Image sharing for instant messaging

• US 20020126135A1
• Filed: 05/07/2002
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Inventors: Hilliard, William J., Ball, Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/139,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126135A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/600
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32512 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32529 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices

Abstract

In a method of communication, a communication including a file is received for transmission to a remote recipient. The file is replaced with a representation of the file that includes controls for manipulating the file, control of the file is retained, and the communication is transmitted to the recipient. Alternatively, a communication is created, a file is selected, a representation of the file is inserted in the communication wherein the representation includes controls for manipulating the file, and the communication is transmitted to a recipient.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

receiving a communication including a file for transmission to a remote recipient;

replacing the file with a representation of the file including controls for manipulating the file;

retaining control of the file; and

transmitting the communication to the recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the file is selected from the group comprising text files, image files, audio files, video files, and executable program files.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, displaying the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising after transmitting the communication:

manipulating the file in response to the recipient manipulating the file controls.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein manipulating the file comprises:

any one or more of transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, reducing the file, and converting the file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, displaying the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein retaining control of the file comprises:

retaining the file.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to replacing the file:

creating the representation of the file.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein creating the representation of the file comprises:

selecting the controls in accordance with the type of the file.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the file is selected from the group comprising text files, image files, audio files, video files, and executable program files.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, displaying the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the file is an image file and creating the representation comprises:

creating a thumbnail view of the image.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the file is selected from the group comprising text files, image files, audio files, video files, and executable program files.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, displaying the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising after transmitting the communication:

manipulating the file in response to the recipient manipulating the file controls.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein manipulating the file comprises:

any one or more of transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, reducing the file, and converting the file.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the controls are selected in accordance with the type of the file.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the file is selected from the group comprising text files, image files, audio files, video files, and executable program files.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, displaying the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

13. A method of communicating, comprising:

creating a communication;

selecting a file;

inserting a representation of the file in the communication, the representation including controls for manipulating the file; and

transmitting the communication to a recipient.

22. A communication system, comprising:

a file library for selecting a file;

a composer for creating a communication and inserting a representation of the file in the communication, the representation including controls for manipulating the file; and

a communicator for transmitting the communication to a recipient.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the file library comprises:

an file library for selecting a file from the group of files comprising text files, image files, audio files, video files, and executable program files.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

25. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

a file controller for manipulating the file in response to the recipient manipulating the file controls.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the controller comprises:

a file controller for performing any one or more of transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, reducing the file, and converting the file in response to the recipient manipulating the file controls.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, displaying the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the file is selected from the group comprising text files, image files, audio files, video files, and executable program files.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the file controller further comprises:

a file controller for manipulating the file in response to the recipient manipulating the file controls.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the file controller comprises:

a file controller for performing any one or more of transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, reducing the file, and converting the file in response to the recipient manipulating the file controls.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the file controller comprises:

a file controller for creating the representation of the file.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the controls are selected in accordance with the type of the file.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the file is selected from the group comprising text files, image files, audio files, video files, and executable program files.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the controls are selected from the group including transferring the file to the recipient, transferring a selected portion of the file to the recipient, converting the file, displaying the file, playing the file, executing the file, and opening the file.

28. A communication system, comprising:

a server for receiving a communication including a file for transmission to a remote recipient; and

a file controller for modifying the communication by replacing the file with a representation of the file including controls for manipulating the file, the controller further for storing the file, the server further for transmitting the modified communication to the recipient.