System and Method for Remotely Directed Filtering and Sorting of Near Real-Time Audio or Video Messages

• US 20160323230A1
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian E. Litzinger, Larry Scott Marso
• Original Assignee: Brian E. Litzinger, Larry Scott Marso
• Inventors: Marso, Larry Scott, Litzinger, Brian E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,819,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

Remotely directed filtering and sorting of near real-time audio or video messages is accomplished by including, within a messaging device, a messaging client application capable of assigning via a user interface attributes to an outgoing message, including a filtering assertion and a sorting assertion which express efficiently a sender'"'"'s judgment about the relevance and currency of past, current and future messages with common attributes. Upon receiving a plurality of near real-time audio or video messages, the messaging client application enables a user to select attributes via a user interface for grouping pending messages, which are filtered and sorted in accordance with procedures that aggregate filtering and sorting assertions associated with messages having common attributes. The messaging client application further displays filtered counts of pending messages and sorted lists of pending messages and, in accordance with such sort, plays the next message when directed by a user interface.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of prioritizing for presentation in a user interface near real-time audio or video messages in accordance with relevance and currency, comprising:

receipt over a communication network of a plurality of messages, each with a timestamp and additional attributes;

collection of said messages into nonexclusive sets in accordance with a user interface specification for one or more groupings by common attributes;

filtering each said set containing at least one message with a filtering assertion in accordance with one of the following procedures (a) or (b);

(a) identifying the most recent message with a filtering assertion, and excluding all earlier unplayed messages;

or

(b) performing the following steps (i)-(iii);

(i) assigning to each unplayed message an aggregation of said filtering assertions, if any, included with itself or any earlier message;

(ii) aggregating said filtering assertions included with any message; and

(iii) excluding each message for which the aggregation in step (i) is assigned and less than the aggregation of step (ii);

and excluding each already played message from each said set.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said user interface specification groups messages according to one or more of the following common attributes:

sender(s), subject tag(s), proximity (or threshold proximity) in respect to geolocation(s), proximity (or threshold proximity) in a social graph or network, rating of a sender or message, or message type according to a predetermined classification scheme;

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said filtering assertion consists of either (i) or (ii):

(i) an indicator of a judgment by the sender that earlier messages, when grouped with the current message in one or more nonexclusive sets in accordance with said user interface specification, should no longer be playable, treated for purpose of aggregation as the value 1 if present, and as the value 0 if not present;

or

(ii) a positive or negative value expressing the direction and intensity of a judgment by the sender whether earlier messages, when grouped with the current message in one or more nonexclusive sets in accordance with said user interface specification, should no longer be playable, treated as a 0 if not present.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

counting the number of messages remaining in each of said nonexclusive sets, after said filtering and exclusion;

and presenting in a user interface each said count together with a set identifier.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

selection in a user interface of one or more of said set identifiers;

collection of said messages into new nonexclusive sets in accordance with a user interface specification for one or more groupings by common attributes, at a lower level of aggregation, given said selection as additional limiting criteria;

repeating for said new sets said filtering and exclusion;

counting the number of messages remaining in each of said new sets, after said filtering and exclusion;

and presenting in a user interface each said count together with a set identifier.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

selection in a user interface of one or more of said set identifiers;

collection of said messages into a new nonexclusive set in accordance with a user interface specification for grouping by common attributes, given said selections as additional limiting criteria;

before excluding each already played message from said set, sorting said set if it contains at least one message with a sorting assertion by performing the following steps (a) and (b);

(a) assigning to each unplayed message an aggregation of said sorting assertions, if any, included with itself or any earlier message; and

(b) assigning to each unplayed message an ordered position in accordance with the descending value of the aggregation in step (a) and, where said value is equivalent, in accordance with the ascending value of said timestamp;

and after said exclusion, performing either of the following steps (c) or 18;

(c) presenting in a user interface an ordered list of messages;

or

(d) playing the next message in accordance with its ordered position.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said sorting assertion consists of either (i) or (ii):

(i) an indicator of a judgment by the sender that the current message and messages that follow should be played before prior messages, when grouped in one or more nonexclusive sets in accordance with said user interface specification and said selection(s), treated for purpose of aggregation as the value 1 if present, and as the value 0 if not present;

or

(ii) a positive or negative value expressing the direction and intensity of a judgment by the sender whether the current message and messages that follow should be played before prior messages, when grouped in one or more nonexclusive sets in accordance with said user interface specification and said selection(s), treated as a 0 if not present.

8. An audio or video near real-time messaging device, comprising:

a processor;

an audio input device coupled to a processor;

an audio output device coupled to a processor;

optionally, a video input device coupled to a processor;

a display coupled to a processor;

a network interface coupled to a processor;

a near real-time audio or video messaging client application, executed by a processor, capable of;

presenting message attribute alternatives in a user interface, including but not limited to a means to assign a filtering assertion;

noting user selections of such attributes, and associating selected attributes with an individual outgoing message from one user operating such a device to at least one other user operating such a device, and recording and sending said message with said input device(s) across said network interface;

receiving a plurality of incoming messages with such attributes from at least one other sender; and

utilizing such attributes to group said messages in accordance with a user interface specification for presentation; and

presenting and playing said messages with said output device and display;

said client application with, additionally, a means to filter said messages prior to said presentation and play.

9. A device of claim 8, wherein said client application has, additionally a means to assign a sorting assertion to said outgoing message;

and a means to sort said incoming messages prior to said presentation and play.

10. A device of claim 9 wherein said client application permits selection of one or more of the following attributes for assignment to an outgoing message:

recipient(s), subject tag(s), proximity (or threshold proximity) in respect to geolocation(s), proximity (or threshold proximity) in a social graph or network, rating of a recipient, or message type according to a predetermined classification scheme;

11. A device of claim 10 wherein said client application permits selection of one or more of the following attributes to group incoming messages:

sender(s), subject tag(s), proximity (or threshold proximity) in respect to geolocation(s), proximity (or threshold proximity) in a social graph or network, rating of a sender or message, or message type according to a predetermined classification scheme;

12. A device of claim 11, wherein said device is a mobile phone;

13. A device of claim 11, wherein said device is a desktop computer;

14. A device of claim 11, wherein said device is a networked wristwatch computer;

15. An audio or video near real-time messaging communication system, comprising:

a plurality of audio or video near real-time messaging devices, each including a near real-time audio or video messaging client application capable of presenting message attribute alternatives in a user interface, including but not limited to a means to assign a filtering assertion;

noting user selections of such attributes, and associating selected attributes with an individual outgoing message from one user operating such a device to at least one other user operating such a device, and recording and sending said message across a communication network;

receiving a plurality of incoming messages with such attributes from at least one other sender; and

utilizing such attributes to group said messages in accordance with a user interface specification for presentation; and

presenting and playing said messages;

said client application with, additionally, a means to filter said messages prior to said presentation and play;

a near real-time audio or video messaging server associated with such messaging devices, operative to receive messages from such devices, route and transmit said messages to such devices;

a communication network over which said messages are transmitted between said messaging devices and said messaging server, or between said messaging devices.

16. A system of claim 15, wherein said client application on a messaging device has, additionally a means to assign a sorting assertion to said outgoing message;

and a means to sort said incoming messages prior to said presentation and play.

17. A system of claim 16, wherein said messaging server routes a message based on its attributes and social network information accessible by said server.

18. A system of claim 16, wherein said messaging server routes a message based on its attributes and information about the geolocation of users of said devices accessible by said server.