Method for initiating a session in a store and forward messaging system
View Patent ↗A method for initiating a session in a store and forward messaging system, such as a voice/video call answering (VCA) system, is provided. A data storage device stores capability information for subscribers of the messaging system, the capability information including data such as video codecs and audio codecs supported by the subscriber's device. When a session initiation request is received from a guest of the messaging system, the capability information of the device used by the guest is compared to the stored capability information of the device used by the subscriber for whom the guest wishes to deposit a message. If the capability information matches, the system presents to the guest only the matching capability information. The session continues using the matching capability information, thereby eliminating the need to transcode data when the message is retrieved by the subscriber.
1. A method for initiating a session in a store and forward messaging system, said method comprising:
receiving a session connection request from a guest of the store and forward messaging system;
determining capability information of a device used by the guest to connect to the store and forward messaging system;
determining a subscriber of the store and forward messaging system for whom the guest wishes to deposit a message;
retrieving capability information of a device used by the subscriber of the store and forward messaging system for whom the guest wishes to deposit a message; and
comparing the capability information of the device used by the guest to the capability information of the device used by the subscriber, wherein the capability information of the device used by the guest is compared to the capability information of the device used by the subscriber prior to the guest transmitting the message to the store and forward messaging system.
2. A method for initiating a session according to claim 1 ,
wherein, if at least a portion of the capability information of the device used by the guest matches a portion of the capability information of the device used by the subscriber, the portion of the capability information that matches is presented to the guest.
3. A method for initiating a session according to claim 2 ,
wherein, if at least a portion of the capability information of the device used by the guest does not match at least a portion of the capability information of the device used by the subscriber, a default capability information is presented to the guest.
4. A method for initiating a session according to claim 2 , wherein the guest transmits the message to the store and forward system using at least the portion of capability information that matches.
5. A method for initiating a session according to claim 3 , wherein the capability information comprises at least one of the following: a video codec, a rate of video codec, an audio codec, a rate of audio codec, a screen size of the device used by the guest or subscriber, and colors supported by the device used by the guest or subscriber.
6. A method for initiating a session according to claim 1 ,
wherein, if at least a portion of the capability information of the device used by the guest does not match at least a portion of the capability information of the device used by the subscriber, a default capability information is presented to the guest.
7. A method for initiating a session according to claim 1 , wherein the capability information comprises at least one of the following: a video codec, a rate of video codec, an audio codec, a rate of audio codec, a screen size of the device used by the guest or subscriber, and colors supported by the device used by the guest or subscriber.
8. A store and forward messaging system comprising:
a receiving unit which receives a session connection request from a guest of the store and forward messaging system;
a server coupled to the receiving unit, wherein the server contains an application; and
a data storage unit coupled to the server, wherein the data storage unit stores capability information of a device used by a subscriber of the store and forward messaging system,
wherein the application determines the subscriber for whom the guest wishes to deposit a message and compares capability information of a device used by the guest to connect to the store and forward messaging system with the capability information stored in the data storage unit regarding the device of the subscriber for whom the guest wishes to deposit a message, and
wherein the application compares the capability information of the device used by the guest with the capability information stored in the data storage unit prior to the guest transmitting the message to the store and forward messaging system.
9. A store and forward messaging system according to claim 8 ,
wherein, if at least a portion of the capability information of the device used by the guest matches a portion of the capability information stored in the data storage unit regarding the device of the subscriber for whom the guest wishes to deposit a message, the portion of the capability information that matches is presented to the guest.
10. A store and forward messaging system according to claim 9 ,
wherein, if at least a portion of the capability information of the device used by the guest does not match at least a portion of the capability information stored in the data storage unit regarding the device of the subscriber for whom the guest wishes to deposit a message, a default capability information is presented to the guest.
11. A store and forward messaging system according to claim 9 , wherein the guest transmits the message to the store and forward system using at least the portion of capability information that matches.
12. A store and forward messaging system according to claim 10 , wherein the capability information comprises at least one of the following: a video codec, a rate of video codec, an audio codec, a rate of audio codec, a screen size of the device used by the guest or subscriber, and colors supported by the device used by the guest or subscriber.
13. A store and forward messaging system according to claim 8 ,
wherein, if at least a portion of the capability information of the device used by the guest does not match at least a portion of capability information stored in the data storage unit regarding the device of the subscriber for whom the guest wishes to deposit a message, a default capability information is presented to the guest.
14. A store and forward messaging system according to claim 8 , wherein the capability information comprises at least one of the following: a video codec, a rate of video codec, an audio codec, a rate of audio codec, a screen size of the device used by the guest or subscriber, and colors supported by the device used by the guest or subscriber.
15. A store and forward messaging system according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a transcoding unit that is able to convert a message deposited by the guest to a format supported by the device used by the subscriber if at least a portion of the capability information of the device used by the guest does not match at least a portion of the capability information stored in the data storage unit regarding the device of the subscriber for whom the guest wishes to deposit a message.
16. A store and forward messaging system according to claim 8 , wherein the subscriber may maintain multiple accounts on the store and forward system, wherein each of the subscriber's accounts includes a different set of capability information.