(54) NON-VOICE COMPLETION OF VOICE CALLS
(75) Inventor: Gideon Fostick, Givat Shmuel (IL)
(73) Assignee: Comverse Ltd., Tel Aviv (IL)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 860 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/843,771
(22) Filed: Apr. 30, 2001
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2002/0159572 Al Oct. 31, 2002
(51) Int. CI.
H04M11/06 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. CI 379/88.14; 379/88.23;
704/270.1; 709/206
(58) Field of Classification Search 379/88.01,
379/88.02, 88.13, 88.14, 88.17, 88.18, 67.1, 379/88.12, 52 See application file for complete search history.
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,146,487 A * 9/1992 Bergsman et al 379/88.24
5,787,151 A * 7/1998 Nakatsu et al 379/88.23
5,943,399 A * 8/1999 Bannister et al 379/88.17
6,203,192 Bl * 3/2001 Fortman 379/88.14
6,404,860 Bl * 6/2002 Casellini 379/88.17
The present invention relates to a system for allowing a caller to leave a voice message for a called party, who is unavailable, such that the voice message is transferred to the called party in a non-voice format. The present invention enables the user to automatically receive these voice messages via SMS or any other platform to any communications device, and to forward the message to any chosen communications device. In addition, the present invention enables a user to reply to an original caller, with a voice message, which can be instantaneously received by the original caller in a non-voice format. The present invention enables both automatic voice-to-text conversion and media switching, whereby the calling party leaves the message in voice format, and the message is converted and transferred to text format on the fly, in order to be instantaneously transferred to a message receiver to his/her chosen device. The present invention also includes the option of choosing a textual message, from an existing pre-configured list, via a voice/ IVR interface.
9 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
