System and method for sending multi-media messages using emoticons

• US 7,921,013 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ostermann, Joern, LeCun, Yann Andre, Graf, Hans Peter, Cosatto, Eric, Civanlar, Mehmet Reha
• Primary Examiner(s): Wozniak; James S
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUERRA-ERAZO, EDGAR X
• Application Number:
  US11/214,666
• Time in Patent Office: 2,044 Days
• Field of Search: 704/235, 704/260, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275, 704/258, 704/267, 345/473
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A system and method of providing sender-customization of multi-media messages through the use of emoticons is disclosed. The sender inserts the emoticons into a text message. As an animated face audibly delivers the text, emoticons associated with the message are started a predetermined period of time or number of words prior to the position of the emoticon in the message text and completed a predetermined length of time or number of words following the location of the emoticon. The sender may insert emoticons through the use of emoticon buttons that are icons available for choosing. Upon sender selections of an emoticon, an icon representing the emoticon is inserted into the text at the position of the cursor. Once an emoticon is chosen, the sender may also choose the amplitude for the emoticon and increased or decreased amplitude will be displayed in the icon inserted into the message text.

Claims

1. A method of presenting a multi-media message having an animated entity created by a sender including a chosen emoticon from a plurality of emoticons, the multi-media message being created by the sender where text typed by the sender is presented to a recipient using an animated entity in the multi-media message, the chosen emoticon being in a position within the typed text, the method comprising:

via a processor, beginning an animation of the animated entity according to the chosen emoticon at a first time which is a first predetermined time before a second time associated with the position of the chosen emoticon within the typed text; and

ending the animation of the animated entity according to the chosen emoticon at a third time which is a second predetermined time after the second time, wherein the first time and the third time are based at least in part on one of the position of the chosen emoticon within the typed text and the chosen emoticon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the chosen emoticon comprises one of a wink, a smile, an affirmative animated entity motion, eyes opening and staring, eyes popping out, or a nose elongation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the chosen emoticon comprises one of a surprise, a frown, eyes rolling, a shoulder shrug, a tongue motion, embarrassment, blushing, a scream, tears or a kiss.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the animated entity is a face.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying an amplitude chosen by the sender to the chosen emoticon when the multi-media message is presented to the recipient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the chosen emoticon within the typed text is chosen by the sender.

7. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having recorded thereon instructions for controlling at least one processor to present a multi-media message created by a sender, the machine-readable medium comprising:

instructions for beginning an animation of an animated entity according to a chosen emoticon at a first predefined time before a second predetermined time associated with a position of the chosen emoticon within an ordering of typed text; and

instructions for ending the animation of the animated entity according to the chosen emoticon at a third predefined time after the second predefined time, wherein the first predefined time and the third predefined time are based at least in part on one of the position of the chosen emoticon within the typed text and the chosen emoticon.

8. The machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the chosen emoticon comprises one of a wink, a smile, an affirmative animated entity motion, eyes opening and staring, eyes popping out, or a nose elongation.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the chosen emoticon comprises one of a surprise, a frown, eyes rolling, a shoulder shrug, a tongue motion, embarrassment, blushing, a scream, tears or a kiss.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the animated entity is a face.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising:

instructions for applying an amplitude chose by the sender to the chosen emoticon when the multi-media message is presented to a recipient.

12. A system comprising:

at least one server configured to receive a multi-media message created by a sender at a first client device, the multi-media message including a chosen emoticon selected by the sender and an animated entity chosen by the sender, wherein the at least one server is further configured to;

create a multi-media presentation corresponding to the received multi-media presentation; and

stream the multi-media presentation to a second client device, the multi-media presentation including;

beginning an animation of the animated entity according to the chosen emoticon at a first predefined time which is before a second predetermined time associated with a position of the chosen emoticon within a typed text of the multi-media message; and

ending the animation of the animated entity according to the chosen emoticon at a third predefined time after the second predetermined time, wherein the first predefined time and the third predefined time are determined with at least one of the position of the chosen emoticon within the text and the chosen emoticon.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the chosen emoticon comprises one of a wink, a smile, an affirmative animated entity motion, eyes opening and staring, eye popping out, or a nose elongation.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the chosen emoticon comprises one of a surprise, a frown, eyes rolling, a shoulder shrug, a tongue motion, embarrassment, blushing, a scream, tears or a kiss.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the animated entity is a face.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein when the at least one server creates the multi-media presentation, the at least one server is further configured to apply an amplitude chosen by the sender to the chosen emoticon.