Systems and methods for consolidating wireline and wireless voicemail boxes

Abstract

Voicemail systems can include a memory and a processor. The memory can store data relating to users. An incoming communication can be handled by the voicemail system, forwarded to another voicemail system, provided with functionality based upon a user's preferences, and the like. The voicemail systems can include functionality to allow a user to consolidate voicemail messages and/or calls at one or more designated destinations, for example, a voicemail system and/or a mobile device.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving a call at a voicemail system; determining, by the voicemail system, if the, wherein it is determined whether the voicemail system comprises operates as a slave voicemail system; determining, by the voicemail system, if the voicemail system comprises or a master voicemail system; 
 ifin response to a determination that the voicemail system determines that the voicemail system comprisesoperates as the master voicemail system,;
 obtaining, by the master voicemail system, a voicemail message and call data;   creating, by the master voicemail system, a source tag that identifies the master voicemail system as the source of the voicemail message; and   associating and storing, by the master voicemail system, a the voicemail message associated with the call, the call data, and the source tag; and   
 ifin response to a determination based on settings that the voicemail system determines that the voicemail system comprisesoperates as the slave voicemail system,and that the slave voicemail system handling the call is configured to transfer a voicemail and call: passingtransferring, by the slave voicemail system, the voicemail message and the call data to a further voicemail system that comprises the master voicemail system, wherein the master voicemail creates a source tag that identifies the slave voicemail system as the source of the voicemail message, and stores, at the master voicemail system, the voicemail message, the call data, and the source tag.   
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein storing the message comprises storing the message and call data associated with the message at a memory location associated with the master voice mail system if a determination is made that the voicemail system comprises the slave voicemail system and the voicemail system is configured to forward incoming calls. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to a determination that the call is to be handled by the slave voicemail system, obtaining and storing, by the voicemail system, the voicemail message content and the call data associated with the voicemail message at a memory location associated with the slave voicemail system if a determination is that that the voicemail system comprises the slave voicemail system. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising transferring,:
 if the slave voicemail system is configured to send a notification to the master voicemail system, sending, by the slave voicemail system, a message waiting notification to the master voicemail system,; 
 in response to the message waiting notification, receiving a request for the voicemail message from the master voicemail system; and 
 transferring the stored voicemail message content and the call data associated with the voicemail message to the master voicemail system. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of claim  3  4, further comprising:
 generating, at the master voicemail system, a source data relating to the tag that indicates the source of the voicemail system to which the call was originally directed message; and 
 appending the source data tag to the voicemail message content and the call data. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,:
 if thein response to a determination is that the voicemail system comprises is configured as the slave voicemail system:
 handling the call, by the slave voicemail system, by obtaining and storing the voicemail message content and the call data associated with the voicemail message at a memory location associated with the slave voicemail system; 
 
 sending, by the slave voicemail system, a notification to the master voicemail system that a the voicemail message has been deposited at the slave voicemail system; 
 receiving, at by the slave voicemail system, a request to transfer the stored voicemail message content and call data to the master voicemail system; and 
 transferring, by the slave voicemail system, the stored message content and voicemail message and the call data associated with the message to the master voicemail system. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein storing the voicemail message comprises storing audio data. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein storing the voicemail message comprises storing text data. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the slave voicemail system comprises a plain old voicemail system and wherein the master voicemail system comprises a visual voicemail system, and wherein storing the message comprises storing audio data and text data. 
     
     
       10. A method comprising:
 receiving a call at a voicemail system; 
 determining, by the voicemail system, if the voicemail system comprises is configured as a slave voicemail system; determining, by the voicemail system, if the voicemail system comprises or a master voicemail system; 
 ifin response to a determination that the voicemail system determines that the voicemail system comprisesis configured as the master voicemail system,: storing, by the master voicemail system, a voicemail message associated with the call, the voicemail message being stored at a memory location associated with the master voicemail system;   obtaining a, by the master voicemail system, the voicemail message and call data associated with the call,;    creating, by the master voicemail system, a source tag associated with the call, wherein the source tag indicates a source of the voicemail message, and wherein the source of the voicemail message comprises the master voicemail; and   associating, by the master voicemail system, the voicemail message and the call data with the source tag; and   
 ifin response to a determination that the voicemail system determines that the voicemail system comprisesis configured as the slave voicemail system,: determining if, by the slave voicemail system and based on settings, whether the call is to be handled by the slave voicemail system or passed forwarded by the slave voicemail system to the master voicemail system;   
 in response to a determination that the call is to be forwarded to the master voicemail system:
 forwarding the call to the master voicemail system, wherein the master voicemail system receives the call, obtains a voicemail message and call data associated with the voicemail message, creates a source tag, and stores the voicemail message, the call data, and the source tag; and 
 
 in response to a determination that the call is to be handled by the slave voicemail system:
 obtaining and storing a voicemail message and call data associated with the voicemail message at a memory location associated with the slave voicemail system; and 
 
 in response to a determination that the slave voicemail system handling the call is configured to transfer the voicemail message and call data:
 transferring, by the slave voicemail system, the voicemail message and the call data associated with the voicemail message to the master voicemail system. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 if the voicemail system determinesin response to a determination that the voicemail system is configured as the slave voicemail system and that the call is to be handled by the slave voicemail system, obtaining the message and the call data associated with the call, and determining if the voicemail system is to send a message waiting notification is to be generated to the master voicemail system. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 ifin response to a determination that the voicemail system determines thatis to send the message waiting notification is to be generated, sending a message waiting notification to the master voicemail system, and receiving, from the master voicemail system, a request for the voicemail message. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of claim  11  12, further comprising:
 in response to receiving the request for the voicemail message, transferring, to the master voicemail system, the voicemail message and the call data. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: if the voicemail system determines that the call is to be forwarded to the master voicemail system, forwarding the call to the master voicemail system to obtain the message, the call data, and wherein the source tag is used by a mobile device to generate and present an icon that indicates the source in a visual voicemail interface. 
     
     
       15. A mobile device comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory that stores computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: 
 receiving a message waiting notification indicating that indicates that a voicemail message is stored at a master voicemail system that stores voicemail messages that are received at the master voicemail system and at a slave voicemail system,; 
 in response to receiving the message waiting notification, requesting a message header from the master voicemail system, the message header indicating a source of the voicemail message, the source of the voicemail message comprising either the master voicemail system or the slave voicemail system, and; 
 generating a user interface that presents a representation of the voicemail message, the user interface comprising a view of a voicemail message inbox that includes a, wherein the view of the voicemail message inbox comprises the representation of the voicemail message and an indicator of the source of the voicemail message: 
 receiving, via the user interface, a request to obtain the voicemail message; 
 in response to the request, generating a request for the voicemail message; and 
 obtaining, in response to the request, message content that corresponds to the voicemail message. 
 
     
     
       16. The mobile device of  claim 15 , wherein the user interface further comprises a further indicator that indicates a format for the voicemail message. 
     
     
       17. The mobile device of  claim 16 , wherein the further indicator indicates that the voicemail message comprises a text message. 
     
     
       18. The mobile device of  claim 16 , wherein the further indicator indicates that the voicemail message comprises an audio message. 
     
     
       19. The mobile device of  claim 15 , further comprising wherein the computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 generating a further user interface comprising:
 controls to enable delivery options for delivering audio voicemails voicemail messages and text voicemails, voicemail messages; and 
 further controls to edit account settings associated with the master voicemail system and the slave voicemail system. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The mobile device of  claim 15 , further comprising wherein the computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 generating a further user interface comprising controls to set account settings associated with the master voicemail system, the account settings comprising:  
 a nickname for the master voicemail system, 
 a dial-in number for the master voicemail system, and 
 a voicemail password for the master voicemail system, 
 a forwarding option to enable forwarding of calls associated with the master voicemail system, and 
 an account type option to indicate that the voicemail system comprises only the master voicemail system or comprises both the slave voicemail system or and the master voicemail system.