Asynchronous discrete manageable instant voice messages

• US 7,769,142 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nguyen, Duoc, Scott, Stacia, Hassan, Ahmed Azmy, Pearlman, Leah, Aringunrum, Ram, Badger, Eric, Holmes, John S, Sharpe, Timothy, Heron, Alexandra, Selbie, John R., Simha, Raghuveer
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/275,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20070036292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/88.01, 379/88.09, 379/88.11, 379/88.17, 379/88.13, 709/227, 709/238, 709/230
• US Class Current: 379/68
• 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 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

Asynchronous voice messaging is employed to enable individuals to send voice clips back and forth over a network. In at least some embodiments, the voice clips reside in the form of discrete, manageable objects that can be easily managed by the user. In addition, some embodiments described provide hand-free/eyes-free functionality that can permit a user to create and send (or receive and play) a voice message without having to physically enter an intended recipient'"'"'s address or otherwise digitally manipulate the device over which the message is sent or received.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

presenting a user interface that permits a user to create a voice clip object;

assigning the voice clip object a unique identifier;

sending the unique identifier to an intended recipient of the voice clip object using an instant messaging connection with the intended recipient;

receiving, from the intended recipient, a request for the voice clip object that includes the unique identifier, the request received using a peer-to-peer connection; and

asynchronously sending the voice clip object to the intended recipient using the peer-to-peer connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the presented user interface includes instrumentalities that permit the user to manage the voice clip object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least some of the instrumentalities permit the user to listen to voice clip objects and save voice clip objects.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting is performed by an instant messaging application that can permit text messages to be created and sent to the recipients.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the presented user interface includes instrumentalities that permit the user to receive and listen to voice clip objects received from others.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting comprises:

presenting an icon that indicates that recording is taking place, and

a user interface component that indicates how much time is left to record a voice clip.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting comprises presenting multiple conversation windows that permit the user to send different voice clip objects to different recipients.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting comprises presenting a conversation window that permit a user to send the same voice clip object to multiple recipients.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting in the user interface instrumentalities that permit the user to cancel recording of a voice clip object.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting, in the user interface, a conversation window that enables pausing a conversation by minimizing the conversation window.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a codec to compress the voice clip object based on the type of device an intended recipient is using.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

creating a voice clip object;

assigning the voice clip object a unique identifier;

sending the unique identifier to one or more intended recipients of the voice clip object using an instant messaging connection between the one or more intended recipients;

receiving, from the one or more of the intended recipients, the unique identifier;

sending the corresponding voice clip object to the one or more intended recipients from which the unique identifier was received using a peer-to-peer connection;

receiving from the one or more intended recipients a second voice clip object, the second voice clip object received using the peer-to-peer connection;

automatically playing the second voice clip object; and

pausing playing of the second voice clip object responsive to minimizing an instant messaging conversation window that includes a representation of the second voice clip object.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving and listening to a voice clip object even though the user was not at an associated computer that received the voice clip object.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting if no sound is being recorded during a time when a user thinks that he or she is making a recording, and

notifying the user that no sound was recorded.

13. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a verbal indication that a voice message is desired to be sent to one or more intended recipients;

ascertaining one or more intended recipients of the voice message and delivery information associated with the one or more intended recipients;

recording the voice message;

receiving a verbal command to send the voice message to the one or more intended recipients;

assigning the voice message a unique identifier;

selecting a codec to compress the voice message based on a type of device the one or more intended recipients is using;

sending the unique identifier to the one or more intended recipients of the voice message using an instant messaging connection with the one or more intended recipients;

receiving, from the one or more intended recipients, a request for the voice clip object that includes the unique identifier, the request received using a peer-to-peer connection; and

sending the compressed voice message to the one or more intended recipients from which the unique identifier was received using the peer-to-peer connection.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving and playing a voice message in an eyes-free, hands-free manner.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the delivery information comprises one or more recipient email addresses.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising prior to the act of recording, audibly prompting a user to record the voice message.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the acts of receiving a verbal indication, ascertaining, recording, receiving a verbal command, and sending are performed by a mobile device.