Voice message transmission and playback
View Patent ↗A system and method is provided for receiving a voice message, selecting from multiple destinations, transmitting the voice message to a destination and subsequently playing back the voice message after it has been received by the destination. The system has a plurality of access devices which may be coupled to each other over a network such as the Internet. These access devices may include computers, workstations, and the like. Access devices may include a voice decoding device for converting a voice message received over a network into a voice signal for playback to a telephone device and may include a voice encoding device for converting a voice signal received into a voice message.
1. A method of voice transmission and playback comprising:
receiving voice data and sender/receiver information by a first access device, wherein said voice data comprises a voice message;
selecting a second access device from among a plurality of destination access devices based on said sender/receiver information, wherein said step of selecting is triggered by said step of receiving;
transmitting said voice data and at least a portion of said sender/receiver information to said second access device over a network, wherein said step of transmitting is initiated by said first access device after said step of receiving;
storing said voice data by said second access device;
decoding said voice data by said second access device to generate a voice signal for playback to a telephone device.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said telephone device is coupled to said second access device over a telecommunication medium.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said telecommunication medium comprises part of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting utilizes a TCP/IP-based communication protocol.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said network comprises a part of the Internet.
6. The method of claim 1 where said step of receiving voice data comprises:
receiving a voice signal by said first access device;
encoding said voice signal into said voice data by said first access device.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said sender/receiver information comprises a telephone number.
8. A system of voice message transmission and playback comprising:
a first access device;
a plurality of destination access devices; and
a network coupled to said first access device and to said plurality of destination access devices;
wherein said first access device is operable to receive voice data and sender/receiver information, wherein said voice data comprises a voice message, and to select a second access device from among said plurality of destination access devices based on said sender/receiver information triggered by receipt of said sender/receiver information;
wherein said network is operable to transmit said voice data and at least a portion of said sender/receiver information from said first access device to said second access device initiated by said first access device after said voice data is received by said first access device; and
wherein said second access device is operable to receive and store said voice data and to decode said voice data to generate a voice signal for playback to a telephone device.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein said telephone device is coupled to said second access device over a telecommunication medium.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein said telecommunication medium comprises part of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
11. The system of claim 8 wherein said network utilizes a TCP/IP-based communication protocol.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein said network comprises a part of the Internet.
13. The system of claim 1 where said first access device is operable to receive a voice signal and encode said voice signal into said voice data.
14. The system of claim 8 wherein said sender/receiver information comprises a telephone number.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said network comprises a packet-switched network.
16. The system of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said network comprises a packet-switched network.