TECHNIQUES TO SHARE MEDIA FILES THROUGH MESSAGING

• US 20130104053A1
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thornton, John, Udezue, Ojiakonobi, Benson, Rodger, Shen, Jennifer, Citron, Dave, Fournier, Tatjana, Weed, Bradley, Dietrich, Wilhelmina, Pezely, Becky, Moore, Jason, Urdan, Alan, Counts, Robin
• Granted Patent: US 10,073,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments

Abstract

Techniques to share media files through messaging are described. An apparatus may comprise a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor. The memory may store a message application that when executed by the processor is operative to communicate a message and a message attachment comprising a media file at different time intervals using different transports. The message may have a link comprising a reference to a discoverable storage location for the media file. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying a user-interface by a message application on a sender computing device for a message, the user interface comprising;

a ribbon bar having a plurality of display objects representing a plurality of message commands;

receiving a first control directive from a first ribbon bar display object to attach a media file to a message in the user interface;

receiving a second control directive from a second ribbon bar display object to modify an album style;

displaying a second plurality of display objects in response to the second ribbon bar display object, the second plurality of display objects providing selections for at least one of;

style, format, layout and template options for embedding the media file;

sending the media file from the message application to a message server over a first transport before the message is communicated to the message server when a third control directive on a ribbon bar send display object is received;

receiving a link for the media file from the message server by the sender computing device over the first transport, the link comprising a reference to a discoverable storage location on a network storage server for the media file, the discoverable storage location corresponding to a user account for the sender for a web service implemented by the network storage server;

embedding the link in the message; and

sending the message with the embedded link to a message recipient over a second transport.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the link comprising a reference to a discoverable storage location for the media file as stored on the network storage server, the discoverable storage location accessible by a message sender or a message recipient without the link.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising receiving a fourth control directive from a third ribbon bar display object to embed an alternate version of the media file in the message.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, comprising embedding an alternate version of the media file in the message in response to the fourth control directive.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising modifying one or more attributes of the media file to form an alternate version of the media file.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising receiving a fifth control directive from a fourth ribbon bar display object representing a style parameter for embedding the media file in the message.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising receiving sixth a control directive from a fifth ribbon bar display object representing a privacy parameter for accessing the media file on a network storage service.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising receiving a seventh control directive from a sixth ribbon bar display object representing an order parameter for ordering multiple media files in the message.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising updating the message with a message update having information from the message recipient after the message has been sent by a message sender.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising sending a message update for the message after the message has been sent by a message sender, the message update having information from the message sender.

11. An article comprising a computer-readable storage device containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:

display a user-interface by a message application on a sender computing device for a message, the user interface comprising;

a ribbon bar having a plurality of display objects representing a plurality of message commands;

receive a first control directive from a first ribbon bar display object to attach a media file to a message in the user interface;

receiving a second control directive from a second ribbon bar display object to modify an album style;

display a second plurality of display objects in response to the second ribbon bar display object, the second plurality of display objects providing selections for at least one of;

style, format, layout and template options for embedding the media file;

send the media file from the message application to a message server over a first transport before the message is communicated to the message server when a third control directive on a ribbon bar send display object is received;

receive a link for the media file from the message server by the sender computing device over the first transport, the link comprising a reference to a discoverable storage location on a network storage server for the media file, the discoverable storage location corresponding to a user account for the sender for a web service implemented by the network storage server;

embed the link in the message; and

send the message with the embedded link to a message recipient over a second transport.

12. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to receive a fourth control directive from a third ribbon bar display object to embed an alternate version of the media file in the message.

13. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to receive a fifth control directive from a fourth ribbon bar display object representing a privacy parameter for accessing the media file on a network storage service.

14. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to receive a sixth control directive from a fifth ribbon bar display object representing an order parameter for ordering multiple media files in the message.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory to store a message application that when executed by the processor is operative to;

display a user-interface by a message application on a sender computing device for a message, the user interface comprising;

a ribbon bar having a plurality of display objects representing a plurality of message commands;

receive a first control directive from a first ribbon bar display object to attach a media file to a message in the user interface;

receiving a second control directive from a second ribbon bar display object to modify an album style;

display a second plurality of display objects in response to the second ribbon bar display object, the second plurality of display objects providing selections for at least one of;

style, format, layout and template options for embedding the media file;

communicate the message and the attached media file at different time intervals using different transports to a message server, the message having a link comprising a reference to the media file stored by the message server at a discoverable storage location on a network storage server, the discoverable storage location corresponding to a user account for the sender for a web service implemented by the network storage server;

wherein the message application comprises an attachment manager operative to receive a request to attach the media file to the message, send the media file to the message server over a transport before the message is communicated to the message server, receive the link for the media file from the message server over the transport, and embed the link in the message.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, the ribbon bar of the user interface comprising a ribbon bar display object selectable to embed an alternate version of the media file in the message.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, the ribbon bar of the user interface comprising a ribbon bar display object selectable to change a style parameter for embedding the media file in the message.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, the ribbon bar of the user interface comprising a ribbon bar display object selectable to change a privacy parameter for accessing the media file on a network storage service.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, the ribbon bar of the user interface comprising a ribbon bar display object selectable to an order parameter for ordering multiple media files in the message.