Provision of messaging services from a video messaging system for video compatible and non-video compatible equipment

• US 7,738,833 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glenayre Electronics Incorporated (EDCI Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Glenayre Electronics Incorporated (EDCI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lowman, Philip L., Bettis, Sonny R., Plotky, Jon S., Spencer, James H., Moraes, Ian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang; Weibin
• Application Number:
  US11/307,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20070058681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/389, 370/400, 370/401, 370/464, 370/480, 370/493, 455/403, 455/414.1, 455/3.01, 455/3.03, 455/3.04, 709/204, 709/206
• US Class Current: 455/3.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/38 by adapting coding or compression rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• 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 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0039 where the data service is provided by a stream of packets which are rendered in real time by the receiving terminal network streaming of media packets H04L65/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234381 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. decreasing the frame rate by frame skipping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 : involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 : Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A telecommunications system that supports the provision of video messaging, yet maintains compatibility and operation with user equipment that is not capable of processing, receiving or rendering video content. Based on the type of user equipment, as well as user selected options, network configurations and status, and class-of-service characteristics, the telecommunications systems can revise the manner in which content is provided to the user equipment. Variations in the content provision include providing synchronized audio and video content, audio content only, video content only, video content with closed-captioning and closed-captioning only.

Claims

1. A method for providing messaging services to a plurality of types of user equipment, wherein some of the plurality of user equipment support video messaging and some of the plurality of user equipment do not support video messaging, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving telecommunications content that includes video content and audio content;

separating the video content from the audio content;

storing the separated video content and the audio content;

synchronizing the video content and the audio content;

receiving a request for the telecommunications content;

determining the type of user equipment initiating the request;

providing the telecommunications content to the requesting user equipment based at least in part on the determination of the type of user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the type of user equipment comprises determining that the requesting user equipment is a 3G compatible device and, the step of providing the telecommunications content further comprises providing synchronized video content and audio content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the type of user equipment comprises determining that the requesting user equipment does not support video and, the step of providing the telecommunications content further comprises providing only the audio content of the telecommunications content to the requesting user equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the telecommunications content further comprises providing the content based on the class of service associated with a subscriber utilizing the requesting user equipment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining the type of user equipment comprises determining that the requesting user equipment is a 3G compatible device and, the step of providing the telecommunications content further comprises providing synchronized video content and audio content to the requesting user equipment if the subscriber has subscribed to a class of service that includes video and audio content support.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the telecommunications content further comprises providing the content based on subscriber selected options.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of determining the type of user equipment comprises determining that the requesting user equipment is a 3G compatible device and, the step of providing the telecommunications content further comprises providing synchronized video content and audio content to the requesting user equipment if the subscriber has selected options that permit the delivery of video and audio content.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of determining the type of user equipment comprises determining that the requesting user equipment is a 3G compatible device and, the step of providing the telecommunications content further comprises providing synchronized video content and audio content converted into closed captioning text to the requesting user equipment if the subscriber has selected options that permit the delivery of video and closed captioning.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of determining the type of user equipment comprises determining that the requesting user equipment is a 3G compatible device and, the step of providing the telecommunications content further comprises providing audio content to the requesting user equipment if the subscriber has selected options that only permit the delivery of audio content.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of determining the type of user equipment comprises determining that the requesting user equipment is a 3G compatible device and, the step of providing the telecommunications content further comprises providing closed captioning content to the requesting user equipment if the subscriber has selected options that only permit the delivery of closed captioning content.

11. A telecommunications platform for providing telecommunication messaging services to a plurality of user equipment of varying types, the telecommunications platform comprising:

a digital wireless network interface over which video communication services can be provided to at least one of the plurality of user equipment;

a memory storage device containing telecommunications content comprised of video content components and audio content components;

a video media server communicatively coupled to the digital wireless network interface and the memory storage device and being operable to;

receive the telecommunications content from a content source;

separate the video content from the audio content;

store the separated video content and audio content on said memory storage device;

synchronize the video content and the audio content;

receive a communication from user equipment through the digital wireless network interface, the communication being a request for the telecommunications content;

determine the type of user equipment initiating the communication;

provide the telecommunications content to the requesting user equipment based at least in part on the determination of the type of user equipment.

12. The telecommunications system of claim 11, wherein the type of user equipment initiating the communication is a 3G compatible device and, the video media server is operable to provide the telecommunications content by providing synchronized video content and audio content to the user equipment through the digital wireless network interface.

13. The telecommunications system of claim 11, wherein the type of user equipment does not support video and, the video media server is operable to provide the telecommunications content by providing only the audio content of the telecommunications content to the requesting user equipment.

14. The telecommunications system of claim 11, wherein the video media server is further operable to provide the telecommunications content by providing the content based on the class of service associated with a subscriber utilizing the user equipment.

15. The telecommunications system of claim 14, wherein the user equipment is a 3G compatible device and the video server is further operable to provide the telecommunications content by providing synchronized video content and audio content to the requesting user equipment if the subscriber has subscribed to a class of service that includes video and audio content support.

16. The telecommunications system of claim 11, wherein the video media server is further operable to provide telecommunications content by providing the content based on subscriber selected options.

17. The telecommunications system of claim 16, wherein the user equipment is a digital wireless compatible device that supports video and, the video media server is further operable to provide the telecommunications content by providing synchronized video content and audio content to the requesting user equipment if the subscriber has selected options that permit the delivery of video and audio content.

18. The telecommunications system of claim 16, wherein the video media server is further operative to provide the telecommunications content by providing synchronized video content and audio content convened into closed captioning text, synchronized video content and audio content, and audio content only to the user equipment based on the type of user equipment.

19. A method for providing messaging services to a plurality of types of user equipment, wherein some of the plurality of user equipment support video messaging and some of the plurality of user equipment do not support video messaging, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving telecommunications content that includes video content and audio content;

separating the video content from the audio content;

storing the separated video content and the audio content;

synchronizing the video content and the audio content;

receiving a request for the telecommunications content;

determining the type of user equipment initiating the request;

providing the telecommunications content to the requesting user equipment by providing synchronized video and audio content, synchronized video and closed-caption content, and audio content only based at least in part on the determination of the type of user equipment.