Network-assisted communication method and system therefor

• US 20040098488A1
• Filed: 12/08/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: C3Gateways Services, Inc. (Intema Solutions Inc.)
• Original Assignee: C3Gateways Services, Inc. (Intema Solutions Inc.)
• Inventors: Mayers, William
• Application Number:
  US10/466,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098488A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components

Abstract

A computer network-assisted communication method and system that allows the establishment of a communication link on a network, such as the Internet, between a first communication device and other communication devices, and allows discussion through the exchange of phonic phrase groups (PPG™s). The PPG™s creation process includes capturing a communication contribution by one of the communication participants, and appending tags that characterize the contribution. The tags allow the sorting and management of communication contributions through the use of a user-interface.

Claims

1. A network-assisted communication method comprising:

establishing a communication link on a network between a first communication device and at least one other communication device;

capturing a communication contribution from the first communication device; and

converting said communication contribution into at least one phonic phrase group (PPG™

) to be distributed on said network to said at least one other communication device;

said at least one PPG™

including a data segment and at least one tag.

2. A network-assisted communication method as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one other communication device includes a plurality of other communication devices;

whereby allowing a plurality of communications around said first communication device and said plurality of other communication devices.

3. A network-assisted communication method as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one tag characterizes said at least one other communication device.

4. A network-assisted communication method, as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one tag is characterized by an attached feature selected from a time of creation of said tag, a communication context, a PPG™

clearance, and a keyword.

5. A network-assisted communication method as recited in claim 1, wherein said establishing a communication link on a network includes connecting said at least one other communication device to said first communication device.

6. A network-assisted communication method, as recited in claim 1, wherein said establishing a communication link on a network includes:

said at least one other communication device sending a communication request to a controller;

said controller issuing a notice to said first communication device upon receiving said request;

said controller sending connection information to said at least one other communication device; and

said at least one other communication device connecting to said first communication device.

7. A network-assisted communication method as recited in claim 6, wherein said communication request is sent to said controller via a server connected to the network.

8. A network-assisted communication method as recited in claim 1, wherein said capturing a communication contribution from the first communication device yields at least one media segment;

said converting said communication contribution into at least one PPG™

includes assembling said at least one media segment into a single data element united under a common time frame.

9. A network-assisted communication method as recited in claim 8, wherein at least one tag characterizes said common time frame.

10. A network-assisted communication method, as recited in claim 1, wherein said converting said communication contribution into at least one PPG™

further includes defining a start and an end of the communication contribution during a larger communication exchange.

11. A network-assisted communication method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

archiving distributed PPG™

s for later retrieval.

12. A network-assisted communication system comprising:

at least one communication hub to be connected to a network for sending phonic phrase groups (PPG™

s), and for receiving PPG™

s from at least one communication device through said network;

said communication hub being configured to convert a PPG™

into at least part of a communication contribution, and to convert a communication contribution into at least one PPG™

;

said at least one PPG™

including a data segment and at least one tag.

13. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one communication device is another communication hub.

14. A network-assisted communication system, as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one communication hub is provided with a user-interface for converting said communication contribution into at least one PPG™

.

15. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 14, wherein said user-interface allows defining time boundaries of said at least one PPG™

.

16. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one communication hub being further configured to send PPG™

s according to at least one of the mode comprising “

an open channel mode” and

“

a preview and send mode”

.

17. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one communication hub being further configured for displaying PPG™

s.

18. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 17, wherein said at least one communication hub being further configured for displaying PPG™

s, according to at least one of the mode including an “

open channel”

mode, a “

play as soon as accepted”

mode, and a “

plays only on demand”

mode.

19. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein said data segment of said at least one PPG™

includes at least one text, image, sound, video and FLASH™

portion.

20. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one of said communication hub and said communication device includes a means to capture a communication contribution connected thereto.

21. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 20, wherein said means to capture a communication contribution is in the form of a peripheral communication device.

22. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 21, wherein said peripheral device is selected from a camera, a microphone and a keyboard.

23. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein at least one of at least one communication device and said controller is configured using a text-based computer language.

24. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein said communication device is selected from a wireless digital telephone, Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) telephone, a television provided with Internet access, and a personal computer provided with network capability.

25. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one communication device is connected to said communication device via a gateway.

26. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 25, wherein said at least one communication device is a dumb device.

27. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 26, wherein said dumb device is selected from a group consisting of a telephone configured for a public switched telephone network, and a television.

28. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein the network is implemented under the TCP/IP (Transmission control protocol/Internet Protocol) protocol.

29. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein the network is a heterogeneous network.

30. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

a controller connected to the network for receiving a communication request from said at least one communication device, and for establishing a communication link between said at least one communication device and said communication hub.

31. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 30, further comprising an archive server connected to said controller;

said archive server being configured for storing archive information.

32. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 31, said controller including a data management software.

33. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 31, wherein said archive information includes PPG™

s.

34. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 31, wherein said controller is further configured to provide communication reports to at least one of said communication hub and said at least one communication device.

35. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 30, wherein said controller is configured to define rules when said communication link is established for appending predetermined tags to at least one of the received and sent tags.

36. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 35, wherein said rules allow to implement over the network at least one from peer conferences and hierarchical communication.

37. A network-assisted communication system as recited in claim 36, wherein said hierarchical communication is selected from a seminar, class, town hall, and business meeting.

38. A user-interface for a network-assisted communication system comprising:

interactive visual graphic means for capturing at least one multi-media segment from a communication contribution issued from a first communication participant;

interactive visual graphic means for converting said communication contribution into at least one phonic phrase group (PPG™

), including means for assembling multi-media segments and for appending tags that characterize said communication contribution;

interactive visual graphic means for sending said at least one PPG™

to at least one other communication participant through a network;

interactive visual graphic means for receiving other PPG™

s from said at least one other communication participant through said network; and

interactive visual graphic means for displaying at least one of said at least one PPG™ and

said other PPG.