EP1086569A1 - Systeme de messagerie vocale - Google Patents

Systeme de messagerie vocale

Info

Publication number
EP1086569A1
EP1086569A1 EP99957127A EP99957127A EP1086569A1 EP 1086569 A1 EP1086569 A1 EP 1086569A1 EP 99957127 A EP99957127 A EP 99957127A EP 99957127 A EP99957127 A EP 99957127A EP 1086569 A1 EP1086569 A1 EP 1086569A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
data packets
voice
data
messages
terminal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP99957127A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Michael Martin Cooke
Richard Neville Patient
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
British Telecommunications PLC
Original Assignee
British Telecommunications PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by British Telecommunications PLC filed Critical British Telecommunications PLC
Priority to EP99957127A priority Critical patent/EP1086569A1/fr
Publication of EP1086569A1 publication Critical patent/EP1086569A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/53—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems
    • H04M3/533—Voice mail systems

Definitions

  • This invention relates to voice messaging systems.
  • it is used in a cellular mobile radio network, but the system is also of application to a conventional fixed system.
  • a voice mail system is a system in which audio signals, generally in the form of speech can be stored for subsequent retrieval by a specified user of the network.
  • the voice mail system is activated to store messages when the intended recipient is unable to take a call, for example because he is currently engaged on another call, or his telephone is not answered, or, in the case of a mobile telephone, the telephone is switched off or not currently in communication with its host network. The user can then retrieve any messages that have been stored, at a time convenient to him.
  • the term "messaging system” includes systems in which the messages are stored by the telephone network (often referred to as
  • Answering machines suffer from the problem that they can only receive messages when the telephone is connected to the network. This allows messages to be left only when the telephone is connected to the network but not otherwise in use. They are therefore unsuitable for use with mobile telephones, which are frequency switched off or not in communication with the network. Moreover, answering machines cannot receive messages when the telephone line is already in use.
  • Voice mail systems have the disadvantage that the user needs to connect to the network in order to retrieve the messages. If for any reason the user wishes to edit, or retrieve a message for a second time, this requires further connections to the network. Such calls can be expensive, and from the point of view of the network operator they use up value network capacity.
  • a voice messaging system comprising a voicemail means for receiving and storing audio messages in a telephone network, a packetiser for converting said audio messages into data packets, and transmitter means for transmitting said data packets to a predetermined terminal, and a receiver in the predetermined terminal for receiving said data packets, a memory for storing said data packets, a decoder for assembling said data packets into an audio message, and player means for playing said audio message: characterised in that the transmitter and receiver are operative to transmit and receive said packets over a speech channel whilst a call is in progress.
  • the audio message By converting the message into a series of data packets the audio message can be transmitted piecemeal, as channel capacity is available in the network. The message can then be stored in the terminal equipment ready for retrieval by the user on demand. As the data packets do not require a voice channel they may be transmittable in parallel with voice messages, if there is sufficient channel capacity. In particular, the data packets may be transmitted as out-of-band data signals in a voice channel currently in use. In a particularly preferred arrangement, they may be transmitted over the voice channel during "quiet" periods when no voice signal is being transmitted in that direction.
  • the messages are stored in their data packet form, and assembled for generation into a conventional audio form as required by the user. However they may, if preferred, be stored in their assembled speech form.
  • the invention also relates, in further aspects, to telephone terminal equipment, and to a telephone network, having the features specified above.
  • Figure 1 shows in schematic form a telephone network according to the invention.
  • Figure 2 shows in schematic form a telephone terminal equipment according to the invention.
  • the telephone system is a cellular radio network, but the system is equally applicable to fixed networks.
  • Figure 1 shows schematically the functional relationship between those components of the network necessary to the understanding of this invention.
  • Figure 1 shows a mobile telephone 1 , connected to the cellular radio network through a radio base transceiver site 2b which is one of several (see also 2a) connected to a base site controller 3.
  • the base site controller 3 is in turn connected to a mobile switching centre 4 which controls the routing of telephone calls to and from mobile telephones connected to the base transceiver sites 2a, 2b under its control.
  • the mobile switching centre has a number of ancillary functions.
  • a "visitor location register” 5 which stores details of the location within the mobile network (more specifically, the base transceiver site) of each mobile telephone 1 currently operating within its area of coverage.
  • a voice mail system 6 to which calls are routed when the appropriate mobile telephone 1 has calls diverted. This is controlled by a setting in the VLR 5.
  • a new element of the telephone system is a packetiser 7 which causes messages stored in the voice mail system to be converted into data packets for retransmission. Although as shown the packetising takes place on downloading of the voice mail messages to the user, it may be prefferred to generate the packets before storage in the voice mail system.
  • FIG. 2 shows schematically the functional relationship between those components of the terminal equipment 1 necessary to the understanding of this invention.
  • the terminal equipment 1 comprises a connection 10, 1 1 to the rest of the network.
  • this connection comprises a radio antenna 10, connected to a transceiver 1 1 which extracts the information content from the radio carrier.
  • the connection would comprise the conventional wired connection.
  • the speech signals are carried in digital form and require conversion in a codec 1 2 before passing to a speaker 13 for converting to sound signals for the user to hear.
  • the transceiver is carried in digital form and require conversion in a codec 1 2 before passing to a speaker 13 for converting to sound signals for the user to hear.
  • the 1 1 is also configured to receive data signals, and in particular data packets, which are stored in a memory 14. When the user requires these signals to be retrieved, the signals can be retrieved from the memory 14, and assembled in a packet assembler 1 5 for conversion to a speech signal to be generated as a sound signal by the speaker 1 3.
  • the terminal 1 is also fitted with the conventional microphone 1 6 for allowing speech signals to be transmitted from the user, by way of the codec 1 2 and transceiver 1 1 , to the rest of the network through the interface 10.
  • SMS short messaging system
  • the data packets may be decoded before or after storing the message in the memory 14.
  • the terminal equipment it is preferred to store them in packetised form because this reduces the memory capacity required.
  • the network memory 6 it may be preferable to store the voice mail in unpacketised form as there may be terminal equipment not suited to receiving messages in packetised form, in which case the messages can be retrieved in the conventional way.
  • the system operates as follows. When a message has been left in the voice mailbox 6 a flag is set in the VLR 5 in the record relating to the individual user terminal 1 to indicate that there is a message stored. (Analogous systems operate in a fixed network, where there is a user profile record in which a flag can be set in a similar manner).
  • this flag is set in the VLR 5, then whenever capacity is available for transmitting one or more data packets to the user terminal 1 , the voice mail system 6 is prompted to convert messages stored therein into packets using the packetising unit 7. These packets include header data indicating that they form part of a voice message. These packets are then transmitted to the terminal 1 through the telephone network as and when capacity is available for such packets. This may be done using a free data channel, or it may be possible to provide the data packets as out-of-band signals on the same channel as a voice communication between the user and another party. In a normal conversation only one of the two parties to the call speaks at any given time.
  • a duplex channel is in use between the terminal and the rest of the network then, when the user of the terminal 1 is speaking there is free capacity in the reverse direction, which can be detected by the absence of speech in that direction, and packets may be transmitted during such periods. Transmission of packets can be suspended at any time since it is not necessary for the packets to be transmitted in real-time.
  • the packets are received at the transceiver 1 1 which recognises that they are data packets forming part of a voice message because of the header data provided by the packetiser 7, and stores all such packets in the memory 14.
  • the user is then given an indication that there is a new message in the memory 14 and when he wishes to retrieve it the packets are assembled using the packet decoder 1 5 and converted to a audio signal in the speaker 1 3 for the user to hear.
  • Meassges stored in the memory 1 4 may be stored for listening to subsequently, or deleted, or other processes may be carried out on them in the memory 14 without the need to make further contact with the network.
  • the data packets may also include other data, such as the time the message was left, the caller's line identity.
  • the message stored in the memory 1 4 can be compressed by the removal of certain parts of the data message received by the transceiver 1 1 , which are only necessary for the accurate transmission of the data.
  • Such compression can include the removal of error correction bits and other data overhead required for accurate transmission over the interface between the terminal 1 and the rest of the network.
  • the transceiver may carry out basic error checking functions, such as ensuring that all the necessary packets have arrived.
  • Generally data packes include a sequence number to ensure that no packet is lost, in order to allow for the detection of the loss of a packet.
  • the loss of a packet may not necessarily be important given the nature of the message, since minor errors in voice transmission can be accommodated by a listener.
  • the transceiver may nevertheless be arranged to return an error message to the network should an error be detected. This will allow the packet to be retransmitted.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
  • Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)

Abstract

Lorsqu'une transmission en temps réel n'est pas nécessaire, par exemple dans une application de banque vocale, on peut envoyer un message plus efficacement (en utilisant moins de largeur de bande) au moyen de transmissions de données en paquets destinées à être rassemblées à l'extrémité à distance. Le système de messagerie vocale selon la présente invention comprend un système de messagerie téléphonique destiné à recevoir et à mémoriser des messages audio dans un réseau téléphonique, un assembleur de paquets destiné à convertir ces messages audio en paquets de données, et un dispositif de transmission de ces paquets de données à un terminal pendant un autre appel, soit lors d'un silence ou sous forme de signal hors bande. Le terminal (1) comprend un dispositif destiné à mémoriser ces paquets de données (14) et à les assembler en (15) un message audio destiné à une lecture ultérieure. En transmettant le message sous forme de paquet, on utilise plus efficacement la capacité du réseau. On peut également utiliser le système pour envoyer des messages à une banque vocale en utilisant un matériel approprié dans le matériel (1) d'utilisateur pour exercer un effet tampon sur le message sortant.
EP99957127A 1998-06-17 1999-06-10 Systeme de messagerie vocale Withdrawn EP1086569A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP99957127A EP1086569A1 (fr) 1998-06-17 1999-06-10 Systeme de messagerie vocale

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98304784 1998-06-17
EP98304784 1998-06-17
EP99957127A EP1086569A1 (fr) 1998-06-17 1999-06-10 Systeme de messagerie vocale
PCT/GB1999/001836 WO1999066703A1 (fr) 1998-06-17 1999-06-10 Systeme de messagerie vocale

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1086569A1 true EP1086569A1 (fr) 2001-03-28

Family

ID=8234879

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99957127A Withdrawn EP1086569A1 (fr) 1998-06-17 1999-06-10 Systeme de messagerie vocale

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1086569A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU4280899A (fr)
WO (1) WO1999066703A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6621800B1 (en) * 2000-01-24 2003-09-16 Avaya Technology Corp. Message monitor application concept and implementation
JP2001292477A (ja) * 2000-04-05 2001-10-19 Nec Corp 携帯電話システム、その制御方法及びその制御プログラムを記録した記録媒体
DE10101121A1 (de) * 2001-01-05 2002-07-11 Deutsche Telekom Ag Steuerung von Sprachnachrichten beim Empfänger
SE519177C2 (sv) * 2001-06-14 2003-01-28 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M En mobilterminal och ett förfarande i ett mobilkommunikationssystem för nedladdning av meddelanden till den mobila terminalen
JP2011083052A (ja) 2009-10-02 2011-04-21 Panasonic Electric Works Co Ltd 負荷制御システム

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5530740A (en) * 1991-10-28 1996-06-25 Contigram Communications Corporation System and method for integrating voice, facsimile and electronic mail data through a personal computer
TW274671B (fr) * 1994-06-24 1996-04-21 At & T Corp
US5649003A (en) * 1995-02-27 1997-07-15 At&T Method in a communications systems for providing an out-of-band signaling response based on predetermined conditions

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9966703A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1999066703A1 (fr) 1999-12-23
AU4280899A (en) 2000-01-05

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