Message augmentation system and method

• US 9,984,115 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Patrick Colangelo
• Original Assignee: Patrick Colangelo
• Inventors: Colangelo, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): He, Jialong
• Application Number:
  US15/016,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20170300527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/205 Parsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/06 Message adaptation to terminal or network requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A messaging augmentation system comprises a message input module that receives a text, audio or video message from a user. A parsing module parses the message into at least one message fragment, a matching module compares each of the message fragments with a database of stored clips to identify matching clips, and a delivery module delivers the matching clips to the user to augment the message being sent to a recipient. Each stored clip includes an audio portion, and the clip database further includes, for each clip, caption data that includes text captions of the audio message, and corresponding file location data. Preferably the system is distributed over a network, such that the message input module is resident on a client device of the user, and the matching module is resident on a server.

Claims

1. A messaging augmentation system comprising:

a message input module adapted to receive a message from a first user for delivery to a second user;

a parsing module adapted to divide the message into at least one message fragment;

a matching module adapted to compare each of the at least one message fragment with clips stored in a database to identify matching clips to the at least one message fragment, wherein the stored clips in the database are elements of popular culture;

a delivery module adapted to deliver the matching clips to the first user to augment the message;

the matching module is further adapted to provide a selection interface to the first user upon the matching module identifying more than one of the matching clips for any of the at least one matching message fragment, whereby the user selects one of the matching clips for delivery by the delivery module;

a settings module specific to each user, wherein the clip database is further selectively filtered on a user'"'"'s preference for favorite clip artists, larger works, songs, movies, shows, performers, or the popularity of each clip or larger work; and

the messaging augmentation system sends the message along with a selected one of the matching clips to the second user, wherein

the database includes, for any clip that is taken from a larger audio or video work, a buy-now link to an online store for purchasing the larger audio or video work, and wherein the delivery module is further adapted to send the buy-now link to the second user.

2. The messaging augmentation system of claim 1 wherein the message is a text message, the parsing module being adapted to divide the message into at least one text message fragment.

3. The messaging augmentation system of claim 1 wherein the message includes an audio message, the parsing module including a speech recognition module to convert the audio message into a text message.

4. The messaging augmentation system of claim 1 wherein each stored clip includes an audio message, and wherein the clip database further includes, for each clip, caption data that includes text captions of the audio message and corresponding file location data.

5. The message augmentation system of claim 4 wherein the file location data includes timestamp data.

6. The message augmentation system of claim 1 further including a clip upload module adapted to upload clips of the first user to the clip database, each user clip including the caption data that includes text captions of the audio of the user clip and corresponding file location data.

7. The message augmentation system of claim 1 wherein the message input module is incorporated into a keyboard application.

8. The message augmentation system of claim 1 further including a wireless network, and wherein the message input module is resident on a portable electronic device of the first user and in communication with the network, and wherein the matching module is resident on a server in communication with the network, whereby the message or the at least one message fragment is sent from the portable electronic device through the network to the server, and whereby the matching clips are delivered from the server through the network to the first user'"'"'s portable electronic device.

9. A processor-implemented method for augmenting a message of a first user, comprising the steps:

providing a messaging augmentation system comprising a message input module adapted to receive a message from first user;

a parsing module adapted to divide the message into at least one message fragment;

a matching module adapted to compare each of the at least one message fragment with clips stored in a database to identify matching clips to the at least one message fragment;

a settings module specific to each user, wherein the clip database is further selectively filtered on a user'"'"'s preference for favorite clip artists, larger works, songs, movies, shows, performers, or the popularity of each clip or larger work; and

a delivery module adapted to deliver any matching clips to the user to augment the message;

receiving the message from the first user via the message input module, the message configured for delivery to a second user;

dividing the message into at least one message fragment via the parsing module;

comparing, by the matching module, each of the at least one message fragment with stored clips in the database to identify matching clips to the at least one message fragment, wherein the stored clips in the database are elements of popular culture;

delivering, by the delivery module, the matching clips to the first user to augment the message;

providing, by the matching module, a selection interface to the user upon the matching module identifying more than one of the matching clips for any of the at least one matching message fragment;

waiting for the first user to select one of the matching clips for delivery by the delivery module; and

sending the message of the first user, with a selected one of the matching clips, to the second user, wherein

the database includes, for any clip that is taken from a larger audio or video work, a buy-now link to an online store for purchasing the larger audio or video work, and wherein the delivery module is further adapted to send the buy-now link to the second user.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the steps:

providing a speech recognition module to convert an audio message into a text message; and

the parsing module utilizing the speech recognition module to convert any audio portion of the message into a text message.

11. The method of claim 9 further including the step:

sorting the more than one matching clip based on a user'"'"'s preference for favorite clip artists, larger works, songs, movies, shows, performers, or the popularity of each clip or larger work.

12. The method of claim 9 further including the steps:

providing a wireless network, wherein the message input module is resident on a portable electronic device of the first user and in communication with the network, and wherein the matching module is resident on a server in communication with the network;

the message input module sending the message through the network to the server; and

the delivery module delivering any of the matching clips to the first user through the network.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving a message from a first user to be delivered to a second user;

parsing the message into at least one message fragment;

comparing each of the at least one message fragment with clips stored in a database to identify matching clips to the at least one message fragment, wherein the stored clips in the database are elements of popular culture;

delivering the matching clips to the first user to augment the message;

providing a selection interface to the first user upon identifying more than one matching clip for any of the at least one matching message fragment;

waiting for the first user to select one of the identified matching clips for delivery;

the clip database further selectively filtering on a user'"'"'s preference for favorite clip artists, larger works, songs, movies, shows, performers, or the popularity of each clip or larger work; and

delivering the message, with a selected matching clip, to the second user, wherein

the database includes, for any clip that is taken from a larger audio or video work, a buy-now link to an online store for purchasing the larger audio or video work, and wherein the delivery module is further adapted to send the buy-now link to the second user.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the step:

performing speech recognition on the message to convert any audio portion of the message into a text message.

15. The method of claim 13 further including the step:

sorting the more than one matching clip based on a user'"'"'s preference for favorite clip artists, larger works, songs, movies, shows, performers, or the popularity of each clip or larger work.

16. The method of claim 13 further including the steps:

sending the message through a network to a server;

delivering any of the matching clips to the first user through the network.

17. The method of claim 13 further including the steps:

comparing each of the at least one message fragment with a database of stored clips to identify matching clips and anticipated clips to the at least one message fragment;

providing a selection interface to the first user upon identifying more than one matching clip and anticipated clips for any of the at least one message fragment; and

waiting for the first user to select one of the identified matching clips or anticipated clips for delivery.