Visual voicemail when mobile device is out of data coverage
Messages are received at a server and processed to generate data that may include a call back number, envelope information or contact information. Generated data is transmitted to a device that displays a visual notification that includes some of the generated data. The notification may be displayed on the device even if the device is unable to retrieve the message over a data channel. The notification alerts the user that a message is waiting for the user. If the device is subsequently within a data network, the device automatically retrieves the message over a data channel. The device can also establish a voice call with a message server to retrieve the message and can record the message. The device can establish the voice call with the server at a call back number and/or issue a DTMF message request to directly access the message without requiring menu navigation.
1. On a mobile communication device, a method of recording a message transmitted to the device over a voice channel, the method comprising:
by the mobile communication device, receiving a notification indicative of a message stored in a message server;
by the mobile communication device, determining that a data channel is not available to the mobile communication device; and
by the mobile communication device, in response to determining that the data channel is not available to the mobile communication device:
automatically establishing a voice call with the message server to retrieve the message;
automatically receiving the message from the message server over the voice channel; and
automatically recording and locally storing the message received over the voice channel as a voice message in a message box of the mobile communication device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification indicative of a received message includes a call back number; and wherein the mobile communication device establishes the voice call with the message server at the call back number, which causes the message server to retrieve and play back the message without requiring the navigation of a hierarchical messaging menu.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
presenting a visual notification of the locally stored message in a user interface of the mobile communication device; and
in response to a user selecting the visual notification of the locally stored message, playing back the locally stored message.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising presenting a plurality of visual notifications, each visual notification corresponding to a different message, wherein the plurality of visual notifications enable the corresponding messages to be accessed in a non-sequential manner.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to recording the message, presenting a second notification in a user interface of the mobile communication device indicative of the recording of the message by the mobile communication device.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising implementing dual-tone multi-frequency signaling to request the message from the message server.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a notification indicative of a message stored in a message server further comprises receiving notifications indicative of messages stored in the message server, the messages being received by the message server from distinct voicemail systems, each voicemail system associated with a user of the device.
8. A system comprising:
a mobile communication device configured to:
receive a notification indicative of a message stored in a message server;
determine that a data channel is not available to the mobile communication device; and
in response to determining that the data channel is not available to the mobile communication device:
automatically establish a voice call with the message server to retrieve the message;
automatically receive the message from the message server over the voice channel; and
automatically record and locally store the message received over the voice channel as a voice message in a message box of the mobile communication device.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the notification indicative of a received message includes a call back number; and wherein the mobile communication device is further configured to establish the voice call with the message server at the call back number, which is configured to cause the message server to retrieve and play back the message without requiring the navigation of a hierarchical messaging menu.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the mobile communication device is further configured to:
present a visual notification of the locally stored message in a user interface of the mobile communication device; and
in response to a user selecting the visual notification of the locally stored message, play back the locally stored message.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the mobile communication device is further configured to present a plurality of visual notifications, each visual notification corresponding to a different message, wherein the plurality of visual notifications enable the corresponding messages to be accessed in a non-sequential manner.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the mobile communication device is further configured to, in response to recording the message, present a second notification in a user interface of the mobile communication device indicative of the recording of the message by the mobile communication device.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the mobile communication device is further configured to implement dual-tone multi-frequency signaling to request the message from the message server.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the mobile communication device is configured to receive the notification indicative of the message stored in the message server by:
receiving notifications indicative of messages stored in the message server, the messages being received by the message server from distinct voicemail systems, each voicemail system associated with a user of the device.
15. The system of claim 8 , further comprising the message server.
16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a communication device that was used to create the message at the message server.
17. A system comprising:
a server configured to:
answer a voice call from a mobile communication device that automatically established the voice call in response to determining that a data channel is not available to the mobile communication device; and
send, over the voice call to the mobile communication device, a message, wherein the mobile communication device is configured to automatically record and locally store the message sent over the voice channel as a voice message in a message box of the mobile communication device.
18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising the mobile communication device.
19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a communication device that was used to create the message at the server.
20. A method comprising:
by a server, answering a voice call from a mobile communication device that automatically established the voice call in response to determining that a data channel is not available to the mobile communication device; and
by the server, sending, over the voice call to the mobile communication device, a message, wherein the mobile communication device is configured to automatically record and locally store the message sent over the voice channel as a voice message in a message box of the mobile communication device.