Voicemail Server Metadata Management for Random Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current voicemail systems provide a minimal user interface, forcing users to listen to messages in the order they were received, making it difficult to randomly access and prioritize important messages.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that allows users to receive and store voicemail metadata, enabling features like partial downloads, streaming media playback, and local storage on devices, along with the ability to set expiration times and manage voicemail greetings and passwords, to enhance user interaction and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users access voicemails through traditional telephone call interfaces, then the system maintains simple infrastructure, but users cannot randomly access or prioritize messages and must listen in sequential order
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a voicemail server as an intermediary between the telephone network and users. This server stores voicemail messages and provides enhanced access methods including email notifications, web interface access, and mobile device integration, allowing users to randomly access and prioritize messages without complicating the core telephone infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends voicemail access from the traditional single dimension of telephone calls to multiple dimensions by enabling access through email clients, web browsers, and mobile devices. This multi-dimensional access approach allows users to retrieve and prioritize messages flexibly across different platforms and locations
2Quantity of substance
If voicemails are stored on remote servers with minimal local caching, then network storage requirements are reduced, but users experience delays and require continuous network connectivity for access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-fetching and caching voicemail metadata (such as message duration, sender information, and preview data) locally on user devices before the user actually needs to access the messages. This allows users to quickly browse and select messages of interest without immediate network delays, while full message retrieval only occurs when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by storing different types of voicemail data with different localities - critical metadata and message indexes are stored locally on user devices for fast access, while full message audio files remain on remote servers. This differentiated storage approach optimizes both retrieval speed and network resource utilization
3Device complexity
If the system provides basic voicemail storage and playback only, then system complexity is minimized, but user experience and message management capabilities are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a voicemail system that serves multiple functions through a unified architecture. The same voicemail server and storage infrastructure support traditional telephone access, email notifications, web interface browsing, mobile device integration, and message prioritization features, eliminating the need for separate systems for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the voicemail system adaptable and configurable based on user needs. Users can dynamically set message expiration times, prioritize certain senders or message types, choose different access methods, and adjust notification preferences. The system adapts its behavior based on user actions and message characteristics without requiring complex reconfiguration
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods and computer readable media for providing or managing or using voicemails are described. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a first data processing system, data representing an expiration time of a voicemail left for a user of the first data processing system and storing the data representing the expiration time for later use by the first data processing system. Systems, media, and other methods are also described.