E-mail with voice / phone conference feature
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An e-mail communication method comprising the steps of:
- inserting a voice conference identifier in an e-mail message from an initiating party to a recipient party, the voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list specifying a data source of potential conference call nodes and further comprising an executable voice communications link program component, the executable voice communications link program component comprising a binary representation of a compiled object for establishing a voice communications link between the conference call nodes;
transmitting said e-mail message to the recipient party at a recipient node;
causing the recipient node to display a plurality of selectable voice communications icons in response to detection of the voice conference identifier at the recipient node, each selectable voice communications icon uniquely corresponding to a particular conference call node specified by the data source; and
establishing a voice communications link between the recipient node and at least one conference call node using the executable voice communications link program component in response to a selection of at least one of the plurality of selectable voice communications icons.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An e-mail communication method can include a series of steps. The steps can include inserting in an e-mail message a voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list identifying conference call nodes. The e-mail message can be transmitted to a recipient at a recipient node. Responsive to the recipient selecting the voice conference identifier, a voice conference call between selected ones of the identified conference call nodes can be established.
33 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. An e-mail communication method comprising the steps of:
-
inserting a voice conference identifier in an e-mail message from an initiating party to a recipient party, the voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list specifying a data source of potential conference call nodes and further comprising an executable voice communications link program component, the executable voice communications link program component comprising a binary representation of a compiled object for establishing a voice communications link between the conference call nodes; transmitting said e-mail message to the recipient party at a recipient node; causing the recipient node to display a plurality of selectable voice communications icons in response to detection of the voice conference identifier at the recipient node, each selectable voice communications icon uniquely corresponding to a particular conference call node specified by the data source; and establishing a voice communications link between the recipient node and at least one conference call node using the executable voice communications link program component in response to a selection of at least one of the plurality of selectable voice communications icons. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An e-mail communication method comprising the steps of:
-
in an e-mail message from an initiating party to a recipient party at a recipient node, detecting at the recipient node a voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list specifying a data source of potential conference call nodes and further comprising an executable voice communications link program component, the executable voice communications link program component comprising a binary representation of a compiled object for establishing a voice communications link between the conference call nodes; responsive to detecting said voice conference identifier at the recipient node, causing the recipient node to display a plurality of selectable voice communications icons, each selectable voice communications icon uniquely corresponding to a particular conference call node specified by the data source; and responsive to a selection of at least one of the plurality of selectable voice communications icons, establishing a voice communications link between the recipient node and at least one conference call node using the executable voice communications link program component. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An electronic mail (e-mail) message comprising:
-
header information, said header information identifying a sending node and at least one recipient node; a message portion, said message portion displaying content from said sending node to said recipient node; and a voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list specifying a data source of potential conference call nodes to be connected via a voice conference call, and further comprising an executable voice communications link program component, the executable voice communications link program component comprising a binary representation of a compiled object for establishing a voice communications link between the conference call nodes; the e-mail message being an e-mail message sent from an initiating party to a recipient party at a recipient node; and the voice conference call identifier being configured to cause the recipient node to display a plurality of selectable voice communications icons in response to detection of the voice conference identifier at the recipient node, each selectable voice communications icon corresponding to a particular conference call node specified by the data source such that a selection of at least one of the plurality of selectable voice communications icons establishes a voice communications link between the recipient node and at least one conference call node using the executable voice communications link program component in response.
-
-
12. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
-
inserting a voice conference identifier in an e-mail message from an initiating party to a recipient party, the voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list specifying a data source of potential conference call nodes and further comprising an executable voice communications link program component, the executable voice communications link program component comprising a binary representation of a compiled object for establishing a voice communications link between the conference call nodes; transmitting said e-mail message to the recipient party at a recipient node; causing the recipient node to display a plurality of selectable voice communications icons in response to detection of the voice conference identifier at the recipient node, each selectable voice communications icon uniquely corresponding to a particular conference call node specified by the data source; and establishing a voice communications link between the recipient node and at least one conference call node using the executable voice communications link program component in response to a selection of at least one of the plurality of selectable voice communications icons. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
-
in an e-mail message from an initiating to a recipient party at a recipient node, detecting at the recipient node a voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list specifying a data source of potential conference call nodes and further comprising an executable voice communications link program component, the executable voice communications link program component comprising a binary representation of a compiled object for establishing a voice communications link between the conference call nodes; responsive to detecting said voice conference identifier at the recipient node, causing the recipient node to display a plurality of selectable voice communications icons, each selectable voice communications icon uniquely corresponding to a particular conference call node specified by the data source; and responsive to a selection of at least one of the plurality selectable voice communications icons, establishing a voice communications link between the recipient node and at least one conference call node using the executable voice communications link program component. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. An electronic mail client comprising:
-
a conventional electronic mail processor, said conventional electronic mail processor extracting and displaying message text encapsulated in an electronic mail message sent from an initiating party to a recipient party and received in a recipient node; and
,a voice conference processor, said voice conference processor identifying a voice conference identifier encapsulated in said received electronic mail, displaying a plurality of selectable icons in response to detecting said voice conference identifier, and responsive to a selection of at least one said plurality of selectable icons, establishing a voice conference call between selected conference call nodes based on an executable voice communications link program component contained in the voice conference identifier and comprising a binary representation of a compiled object for establishing a voice communications link between the conference call nodes.
-
Specification