method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
converting analog voice signals into the digital voice messages using the device.
16. A method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
transcribing analog voice signals into the digital voice messages using a proxy voice server interfaced to the device over a voice network.
17. A method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
transcribing analog voice signals into the digital voice messages using translation logic integrated into the device.
18. A method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
concurrently transacting voice communications over a voice network relative to the voice message session.
19. A computer-readable storage medium holding code for performing the method according to claim 10 .
20. An apparatus for providing flexible message-based communications over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:
means for interfacing a plurality of devices over a digital data network, each device being physically located at a location distinctly removed from each other device;
means for providing security to digital voice messages exchanged with each device by means for applying encryption using a key unique to each of the devices;
means for processing a sign-in requested by a user via at least one of the devices;
means for forming a plurality of voice message sessions for the user associated with the at least one device and, for each of the voice message sessions, means for adding the user associated with the at least one device to a discussion group; and
means for centrally transacting the voice message sessions, comprising:
means for receiving the digital voice messages for the at least one device;
means for associating a user identifier and a discussion group identifier with each of the digital voice messages;
means for transiently storing the digital voice messages; and
means for routing the transiently stored digital voice messages to another of the devices,
wherein logical participation in a plurality of the discussion groups is provided through exchange of the digital voice messages between the at least one device and each other of the devices in the discussion groups.
21. A system for providing flexible message-based communications with personal communication devices over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:
a plurality of personal communication devices configured to originate digital voice messages comprising digitized voice, each personal communication device being physically located at a location distinctly removed from each other personal communication device;
a voice message server configured to communicatively interface to the one or more personal communication devices over a digital data network, comprising:
a security module configured to provide security to the digital voice messages exchanged with each personal communication device by applying encryption using a key unique to each of the personal communication devices;
an access module configured to process a sign-in requested by a user via at least one of the personal communication devices;
a session module configured to form a plurality of voice message sessions for the user associated with the at least one personal communication device and, for each of the voice message sessions, to add the user associated with the at least one personal communication device to a discussion group; and
a queue manager to centrally process the digital voice messages, comprising:
a receiver module configured to receive each digital voice message from at least one such personal communication device;
an identification module configured to associate a user identifier and a discussion group identifier with each digital voice message;
a message queue configured to transiently store the digital voice message; and
a sender module configured to send the digital voice message to at least one such personal communication device identified in the digital voice message,
wherein logical participation in a plurality of the discussion groups is provided through exchange of the digital voice messages between the at least one personal communication device and each other of the personal communication devices in the discussion groups.
22. A system according to claim 21 , further comprising:
a database manager configured to interface to a plurality of databases, comprising:
a user and discussion group database configured to store session information;
a personal information database configured to store personal information;
a control module configured to provide an interface authenticating at least one personal communication device against the personal information; and
a queue manager configured to stage each such digital voice message and to forward the digital voice message based on the session information.
23. A system according to claim 21 , further comprising:
a proxy message server configured to communicatively interface a personal communication device with the voice message server.
24. A system according to claim 21 , further comprising:
a cellular telephone configured to integrate with at least one such personal communication device.
25. A system according to claim 21 , wherein the one or more personal communication devices further comprise:
a voice message module configured to digitize spoken voice messages;
a message storage module configured to store transient spoken voice messages, comprising:
a buffer configured to assemble outgoing spoken voice messages;
a message queue configured to transitorily store the outgoing spoken voice messages; and
a message store configured to persistently store saved spoken voice messages.
26. A method for providing flexible message-based communications with personal communication devices over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:
originating digital voice messages comprising digitized voice through a plurality of personal communication devices, each personal communication device being physically located at a location distinctly removed from each other personal communication device;
communicatively interfacing the one or more personal communication devices over a digital data network, comprising:
providing security to the digital voice messages exchanged with each personal communication device by applying encryption using a key unique to each of the personal communication devices;
processing a sign-in requested by a user via at least one of the personal communication devices;
forming a plurality of voice message sessions for the user associated with the at least one personal communication device and, for each of the voice message sessions, adding the user associated with the at least one personal communication device to a discussion group; and
centrally processing the digital voice messages, comprising:
receiving each digital voice message from at least one personal communication device;
associating a user identifier and a discussion group identifier with each digital voice message;
transiently storing the digital voice message; and
sending the digital voice message to at least one personal communication device identified in the digital voice message,
wherein logical participation in a plurality of the discussion groups is provided through exchange of the digital voice messages between the at least one personal communication device and each other of the personal communication devices in the discussion groups.
27. A method according to claim 26 , further comprising:
interfacing to a plurality of databases, comprising:
maintaining a user and discussion group database to store session information;
maintaining a personal information database to store personal information;
providing an interface authenticating at least one personal communication device against the personal information; and
staging each digital voice message and to forward the digital voice message based on the session information.
28. A method according to claim 26 , further comprising:
communicatively interfacing a personal communication device with the voice message server through a proxy message server.
29. A method according to claim 26 , further comprising:
integrating a cellular telephone with at least one such personal communication device.
30. A method according to claim 26 , wherein the one or more personal communication devices further comprise:
digitizing spoken voice messages;
storing transient spoken voice messages, comprising:
assembling outgoing spoken voice messages;
transitorily storing the outgoing spoken voice messages; and
persistently storing saved spoken voice messages.
31. A computer-readable storage medium holding code for performing the method according to claim 26 .
32. An apparatus for providing flexible message-based communications with personal communication devices over a centralized messaging infrastructure, comprising:
means for originating digital voice messages comprising digitized voice through a plurality of personal communication devices, each personal communication device being physically located at a location distinctly removed from each other personal communication device;
means for communicatively interfacing the one or more personal communication devices over a digital data network, comprising:
means for providing security to the digital voice messages exchanged with each personal communication device means for by applying encryption using a key unique to each of the personal communication devices;
means for processing a sign-in requested by a user via at least one of the personal communication devices;
means for forming a plurality of voice message sessions for the user associated with the at least one personal communication device and, for each of the voice message sessions, means for adding the user associated with the at least one personal communication device to a discussion group; and
means for centrally processing the digital voice messages, comprising:
means for receiving each digital voice message from at least one such personal communication device;
means for associating a user identifier and a discussion group identifier with each digital voice message;
means for transiently storing the digital voice message; and
means for sending the digital voice message to at least one such personal communication device identified in the digital voice message,
wherein logical participation in a plurality of the discussion groups is provided through exchange of the digital voice messages between the at least one personal communication device and each other of the personal communication devices in the discussion groups.