Selectable Audio and Mixed Background Sound for Voice Messaging System
First Claim
1. A system for enhancing a voice mail message for playback to a listener, comprising:
- means for creating the voice mail message for the listener, by a caller using a telephone device, the voice mail message comprising a plurality of message segments;
means for identifying, by the caller using the telephone device, at least two of the message segments which are to have background sounds associated therewith;
means for selecting, for each of the identified message segments by the caller using the telephone device, a sound to be associated therewith as the background sound, wherein the sounds selected as the background sound for at least two of the message segments are different sounds; and
means for playing back, responsive to a request from the listener for playback of the voice mail message, at least two of the identified message segments for which a sound was selected to be associated therewith as the background sound, while concurrently playing back the sound selected as the background sound for each of the played-backed identified message segments, and wherein the sounds selected as the background sound for at least two of the played-back identified message segments are different sounds, such that the background sound played back for the voice mail message changes at least once during the playback.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, systems, computer program products, and methods of doing business by selectably mixing one or more sound files with a telephone caller'"'"'s voice message, either as background for that message or embedded within the message. Or, the mixing may occur within a telephone conversation between parties. The disclosed techniques enable alleviating some of the problems that result from distance communication (as contrasted to face-to-face communication). In particular, context information (such as emotional context) can be provided through appropriate use of background sound and/or embedded audio files. The disclosed techniques may also make communication through voice mail exchange more enjoyable and/or increase its productivity.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for enhancing a voice mail message for playback to a listener, comprising:
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means for creating the voice mail message for the listener, by a caller using a telephone device, the voice mail message comprising a plurality of message segments; means for identifying, by the caller using the telephone device, at least two of the message segments which are to have background sounds associated therewith; means for selecting, for each of the identified message segments by the caller using the telephone device, a sound to be associated therewith as the background sound, wherein the sounds selected as the background sound for at least two of the message segments are different sounds; and means for playing back, responsive to a request from the listener for playback of the voice mail message, at least two of the identified message segments for which a sound was selected to be associated therewith as the background sound, while concurrently playing back the sound selected as the background sound for each of the played-backed identified message segments, and wherein the sounds selected as the background sound for at least two of the played-back identified message segments are different sounds, such that the background sound played back for the voice mail message changes at least once during the playback. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer program product for enhancing a voice mail message for playback to a listener, the computer program product embodied on at least one computer-usable medium and comprising:
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computer-usable program code for enabling a caller to create the voice mail message for the listener, using a telephone device, the voice mail message comprising a plurality of message segments; computer-usable program code for enabling the caller to identify, using the telephone device, at least two of the message segments which are to have background sounds associated therewith; computer-usable program code for enabling the caller to select, for each of the identified message segments by the caller using the telephone device, a sound to be associated therewith as the background sound, wherein the sounds selected as the background sound for at least two of the message segments are different sounds; and computer-usable program code for playing back, responsive to a request from the listener for playback of the voice mail message, at least two of the identified message segments for which a sound was selected to be associated therewith as the background sound, while concurrently playing back the sound selected as the background sound for each of the played-backed identified message segments, and wherein the sounds selected as the background sound for at least two of the played-back identified message segments are different sounds, such that the background sound played back for the voice mail message changes at least once during the playback. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A system for enhancing a voice mail message for playback to a listener, comprising:
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a computer comprising a processor; instructions which execute using the processor to perform functions comprising; enabling a caller using a telephone device to create the voice mail message for the listener, the voice mail message comprising a plurality of message segments; enabling the caller to identify, using the telephone device, at least two of the message segments which are to have background sounds associated therewith; selecting, for each of the identified message segments by the caller using the telephone device, a sound to be associated therewith as the background sound, wherein the sounds selected as the background sound for at least two of the message segments are different sounds; and playing back, responsive to a request from the listener for playback of the voice mail message, at least two of the identified message segments for which a sound was selected to be associated therewith as the background sound, while concurrently playing back the sound selected as the background sound for each of the played-backed identified message segments, and wherein the sounds selected as the background sound for at least two of the played-back identified message segments are different sounds, such that the background sound played back for the voice mail message changes at least once during the playback. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification