Enhanced voicemail usage through automatic voicemail preview

Abstract

Textual preview of a voicemail is generated and provided through email or similar media to users along with the audio version. Transcription of the textual version, as well as additional capabilities such as actionable terms, playback-jump, switching between text and audio versions, direct or metadata based searchability, and enhanced response capabilities are provided based on contextual data obtained from voicemail metadata and user associated data stores such as contact list, email history.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method to be executed at least in part in a computing device for providing enhanced voicemail preview, the method comprising:
 receiving an audio voicemail for a user;   determining contextual information associated with the user and a calling party, wherein the contextual information associated with the calling party includes contact and presence information associated with the calling party;   generating actionable items based on the contextual information associated with the calling party;   generating a voicemail preview based on a transcription of the audio voicemail employing at least a portion of the contextual information such that an accuracy of audio-text fidelity is increased and a plurality of actionable items are provided in the voicemail preview; and   integrating the voicemail preview into a text-based communication for delivery to the user along with access to the audio voicemail.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 providing one or more controls on the voicemail preview for enabling the user to one of: reply to the calling party, forward the voicemail preview to a third party, and translate the voicemail preview.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the controls further enable the user to one of: play the audio voicemail on a computing device and play the audio voicemail on a phone associated with the user. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 displaying a secondary user interface associated with the displayed voicemail preview enabling the user to one of: view calling party contact information, call the calling party, email the calling party, send a text message to the calling party, schedule a meeting with the calling party, and tag the calling party for presence alerts.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the secondary user interface includes summary presence information associated with the calling party and enables the user to add the calling party to a contacts list of the user. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 generating the voicemail preview by performing speech recognition on the received audio voicemail and employing the contextual information associated with the user and the calling party to enhance a recognition accuracy, wherein the contextual information includes at least one from a set of: voicemail metadata, presence information, contact information, organizational information, location information, prior communication information, and relevant communication information.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more of a name, a location, and a phone number in the transcribed voicemail as actionable items.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 displaying contact information and providing one or more contact actions associated with identified name;   enabling viewing of a map showing the identified location; and   providing an option to call the identified phone number.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 providing the actionable items and contextual information employing one or more of human transcribed data, combination of human transcribed and machine generated data, and comparable information that is marked up in a schema decipherable by a client application.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 delivering the voicemail preview to the user through one or more of an email message, an instant message, an SMS message, and an RSS feed message.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 providing one or more of rich text, highlighting, and graphics in displaying the transcribed voicemail to deliver contextual information.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 enabling the user to jump to a location on the audio playback of the voicemail through selection of the location on the transcribed text of the voicemail.   
     
     
         33 . A communication server for implementing enhanced voicemail preview, the server comprising:
 a memory configured to store instructions; and   a processor executing a voicemail application and a transcript module in conjunction with the instructions stored in the memory, wherein the voicemail application is configured to:   receive an audio voicemail for a user;   determine contextual information associated with the user and a calling party, wherein the contextual information associated with the calling party includes contact and presence information associated with the calling party;   generate actionable items based on the contextual information associated with the calling party;   generate a voicemail preview by performing speech recognition on the received audio voicemail and employing the contextual information associated with the user and the calling party to enhance a recognition accuracy;   integrate the voicemail preview into a text-based communication employing one or more of rich text, highlighting, and graphics in displaying the transcribed voicemail;   integrate the audio voicemail with the text-based communication; and   deliver the text-based communication to the user along.   
     
     
         34 . The server of  claim 33 , wherein the audio voicemail is integrated into the text-based communication through one of an attachment and a link, and access to the audio voicemail is provided through an audio playback user interface embedded into the text-based communication. 
     
     
         35 . The server of  claim 33 , wherein the voicemail application enables presentation of one or more secondary user interfaces providing one or more custom actions for each actionable item on the voicemail preview upon selection of each actionable item. 
     
     
         36 . The server of  claim 33 , wherein the voicemail application is further configured to enable addition of information available in the transcribed voicemail to a search index of a server managing the text-based communication such that contents of the voicemail are searchable through the server managing the text-based communication. 
     
     
         37 . The server of  claim 33 , wherein the voicemail application is further configured to enable addition of information available in the transcribed voicemail to a search index of one of a client application and a client desktop such that contents of the voicemail are searchable through the client application and the client desktop. 
     
     
         38 . A computer-readable memory device with instructions stored thereon for providing enhanced voicemail preview, the instructions comprising:
 receiving an audio voicemail for a user;   determining contextual information associated with the user and a calling party, wherein the contextual information associated with the calling party includes contact and presence information associated with the calling party;   generating actionable items based on the contextual information associated with the calling party;   generating a voicemail preview based on a transcription of the audio voicemail employing at least a portion of the contextual information such that an accuracy of audio-text fidelity is increased and a plurality of actionable items are provided in the voicemail preview;   integrating the voicemail preview into a text-based communication for delivery to the user along with access to the audio voicemail;   enabling presentation of one or more controls on the voicemail preview for enabling the user to one of: reply to the calling party, forward the voicemail preview to a third party, and translate the voicemail preview; and   enabling display of a secondary user interface associated with the displayed voicemail preview enabling the user to one of: view calling party contact information, call the calling party, email the calling party, send a text message to the calling party, schedule a meeting with the calling party, and tag the calling party for presence alerts.   
     
     
         39 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 38 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 enabling dynamic modification of elements of a user interface displaying the voicemail preview based on the actionable items in the voicemail preview.   
     
     
         40 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 38 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 identifying one or more of a name, a location, and a phone number in the transcribed voicemail as actionable items;   displaying contact information and providing one or more contact actions associated with identified name;   enabling viewing of a map showing the identified location; and   providing an option to call the identified phone number.