Multimedia messaging configuration and presentation

• US 8,693,504 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jerding, Dean F., Banker, Robert O., Manson, Azita M., Addington, Timothy H., Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZUNIGA ABAD, JACKIE
• Application Number:
  US11/877,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20080046524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,358 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207
• US Class Current: 370/486
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• 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 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

Customizable, multimedia messaging over a subscriber television system utilizing a service independent framework is provided. A multimedia messaging (MMM) server is generally located at a headend of a cable or satellite system, and an MMM client at a communications terminal located remotely with respect to the MMM server. A service provider or operator defines a message configuration to present the message content to subscribers. The message configuration includes parameters that control the presentation of the message content. The MMM server receives an MMM request from a service application, and generates an MMM request which is sent to the communications terminal, particularly, to the MMM client. The MMM client processes the MMM request, including retrieving message content and/or message configuration. The MMM client presents the message to the subscriber. Since the MMM server and MMM client are platform independent, different services may send uniquely generated and designed messages for presentation.

Claims

1. A system for providing multimedia messages, comprising:

a first application server configured to provide first messaging services in exclusive association with a first service source and a second application server configured to provide second messaging services in exclusive association with a second service source different than the first service source, the first application server configured to generate a first message configuration and a first message content based on the first message configuration, wherein the first message configuration provides instructions comprising at least a duration of time for display of the first message and a number of times to repeat display of the first message, the second application server configured to generate a second message configuration and a second message content based on the second message configuration, the first message configuration describing a first presentation format for the first message that is different than a second presentation format of the second message, wherein the first message configuration and the second message configuration are stored in a downloaded message configuration file, wherein the downloaded message configuration file comprises a version field for a corresponding configuration file, a number indicating how many configurations are available in the corresponding configuration file, and a plurality of different message configurations;

a multimedia messaging server that receives the first and second message configurations from the first and second application servers and associates the first and second message content for presentation to a user according to the first and second message configurations, respectively, and generates a first request and a second request according to the first and second message configurations, respectively, the first and second requests including the first and second message content and first and second message configuration expressions, respectively, the first and second requests comprising each a display flag indicative of whether the corresponding message only contains audio, whether the corresponding message comprises a black screen, and whether the corresponding message is one of an HTML file, or an ASCII file; and

a multimedia messaging client that receives the first and second requests and associates the first and second message content and the first and second message configurations for presentation of the first and second message content according to the first and second message configurations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the message configuration expressions comprises the respective first or second message configuration for use in presenting the respective first or second message content by the communication terminal.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database of message configurations, the database accessible by the multimedia messaging server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia messaging client includes a client application and a configuration manager, wherein the configuration manager provides the client application with the first and second message configurations associated with the respective first and second message content.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the application servers comprises an emergency alert system server.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the application servers comprises a virtual channel system server.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second message configuration expressions comprise a location reference that is utilized by the multimedia messaging client in retrieving the respective first or second message configurations for use in presenting the respective first or second message content by the communications terminal.

8. A system for delivery of multimedia messages, comprising:

a multimedia messaging server; and

a plurality of application servers, in which each of the plurality of application servers generates message content that has a different presentation format than a presentation format of the message content generated by other application servers of the plurality of application servers, the message content from a first application server of the plurality of application servers requiring a different type of application software to generate the respective message content than the message content from a second application server of the plurality of application servers,

wherein each of the plurality of application servers delivers the message content to the multimedia messaging server, which in response thereto, generates a request that comprises the message content and a reference to a location of one of a predefined message configuration in a database, wherein the message configuration includes at least a configuration flag, wherein the configuration flag indicates whether the message content contains the actual configuration data or if the message content contains a name and URL of the location of the configuration data for the respective message, and wherein the request comprises a display flag indicative of whether the corresponding message only contains audio, whether the corresponding message comprises a black screen, and whether the corresponding message is one of an HTML file, or an ASCII file.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of application servers comprises an emergency alert system server.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of application servers comprises at least one of the following:

a virtual channel system server, a messaging service server, and a business application support service server.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of application servers comprises a virtual channel system server.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of application servers comprises a messaging service server.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of application servers comprises a business application support service server.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an additional application server communicatively coupled to the multimedia messaging client, the additional application server comprising an email server located remotely from a headend.

15. A method for providing customizable multimedia messages, comprising:

creating a first message configuration by a first application server configured to provide first messaging services in exclusive association with a first service source and a second message configuration by a second application server configured to provide second messaging services in exclusive association with a second service source different than the first service source, the first message configuration being different from the second message configuration, wherein the first message configuration and the second message configuration are stored in a downloaded message configuration file, wherein the downloaded message configuration file comprises a version field for a corresponding configuration file, a number indicating how many configurations are available in the corresponding configuration file, and a plurality of different message configurations; and

sending the first message configuration and the second message configuration respectively from the first application server and the second application server to a multimedia messaging server,

wherein the multimedia messaging server is configured to create application independent message activation requests for presenting a first message content and a second message content to messaging client software of the communications terminal associated to the user according to the first message configuration and the second message configuration, respectively, wherein the first message configuration and the second message configuration each include a field indicating the number of times the first message and second message will be repetitively presented, and wherein the first message configuration and the second message configuration indicate that the first message and the second message are to be displayed partially blocking a currently viewed program.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the message activation requests comprises a first message content expression and a second message content expression.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first message content expression comprises the first message content or a location reference in the communications terminal to the first message content, and wherein the second message content expression comprises at least one of the following:

the second message content and a location reference in the communications terminal to the second message content.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising delivering at least one of the following:

the first message content, the second message content, and a combination of both to the communications terminal from a location reference.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the message activation requests include at least one of the following:

textual content as at least a portion of the first message content expression and the second message content expression.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the message activation requests include message content selected from the group consisting of the following:

a banner, sprite, ticker tape, barker and an animated clip.