TELECOMMUNICATION AND MULTIMEDIA MANAGEMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20090003547A1
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxer IP LLC (Voxer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rebelvox LLC (Voxer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Katis, Thomas E., Panttaja, Mary G., Ranney, Matthew J., Panttaja, James T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.130
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/126 Foldable, retractable or tiltable tribunes E04H3/123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• 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 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an improved media communication device for communicating over a communication network. The communication device includes an encoder, a time-shifting buffer and a transmitter to progressively encode, store in a time-based format, and transmit over the network locally created media created using the communication device. The communication device also includes a receiver and a rendering element to receive and progressively render media received over the network from a remote source. The received media is also stored in the time-based format in the time-shifting buffer. By storing media in the time-based format in the time-shifting buffer, the received media may be rendered in a near real-time mode and the received and locally created media may be rendered in a time-shifted mode. In various embodiments, the locally created and received media may be streaming media. In yet other embodiments, the media may be segmented into messages that are transmitted to and from the communication device over the network.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

an encoder configured to encode media on the communication device originated at the communication device;

a storage or memory element configured to store the encoded media on the communication device;

a transmitter configured to progressively transmit the encoded media over a network from the communication device;

a receiver configured to receive media over the network at the communication device;

the storage or memory element further configured to store the received media as the received media is being received over the network at the communication device; and

a rendering element configured to progressively render the received media as the received media is being received over the network in a substantially real-time rendering mode.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitted and received media further comprise streams of media segmented into time-indexed messages respectively.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the time-indexed messages are associated with one another to define one or more conversations respectively.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the storage or memory element is further configured to persistently store the encoded media and the received media on the communication device.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the communication device further comprises a media synchronization element configured to synchronize media persistently stored in the storage or memory element of the communication device with one or more copies of the media maintained on the network.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a render control element, the render control element configured to control the rendering element to either:

(i) progressively render the received media as the received media is being received over the network in the substantially real-time rendering mode;

or

(ii) progressively render the received and the created media retrieved from the storage or memory element in a time-shifted mode.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising selectively transitioning on the communication device the rendering of the received media between the substantially near real-time mode and the time-shifted mode.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to ascertaining network capabilities by ascertaining if the communication device is connected to the network,

wherein connected to the network is defined as the ability to transmit data between the communication device and the network.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the transmitter is further configured when the communication device is connected to the network to:

ascertain the available bandwidth on the network connection between the communication device and the network when the local media is being received at the communication device; and

compare the available bandwidth on the network with bandwidth requirements required to progressively transmit the locally received media.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the transmitter is further configured to progressively transmit the locally received media over the network within the available bandwidth rate if the available bandwidth on the network meets or exceeds the bandwidth requirements.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the transmitter is further configured to:

delay the progressive transmission of the locally received media over the network if the available bandwidth on the network is less than the bandwidth requirements; and

progressively transmit the locally received media from persistent storage after network capabilities improve to the point where the available bandwidth on the network meets or exceeds the bandwidth requirements.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to ascertaining network capabilities by ascertaining if the communication device is disconnected from the network,

wherein disconnected from the network is defined as the inability to transmit data between the communication device and the network.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the transmitter is further configured when the communication device is disconnected from the network to:

delay the progressive transmission of the locally received media over the network when the communication device is disconnected from the network; and

progressively transmit the locally received media from storage when the communication device reconnects to the network and the network capabilities are sufficient to support the transmission.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the rendering element is further configured to render the media using one of a plurality of rendering options, the rendering options including one or more of the following:

pause, replay, play faster, play slower, jump backward, jump forward, skip silence, catch up to the most recently received media, or jump to the most recently received media.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more elements configured to respectively perform one or more of the following functions on the media:

indexing;

searching;

transcribing;

or translating.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the storage or memory element are further configured to progressively transmit the local media after the local media has been stored in the storage or memory element.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the storage or memory element are further configured to progressively transmit the local media before the local media has been stored in the storage or memory element.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the storage or memory element are further configured to progressively transmit the local media at substantially the same time the local media is stored in the storage or memory element.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory or storage element and the rendering element are further configured to progressively render the received media after the received media has been stored.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory or storage element and the rendering element are further configured to progressively render the received media before the received media is stored.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory or storage element and the rendering element are further configured to progressively render the received media at substantially the same time the received media is stored.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the media comprises one or more of the following types of media:

voice, video, text, sensor data, radio signals position or GPS information, or a combination thereof.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises one of the following:

a land-line phone, a wireless phone, cellular phone, a mobile phone, a computer, a radio, a satellite phone, a satellite radio, a tactical radio, or a tactical phone.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a packet-based network, a circuit-based network, a cellular network, a wireless network, a wired network, a radio network, a satellite network, a telephone network, or a combination thereof.

25. A communication device to communicate with a remote communication device via a network, the communication device comprising:

an encoder receiver configured to receive at the communication device a local message including locally generated streaming media pertaining to a conversation;

a storage or memory element configured to persistently store the local message on the communication device;

a transmitter configured to progressively transmit the local message from the communication device to the remote communication device via the network;

a receiver configured to receive at the communication device from the remote communications device via the network a remote message including streaming media pertaining to the conversation;

the storage or memory element further configured to persistently store the remote message on the communication device; and

a rendering element configured to progressively render the remote message as the remote message is being received over the network.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the transmitter is further configured to progressively transmit the local message to the remote communication device as the local message is progressively received at the communication device.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the transmitter is further configured to progressively transmit the local message from the storage or memory element to the remote communication device when the local message is transmitted at a point in time after it was received by the encoder receiver.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein the rendering element is further configured to progressively render the remote message from the storage or memory element when the remote message is rendered at a point in time after it has been received over the network.

29. The device of claim 25, further comprising a render control element configured to control the rendering element to either:

(i) progressively render the remote message as the remote message is being received in a substantially real-time rendering mode;

or

(ii) progressively render the remote message and the local message from storage in the storage or memory element in a time-shifted rendering mode.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the render control element in the time-shifted mode is further configured to retrieve from the storage or memory element a plurality of the local messages and a plurality of the remote messages in a time-indexed order for rendering in the time-indexed order by the rendering element, the local and remote messages pertaining to the conversation.

31. The device of claim 25, wherein the transmitter is further configured continuously transmit the streaming media of the local message for the duration of the message.

32. The device of claim 25, wherein the encoder receiver is further configured to segment the locally generated streaming media into one or more of the local messages.

33. The device of claim 25, wherein the transmitter is further configured to ascertaining network capabilities by ascertaining if the communication device is connected to the network,

wherein connected to the network is defined as the ability to transmit data between the communication device and the network.

34. The device of claim 25, wherein the transmitter is further configured when the communication device is connected to the network to:

ascertain the available bandwidth on the network connection between the communication device and the network when the local media is being received at the communication device; and

compare the available bandwidth on the network with bandwidth requirements required to progressively transmit the locally received media.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the transmitter is further configured to progressively transmit the locally received media over the network within the available bandwidth rate if the available bandwidth on the network meets or exceeds the bandwidth requirements.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein the transmitter is further configured to:

delay the progressive transmission of the locally received media over the network if the available bandwidth on the network is less than the bandwidth requirements; and

progressively transmit the locally received media from persistent storage after network capabilities improve to the point where the available bandwidth on the network meets or exceeds the bandwidth requirements.

37. The device of claim 25, wherein the transmitter is further configured to ascertaining network capabilities by ascertaining if the communication device is disconnected from the network,

wherein disconnected from the network is defined as the inability to transmit data between the communication device and the network.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the transmitter is further configured when the communication device is disconnected from the network to:

delay the progressive transmission of the locally received media over the network when the communication device is disconnected from the network; and

progressively transmit the locally received media from storage when the communication device reconnects to the network and the network capabilities are sufficient to support the transmission.

39. The device of claim 25, wherein the rendering element is further configured to render the media using one of a plurality of rendering options, the rendering options including one or more of the following:

pause, replay, play faster, play slower, jump backward, jump forward, skip silence, catch up to the most recently received media, or jump to the most recently received media.

40. The device of claim 25, further comprising one or more elements configured to respectively perform one or more of the following functions on the media:

indexing;

searching;

transcribing;

or translating.

41. The device of claim 25, wherein the transmitter and the storage or memory element are further configured to progressively transmit the local media after the local media has been stored in the storage or memory element.

42. The device of claim 25, wherein the transmitter and the storage or memory element are further configured to progressively transmit the local media before the local media has been stored in the storage or memory element.

43. The device of claim 25, wherein the transmitter and the storage or memory element are further configured to progressively transmit the local media at substantially the same time the local media is stored in the storage or memory element.

44. The device of claim 25, wherein the memory or storage element and the rendering element are further configured to progressively render the received media after the received media has been stored.

45. The device of claim 25, wherein the memory or storage element and the rendering element are further configured to progressively render the received media before the received media is stored.

46. The device of claim 25, wherein the memory or storage element and the rendering element are further configured to progressively render the received media at substantially the same time the received media is stored.

47. The device of claim 25, wherein the media comprises one or more of the following types of media:

voice, video, text, sensor data, radio signals position or GPS information, or a combination thereof.

48. The device of claim 25, wherein the communication device comprises one of the following:

a land-line phone, a wireless phone, cellular phone, a mobile phone, a computer, a radio, a satellite phone, a satellite radio, a tactical radio, or a tactical phone.

49. The device of claim 25, wherein the network comprises a packet-based network, a circuit-based network, a cellular network, a wireless network, a wired network, a radio network, a satellite network, a telephone network, or a combination thereof.

50. A communication device, comprising:

a receive encoder configured to receive local media on the communication device originating at the communication device;

a storage or memory element configured to progressively and persistently store the received local media on the communication device as the local media is received;

a transmitter configured to ascertain network capabilities between the communication device and the network as the local media is being received, the transmitter further configured to progressively transmit the locally received media over the network as the local media is received when the ascertained network capabilities are sufficient to support the progressive transmission;

a receiver configured to receive over the network remote media from one or more remote communication devices;

the storage or memory element further configured to progressively and persistently store on the communication device the remote media as the remote media is received over the network;

a rendering element; and

a rendering control element configured to control the rendering element to render either;

(i) the remote media as the remote media is received over the network in a near real-time mode;

or

(ii) the remote media and the local media retrieved from the storage or memory element in a time-shifted mode.

51. The device of claim 50, wherein the local media and the remote media are each media streams segmented into messages.

52. The device of claim 51, wherein the messages are time indexed.

53. The device of claim 52, wherein the messages are associated with a conversation, the conversation conducted over the network between the communication device and the one or more remote communication devices.

54. The device of claim 50, wherein the transmitter is further configured to ascertaining network capabilities by ascertaining if the communication device is connected to the network,

wherein connected to the network is defined as the ability to transmit data between the communication device and the network.

55. The device of claim 54, wherein the transmitter is further configured when the communication device is connected to the network to:

ascertain the available bandwidth on the network connection between the communication device and the network when the local media is being received at the communication device; and

compare the available bandwidth on the network with bandwidth requirements required to progressively transmit the locally received media.

56. The device of claim 55, wherein the transmitter is further configured to progressively transmit the locally received media over the network within the available bandwidth rate if the available bandwidth on the network meets or exceeds the bandwidth requirements.

57. The device of claim 55, wherein the transmitter is further configured to:

delay the progressive transmission of the locally received media over the network if the available bandwidth on the network is less than the bandwidth requirements; and

progressively transmit the locally received media from persistent storage after network capabilities improve to the point where the available bandwidth on the network meets or exceeds the bandwidth requirements.

58. The device of claim 50, wherein the transmitter is further configured to ascertaining network capabilities by ascertaining if the communication device is disconnected from the network,

wherein disconnected from the network is defined as the inability to transmit data between the communication device and the network.

59. The device of claim 58, wherein the transmitter is further configured when the communication device is disconnected from the network to:

delay the progressive transmission of the locally received media over the network when the communication device is disconnected from the network; and

progressively transmit the locally received media from storage when the communication device reconnects to the network and the network capabilities are sufficient to support the transmission.

60. The device of claim 50, wherein the rendering element is further configured to render the media using one of a plurality of rendering options, the rendering options including one or more of the following:

pause, replay, play faster, play slower, jump backward, jump forward, skip silence, catch up to the most recently received media, or jump to the most recently received media.

61. The device of claim 50, further comprising one or more elements configured to respectively perform one or more of the following functions on the media:

indexing;

searching;

transcribing;

or translating.

62. The device of claim 50, wherein the transmitter and the storage or memory element are further configured to progressively transmit the local media after the local media has been stored in the storage or memory element.

63. The device of claim 50, wherein the transmitter and the storage or memory element are further configured to progressively transmit the local media before the local media has been stored in the storage or memory element.

64. The device of claim 50, wherein the transmitter and the storage or memory element are further configured to progressively transmit the local media at substantially the same time the local media is stored in the storage or memory element.

65. The device of claim 50, wherein the memory or storage element and the rendering element are further configured to progressively render the received media after the received media has been stored.

66. The device of claim 50, wherein the memory or storage element and the rendering element are further configured to progressively render the received media before the received media is stored.

67. The device of claim 50, wherein the memory or storage element and the rendering element are further configured to progressively render the received media at substantially the same time the received media is stored.

68. The device of claim 50, wherein the media comprises one or more of the following types of media:

voice, video, text, sensor data, radio signals position or GPS information, or a combination thereof.

69. The device of claim 50, wherein the communication device comprises one of the following:

a land-line phone, a wireless phone, cellular phone, a mobile phone, a computer, a radio, a satellite phone, a satellite radio, a tactical radio, or a tactical phone.

70. The device of claim 50, wherein the network comprises a packet-based network, a circuit-based network, a cellular network, a wireless network, a wired network, a radio network, a satellite network, a telephone network, or a combination thereof.