Video phone multimedia announcement message toolkit

• US 6,385,305 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1997
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gerszberg, Irwin, Walker, Hopeton S., Martin, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/001,345
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/14.01, 348/14.06, 348/14.07, 379/67.1, 379/88.12, 379/88.13
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A toolkit for creating customized video announcement messages on video-enabled answering machine. The video-enabled answering machine may have many new features including customized video announcement messages, caller ID based video announcement messages, and time based video announcement messages.

Claims

1. A video phone answering machine, comprising:

a toolkit used for creating or modifying a video announcement message the toolkit including at least one object tool for creating, adding or manipulating an object in a video announcement message,

wherein the toolkit includes one or more object tools for configuring an object to appear in a video message based on a comparison of pre-stored criteria with a current date.

2. In a video phone answering machine, a toolkit used for creating or modifying a video announcement message, the toolkit including:

at least one object tool for creating, adding or manipulating an object in a video announcement message, and

at least one modification tool for modifying an incoming video announcement message,

wherein the object is a video window.

3. In a video phone answering machine, a toolkit used for creating or modifying a video announcement message, the toolkit including:

at least one object tool for creating, adding or manipulating an object in a video announcement message, and

at least one modification tool for modifying an incoming video announcement message,

wherein the object is a button.

4. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

allowing a user to create at least one of a plurality of objects, the objects defining a video announcement message, the video announcement message appearing to a caller;

allowing the user to manipulate at least one of the objects; and

allowing a user to modify an incoming video announcement message,

wherein the instructions for allowing the user to create include instructions for allowing the user to create a button.

5. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

allowing a user to create at least one of a plurality of objects, the objects defining a video announcement message, the video announcement message appearing to a caller;

allowing the user to manipulate at least one of the objects; and

allowing a user to modify an incoming video announcement message,

wherein the instructions for allowing the user to create include instructions for allowing the user to create a video window.

6. A video phone answering machine, comprising:

a toolkit used for creating or modifying a video announcement message, the toolkit including at least one object tool for creating, adding or manipulating an object in a video announcement message,

wherein the object tools are for creating or manipulating an object selected from the group consisting of;

shapes, figures, drawings, dependency icons, checkboxes, drop-down lists, borders, and background images.

7. A video phone answering machine, comprising:

a toolkit used for creating or modifying a video announcement message, the toolkit including at least one object tool for creating, adding or manipulating an object in a video announcement message,

wherein the object tools are for creating or manipulating an object selected from the group consisting of an object allowing an incoming caller to obtain direct access to a greeting of another call destination, an object allowing an incoming caller to connect to alternate information for a call recipient, and an object to provide an incoming caller with access to a control feature of the video phone.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

allowing a user to create at least one of a plurality of objects, the objects defining a video announcement message, the video announcement message appearing to a caller; and

allowing the user to manipulate at least one of the objects;

wherein the instructions include instructions selected from the group consisting of;

instructions for allowing a user to draw objects, instructions for allowing a user to fill enclosed objects with a color or pattern, instructions for allowing a user to apply a date dependency to an object, instructions for allowing a user to create a checkbox, instructions for allowing a user to create a drop-down list, instructions for allowing a user to provide password protection, instructions for creating a border, and instructions for allowing a user to provide special effects.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

allowing a user to create at least one of a plurality of objects, the objects defining a video announcement message, the video announcement message appearing to a caller; and

allowing the user to manipulate at least one of the objects;

wherein the instructions include instructions for creating or manipulating an object selected from the group consisting of;

shapes, figures, drawings, checkboxes, drop-down lists, borders, and background images.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

allowing a user to create at least one of a plurality of objects, the objects defining a video announcement message, the video announcement message appearing to a caller; and

allowing the user to manipulate at least one of the objects;

wherein the instructions include instructions for creating or manipulating an object selected from the group consisting of;

an object allowing an incoming caller to obtain direct access to a greeting of another call destination, an object allowing an incoming caller to connect to alternate information for a call recipient, and an object to provide an incoming caller with access to a control feature of the video phone.