Methods and apparatus to obtain voice messages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9832317-B2
Application number	US-201113224018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2011
Priority date	Sep 1, 2011
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to obtain voice messages are disclosed. One example method includes receiving at a mobile device an indication to access voicemail, determining if visual voicemail is available, and initiating a call to a voicemail system in response to determining that visual voicemail is unavailable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method implemented by a mobile device, comprising:
receiving at the mobile device an indication to access voicemail;
determining if a visual voicemail client is installed on the mobile device;
if the visual voicemail client is not installed, calling an audible-only telephone user interface (TUI) voicemail of a current line of a voicemail system; and
if the visual voicemail client is installed:
determining if visual voicemail is available prior to attempting to communicate with the voicemail system; and
initiating a call to the voicemail system in response to determining that visual voicemail is unavailable, wherein initiating a call comprises automatically initiating a call to access a telephone user interface for voicemail in response to determining that visual voicemail is unavailable.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication comprises a keypress.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining if visual voicemail is available comprises determining if visual voicemail is supported on the current line selected on the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining if visual voicemail is available comprises determining if visual voicemail is defined on the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining if visual voicemail is defined is based on the MS ISDN of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining if visual voicemail is available comprises determining if visual voicemail is activated on the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining if visual voicemail is available comprises determining compliance with a policy on a server associated with the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining if visual voicemail is available comprises determining if visual voicemail is blocked on the mobile device.

9. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein receiving at the mobile device an indication to access voicemail comprises receiving a user input associated with a request to access voicemail.

10. The method claimed in claim 9 , wherein the user input comprises a keypress associated with telephone user interface access to voicemail.

11. A mobile device comprising:
a housing;
a display carried by the housing;
a wireless receiver and transmitter carried by the housing; and
a processor carried by the housing, coupled to the wireless receiver and transmitter, and coupled to the display, the processor configured to:
receive at the mobile device an indication to access voicemail;
determine if a visual voicemail client is installed on the mobile device;
if the visual voicemail client is not installed, call an audible-only telephone user interface (TUI) voicemail of a current line of a voicemail system; and
if the visual voicemail client is installed:
determine if visual voicemail is available prior to attempting to communicate with a voicemail system; and
initiate a call to the voicemail system in response to determining that visual voicemail is unavailable, wherein initiating a call comprises automatically initiating a call to access a telephone user interface for voicemail in response to determining that visual voicemail is unavailable.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the indication comprises a keypress.

13. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein determining if visual voicemail is available comprises determining if visual voicemail is supported on the current line selected on the mobile device.

14. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein determining if visual voicemail is available comprises determining if visual voicemail is defined on the mobile device.

15. The mobile device of claim 14 , wherein determining if visual voicemail is defined is based on the MS ISDN of the mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein determining if visual voicemail is available comprises determining if visual voicemail is activated on the mobile device.

17. The mobile device of claim 11 , further comprising determining if visual voicemail is available comprises determining compliance with a policy on a server associated with the mobile device.

18. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein determining if visual voicemail is available comprises determining if visual voicemail is blocked on the mobile device.

Assignees

• Balannik Vadim
• Ellis Patrick Dell
• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Balannik Vadim
• Ellis Patrick Dell

Classifications

• H04M2203/2016

  Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber · CPC title

• H04M3/53333 Primary

  Message receiving aspects · CPC title

• H04M2207/18

  wireless networks · CPC title

• H04M2203/253

  where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode · CPC title

• H04M3/53325

  Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems · CPC title