Handling a multimedia object associated with an electronic message

• US 7,774,410 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gang, David, Appelman, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh; John B.
• Application Number:
  US10/715,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,457 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Automatically saving communicated multimedia objects to a repository for subsequent use includes in response to a sent electronic message and a received electronic message, identifying an embedded multimedia object or an attached multimedia object. The embedded multimedia object or the attached multimedia object is separated from the electronic message. The separated multimedia object is automatically saved to a repository for subsequent use by a user and the user is able to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use.

Claims

1. A method of automatically saving communicated multimedia objects to a repository for subsequent use, the method comprising:

identifying an incoming or outgoing electronic message intended for a destination;

identifying an embedded multimedia object embedded within the identified electronic message or an attached multimedia object attached to the identified electronic message;

delivering, by one or more processors, the electronic message to the destination with an un-altered, viewable version of the identified multimedia object and automatically saving the un-altered, viewable version of the identified multimedia object to a repository for subsequent use by a user; and

enabling the user to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the repository includes a central repository.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the repository includes a local repository.

4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

determining a type of the multimedia object; and

automatically saving the multimedia object to the repository based on the determination of the type of the multimedia object.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a second incoming or outgoing electronic message intended for a second destination;

identifying a second embedded multimedia object embedded within the identified second electronic message or a second attached multimedia object attached to the identified second electronic message;

determining a type of the second multimedia object; and

delivering the second electronic message to the second destination with an un-altered, viewable version of the identified second multimedia object and automatically not saving the un-altered, viewable version of the identified second multimedia object to the repository based on the determination of the type of the second multimedia object.

6. The method as in claim 5 wherein the type of the multimedia object includes a non-picture image.

7. The method as in claim 6 wherein the non-picture image includes an emoticon.

8. The method as in claim 1 wherein the multimedia object includes an image.

9. The method as in claim 8 wherein the image includes a picture.

10. The method as in claim 1 wherein the multimedia object includes a music file.

11. The method as in claim 1 wherein the multimedia object includes a video file.

12. The method as in claim 1 wherein enabling the user to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use includes enabling the user to send the multimedia object to other users using a graphical user interface.

13. The method as in claim 1 wherein enabling the user to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use includes enabling the user to send the multimedia object to others across multiple applications using a graphical user interface that is common to the multiple applications.

14. The method as in claim 13 wherein the multiple applications include an instant messaging application.

15. The method as in claim 13 wherein the multiple applications include a member directory.

16. The method as in claim 13 wherein the multiple applications include a web page publishing application.

17. The method as in claim 1 wherein the automatically saved multimedia object is available for use across multiple applications using a graphical user interface that is common to the multiple applications.

18. The method as in claim 17 wherein the multiple applications include an instant messaging application.

19. The method as in claim 17 wherein the multiple applications include a member directory.

20. The method as in claim 17 wherein the multiple applications include a web page publishing application.

21. The method as in claim 1 wherein the incoming or outgoing electronic message includes electronic mail.

22. The method as in claim 1 wherein enabling the user to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use includes enabling the user to select and use the multimedia object in multiple applications without having to upload the multimedia object to the repository.

23. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

prior to automatically saving the multimedia object, determining whether the multimedia object is stored in the repository; and

automatically saving the multimedia object in the repository if the multimedia object is not stored in the repository based on the determination.

24. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a second incoming or outgoing electronic message intended for a destination;

identifying a second embedded multimedia object embedded within the identified second electronic message or a second attached multimedia object attached to the identified second electronic message;

prior to automatically saving the second multimedia object, determining whether the second multimedia object is stored in the repository; and

delivering the second electronic message to the second destination with an un-altered, viewable version of the identified second multimedia object and automatically not saving the un-altered, viewable version of the identified second multimedia object in the repository if the second multimedia object is stored in the repository based on the determination.

25. The method as in claim 1 wherein the repository is distinct from a structure for delivering the electronic message to the destination.

26. An apparatus comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a machine result in at least the following:

identifying an incoming or outgoing electronic message intended for a destination;

identifying an embedded multimedia object embedded within the identified electronic message or an attached multimedia object attached to the identified electronic message;

delivering the electronic message to the destination with an un-altered, viewable version of the identified multimedia object and automatically saving the un-altered, viewable version of the identified multimedia object to a repository for subsequent use by a user; and

enabling the user to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use.

27. A method of automatically saving communicated multimedia objects, the method comprising:

identifying electronic messages intended for multiple, different destinations;

identifying embedded multimedia objects embedded within the identified electronic messages or attached multimedia objects attached to the identified electronic messages;

delivering, by one or more processors, the electronic messages to the multiple destinations with un-altered, viewable versions of the identified multimedia objects and automatically saving the un-altered, viewable versions of the identified multimedia objects to a single repository;

associating, by the one or more processors, each of the un-altered, viewable versions of the identified multimedia objects with a user account in the repository; and

enabling access to the multimedia object from the repository based on the user accounts.

28. A method comprising:

identifying an incoming or outgoing electronic message intended for a destination;

identifying an embedded multimedia object embedded within the identified electronic message or an attached multimedia object attached to the identified electronic message;

automatically saving, by one or more processors and separate from the electronic message, the identified multimedia object to a repository for subsequent use by a user; and

enabling, by the one or more processors, the user to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use without having to open the electronic message within which the multimedia object was identified.

29. The method as in claim 28 wherein the repository includes a central repository.

30. The method as in claim 28 wherein the repository includes a local repository.

31. The method as in claim 28 further comprising:

determining a type of the multimedia object; and

automatically saving, separate from the electronic message, the multimedia object to the repository based on the determination of the type of the multimedia object.

32. The method as in claim 28 further comprising:

identifying a second incoming or outgoing electronic message intended for a second destination;

identifying a second embedded multimedia object embedded within the identified second electronic message or a second attached multimedia object attached to the identified second electronic message;

automatically saving, separate from the second electronic message, the identified second multimedia object to a second repository for subsequent use by a second user; and

enabling the second user to select the second multimedia object from the second repository for subsequent use without having to open the second electronic message within which the second multimedia object was identified.

33. The method as in claim 28 wherein enabling the user to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use includes enabling the user to send the multimedia object to other users using a graphical user interface.

34. The method as in claim 28 wherein enabling the user to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use includes enabling the user to send the multimedia object to others across multiple applications using a graphical user interface that is common to the multiple applications.

35. The method as in claim 34 wherein the multiple applications include an instant messaging application.

36. The method as in claim 28 wherein enabling the user to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use includes enabling the user to select and use the multimedia object in multiple applications without having to upload the multimedia object to the repository.

37. The method as in claim 28 wherein automatically saving the identified multimedia object to a repository for subsequent use by a user includes:

determining whether the multimedia object is stored in the repository; and

automatically saving, separate from the electronic message, the identified multimedia object to a repository if the multimedia object is not stored in the repository based on the determination.