Systems and Methods for Information Provision

Abstract

One or more voice mail messages, respectively, may be provided as one or reminder messages. After the playing of a voice mail message, an option may be provided to use the message as a reminder message. Delivery information for the reminder message is obtained. The delivery information may include the user's telephone number, another telephone number, multiple telephone numbers, or identifiers for other devices. The delivery information also may include a designated time for delivery or different times for each of the destinations. The delivery of the reminder message may be password protected. The reminder message is delivered based on the delivery information. If the reminder message is password protected, the reminder message is delivered in response to receipt of the password.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation of copending U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 336,642, filed Jan. 3, 2003, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS [0002] The inventions generally relate to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly, relate to the field of information delivery through messaging. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS [0003] When an alarm clock goes off, it reminds us to wake up and get going. Many of us hit the “snooze” option (repeatedly!) to gain a few more minutes of sleep until another reminder goes off in another attempt to get us to wake up and get going. [0004] In addition to the alarm clock, we may receive reminders in other ways. For example, we may receive messages reminding us of doctor's and dentist's appointments, school meetings, work deadlines, sports schedules, family gatherings, outings with friends, or other events. Often, these messages are delivered via voice mail me...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] The inventions satisfy the needs described above by methods and systems that allow one or more voice mail messages, respectively, to be provided as one or more reminder messages. Advantageously, a user may create a reminder message based on a voice mail message without having to record his or her own message, without having to make a separate call or calls, and without having to take actions outside the voice mail system. The user may designate that the reminder message be delivered in a telephone call to the user at an appropriate later time.

[0021] In sum, a user may make use of his or her voice mail system to listen to voice mail messages, and then to designate one or more of the voice mail messages as reminder messages. The user may specify a time for delivery of the reminder messages. The user does not have to exit the voice mail system to set up delivery of the reminder messages. The user does not have to record a message, make a separate call, or repeat the substance of the message. The exemplary embodiments receive delivery information from the user regarding the reminder messages, and deliver the messages. Thus, the user is provided with methods to pass on information in an efficient and affordable manner.

Problems solved by technology

When I receive a voice mail message that is pertinent to other people, I have few options for providing the other people with the information.

In other words, conveying the information on the change in soccer schedule is complicated by the fact that I have to exit my voice mail system, make a call to my husband's telephone number, reach his voice mail system, and record my own message summarizing the details of the schedule change that were provided in the original message.

Leaving my voice mail system is inconvenient because I may have to interrupt my review of our other voice mail messages.

In addition, I may forget the details of the changes in the soccer schedule if I do not make an immediate call to my husband.

Making a call to my husband's telephone number consumes my time and may be inconvenient—especially if he or I are busy with other matters.

The inconvenience is exacerbated by reaching my husband's voice mail system instead of reaching him directly.

Typically, a call to my husband's office requires several unanswered ring cycles to result in diversion of the call to the voice mail system.

Thus, my time is wasted and I am inconvenienced while I interrupt my review of our voice mail messages, while I make the call to my husband's number, and while I wait for my call to rollover to his voice mail system.

Waiting for the greeting to finish wastes my time.

The waste of time is an inconvenience, but it also may operate to create problems with message delivery.

After having to interrupt my review of voice mail messages or after completion of my review of voice mail messages, after making the call to my husband's telephone number, and after waiting through several ring cycles to be routed to my husband's voice mail system, I may have forgotten or otherwise confused the details of the change in the soccer schedule.

The result is that I may have wasted my time and also my husband's time through the inefficient and incorrect relay of information regarding the change in the soccer schedule.

Thus, my husband may ignore my voice mail message regarding the change in his soccer schedule, and as a result, may fail to make appropriate schedule adjustments and may miss his soccer game.

But that is an inconvenience to me.

Moreover, I may forget to make the reminder call at the later time.

The change in my husband's soccer schedule may affect my own activities.

But these reminders are easily overlooked.

But, again, having to leave the voice mail system and record a message is time consuming and inconvenient.

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