Automatic addressing of messages and message components of different media
First Claim
1. A messaging, apparatus comprising:
- a memory for storing a directory of a plurality of addresses each associated with both a message recipient and an indication of media that the message recipient receives at the address, at least some of the addresses being associated with both a same said message recipient and different said media;
means cooperative with the memory means and responsive to receipt, from a sender of a multimedia message comprising a plurality of components each expressed in a different one of a plurality of media, of an identification of an intended recipient of the message, for automatically searching the directory to find one address at which the intended message recipient receives all media in which the components of the message are expressed, and responsive to a failure to find the one address in the directory, for automatically searching the directory, for each said component of the message, to find an address at which the intended message recipient receives the medium in which the component is expressed;
means cooperative with the finding means and responsive to the finding means finding the one address in the directory, for automatically addressing the components with the one address, and responsive to the finding means finding a corresponding said address for each said component of the message, for automatically addressing each said component of the message with corresponding said found address, prior to sending of the message from the message sender to the intended recipient; and
means cooperative with the addressing means, for sending each said addressed component of the message from the message sender to the address with which the component is addressed.
18 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A message sender (104) is equipped with a facility (250, 251) that automatically addresses the sender'"'"'s messages and/or message components expressed in different media to the appropriate different addresses of the intended message recipient, in response to receiving an identification, such as the name, of the intended message recipient from the message sender. The message sender has an electronic directory (250) that lists, for at least some message recipients, a plurality of different telephone numbers and indicates for each telephone number the message medium or media that can be received at that address. The message sender further has a message manager (251) graphical user interface to a multi-media messaging system (101) that automatically responds to the sender-provided identity of the intended message recipient by finding in the directory either the message recipient'"'"'s one telephone number for receiving all of the media in which the message is expressed, or the message recipient'"'"'s telephone numbers for receiving each of the media if the one telephone number does not exist, and then addressing the message or the components of the message with the corresponding telephone number or numbers prior to sending the message to the intended recipient.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A messaging, apparatus comprising:
-
a memory for storing a directory of a plurality of addresses each associated with both a message recipient and an indication of media that the message recipient receives at the address, at least some of the addresses being associated with both a same said message recipient and different said media; means cooperative with the memory means and responsive to receipt, from a sender of a multimedia message comprising a plurality of components each expressed in a different one of a plurality of media, of an identification of an intended recipient of the message, for automatically searching the directory to find one address at which the intended message recipient receives all media in which the components of the message are expressed, and responsive to a failure to find the one address in the directory, for automatically searching the directory, for each said component of the message, to find an address at which the intended message recipient receives the medium in which the component is expressed; means cooperative with the finding means and responsive to the finding means finding the one address in the directory, for automatically addressing the components with the one address, and responsive to the finding means finding a corresponding said address for each said component of the message, for automatically addressing each said component of the message with corresponding said found address, prior to sending of the message from the message sender to the intended recipient; and means cooperative with the addressing means, for sending each said addressed component of the message from the message sender to the address with which the component is addressed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 15)
-
-
4. A messaging apparatus comprising:
-
a memory for storing a directory of a plurality of addresses each associated with both a message recipient and an indication of media that the message recipient receives at the address, at least some of the addresses being associated with both a same said message recipient and different said media; means for generating a multimedia message comprising a plurality of components each expressed in a different one of a plurality of media; means cooperative with the memory and responsive to receipt, from a sender of the message, of an identification of an intended recipient of the message, for automatically searching the directory to find one address at which the intended message recipient receives all media in which the components of the message are expressed, and responsive to a failure to find the one address in the directory, for automatically searching the directory, for each said component of the message, to find an address at which the intended message recipient receives the medium in which the component is expressed; means cooperative with the finding means and responsive to the finding means finding the one address in the directory, for automatically addressing the components with the one address, and responsive to the finding means finding a corresponding said address for each said component of the message, for automatically addressing each said component of the message with corresponding said found address, prior to sending of the message from the generating means to the intended recipient; and means cooperative with the generating means and the addressing means, for sending each said addressed component from the generating means to the address with which the component is addressed. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A message-sender interface to a messaging apparatus having means for generating a multimedia message comprising a plurality of components each expressed in a different one of a plurality of media and means for sending each addressed said component of the message from the generating means to the address with which the component is addressed, the interface comprising:
-
a memory for storing a directory of a plurality of addresses each associated with both a message recipient and an indication of media that the associated message recipient receives at the address, at least some of the addresses being associated with both a same said recipient and different said media; first means cooperative with the memory and responsive to receipt, from a sender of a message generated by the generating means, of an identification of an intended recipient of the message, for automatically searching the directory to find one address at which the intended message recipient receives all media in which the components of the message are expressed, and responsive to a failure to find the one address in the directory, for automatically searching the directory, for each said component of the message, to find an address at which the intended message recipient receives the medium in which the component is expressed; and second means cooperative with the finding means and responsive to the finding means finding the one address in the directory, for automatically addressing the components with the one address, and responsive to the finding means finding a corresponding said address for each said component of the message, for automatically addressing each said component of the message with the corresponding said found address, prior to the sending means sending the message from the generating means to claim ended recipient. - View Dependent Claims (10, 13)
-
-
11. A message-sender interface to a messaging apparatus having a memory that stores a directory of a plurality of addresses each associated with both a message recipient and an indication of media that the associated message recipient receives at the address, at least some of the addresses being associated with both a same said recipient and different said media, means for generating a multimedia message comprising a plurality of components each expressed in a different one of a plurality of media, and means for sending each addressed said component of the message from the generating means to the address with which the component is addressed, the interface comprising:
-
first means cooperative with the memory and responsive to receipt, from a sender of a message generated by the generating means, of an identification of an intended recipient of the message, for automatically searching the directory to find one address at which the intended message recipient receives all media in which the components of the message are expressed, and responsive to a failure to find the one address in the directory, for automatically searching the directory, for each said component of the message, to find an address at which the intended message recipient receives the medium in which the component is expressed; and second means cooperative with the finding means and responsive to the finding means the one address in the directory, for automatically addressing the components with the one address, and responsive to the finding means finding a corresponding said address for each said component of the message, for automatically addressing each said component of the message with the corresponding said found address, prior to the sending means sending the message from the generating means to the intended recipient. - View Dependent Claims (12, 14)
-
Specification