SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTEXT ENHANCED MESSAGING

• US 20100049702A1
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, Marc Eliot, Higgins, Christopher William, Spiegelman, Michael, Kalaboukis, Chris, Martinez, Ronald, Paretti, Christopher T., Ghezzi, Nicola Stefano
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A system and method for media enhanced messaging. A message from a message sender to be delivered to at least one message recipient is received over a network. The message comprises at least one delivery criteria and at least one content criteria. When it is determined, via the network that the delivery criteria of the message has been satisfied, a query is formulated based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify at least one media file that is relevant to the content criteria. The media files are inserted into the message and the message is transmitted over the network to the recipient.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving, over a network, a message from a message sender to be delivered to at least one message recipient, wherein the message comprises at least one content criteria;

formulating a query based on the at least one content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the at least one content criteria and to media files so as to identify at least one media file that is relevant to the at least one content criteria;

inserting the at least one media file into the message;

transmitting the message over the network to the at least one message recipient.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein user profile data comprise data that match at least one user, and the preferences of the at least one user is used as part of the query.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one content criteria is a spatial criteria.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one content criteria is a temporal criteria.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one content criteria is a social criteria.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one content criteria is a topical criteria.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one content criteria is the lyrics of a song.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the message contains at least two content criteria, wherein a first one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a first time, and wherein a second one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a second time.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein a playlist referencing the at least one media file is inserted into the message.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein an HTTP link referencing the at least one media file is inserted into the message.

12. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving, over a network, a message from a message sender to be delivered to at least one message recipient, wherein the message comprises at least one delivery criteria and at least one content criteria;

determining, via the network, that the delivery criteria for the message has been satisfied;

formulating a query based on the at least one content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the at least one content criteria and to media files so as to identify at least one media file that is relevant to the at least one content criteria;

inserting the at least one media file into the message;

transmitting the message over the network to the at least one message recipient.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein if at least one delivery criteria is not satisfied when the message is initially received, the message is stored until at least one change in data on the network causes the delivery criteria to be satisfied.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific time.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific date and time.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted on the occurrence of a specific event.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the at least one recipient is in a specific location.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the at least one recipient is in a specific location at a specific time.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein user profile data comprise data that match at least one user, and the preferences of the at least one user is used as part of the query.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one content criteria is a spatial criteria.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one content criteria is a temporal criteria.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one content criteria is a social criteria.

23. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one content criteria is a topical criteria.

24. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network.

25. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one content criteria is the lyrics of a song.

26. The method of claim 12 wherein the message contains at least two content criteria, wherein a first one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a first time, and wherein a second one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a second time.

27. The method of claim 12 wherein a playlist referencing the at least one media file is inserted into the message.

28. The method of claim 12 wherein an HTTP link referencing the at least one media file is inserted into the message.

29. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for a method comprising the steps:

receiving, over a network, a message from a message sender to be delivered to at least one message recipient, wherein the message comprises at least one content criteria;

formulating a query based on the at least one content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the at least one content criteria and to media files so as to identify at least one media file that is relevant to the at least one content criteria;

inserting the at least one media file into the message;

transmitting the message over the network to the at least one message recipient.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein user profile data comprise data that match at least one user, and the preferences of the at least one user is used as part of the query.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the at least one content criteria is a spatial criteria.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the at least one content criteria is a temporal criteria.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the at least one content criteria is a social criteria.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the at least one content criteria is a topical criteria.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the at least one content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the at least one content criteria is the lyrics of a song.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the message contains at least two content criteria, wherein a first one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a first time, and wherein a second one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a second time.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein a playlist referencing the at least one media file is inserted into the message.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein an HTTP link referencing the at least one media file is inserted into the message.

40. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for a method comprising the steps:

receiving, over a network, a message from a message sender to be delivered to at least one message recipient, wherein the message comprises at least one delivery criteria and at least one content criteria;

determining, via the network, that the delivery criteria for the message has been satisfied;

formulating a query based on the at least one content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the at least one content criteria and to media files so as to identify at least one media file that is relevant to the at least one content criteria;

inserting the at least one media file into the message;

transmitting the message over the network to the at least one message recipient.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein if at least one delivery criteria is not satisfied when the message is initially received, the message is stored until at least one change in data on the network causes the delivery criteria to be satisfied.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific time.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific date and time.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted on the occurrence of a specific event.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the at least one recipient is in a specific location.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the at least one recipient is in a specific location at a specific time.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein user profile data comprise data that match at least one user, and the preferences of the at least one user is used as part of the query.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one content criteria is a spatial criteria.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one content criteria is a temporal criteria.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one content criteria is a social criteria.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one content criteria is a topical criteria.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the at least one content criteria is the lyrics of a song.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the message contains at least two content criteria, wherein a first one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a first time, and wherein a second one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a second time.

55. The method of claim 40 wherein a playlist referencing the at least one media file is inserted into the message.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein an HTTP link referencing the at least one media file is inserted into the message.

57. A system comprising:

a context enhanced message receiving module that receives messages from senders, wherein the requests each contains at least one recipient, at least one delivery criteria and at least one content criteria;

a delivery criteria evaluation and tracking module that determines for each message received by the context enhanced message receiving module if the at least one delivery criteria of the message is satisfied;

a media retrieval module that uses content criteria on each message received by the context enhanced message receiving module to formulate a query based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify at least one media file that is relevant to the content criteria;

a context enhanced message update module that, for each message, inserts the at least one media files identified by the media retrieval module into the message;

context enhanced message transmission module that transmits each the message updated by the context enhanced message update module to the at least one recipient of the message.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein if the delivery criteria of a message is not satisfied when the message is initially evaluated, the message is retained and the delivery criteria evaluation and tracking module tracks data related to delivery criteria of the message until the delivery criteria of a message are satisfied.

59. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific time.

60. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific date and time.

61. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted on the occurrence of a specific event.

62. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the at least one recipient is in a specific location.

63. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the at least one delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the at least one recipient is in a specific location at a specific time.

64. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages user profile data comprise data that match at least one user, and the preferences of the at least one user is used as part of the query.

65. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the at least one content criteria is a spatial criteria.

66. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the at least one content criteria is a temporal criteria.

67. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the at least one content criteria is a social criteria.

68. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the at least one content criteria is a topical criteria.

69. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the at least one content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network.

70. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages wherein the at least one content criteria is the lyrics of a song.

71. The system of claim 57 wherein for at least some messages the message contains at least two content criteria, wherein a first one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a first time, and wherein a second one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a second time.

72. The system of claim 57 wherein the context enhanced message update module inserts a playlist referencing the at least one media into the message.

73. The system of claim 57 wherein the context enhanced message update module inserts an HTTP link referencing the at least one media file.