VOICE AND TEXT MAIL APPLICATION FOR COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20100166159A1
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• 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 8,542,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.130
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• 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 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• 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 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4563 Voicemail monitoring during recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

Abstract

A voice and text mail application method and apparatus capable of supporting both synchronous and asynchronous voice communication. The application is configured to (i) simultaneously and progressively store media of an incoming message as the media is received at a communication device over the network and (ii) provides a “catch up” rendering option which enables the rendering of previously received media of the message starting at any previous point of the message and to catch up the rendering to the current point or head of the message as the media of the message is being received. By rendering the previously received media of the incoming message out of storage at a rate faster relative to when the media of the incoming message was originally encoded, eventually the rendering will catch up and seamlessly transition the rendering from an asynchronous time-shifted mode out of storage to a synchronous mode as the media of the message is received over the network. In various alternative embodiments, the application also enables the (a) screening of the media of the incoming message as the media is received over the network; (b) the ability to join a live conversation with the sender of the incoming message as the media of the incoming message is received over the network, and/or (c) the option to ignore the media of the incoming message.

Claims

1. A messaging method for communicating on a communication device, the method comprising:

simultaneously and progressively storing media of an incoming message as the media of the incoming message is received at the communication device over a network; and

providing a rendering option to catch up to the most recently received media of the incoming message, the catch up to the most recently received media rendering option causing;

(i) rendering on the communication device in a time-shifted mode the previously received media of the incoming message out of storage at a rate faster relative to when the media of the incoming message was originally encoded; and

(ii) seamlessly transitioning the rendering of the incoming media from the time-shifted mode to a real-time mode when the rendering of the previously received media of the incoming message out of storage at the faster rate has caught up to and coincides with the media of the incoming message as the media is received over the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering option is either:

(i) a catch-up-to-live (CTL) rendering option and the rendering of the media of the incoming message after the seamless transition is live as the media of the incoming message is created and transmitted over the network;

or

(ii) a catch-up-to the most recently received media of the incoming message, where the media of the incoming message was created at a time before the media is transmitted and received at the communication device over the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the media of the message comprises one of the following:

(i) voice media;

(ii) video media;

(iii) text media;

(iv) GPS data;

(v) sensor data;

(vi) photos or images;

or

(vii) any combination of (i) through (vi).

4. The method of claim 1, further providing a join live option for enabling a live conversation to take place over the network, in response to the incoming message, between the communication device and a remote communication device sending the incoming message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a screening option which enables the screening of the media of the incoming message in real-time, as the media of the incoming message is received over the network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an ignore option for ignoring of the media of the incoming message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating on the communication device a response message and transmitting the response message over the network to a remote communication device which sent the incoming message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the response message is sent synchronously relative to the incoming message.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the response message is sent asynchronously relative to the incoming message.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the media of the incoming message and the response message is voice media respectively.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the media of the incoming message is voice media and the media of the response message is text media.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the response message over the network to the remote communication device further comprises transmitting the response message without first establishing a circuit connection over the network with the remote communication device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a delete option for deleting the incoming message.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the delete option further comprises one of the following:

(i) providing the option to manually delete the incoming message;

(ii) providing for the automatic deletion of the incoming message after a predetermined period of time has lapsed after receipt of the incoming message;

or

(iii) providing both (i) and (ii).

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the incoming message with a conversation.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising selectively displaying a history of the conversation, the history including the messages associated with the conversation, wherein the messages of the conversation comprises one of the following:

(i) one or more voice messages;

(ii) one or more text messages;

or

(iii) a combination of (i) and (ii).

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising visually displaying a visual indicator showing the receipt of the incoming message at the communication device before the incoming message is received in full.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying on the communication device the receipt of the incoming message before the incoming message is received in full.

19. A messaging application capable of supporting both synchronous and asynchronous messaging on a communication device, the messaging application including modules for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

20. The communication device of claim 19, comprising:

a housing;

a processor contained in the housing; and

the messaging application running on the processor.

56. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving meta data associated with the incoming message; and

notifying on the communication device the receipt of the incoming message when the meta data associated with the incoming message is received, but before the media of the incoming message is received in full.

57. The method of claim 18, wherein the notification of the receipt of the incoming message before the incoming message is received in full further comprises one of the following:

providing a visual indicator on the communication device;

(ii) providing an audio indicator on the communication device;

or

(iii) both (i) and (ii).

21. A messaging method for communicating on a communication device, the method comprising:

simultaneously and progressively storing media of an incoming message as the media of the incoming message is received at the communication device over a network; and

providing on the communication device one or more options for responding to the incoming message, the one or more options including;

(i) rendering the media of the incoming message from storage;

(ii) screening the media of the incoming message as the media is received over the network;

(iii) joining a live conversation with the sender of the incoming message as the media of the incoming message is received over the network;

(iv) rendering the media of the incoming message previously received from storage at a rate faster than the media was originally encoded in a time-shifted mode and then seamlessly transitioning the rendering of the media of the incoming message as the media is received over the network when the rendering from storage has caught up to and coincides with the media of the incoming message as it is received over the network;

or

(v) ignoring the media of the incoming message.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

notifying on the communication device the receipt of the incoming message received over the network as soon as meta data associated with the incoming media is received at the communication device.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein screening the media of the incoming message as the media is received over the network further comprise not notifying the sender of the incoming message that the incoming message is being reviewed

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the media of the message comprises one of the following:

(i) voice media;

(ii) video media;

(iii) text media;

(iv) GPS data;

(v) sensor data;

(vi) photos or images;

or

(vii) any combination of (i) through (vi).

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising generating on the communication device a response message and transmitting the response message over the network to a remote communication device which sent the incoming message.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the response message is sent synchronously relative to the incoming message.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the response message is sent asynchronously relative to the incoming message.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the media of the incoming message and the response message is voice media respectively.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the media of the incoming message is voice media and the media of the response message is text media.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein transmitting the response message over the network to the remote communication device further comprises transmitting the response message without first establishing a circuit connection over the network with the remote communication device.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a delete option for deleting the incoming message.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein providing the delete option further comprises one of the following:

(i) providing the option to manually delete the incoming message;

(ii) providing for the automatic deletion of the incoming message after a predetermined period of time has lapsed after receipt of the incoming message;

or

(iii) providing both (i) and (ii).

33. The method of claim 21, further comprising associating the incoming message with a conversation.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising selectively displaying a history of the conversation, the history including the messages associated with the conversation, wherein the messages of the conversation comprises one of the following:

(i) one or more voice messages;

(ii) one or more text messages;

or

(iii) a combination of (i) and (ii).

35. The method of claim 21, further comprising notifying on the communication device the receipt of the incoming message before the incoming message is received in full.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein notifying the receipt of the incoming message before the incoming message is received in full further comprises one of the following:

(i) providing a visual indicator on the communication device;

(ii) providing an audio indicator on the communication device;

or

(iii) both (i) and (ii).

37. A messaging application capable of supporting both synchronous and asynchronous messaging on a communication device, the messaging application including modules for performing the steps recited in claim 21.

38. The communication device of claim 37, further comprising:

a housing;

and

a processor contained in the housing, the messaging application running on the processor.

58. The method of claim 37, wherein the notification indicating the receipt of the incoming message occurs when meta data associated with the incoming message is received, but before the media of the incoming message is received in full.

39. A messaging method for communicating on a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming message over a network at the communication device; and

notifying on the communication device an indicator indicating the receipt of the incoming message at the communication device before the incoming message is received in full at the communication device.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

simultaneously and progressively storing media of the incoming message as the media of the incoming message is received at the communication device over the network; and

providing a rendering option to catch up to the most recently received media of the incoming message, the catch up to the most recently received media rendering option causing;

(i) rendering on the communication device in a time-shifted mode the previously received media of the incoming message out of storage at a rate faster relative to when the media of the incoming message was originally encoded; and

(ii) seamlessly transitioning the rendering of the incoming media from the time-shifted mode to a real-time mode when the rendering of the previously received media of the incoming message out of storage at the faster rate has caught up to and coincides with the media of the incoming message as the media is received over the network.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the rendering option is either:

(i) a catch-up-to-live (CTL) rendering option and the rendering of the media of the incoming message after the seamless transition is live as the media of the incoming message is created and transmitted over the network;

or

(ii) a catch-up-to the most recently received media of the incoming message, where the media of the incoming message was created at a time before the media is transmitted and received at the communication device over the network.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

simultaneously and progressively storing media of the incoming message as the media of the incoming message is received at the communication device over the network; and

providing on the communication device one or more options for responding to the media of the incoming message, the one or more options including;

(i) rendering the media of the incoming message from storage;

(ii) screening the media of the incoming message as the media is received over the network;

(iii) joining a live conversation with the sender of the incoming message as the media of the incoming message is received over the network;

(iv) rendering the media of the incoming message previously received from storage at a rate faster than the media was originally encoded in a time-shifted mode and then seamlessly transitioning the rendering of the media of the incoming message “

live”

in a real-time mode as the media is received over the network when the rendering from storage has caught up to and coincides with the media of the incoming message as it is received over the network;

or

(v) ignoring the media of the incoming message.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the notification comprises one of the following:

(i) a visual indicator notifying the receipt of the incoming message;

(ii) an audible notification notifying of the receipt of the incoming message;

or

(iii) both (i) and (ii).

44. The method of claim 42, wherein screening the media of the incoming message as the media is received over the network further comprise not notifying the sender of the incoming message that the incoming message is being reviewed

45. The method of claim 39, wherein the media of the message comprises one of the following:

(i) voice media;

(ii) video media;

(iii) text media;

(iv) GPS data;

(v) sensor data;

(vi) photos or images;

or

(vii) any combination of (i) through (vi).

46. The method of claim 39, further comprising generating on the communication device a response message and transmitting the response message over the network to a remote communication device which sent the incoming message.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the response message is sent synchronously relative to the incoming message.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the response message is sent asynchronously relative to the incoming message.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the media of the incoming message and the response message is voice media respectively.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the media of the incoming message is voice media and the media of the response message is text media.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein transmitting the response message over the network to the remote communication device further comprises transmitting the response message without first establishing a circuit connection over the network with the remote communication device.

52. The method of claim 39, further comprising associating the incoming message with a conversation.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising selectively displaying a history of the conversation, the history including the messages associated with the conversation, wherein the messages of the conversation comprises one of the following:

(i) one or more voice messages;

(ii) one or more text messages;

or

(iii) a combination of (i) and (ii).

54. A messaging application capable of supporting both synchronous and asynchronous messaging on a communication device, the messaging application including modules for performing the steps recited in claim 39.

55. The communication device of claim 54, further comprising:

a housing;

and

a processor contained in the housing, the messaging application running on the processor.