U.S. patent application number 11/382634 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-31 for message routing with telecommunication number addressing and key management.
Invention is credited to Walter E. Boland, Michael Hamilton, Glenn Ricart.
Application Number | 20060195540 11/382634 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35482763 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060195540 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hamilton; Michael ; et
al. |
August 31, 2006 |
MESSAGE ROUTING WITH TELECOMMUNICATION NUMBER ADDRESSING AND KEY
MANAGEMENT
Abstract
Methods, devices, signals, and systems are provided in a message
routing architecture which provides improved capabilities for
integrating "digital" communication through email messages with
"analog" communication through voice and/or fax or pager messages.
Email can be addressed using nothing more than a standard telephone
or fax number. If the registered owner of the telephone or fax
number has a corresponding email address, then the invention
converts the telephone or fax number to the email address for
delivery and uses standard email delivery systems to deliver the
message. If no conventional delivery email address is known, or if
the message sender or recipient specify multiple delivery modes,
then the email message content is transformed into voice, pager
and/or fax content and delivered to the recipient using the
telephone or fax number which was specified as the email address.
Familiar telecommunications services such as call forwarding and
selective call blocking can also be used with messages that
originate as email. The invention also supports use of
telecommunications numbers as indexes into databases which contain
public key certificates, to make it unnecessary for a proposed
message recipient to provide its public key expressly in advance to
each particular proposed message originator.
Inventors: |
Hamilton; Michael; (West Des
Moines, IA) ; Boland; Walter E.; (Elbert, CO)
; Ricart; Glenn; (Salt Lake City, UT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OGILVIE LAW FIRM
1320 EAST LAIRD AVENUE
SALT LAKE CITY
UT
84105
US
|
Family ID: |
35482763 |
Appl. No.: |
11/382634 |
Filed: |
May 10, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11208106 |
Aug 20, 2005 |
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11382634 |
May 10, 2006 |
|
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09521152 |
Mar 8, 2000 |
6981023 |
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11208106 |
Aug 20, 2005 |
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60123661 |
Mar 9, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/206 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 61/605 20130101;
H04L 51/14 20130101; H04L 61/6004 20130101; H04L 61/106 20130101;
H04L 29/12801 20130101; H04L 29/12009 20130101; H04L 63/061
20130101; H04L 51/28 20130101; H04L 63/0861 20130101; H04L 63/0823
20130101; H04L 9/30 20130101; H04L 29/12896 20130101; H04L 51/066
20130101; H04M 7/0054 20130101; H04L 51/08 20130101; H04L 2209/24
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/206 |
International
Class: |
G06F 15/16 20060101
G06F015/16 |
Claims
1-114. (canceled)
115. A method for facilitating secure communication, comprising the
steps of: collecting information which includes an authenticated
telephone number; and embedding the authenticated telephone number
in a digital certificate; whereby the method securely binds the
authenticated telephone number to the digital certificate.
116. The method of claim 115, further comprising using the embedded
telephone number in place of a domain name in a messaging
system.
117. The method of claim 115, further comprising the step of using
automatic number identification to authenticate the telephone
number.
118. The method of claim 115, further comprising the step of using
biometric authentication to authenticate the telephone number.
119. The method of claim 115, wherein the embedding step embeds the
telephone number in a serial number field of the digital
certificate.
120. The method of claim 115, wherein the embedding step embeds the
telephone number in an X.509 digital certificate.
121. The method of claim 115, further comprising the step of using
the telephone number to obtain a public key, whereby the method
facilitates secure communication without requiring a prior key
exchange.
122. A method for facilitating secure communication, comprising the
steps of: collecting information which includes a telephone number;
using authentication to authenticate the telephone number; and
embedding the telephone number in a digital certificate, thereby
securely binding the telephone number to the digital
certificate.
123. The method of claim 122, comprising authenticating the
telephone number and then placing it in a database of telephone
numbers which can be used in place of domain names for
messaging.
124. The method of claim 122, comprising authenticating the
telephone number and then setting a delivery mode preference for a
message which uses a telephone number in place of a domain
name.
125. The method of claim 122, wherein the step of using
authentication authenticates the telephone number by using at least
one of: biometric authentication, automatic number
identification.
126. The method of claim 122, wherein the step of collecting
information also collects an individual's name corresponding to the
telephone number.
127. The method of claim 122, further comprising the step of using
at least a portion of the collected information in a system for
"any-to-any" communications.
128. The method of claim 122, further comprising the step of using
the embedded telephone number in place of a domain name for
messaging.
129. The method of claim 122, further comprising the step of using
the embedded telephone number to obtain a corresponding public key
from a database in which public keys are indexed by corresponding
telephone numbers.
130. A database produced at least in part by a method comprising
the steps of: collecting information which includes a telephone
number; using authentication to authenticate the collected
telephone number; and embedding the telephone number in a digital
certificate; wherein the database includes the authenticated
telephone number securely bound to the digital certificate.
131. The database of claim 130, in combination with a server, the
combination residing within a system for "any-to-any"
communications.
132. The database of claim 130, wherein the database includes a
public key corresponding to the telephone number.
133. The database of claim 130, wherein the database includes a
private key corresponding to the telephone number.
134. The database of claim 130, wherein the database includes an
X.509 digital certificate containing the telephone number.
135. The database of claim 130, wherein the database includes a
citizenship code corresponding to the telephone number.
136. The database of claim 130, wherein the database includes a
delivery mode setting corresponding to the telephone number.
137. The database of claim 130, wherein the database includes an
extension corresponding to the telephone number.
138. The database of claim 130, wherein the telephone number
authentication includes at least one of: biometric authentication,
automatic number identification.
139. The database of claim 130, wherein the database includes the
telephone number as an identifier for looking up a public key.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to, and incorporates
by reference, U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No.
60/123,661 filed Mar. 9, 1999.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to the capabilities of systems
and methods which route messages in the form of email, live voice
connections, voice recordings, video, and faxes, and the invention
relates more particularly to the use of existing telephone or fax
numbers as email addresses and to attendant uses of voicemail,
faxes, video, and/or synthesized or live speech to deliver messages
which originate as email text, voice input, video input, or
otherwise, using cell phones, wireless devices, computers and/or
other devices for "any-to-any" communications.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Various approaches have been taken to messaging. Voice,
video, and fax communications through telecommunications systems
are well-known, as are email communications through computer
networks. Many attempts have been made to integrate traditional
telecommunications with computer networks.
[0004] For instance, fax software allows computer users to easily
convert digital files into fax format and send faxes directly from
a computer. Computer telephony software allows computer users to
maintain a database of telephone numbers and to have their computer
dial a selected number for subsequent voice communications.
Internet telephony software allows computer users to transmit voice
communications over the Internet as digital packets (similar to the
transmission of email messages in digital packets). Computerized
advertising systems exist which automatically dial a sequence of
telephone numbers and attempt to deliver a recorded message to each
recipient.
[0005] Telecommunications systems themselves also rely heavily on
computers to manage circuits, voicemail boxes, accounting, billing,
and other functions. Likewise, computer networks often use the
telecommunications infrastructure to carry digital packets, over
Internet dial-up connections, direct modem-to-modem connections,
and other telecommunications connections.
[0006] A messaging service which is advertised and described at
http://www.jfax.com apparently operates as follows. The service
provider provides each subscriber with a special-purpose "private"
telephone/fax number in a city specified by the subscriber. The
"private" number is apparently not a number published to assist
voice communications, that is, it is not typically listed in white
pages or other telephone directories or available through directory
service. This private number can be used to provide subscribers
with access by phone to their email messages. When the subscriber
calls in, the subscriber's email messages are read to the
subscriber over the phone using synthesized speech after the system
connects to the subscriber's Internet service provider. Voicemail
can also be accessed using the same private phone number. By
dialing a toll-free access number and entering an access code,
subscribers can apparently send email to any fax machine, reply to
email with a voice message, and manage their messages. The provider
links the unique private phone number to email in order to route
the subscriber's voicemail and faxes to email. If the subscriber
has access to a computer, then the subscriber can play voicemail on
the computer's speakers and display faxes on the computer's screen.
Subscribers must apparently download special-purpose software to
their computers in order to access (as email message attachments)
faxes or voicemail sent to their private phone number. In short, a
private telephone number can be used to access email messages which
were apparently addressed using conventional email addresses, and
voice or fax messages can be converted to email attachments.
[0007] A voicemail messaging service is also discussed in "Address
Resolution for Voicemail Systems: X.500 Methodology", which was
obtained from the Electronic Messaging Association web site at
http://www.ema.com/vpimdir/directory/method.txt. The Address
Resolution document and other documents in
http://www.ema.org/vpimdir refer to and/or describe a Voice Profile
for Internet Mail (VPIM) specification. These documents, including
Internet Engineering Task Force drafts on topics such as VPIM
Addressing and Goals for VPIM, and papers on Voice Messaging
Directories, Multi-Media Shared Directories, and other topics, are
collectively referred to herein as the "VPIM Documents" and are
incorporated by this reference. The voicemail messaging systems
described in the VPIM Documents would apparently operate in ways
which are consistent with the details described below.
[0008] In some cases, voicemail messages would be encoded by VPIM
systems as *.wav files or otherwise encoded as digital files, and
would be sent as attachments to an email message. Fax messages
would likewise be transmitted as email attachments.
[0009] Various VPIM email addressing schemes are described, but
they appear to be of two types. The first addressing scheme
includes addresses of the form LHS@Domain, where LHS is a
telecommunications number and Domain is an Internet domain name.
Examples given in the VPIM Addressing document include: [0010] 1)
mailbox number--for use as a private numbering plan (any number of
digits). e.g. 5552722@lucent.com; [0011] 2) mailbox
number+extension--for use as a private numbering plan with
extensions any number of digits, use of "+" as separator. e.g.
5552722+111@lucent.com; [0012] 3) +international number--for
international telephone numbers conforming to E.164 maximum of 15
digits. e.g. +16137637582@nortelnetworks.com; [0013] 4)
+international number+extension--for international telephone
numbers conforming to E.164[0] maximum of 15 digits, with an
extension (e.g. behind a PBX) that has a maximum of 15 digits. e.g.
+17035245550+230@ema.org;
[0014] The second addressing scheme includes attribute-value pairs
with special attributes such as a VPIM attribute and/or a voice
outdialing service selector attribute. Example pairs given in the
VPIM Addressing document include VPIM=6137637582 and
VOICE=+3940226338.
[0015] An email to pager gateway described at
http://www.inconnect.com/pager.html takes an email message and
sends it to an alphanumeric pager. Messages must be sent to a
specially formatted address:
[0016] abc1234567@pager.inconnect.com
where abc is the page provider code (e.g. "att" for AT&T
Wireless or "sky" for SkyTel) and 1234567 is the pager's PIN
number.
[0017] A wide range of message routing features and capabilities
have thus been explored before now, at least to some extent.
However, known approaches have not combined features and
capabilities into an architecture which properly leverages the
existing widespread use of telephone and fax numbers with the
capabilities of email and databases.
[0018] In particular, the jfax approach uses new, private telephone
numbers to allow access to email, rather than allowing the use of
existing telephone numbers as email addresses. The VPIM approach
does use existing phone and fax numbers in email addresses, but it
imposes an awkward addressing syntax on message originators. VPIM
is also apparently directed toward the use of email systems to
carry voicemail recordings, as opposed to using phone and fax
numbers to identify email destinations. Accordingly, it would be an
advancement in the art to provide an improved architecture for
routing messages using the enormous existing body of
telecommunications numbers and features, including pay-per-use
features and options.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] To illustrate the manner in which the advantages and
features of the invention are obtained, a more particular
description of the invention will be given with reference to the
attached drawings. These drawings only illustrate selected aspects
of the invention and thus do not limit the invention's scope. In
the drawings:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network of computers and
other devices which are individually and collectively among the
many systems suitable for use with the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a first portion of a flowchart illustrating
methods of the present invention, with data structure
annotations.
[0022] FIG. 2A is a continuation of the flowchart begun in FIG. 2,
illustrating methods of the invention.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating systems of the present
invention.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a signal according to the
present invention for using telephone numbers to route email
messages.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] The present invention relates to methods, systems, signals,
and configured storage media for message routing. The invention
allows message originators to use telephone and fax numbers as
email and/or web addresses. In particular, the invention supports
use of publicly listed phone or fax numbers as email addresses
without company or similar domain names as apparently required by
the VPIM approach. The telephone and fax number addresses (which
may include area codes, extensions, and the like) are converted by
the system into IP addresses, Ethernet addresses, username-domain
name addresses, attribute-value pairs, and/or other conventional
email addresses or addressing indexes.
System Overview
[0026] FIG. 1 gives an overview of a system 100 according to the
invention. The email 102 itself is carried over one or more
networks 106 to the destination(s) indicated by the email's
address. The term "email" includes text generated using a computer
and an email program, such as Microsoft Outlook, QualComm Eudora,
Microsoft Hotmail, and so on, as well as text generated using
handheld devices, whether wired or wireless. The term "email" also
includes attachments obtained by converting live video or voice
phone messages and/or voicemail messages through inventive and/or
known methods. Likewise, a fax message sent to a fax number can be
considered an email 102 message if it uses the systems and methods
of this invention.
[0027] As used here, "network" includes computer networks such as
local area networks, wide area networks, metropolitan area
networks, wireless networks, and/or various "Internet" networks
such as the World Wide Web, a private Internet, a secure Internet,
a value-added network, a virtual private network, an extranet, or
an intranet. Such computer networks may form part of a
telecommunications network and/or interface with a
telecommunications network. Signal lines 108 used to carry, store,
and/or deliver messages according to the invention may include
twisted pair, optical fiber cables, coaxial cable, telephone lines,
satellites, radio waves, microwave relays, modulated AC power
lines, and other data transmission "wires" known to those of skill
in the art. Methods such as TDMA, CDMA, FDMA, and other encoding
and/or multiplexing methods may be used, as well as GSM, PDC,
Wireless Application Protocol, and other technologies and
protocols. Signals according to the invention may be embodied in
such "wires" and/or in addressable storage media (volatile and/or
nonvolatile). Note that the term "wire" as used herein thus refers
to both wired and wireless communications.
[0028] The email 102 is delivered in one or more of the following
ways: as synthesized speech created by reading that email text into
a voice mailbox 110 or to a live recipient who answers a phone 112
associated with a phone number that was used as an email address;
as speech or text translated by a computer or a person from one
natural language (e.g., English, French, Chinese, etc.) into one or
more other natural languages; as "live speech" created by an
operator or human person other than the message originator who is
reading the email text out loud, either in real time or as a
delayed message, e.g., to voicemail or an answering machine 110; as
text email 114, possibly with files attached by the message
originator using a desktop computer 116, or another computing
device such as a handheld computer, mobile phone, or other wireless
appliance; as a video stream to a computer and/or other
video-capable device; as a fax created by converting the email into
conventional fax format for delivery to a fax machine 118 whose fax
number was used as an email address or addressing index; and/or as
a pager message created by converting the email into pager format
for delivery to a pager 120 whose pager number was used as an email
address or addressing index. Natural language translation may be
performed manually or automatically in connection with
text-to-speech and/or speech-to-text transformations of the
message.
Telecommunications Numbers
[0029] The telephone (land or mobile), fax, and/or pager numbers
which are used as email addresses or addressing indexes according
to the invention are referred to collectively as
"telecommunications numbers". Telecommunications numbers are
normally used to call, fax, and/or page people. Examples are found
in standard telephone directories (including white pages, yellow
pages, blue pages, online directories, toll-free directories, and
the like), Rolodexes, and on business cards. They are generally
publicly listed, but they may include unlisted numbers if the
telephone customer consents to their use. Telecommunications
numbers may include the digits 0 through 9, and in some cases may
also include commonly used characters such as +, -, (, ), /, #, *,
or comma. Telecommunications numbers do not typically include
alphabetic characters (except to the extent they substitute for
numbers, as occurs in many toll-free business numbers), or
nonprintable characters. Telecommunications numbers may be personal
or business numbers, and include without limitation 800-numbers and
other toll-free numbers, 900-numbers, and numbers for mobile
phones. They may be of various lengths, including without
limitation ten-digit North American numbers, contemplated
twelve-digit numbers, lengths used in other locales, and/or
"unique" personal messaging identifiers.
[0030] In practicing the invention, the telecommunications number
may replace an entire conventional email address username@domain or
web address www.website.com, or it may replace most of that
address. For instance, in some embodiments the email is addressed
using the telephone or fax number alone, as in "1234567" or
"123-4567" for a local number or "123-456-7890" for a long distance
number.
[0031] For instance, a sample message 102 might resemble this
one:
[0032] To: 555-1234
[0033] From: Mike
[0034] Subject: Status?
[0035] CC:
[0036] How's it coming?
[0037] In some embodiments, the telephone or fax number replaces
the domain, as in examples such as "@1234567", "@1234567.com",
"@1234567.org", or "@1234567.net" for a local number, or
"@1234567890", "@1234567.org", and so on for a long distance
number. The latter approach effectively associates a domain name or
a web site with each telephone number. Appropriate integration
between domain name directories, available domain name and IP
addresses, and advancements in IP addressing are possible. For
instance, these individual telecommunications number domain names
could be registered, looked up, converted to IP addresses, and
otherwise managed with the existing infrastructure in a manner
similar to that now done for conventional domain names (which do
not correspond to telecommunications numbers). For instance, this
could be accomplished using Internet browsers as an interface. It
could also use mappings such as the mapping between keywords and
Internet locations provided through RealNames Corporation, for
example.
[0038] Thus, another message 102 is addressed like this one:
[0039] To: @555 4567
[0040] From: 555-1234 <Bob>
[0041] Subject: Status?
[0042] CC: @1115552222.com
[0043] Mike would like a status update. Please call me.
Telecommunications Systems
[0044] Telecommunications numbers which are provided by a message
originator as an email address ("email address" also includes web
addresses hereafter, unless indicated otherwise) are converted 104
to conventional email addresses by performing with a search
engine/database management system/similar software 122 a lookup in
a database 124. The database 124 may be built on-the-fly by
individual message originators, message recipients, and/or by their
employers, Internet service providers, and/or telecommunications
service providers, for instance. The database 124 may be a simple
text file or other file maintained by a client email program 122 or
web browser 122, or it may be a complex relational or hierarchical
object-oriented database 124 maintained by a corporation,
individual, non-profit, or government agency, for instance.
Suitable databases 124 may be implemented using database software
122 from Novell, Oracle, or other vendors; as noted, conventional
Domain Name System software 124 may also be used according to the
invention. Suitable database interface software and/or other
software for implementing the invention is also readily provided by
those of skill in the art using the teachings presented here and
programming languages, tools, and standards such as Java, Jini
(mark of Sun), Pascal, C++, C, CGI, Perl, SQL, X.500, DB2 (mark of
IBM), ODBC, LDAP, NDS (mark of Novell), APIs, SDKs, ASICs, FPGAs,
assembly, firmware, and microcode. In particular and without
limiting the foregoing, the invention could be implemented as code
embedded in the operating system and/or "burned into" a chip or
chipset in a handheld communications device.
Providing Access to the Invention
[0045] To the extent that client software is required, it could be
provided on a disk or CD sent by regional Bell operating companies
or other entities, or it could be downloaded from a web site. A
registration message could provide the web site with the
registrant's phone number in various ways. In particular,
registration might be initiated by sending the web site an email
address specifying the registrant's telephone number in an address
field; this may be contingent on prior biometric authentication or
prior automatic number identification (ANI). Necessary software
such as email software or browser software could also be provided
on free PCs, which are being made increasingly available as the
price of computers falls. A "black box" located between a modem and
the telephone wall jack or other phone jack could also be used to
divert messages into a system 100 which correlates telephone
numbers with email addresses, public keys, and/or other data
according to the present invention. The "black box" could also be
implemented in email software or browser software, and could link
to a search mechanism such as the RealNames.com technology for
mapping keywords to web addresses. A similar "black box" signal
interception could be performed for wireless communications. A
"black box" approach does not necessarily require use of a domain
name or the separator "@" in novel email addresses provided by the
message originator. One might also divert messages through
handshakes with large ISPs such as AOL and TCI.
[0046] Call forwarding could also be used to divert messages into a
messaging system according to the invention. Such forwarding would
need to be authorized by the telecommunications subscriber, and
could be performed by the telecommunications provider, or by the
subscriber, or on a per-use basis. This approach does not
necessarily require use of a domain name or "@" separator in novel
email addresses provided by the message originator.
Extending Existing Telecommunication Services
[0047] By accessing standard telecommunications databases and/or
equipment, features and services (such as so-called "class
services") already used with voice or fax communications may also
be provided to email messaging in a system 100 according to the
present invention. For instance, suppose a communication is
addressed to a first telecommunications number which the
telecommunications provider is currently forwarding to a second
telecommunications number. Conventionally, only voice or analog
communications would be forwarded. But the invention permits email
communications 102 which are addressed to the first
telecommunications number to likewise be forwarded, for delivery to
the email address associated with the second telecommunications
number and/or for delivery as a voice, video, fax, and/or pager
communication to the second telecommunications number (possibly via
synthesized or live speech, or conversion to fax format).
[0048] Call blocking could also be used according to the present
invention. For instance, suppose party A does not wish to receive
email, voicemail, or faxes from party B. Conventional
telecommunications call blocking services will only block incoming
voice or fax messages from numbers which are known to be associated
with party B. But that blocking service can be extended using the
present invention. When B's telecommunications number is used as an
email addresses, mail which comes from that number is also blocked
from reception by party A. When conventional email addresses are
used by party B, email which comes from an email address that
corresponds to the telephone number of party B is also blocked.
[0049] Other examples of existing telephone company or regional
Bell operating company features that could be used in novel ways
according to the present invention include: multiple line call
waiting/ID; anonymous call rejection; blocked call rejection; call
curfew; call detector; call rejection; custom ringing; long
distance alert; message waiting indicator/notification; pagers;
priority call; remote access forwarding; scheduled forwarding;
selective call forwarding; and calling cards. The invention may
interface with existing databases and programs of one or more
telephone companies, regional Bell operating companies, wireless
communication service providers, and/or unified messaging service
providers to fully utilize any or all existing or future
analog/voice services and features. The invention could also
increase use of directory (standard and reverse) assistance and
voicemail.
Configured Storage Media
[0050] Computers which provide message originators with email
software and/or computers which manage the database of
telecommunications numbers and email addresses are generally
capable of using a floppy drive, tape drive, optical drive,
magneto-optical drive, or other means to read a storage medium. A
suitable storage medium includes a magnetic, optical, or other
computer-readable storage device having a specific physical
configuration. Suitable storage devices include floppy disks, hard
disks, tape, CDROMs, PROMs, random access memory, and other
computer system storage devices. The physical configuration
represents data and instructions which cause the computer system to
operate in a specific and predefined manner as described herein.
Thus, the medium tangibly embodies a program, functions, and/or
instructions that are executable by computer(s) (including servers,
routers, desktops, handhelds, and other devices) to recognize
telecommunications numbers as email addresses and route email
messages for delivery, substantially as described herein.
VPIM and the Invention
[0051] There are apparently at least two important differences
between the approach described in the VPIM Documents and the
present invention. First, no reference has yet been found in the
VPIM Documents to the use of a telecommunications number as an
email address or other addressing index without either a
corresponding conventional domain name or the bulky and
inconvenient attribute-value pair syntax. By contrast, embodiments
of the invention allow message originators to use a simple
telecommunications number as an email address or other addressing
index in place of some or all of the conventional domain name
and/or in place of some or all of the conventional username and
domain name. Although address syntaxes like those described in the
VPIM Documents might be used internally by the invention, they are
not imposed on message originators.
[0052] Second, VPIM appears to be primarily concerned with delivery
of voicemail. That is, messages originate as voicemail, message
content may be transported as email, and message content is
ultimately delivered as a recording of the original message. By
contrast, messages routed by the invention originate as voice
messages, as email text, or as faxes, and message content may be
ultimately delivered as email text, as synthesized or live speech,
as a fax, to a pager, or as some combination of these delivery
modes.
Public Keys
[0053] The invention also includes tools and techniques for using
telephone or other telecommunications numbers as identifiers for
public key certificates. For instance, in one system, an email
message originator creates an email message 102 which is addressed
to a recipient whose public key is on file with the
telecommunications provider, ISP, or other entity linked to the
inventive system. Instead of arranging with the recipient for a
public key exchange or presentation through preliminary email, the
message originator simply provides the inventive system with the
message recipient's telecommunications number. The system then
looks up the recipient's public key in an appropriate database,
such as an X.509 database, obtains the public key, and uses the
recipient's public key to encrypt the email message or other data.
The same system that obtained and used the public key could then
provide the encrypted message to an otherwise conventional email
delivery system or to a novel email delivery system. That is, use
of a telecommunications number to obtain a public key may be
combined with use of a telecommunications number as an email
address or addressing index, or either use may be performed
independently of the other.
Methods
[0054] The invention may be embodied in one or more methods,
systems, signals, and/or configured storage media. Those of skill
in the art will apply the teachings provided here to various
embodiments as appropriate. In particular, unless clearly indicated
otherwise the discussion herein of any particular type of
embodiment (methods, systems, configured storage media, signals)
also applies to the other embodiment types.
[0055] Some methods of the invention are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and
2A. During an email message receiving step 200 at least one email
message 102 is received. The email may be received by any
conventional method, such as using a standard protocol such as
TCP/IP, UUCP, SMTP, and so on. The email may also be received using
inventive methods as described herein. The email 102 received
includes or otherwise specifies a destination address, as indicated
by structural annotation 204. (For convenience, "include" will be
understood hereafter to mean "include or otherwise specify, e.g.,
by a pointer or link".) The destination address 204 itself may
appear in many forms, but in embodiments that replace some or all
of a conventional address as discussed above it must include a
telecommunications number 206. The telecommunications number 206
may occur in many forms, both existing and inventive. For example,
the telecommunications number 206 may be a standard North American
Numbering Plan telephone number, such as those used in the United
States, consisting of a three-digit area code, three-digit prefix,
and four-digit line number, or it may include just the prefix and
the line number, or it may also contain a international prefix. The
telecommunications number 206 may follow some other format, such as
the eight-digit local Australian format, the two-digit Australian
area code followed by the eight-digit local Australian format, and
so on.
[0056] The telecommunications number 206 may also be of various
types. For example, the number might connect to a voice line 208
(including a land line or a mobile/wireless "line"), a pager line
210, a fax line 212, or an internet dialup line 214 or other modem
line. The line, of whatever type, may be call-forwarded 216, so
that the original telecommunications number is routed to another
number, or subject to other services identified above. The
call-forwarded line 216 may be call-forwarded itself, and so on.
The voice line 208 may be used for live voice communications, for
voicemail communications, or both. The same telecommunications
number phone line might be used at different times for one or more
of live voice, voicemail, fax and/or internet connections.
[0057] The line will generally be publicly listed 218, but may be a
private/unlisted number, that is, it may not be available through
directory assistance. It may be a toll-free (e.g., 800- or 888-)
number. If publicly listed, the telecommunications number section
of the email destination address may be obtained through directory
assistance, by looking it up in a paper or electronic phone book,
by searching for it on the internet, or by some other public
method.
[0058] Conventional email address format resembles
username@domainname.extension. The telecommunications number 206
may be the domain name field of the internet address such that the
address takes the form username@5551111, where "username" stands
for a string of alphanumeric characters, and 5551111 stands for a
telecommunications number. The 7-digit phone number was used in the
example simply as shorthand for all possible telecommunications
numbers, so an eight-digit Australian local number or a ten-digit
North American Numbering Plan Number would each be valid.
[0059] The mail message 102 will also generally include an origin
address 220. This address 220 may be a conventional email address,
or it may us a telecommunications number according to the present
invention as discussed for destination addresses 204, with the
stated difference that the origin address 220 identifies the
message originator rather than the message recipient.
[0060] The email may contain message content 222, but will not
necessarily contain such content, any more than conventional email
messages contain content. If message content 222 is present it may
be found in a subject field 224, in one or more attached files 226,
in a message field 228, or in some other location known to those of
skill in the art. The message may be text, which may include a
pager message, a live voice, a voicemail message, a video, an audio
file message, or some other format known to those of skill in the
art. The message itself may be in a variety of formats, such as
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions format (MME format) 230 or
other known or inventive format. The email may be encrypted and/or
digitally signed.
[0061] A conversion attempting step 232 attempts to transform the
telecommunications number 206 and the destination address 204 into
an email address or other addressing index that permits delivery of
the message, such as a conventional email address, IP address, or
the like. If an email address permitting delivery is not obtained
then the message can be delivered by voice (synthesizing text to
speech if necessary) to the telecommunications number 206 given in
the destination address. The message can then be delivered to a
live voice line (including a land line or a mobile/wireless
"line"), a voicemail box line, a fax line, a pager line, or an
inventive type of phone line.
[0062] Methods to modify the telecommunications number into an
addressing index for delivery include, but are not limited to,
looking up the email address 204 on a client machine 238, on an
email server machine 240, and/or on an email gateway 242 using the
telecommunications number as an index (or a pointer) into the
stored email addresses, using database and other lookup methods
known to those of skill in the art. The telecommunications number
206 can be used as an index into a database of public keys to
obtain a public key corresponding to the telecommunications
number.
[0063] In one embodiment, the telecommunications number 206 is
call-forwarded 244 to a separate location. At this new location,
the system 100 again attempts to obtain a conventional email
address permitting delivery of the message as email. One method of
obtaining the delivery email address is to use the first
telecommunications number 206 as an index into a database which can
be accessed using the call-forwarded number. Once access to the
database is gained, the original telecommunications number 206 can
be used as a pointer to the delivery email address within the
database. If a delivery email address can be obtained, the message
is sent using that address. In some cases, if no address can be
located, the message can be sent to the destination phone number as
voicemail, fax, and so on.
[0064] The delivery email address obtained during step 232 may take
various forms. For instance, it can include conventional
attribute-value pairs 236, such as those described above in
connection with the VPIM Documents. In some embodiments of the
invention, the username and the domain name of the delivery email
address are restricted to alphanumeric characters 234.
[0065] A delivery mode selecting step 246 determines preferences
for how the email message content will be delivered. The choices
include sending a voice message 248; sending an email text message
252, which may include one or more attached files, an audio file, a
video file, and so on; sending message content to a pager 250;
and/or sending it to a fax machine 254. One of these delivery
modes, several of them, or all of them may be selected and/or used
by default for a given message, a given message originator, a given
message recipient, and/or a given message destination. If no
delivery email address is obtained in the attempting step 232, then
the message may be automatically routed to the destination
telecommunications number using delivery modes other than email,
thereby ensuring that the message is sent. In some embodiments, if
no delivery email address is obtained, the message is sent using
all possible remaining delivery modes during step 246.
[0066] A message advancing step 256 modifies the message, if
necessary, into the appropriate form (or forms) selected for
delivery. For example, if the message was originally text but voice
248 was selected as one of the delivery modes, then speech will be
synthesized 258 from the text. If fax delivery 254 was selected,
then an appropriate fax document will be created 260. If pager 250
delivery was selected then a pager message will be generated by
step 256. If the message was originally speech but text is selected
then the speech is transcribed using familiar speech recognition
tools. Other combinations not listed as specific examples are also
allowable.
[0067] Once the message has been put into the appropriate form (or
forms), it is "delivered" during a delivering step 262. Delivery
here does not mean that the recipient necessarily receives the
message in the sense of opening and reading or hearing it, but
rather means that the message is sent to a location accessible to
the recipient. The message can be sent at least as text 264, as
synthesized speech 266, and/or as a live voice message 268.
[0068] Variations are possible with text messages. A message being
delivered to an email recipient 270 is delivered in a different
manner than a message being sent to a fax machine 274, as is known
by those of skill in the art. Similarly, a message being delivered
to a voice mailbox 276 will need to be delivered in voice form and
if the message was originally received as text, then the
appropriate format modification must be made. If a message is being
sent to a call-forwarded number 278, the email message content in
whatever form may be sent to a recipient at the second
telecommunications number. This recipient may be a live person, a
voice mailbox (for a fixed-location or a mobile phone or device),
an email box, a pager, or a fax machine, for instance.
[0069] At the other end, because the email message may be sent over
a regular phone line, familiar telecommunications services such as
call forwarding, selective call blocking, call waiting, caller ID,
and so on, can all be used to modify delivery 262 of the email
messages.
[0070] In a responding to message step 282 in some instances of the
invention, the recipient responds to the previously-received
message by using the origin address 220 (which may contain a
telecommunications number) as the new destination address.
[0071] FIGS. 2 and 2A are meant to assist an understanding of the
present invention, not to summarize every aspect of the invention
or even every method or structure. The invention is defined by the
claims, in view of the entire specification, not merely FIGS. 2 and
2A. In particular, steps may be repeated, as when a message is
delivered several times to the same address during the deliver
message step 262. Steps may also be omitted. For example, the
respond to message step 288 is optional. Steps may also be
reordered or done concurrently, unless one step requires the result
of a previous step. Moreover, steps may be grouped differently or
renamed. Some or all of these variations may be present in an
embodiment, regardless of whether they are expressly described or
shown as optional outside the claims.
Systems
[0072] A system 300 according to the invention is further
illustrated in FIG. 3. An email receiver 300 receives email
messages, such as those discussed in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and
2. The email message 102 contains a destination address 204 and
optional message content 222. The destination address includes a
telecommunications number 206. The email receiver 300 may include a
client email program 302 (such as QualComm Eudora or Microsoft
Outlook software) running on a client machine, a groupware program
304 (such as Novell GroupWise or Lotus software) running on a
client machine, web browser software (e.g., a Microsoft or Netscape
browser) for accessing an Internet email site, or some other known
email receiving program, including email server software on a
server computer.
[0073] An optional telecommunications number detector 306
intercepts the email. It may be intercepted before the message
leaves a computer, at a "packet sniffer" level associated with a
network gateway, or somewhere else.
[0074] As noted above, one embodiment of the invention uses a
"black box" attached to the email telecommunications line as the
detector 306. The "black box" includes a packet sniffer to notice
when an email message has been sent; such sniffers are known in the
art for uses outside the present invention's scope. The "black box"
examines the email address. If it determines that the address does
not contain a telecommunications number, the message passes through
as if the detector had not been present, except possibly for a very
small delay. If a telecommunications address is found in the
address, the message is then diverted by a diverter 308. The
diversion may send all addresses to a predetermined location at
which an address matcher 310 resides, or the diverter 308 may
choose a location to send the message to depending on the specific
telecommunications number within the address. Diverters 308 may use
familiar technology from computer and/or telecommunications (wired
or wireless) network switches, routers, and the like.
[0075] The address matcher 310 in may be embodied within the number
detector 306, and will be separate in other instances. The address
matcher 310 matches the telecommunications number 206 with an email
address for delivery. One inventive system uses a database 312 to
provide a correspondence between telecommunications numbers 206 and
their respective delivery email addresses. The database may be
located on a client machine, a server machine, an email gateway, a
web site, within the telecommunications number detector 306, or at
some other location.
[0076] The delivery email addresses in some instantiations do not
themselves contain a telecommunications number. Through call
forwarding under the invention, one telecommunications number email
address may lead to another telecommunications number email
address. But the ultimate delivery email address for a given
message may be a conventional address such as a "username@domain"
alphanumeric address, a VPIM-type address, an IP address, or the
like.
[0077] The database 312 may be maintained on a client machine that
is entered using call-forwarding from a telecommunications number
given in the destination address. Alternately or in addition, some
or all of the database may be maintained by the regional telephone
company, competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC), incumbent local
exchange carrier (ILEC), or other entity. An X.500 database 314
and/or an X.509 database 316 may be used. If the database 312
contains public key certificates, by using the telecommunications
numbers as indexes (e.g., pointers) into the stored information,
those of skill in the art can implement a system where it is
unnecessary for a proposed message recipient to provide its public
key expressly in advance to each particular proposed message
originator.
[0078] The email may be delivered in many forms, as already
discussed in connection with FIG. 2A, for instance. Different types
of delivery can be specified using configuration flags 320, with a
separate flag being used for each separate delivery type, such as
email delivery 322 (possibly including wireless delivery), voice
delivery 324 (possibly including wireless delivery), fax delivery
326, and pager delivery 328. Special configuration flags can also
be used to indicate that delivery should be attempted multiple
times until a delivery confirmation 330 has been received. Other
flags can be constructed so that if an email address cannot be
obtained then another type of delivery, such as voicemail, can be
attempted. Some flags may indicate both email message delivery and
voice mail delivery. The configuration flags can specify that email
delivery, voice delivery, pager delivery, and fax delivery should
all be attempted for a given message, or for each message.
Similarly, the configuration flags can be set such that the
delivery types are ranked (such as first try email, then voice,
then pager, then fax) with each specific type tried until a
delivery confirmation is received. Flags 320 may be implemented
using bitflags, enumerations, arrays, lists, and/or other data
structures.
[0079] In some instantiations of this invention, the configuration
flags 320 may be set dynamically based on algorithms and/or rules
that take into account the sender, the urgency of the message, its
content, whether or not it was solicited, whether or not it refers
to other messages, the date and time at which it is to be received,
the length of the message, other recipients to whom the message was
also sent, how the recipient has dealt with this type of message in
the past, and/or other information available to the algorithm
and/or rule. Such dynamic configuration may be used to reflect the
recipient's selection of the means of message delivery. For
example, a voice call from a babysitter to a recipient while the
recipient is at a concert could bring up a message on the
recipient's vibrating pager to that effect, while other calls
simply go to the recipient's voicemail.
[0080] In some instantiations of the present invention, algorithms
or rules written in Java or other portable languages may be
included explicitly or by reference by the message sender and may
interact or negotiate with the algorithms and/or rules specified by
the recipient. In each case, an objective is to optimize the means
of notification, with the recipient playing a major role instead of
allowing the sender to primarily or solely determine the delivery
mode(s) used.
[0081] Once the modes of delivery are determined, the specific
email message can be manipulated appropriately using a deliverer
332. If the message was received as text and is to be sent as
voice, then the text is run through a speech synthesizer. Likewise,
an email whose message content is voice and is to be delivered by a
text means, such as email delivery 322, fax delivery 326, and
possibly pager delivery 328, will have the text converted to speech
using a speech-to-text generator 338. Speech generation and speech
recognition software are known for use in telecommunications
outside the scope of the present invention.
[0082] An email sender 340 lets a user send the email, to be
subsequently received by an email receiver 300. The inventive
system allows the email to be initially sent using a messaging
service telecommunications number 342, which is not to be confused
with the recipient's number 206. The messaging service number 342
can be a toll-free number 344, such as an 800 or 888 number, or it
can be a 900 number, or it can be a regular toll call. To use the
messaging service, the message originator dials the number 342,
speaks the message content 222, and speaks or otherwise provides
the recipient's telephone number 206. Thus, the messaging service
is a substitute for, or a supplement to, message origination tools
such as computers running email programs. The destination address
206 can be specified using a conventional telecommunications
number, (for example, the recipient's conventional telephone
number) with the address matcher 310 then locating the
corresponding delivery email address.
[0083] FIG. 3 is meant to assist an understanding of the present
invention, not to summarize every aspect of the invention or even
every system. The systems of the invention are defined by the
claims, in view of the entire specification, not merely by FIG. 3.
Systems may have more or fewer individual components than are shown
in the illustration. For instance, a single system may have more or
fewer configuration flags than are illustrated. Likewise, the
sender 334 may include more than a messaging service.
[0084] An illustrated system component may also be omitted. For
example, the X.500 database need not be present in every
implementation. Moreover, system components may be grouped
differently or renamed. These variations may be present in an
embodiment regardless of whether they are expressly described or
shown as optional outside of the claims.
Signals
[0085] FIG. 4 illustrates a signal according to the invention. The
signal 400 may be embodied in a computer system, memory, storage,
in a separate configured program storage medium, and/or in a
communication link such as a network signal line or other "wire",
including without limitation wireless communications equipment and
methodologies. The signal may be used in sending email messages
using a telecommunications number as a portion or all of the
destination address according to the present invention.
[0086] The illustrated signal includes an email message 402 that
contains at least one telecommunications number 404, 206 as a
portion of the email address, or as the whole email address, as
discussed previously. Optionally, the signal 400 may also contain
an origin telecommunications number 406. The email message 402 may
contain message content 220 distinct from the separate origin and
destination telecommunication numbers. The message content may
include a voice message, a video message, a text message, or
content in another form known to those of skill in the art.
[0087] The illustrated signal 400 may also contain one or more
configuration flags 408. The configuration flags 408 can be flags
320 used to indicate message delivery format. The flags 408 may
also specify encryption, multiple delivery attempts, staggered
delivery attempts using different delivery modes, delivery
confirmation, specification of dynamically set recipient
preferences, and the like. Digital certificates and/or digital
signatures can be used for authentication.
[0088] The signal 400 components are not necessarily stored
contiguous to one another, or even in the same medium, although
each necessarily resides somewhere in the system 300 and the
components all exist at the time in question. FIG. 4 is meant to
assist an understanding of the present invention, not to summarize
every aspect of the invention or even every signal. The methods,
signals, systems, and configured storage media of the invention are
defined by the claims, in view of the entire specification, not
merely by FIG. 4. Signal components may be repeated; for example,
several configuration flags 408 may be associated with a single
signal 400. Signal components may also be omitted. For instance,
one embodiment of the invention does not store an origin
telecommunications number 406 within the signal 400. Signal
components may be stored in different orders or arrangements than
that shown, and may be associated to form the signal by being
stored together and/or by links such as pointers or table indices.
Moreover, signal components may be grouped differently or renamed.
These variations may be present in an embodiment regardless of
whether they are expressly described or shown as optional outside
the claims.
Additional Encryption Information
[0089] A basic concept of the invention, from an
encryption-oriented point of view, is to use a person's telephone
number as a "pointer" to a symmetric or asymmetric set of keys that
enable encryption techniques to be employed within the system. The
key management architecture provides the following
characteristics:
[0090] 1. Key generation or keypair generation is performed during
and/or prior to registration.
[0091] 2. Keys have a "public" component. This can be accomplished
using asymmetric technologies (e.g. RPK, RSA, ECC, DH, El Gamal,
and etc.) or symmetric technologies (e.g. split knowledge, shared
secret, and etc.)
[0092] 3. Key agreement/derivation occur without "real-time"
negotiation or a-priori public key exchanges between the message
recipient and the message sender.
[0093] 4. Each encryption uses a unique "session" key or is
encrypted in the public key of the recipient.
Key Generation
[0094] Keys should be generated during and/or prior to
registration. The public/private keypair can be generated either
"on-line or off-line." On-line refers to the generation of
keypairs, via either installed software on the registrant's local
machine or software running at the provider's site, prior to the
termination of the registration connection. Off-line refers to the
generation of keypairs via either installed software on the
registrant's local machine or software running at the provider's
site, after the termination of the registration connection. The
resulting keypairs are then sent to the registrant.
A Possible Scenario
[0095] During registration, information is collected from the
individual so that required fields, for example, X.509 fields such
as distinguished name, can be filled in. The actual generation of
the keypairs and resulting X.509 certificate can be created using
"in-system" capabilities or outsourced to commercially available
Certificate Authorities. The individual's telephone number can be
used as the X.509 certificate's "serial number". The serial number
is part of the "signed" data of the certificate and therefore
provides "binding". "Extensions" to the serial number can be
employed to provide multiple identities for a given telephone
number. These "extensions" can take the form of numeric values
(e.g. 001-999, actual telephone extensions, and etc.), alphabetic
characters (e.g. name, initials, and etc.), or a combination
thereof Adding a "citizenship code" as part of the serial number
can, as a result of export restrictions, be used to determine the
symmetric key length. Examples:
[0096] 7194953104.sub.--001_US
[0097] 7194953104_Walt_US
[0098] Certain asymmetric technologies (RPK) provide fast and easy
encryption of data regardless of the size of the data compared to
the "modulus" length. If this technology is implemented, the need
for additional symmetric key enablers is not required. If this type
of asymmetric technology is not implemented, then a symmetric key
exchange enabler is required. One method of accomplishing this is
to create, during keypair generation, a random number (RN) and with
it generate a DH "public" (base.sup.RN mod P) Key Negotiation
Parameter (KNP). This parameter would be signed with the
certificate and KNP. During message creation, the DH function would
be accomplished yielding a Unique Bit Pool (UBP) between the two
individuals. Mathematically, this is equal to (base).sup.RN1)(RN2)
mod P. Creating a "session" key could be accomplished by using the
UBP as a base for another exponentiation process UBP.sup.(Key ID)
mod P, where the Key ID is a value (such as a date/time stamp) that
can be passed in the clear as part of the message header. The
result yields a Session Key Pool (SKP) that a session key can be
derived from. The SKP is secure even though the Key ID was passed
in the clear because the UPB becomes the "secret" value of the
process.
Public Key Distribution
[0099] Gaining real-time access to public keys (or KNPs) without a
priori communication with the recipient has been a problem in
otherwise secure communication systems. The inventive system could
maintain a worldwide database of registrant's public keys (and/or
KNPs) and, during the generation or receipt of a message, download
the required information. This download process need only happen
once. Once downloaded, the information may be stored on the
individual's local PC and is valid (and used) unless there is
change in the information or the information "expires." Replacement
of changed and/or expired information can be handled automatically
by the system.
Telephone Number Authentication
[0100] If private keys are generated and signed by a central system
using a database (on-line key generation as described earlier), one
is preferably able to distribute the private key to the correct
party and only to the correct party. If private keys are generated
by individual communicating systems (off-line key generation as
described earlier), those private keys are preferably digitally
signed by the central system and they are put into the database 124
only if they are indeed generated by the correct party. Digital
certificates may be used to contain and authenticate the keys.
[0101] These operations may be performed when the correct party has
called the central system using dial-up communications technology.
The central system could then use ANI (automatic number
identification) and/or Caller-ID to ascertain the calling number
and make sure it matches the telephone number embedded in the
certificate's serial number. Note that the use of the telephone
number in the signed part of the certificate makes the ANI or
Caller-ID approach especially applicable to authentication in cases
where the telephone number is critical in using the present
invention.
Summary
[0102] The present invention provides systems, devices, signals,
and methods for routing messages. Message originators can use one
or more simple in-the-phonebook telecommunications numbers,
unlisted numbers, mobile numbers, toll-free numbers, 900 numbers,
or the like as addressing indexes in place of conventional
addresses such as those in the form username@domain. For instance,
a message could be addressed to 1234567, or 123-4567, or
123-456-7890, or +011-1-123-4567, or it might be addressed to
@1234567.com. Thus addressed, email can be delivered as
conventional email text, as email text generated through voice
recognition, as synthesized or live speech which reads the email to
a live recipient or a voice mailbox, and/or as a fax or pager
message which contains the email text. A combination of novel email
addresses, as in the cc or bcc fields or in other multiple
recipient messages could be used. A combination of novel email
addresses and/or conventional email addresses can also be used.
[0103] Multiple deliveries may also be coordinated or staggered in
various ways. For instance, use may be made of both the message
originator's telephone number and of the message recipient's
telephone number. One such use would provide the message originator
with a confirmation after the message had been delivered and/or
after it had been both delivered and opened. The confirmation could
be addressed using the original message originator's
telecommunications number, and the confirmation could be delivered
as email, voicemail, live speech, pager feed, and/or fax, as
discussed above. Another type of multiple delivery would initially
try to deliver the original message only by email and would try
additional delivery modes (voicemail, fax, pager, wireless, etc.)
only if the original email was unopened after a specified period of
time had passed or other criteria have been met.
[0104] As another example, suppose that a message originator does
not know the email address for a desired message recipient but is
confident that the recipient will check for new email, and suppose
further that the message originator does not necessarily have an
email account. The message originator could dial a toll-free or
other special messaging service number, speak the message into a
system or process, provide the recipient's telephone number, and be
confident that the message would be delivered. The invention would
use the recipient's telephone number to obtain a conventional email
address for ultimate delivery, and would then forward the message
to the recipient as email (either as transcribed email text or as a
.wav file or other recorded attachment or other messaging means
discussed herein).
[0105] In this way, email and other messages may be sent to someone
whose phone number is known, even if their email address is
unknown. Indeed, if they have voice mail through an answering
machine or a voicemail service, email can be sent to them for voice
delivery even if they have no email address. This removes the
burden of maintaining both an email address and a telephone number
(and in some embodiments, a fax number and/or a mobile number) for
each person in one's contact list. The telephone number alone will
suffice. Moreover, telephone numbers are widely published and
easily obtained, and telephone directories are both familiar and
generally well-maintained.
[0106] With respect to email, it will be appreciated that in the
Internet community, sending email to an individual without a priori
knowledge of their email address is a substantial deterrent to
electronic communications. The invention provides a solution to
this problem. When a person wishes to send an email but doesn't
know the "electronic" address of a recipient, the recipient's
telephone number is entered into the "To" field of the email
message. Upon recognizing a telephone number in the "To" field, the
browser and/or email program (e.g. Netscape, AOL, or Microsoft's
Internet Explorer) automatically, and by default, connects to
inventive online directory (unless a browser option is set to
automatically send the email via the inventive system). Upon
connection, the sender can obtain an "electronic" address for the
recipient (this may done through an "alias" table), and download
the recipient's public key certificate thereby enabling relatively
secure communications. If an "electronic" address for the recipient
is not available, the message is sent to the recipient via the
inventive system (e.g., 123.456.7890@provider.net). The system will
deliver the message via notification and/or media translation,
depending on the recipient's preferences specified within the
database.
[0107] With respect to electronic commerce ("e-commerce"), the
inventive system can provide a link, through an online directory,
between buyers and sellers. This can be accomplished in a manner
similar to the e-mail scenario. When a company's website address is
unknown to a buyer, the buyer enters the company's telephone number
into the browser's "site" field. Upon recognizing a telephone
number in the "site" field, the browser (e.g. Netscape, AOL, or
Microsoft's Internet Explorer) automatically, and by default,
connects to the invention's online directory. Upon connection, the
buyer can obtain a "website" deliver address/link for the seller
(this may be done through an "alias" table), and download the
seller's public key certificate thereby enabling more secure
transactions. If a "website" address for the seller is not
available, a message is sent to the seller via the system stating
that the buyer requests contact information and provides return
addressing for the buyer. The system will deliver the message via
notification and/or media translation depending on the seller's
configuration specified within the database.
[0108] As used herein, terms such as "a" and "the" and item
designations such as "telecommunications number" are generally
inclusive of one or more of the indicated item. In particular, in
the claims a reference to an item means at least one such item is
required, unless clearly indicated otherwise to one of skill in the
art.
[0109] The invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from its essential characteristics. The described
embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as
illustrative and not restrictive. Headings are for convenience
only. The claims are part of the specification which describes the
invention. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended
claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which
come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are
to be embraced within their scope.
* * * * *
References