METHOD AND SYSTEM OF ENHANCED MESSAGING

• US 20090094341A1
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Szeto, Christopher Tzann-en
• Application Number:
  US12/332,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094341A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing rich media for enhancing user interaction with a messaging program. The rich media includes user perceptible content and content specific information. User perceptible content may include a small animated picture with an embedded sound file that messaging program users can send to each other during a messaging session. Content specific information may include a description of the perceptible content, context menu items including universal resource identifiers that link to information related to the content and information related to other messaging program content. In addition computer code is provided to allow communication between the rich media and the messaging program so that the messaging program and the rich media can interoperate.

Claims

1-84. -84. (canceled)

85. A method comprising:

incorporating an enhanced icon into a messaging program executed on a processor, said enhanced icon relating to a product or service to be marketed;

providing a visibly displayed context menu comprising enhanced icon content specific menu items for linking users to other media related to said enhanced icon content;

permitting a first user to forward a message via a messaging system to a second user, which sent message comprises said enhanced icon; and

permitting said second user to forward said enhanced icons to a third user via the messaging system as part of a message originated by said second user.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein the messaging program comprises an instant messaging program.

87. The method of claim 85, wherein the messaging program comprises an email program.

88. The method of claim 85, wherein the messaging program comprises a chat program.

89. The method of claim 85, wherein the messaging program comprises a message board program.

90. The method of claim 85, further comprising providing a network administrator for,

receiving a rich media item from a marketing partner;

preparing the rich media item for use with said messaging program; and

allowing said marketing partner to modify their selection of rich media items.

91. The method of claim 90, wherein the network administrator comprises an automated program.

92. The method of claim 85, wherein said product comprises a movie and said enhanced icon relates to said movie.

93. The method of claim 92, wherein said enhanced icon comprises a character from said movie, and wherein said enhanced icon speaks a line from said movie.

94. The method of claim 85, wherein said product comprises a musical album of a recording artist and said enhanced icon relates to said recording artist, and wherein said enhanced icon sings a clip from said musical album.

95. The method of claim 85, wherein said messaging program comprises a feature for loading environments that enhance a messaging program interface.

96. The method of claim 95, wherein the enhanced icon interacts with the loaded environment.

97. The method of claim 85, further comprising providing an enhanced icon interface through which said users of the messaging program can modify their selection of user selectable enhanced icons.

98. The method of claim 97, wherein the enhanced icon interface comprises a plurality of enhanced icon selections, received from a content provider, from which a user can select additional enhanced icons.

99. The method of claim 97, wherein said enhanced icon interface is a menu, which can comprise submenus, comprising a plurality of enhanced icon selections.

100. The method of claim 99, wherein the menu comprises conspicuous regions for prominently displaying at least one enhanced icon selection.

101. The method if claim 100, wherein the conspicuous region comprises an advertisement.

102-116. -116. (canceled)

117. A method comprising:

incorporating an enhanced icon into a messaging program executing on a processor, said enhanced icon relating to a product or service to be marketed, said enhanced icon incorporated into the messaging program via a rich media toolbar or via a history window of said messaging program;

providing a visibly displayed context menu comprising enhanced icon content specific menu items for linking users to other media related to said enhanced icon content, said messaging program displaying different menu items in the context menu depending on the location of the enhanced icon within the messaging program,

wherein the enhanced icon content specific menu items comprise a first set of context menu items when the enhanced icon is incorporated into the messaging program via the rich media toolbar and comprise a second set of context menu items when the enhanced icon is incorporated into the messaging program via the history window;

permitting a first user to forward a message via a messaging system to a second user, which sent message comprises said enhanced icon; and

permitting said second user to forward said enhanced icons to a third user via the messaging system as part of a message originated by said second user.