Interface between text and voice messaging systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating a voice message based on a text message from a text messaging system is disclosed. The voice message stored in a voice messaging system or may be directly transmitted to a recipient telephone number. The text messaging system comprises one or more addressable nodes including a messaging system interface node, which receives the text message from the text messaging system based on its node address and generates a voice message responsive to the text message. Signals may be generated to access the voice messaging system, and the voice message may be communicated to the voice messaging system for storage. The voice message may comprise speech corresponding to the text of the text message, created, for example, by conventional text-to-speech synthesis techniques. The text message may also be communicated to a text message addressee with use of the text messaging system, and the voice message may comprise speech reflecting that a text message has been so communicated.