Method and System for Integrating Voicemail and Electronic Messaging

• US 20080037726A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Yao, Rose, Rideout, Ariel L., Sego, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]

Abstract

When an electronic message with a voicemail attachment is received, an audio player object and a reply by chat object are displayed simultaneously along with the electronic message. A reply to the electronic message, whether by chat or by email, is associated with the same thread as the electronic message. The electronic message with the voicemail attachment is associated with a conversation thread that may also include chat messages and email messages. In a conversation view of a respective conversation thread, representations of an electronic voicemail message (an electronic message having a voicemail attachment), one or more chat messages and one or more email messages may be displayed simultaneously.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving an electronic message, wherein the electronic message is associated with audio data; and

simultaneously displaying the electronic message, an audio player object configured for playing back the audio data, and a chat reply object, wherein selection of the chat reply object by a user initiates a chat session associated with the electronic message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the chat reply object comprises a link to a chat window.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an email message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio data comprises a digital audio file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio data comprises an MP3 file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio player object is a Flash object.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising simultaneously displaying, while displaying the electronic message, the audio player object and the chat reply object, an image associated with a sender of the electronic message.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a reply box.

9. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving an electronic message, wherein the electronic message is associated with audio data; and

simultaneously displaying the electronic message and an audio player object configured for playing back the audio data, wherein the audio player object includes a progress bar indicating a current portion, if any, of the audio data being played back.

10. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a message information region for displaying information associated with an electronic message, wherein the electronic message is associated with audio data;

an audio player object configured for playing back the audio data; and

one or more reply objects, wherein selection of one of the reply objects initiates a reply to the electronic message.

11. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein the one or more reply objects comprise a reply box.

12. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein the one or more reply boxes comprise a link to a chat window.

13. The graphical user interface of claim 10, further comprising an image associated with a sender of the message.

14. A system, comprising:

memory;

one or more processors; and

one or more modules stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more modules comprising;

instructions to receive an electronic message, wherein the electronic message is associated with audio data; and

instructions to simultaneously display the electronic message, an audio player object configured for playing back the audio data, and a chat reply object, wherein selection of the chat reply object by a user initiates a chat session associated with the electronic message.

15. The system claim 14, wherein the chat reply object comprises a link to a chat window.

16. The system claim 14, wherein the electronic message is an email message.

17. The system claim 14, wherein the audio data comprises a digital audio file.

18. The system claim 14, wherein the audio data comprises an MP3 file.

19. The system claim 14, wherein the audio player object is a Flash object.

20. The system claim 14, wherein the one or more modules further include instructions to simultaneously display, while displaying the electronic message, the audio player object and the chat reply object, an image associated with a sender of the electronic message.

21. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:

instructions to receive an electronic message, wherein the electronic message is associated with audio data; and

instructions to simultaneously display the electronic message, an audio player object configured for playing back the audio data, and a chat reply object, wherein selection of the chat reply object by a user initiates a chat session associated with the electronic message.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the chat reply object comprises a link to a chat window.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the electronic message is an email message.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the audio data comprises a digital audio file.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the audio data comprises an MP3 file.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the audio player object is a Flash object.

27. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the one or more modules further include instructions to simultaneously display, while displaying the electronic message, the audio player object and the chat reply object, an image associated with a sender of the electronic message.

28. A system, comprising:

means for receiving an electronic message, wherein the electronic message is associated with audio data; and

means for simultaneously displaying the electronic message, an audio player object configured for playing back the audio data, and a chat reply object, wherein selection of the chat reply object by a user initiates a chat session associated with the electronic message.