Browser-based email system with user interface for audio/video capture

• US 7,308,480 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cleron, Michael A., Lovstrand, Lennart, Yaksick, Jeffrey D, Krueger, Mark N., Callahan, Sean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Oanh
• Application Number:
  US11/207,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709206-207, 709/219, 709/231, 709/217, 709/245, 715/752
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• 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 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• 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: 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 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5315 where the non-audio components are still images or video still image mailbox systems H04N1/324, intermediate storage of video signals for videophones H04N7/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

A browser-based email system implemented in a computing device is connected to a host mail server. The host mail server provides pages which can be rendered by a browser to present an email service to a user. The browser-based email system receives audio data, video data, and/or still images, and supports a user interface to facilitate capture of the audio data, video data, and/or still images for inclusion in an email message.

Claims

1. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a browser-based email system to capture audio data for inclusion in an email message by a method comprising:

presenting a first user interface for entering an email message, the first user interface including a selectable control to initiate a second user interface from which the audio data is included in the email message;

presenting the second user interface having at least a first control that enables recordation of the audio data and at least a second control that enables inclusion of the audio data in the email message;

activating the first control to record the audio data;

storing the audio data in a storage;

upon actuation of the second control in the second user interface, submitting a first request to a host mail server for an email page that contains the email message with a token that represents the audio data included therein, wherein the first request contains the token in lieu of the audio data;

sending the email page, by the host mail server, to a browser, wherein the email page includes the token and indicates a location at which the audio data is to be rendered;

extracting, by the browser, the token and retrieving the audio data referenced by the token from the storage;

inserting, by the browser, the audio data into the indicated location in the email page;

rendering the email page for user interaction; and

upon actuation of an email page control of the email page, submitting a second request to the host mail server to send the email message with the inserted audio data included to a recipient of the email message.

2. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a browser-based email system to capture video data for inclusion in an email message for delivery to a television set-top box by a method comprising:

presenting a first user interface for entering an email message, the first user interface including a selectable control to initiate a second user interface from which the video data is included in the email message;

presenting the second user interface having at least a first control that enables recordation of the video data and at least a second control that enables inclusion of the video data in the email message;

activating the first control to record the video data;

storing the video data in a storage;

upon actuation of the second control in the second user interface, submitting a first request to a host mail server for an email page that contains the email message with a token that represents the video data included therein, wherein the first request contains the token in lieu of the video data;

sending the email page, by the host mail server, to a browser, wherein the email page includes the token and indicates a location at which the video data is to be rendered;

extracting, by the browser, the token and retrieving the video data referenced by the token from the storage;

inserting, by the browser, the video data into the indicated location in the email page;

rendering the email page for user interaction; and

upon actuation of an email page control of the email page, submitting a second request to the host mail server to send the email message with the inserted video data to the television set-top box.

3. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a browser-based email system to capture a still image for inclusion in an email message by a method comprising:

presenting a first user interface for entering an email message, the first user interface including a selectable control to initiate a second user interface from which the still image is included in the email message;

presenting the second user interface having at least a first control that enables recordation of the still image and at least a second control that enables inclusion of the still image in the email message;

activating the first control to record the still image;

storing the still image in a storage;

upon actuation of the second control in the second user interface, submitting a first request to a host mail server for an email page that contains the email message with a token that represents the still image included therein, wherein the first request contains the token in lieu of the still image;

sending the email page, by the host mail server, to a browser, wherein the email page includes the token and indicates a location at which the still image is to be rendered;

extracting, by the browser, the token and retrieving the still image referenced by the token from the storage;

inserting, by the browser, the still image into the indicated location in the email page;

rendering the email page for user interaction; and

upon actuation of an email page control of the email page, submitting a second request to the host mail server to send the email message with the inserted still image included to a recipient of the email message.