Video messaging

• US 7,984,098 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2001
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enete, Noel, Di Martino, Gustavo Alejandro, Morris, Harry W., Packard, Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): GOLD, AVI M
• Application Number:
  US09/911,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20030208543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,646 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/204, 709/205, 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/203, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• 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 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5315 where the non-audio components are still images or video still image mailbox systems H04N1/324, intermediate storage of video signals for videophones H04N7/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• 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 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 : involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data between users of a communications system by receiving, at an instant messaging host, a video file from a sender and intended for a recipient; authenticating the video file; and sending the video file to the intended recipient.

Claims

1. A communications method, comprising:

establishing a presence-based communications session between a sender and a recipient, wherein establishing the presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient includes;

initiating a text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient,

in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, enabling display, to the sender, of an instant messaging graphical user interface associated with the initiated text instant messaging session, the instant messaging graphical user interface being configured to enable the sender to compose and send text instant messages to the recipient,

in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, determining if the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging, and

based on a determination that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging, enabling the graphical user interface associated with the instant messaging session to reflect that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging; and

during the presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient;

establishing a video communications session between the sender and the recipient;

generating a video instant message on behalf of the sender;

storing the video instant message on behalf of the sender;

after generation of the video instant message is complete, receiving an indication to trigger sending of the video instant message to the recipient; and

in response to receiving the indication to trigger sending of the video instant message to the recipient, initiating a transfer of the video instant message to the recipient using the video communications session.

2. A communications method, comprising:

establishing a presence-based communications session between a sender and a recipient, wherein establishing the presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient includes;

initiating a text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient,

in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, enabling display, to the sender, of an instant messaging graphical user interface associated with the initiated text instant messaging session, the instant messaging graphical user interface being configured to enable the sender to compose and send text instant messages to the recipient,

in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, determining if the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging, and

based on a determination that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging, enabling the graphical user interface associated with the instant messaging session to reflect that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging; and

during the presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient;

establishing a video communications session between the sender and the recipient;

receiving, on behalf of the recipient, a completed video instant message sent by the sender using the video communications session;

storing the video instant message on behalf of the recipient;

accessing the stored video instant message; and

enabling presentation of the video instant message to the recipient.

3. A computer readable medium, wherein the computer readable medium is at least one of a machine, a component, equipment, a disk, and memory, and wherein the computer readable medium is storing instructions for:

establishing a presence-based communications session between a sender and a recipient, wherein the instructions for establishing the presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient include instructions for;

initiating a text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient,

in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, enabling display, to the sender, of an instant messaging graphical user interface associated with the initiated text instant messaging session, the instant messaging graphical user interface being configured to enable the sender to compose and send text instant messages to the recipient,

in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, determining if the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging, and

based on a determination that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging, enabling the graphical user interface associated with the instant messaging session to reflect that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging; and

during the presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient;

establishing a video communications session between the sender and the recipient;

generating a video instant message on behalf of the sender;

storing the video instant message on behalf of the sender; and

after generation of the video instant message is complete, receiving an indication to trigger sending of the video instant message to the recipient; and

in response to receiving the indication to trigger sending of the video instant message to the recipient, initiating a transfer of the video instant message to the recipient using the video communications session.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 3 wherein the memory is an external memory.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 3 wherein the memory is an internal memory.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 3 wherein the computer readable medium is a client device.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 3 wherein the computer readable medium is a host device.

8. A computer readable medium wherein the computer readable medium is at least one of a machine, a component, equipment, a disk, and memory, and wherein the computer readable medium is storing instructions for:

establishing a presence-based communications session between a sender and a recipient, the instructions for establishing the presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient including instructions for;

initiating a text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient,

in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, enabling display, to the sender, of an instant messaging graphical user interface associated with the initiated text instant messaging session, the instant messaging graphical user interface being configured to enable the sender to compose and send text instant messages to the recipient,

in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, determining if the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging, and

based on a determination that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging, enabling the graphical user interface associated with the instant messaging session to reflect that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging; and

during the presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient;

establishing a video communications session between the sender and the recipient;

receiving, on behalf of the recipient, a completed video instant message sent by the sender using the video communications session;

storing the video instant message on behalf of the recipient;

accessing the stored video instant message; and

enabling presentation of the video instant message to the recipient.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the memory is an external memory.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the memory is an internal memory.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the computer readable medium is a client device.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the computer readable medium is a host device.

13. A system comprising:

means for establishing a presence-based communications session between a sender and a recipient, wherein the means for establishing a presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient includes;

means for initiating a text instant messaging session between a sender and a recipient,

means for enabling display, to the sender, of an instant messaging graphical user interface associated with the initiated text instant messaging session in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, the instant messaging graphical user interface being configured to enable the sender to compose and send text instant messages to the recipient,

means for determining if the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, and

means for enabling the graphical user interface associated with the instant messaging session to reflect that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging based on a determination that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging; and

means for establishing, during the presence-based communications session, a video communications session between the sender and the recipient;

means for generating, during the presence-based communications session, a video instant message on behalf of the sender;

means for storing, during the presence-based communications session, the video instant message on behalf of the sender;

means for receiving, during the instant messaging communications session and after generation of the video instant message is complete, an indication to trigger sending of the video instant message to the recipient; and

means for initiating a transfer of the video instant message to the recipient using the video communications session in response to receiving the indication to trigger sending of the vide instant message to the recipient.

14. A system comprising:

means for establishing a presence-based communications session between a sender and a recipient through an instant messaging host, wherein the means for establishing the presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient includes;

means for initiating a text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient,

means for enabling display, to the sender, of an instant messaging graphical user interface associated with the initiated text instant messaging session in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, the instant messaging graphical user interface being configured to enable the sender to compose and send text instant messages to the recipient,

means for determining if the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, and

means for enabling the graphical user interface associated with the instant messaging session to reflect that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging based on a determination that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging;

means for establishing a video communication session between the sender and the recipient;

means for receiving, during the presence-based communications session, a completed video instant message sent by the sender using the video communications session;

means for storing, during the presence-based communications session, the video instant message on behalf of the recipient;

means for accessing, during the presence-based communications session, the stored video instant message; and

means for enabling presentation of the video instant message to the recipient during the presence-based communications session.

15. A communications method, comprising:

establishing a presence-based communications session between a sender and a recipient, wherein establishing the presence-based communications session between the sender and the recipient includes;

initiating a text instant messaging session between a sender and a recipient,

in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, enabling display, to the sender, of an instant messaging graphical user interface associated with the initiated text instant messaging session, the instant messaging graphical user interface being configured to enable the sender to compose and send text instant messages to the recipient,

in response to initiating the text instant messaging session between the sender and the recipient, determining if the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging, and

based on a determination that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging, enabling the graphical user interface associated with the instant messaging session to reflect that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging;

during the presence-based communications session, receiving, from the sender, a request to establish a video communications session between the sender and the recipient that is concurrent with the presence-based communications session, wherein receiving the request to establish the video communications session between the sender and the recipient includes receiving the request to establish the video communications session between the sender and the recipient after enabling the graphical, user interface associated with the instant messaging session to reflect that the recipient is capable of participating in video instant messaging;

in response to receiving the request to establish a video communications session between the sender and the recipient, establishing a video communications session between the sender and the recipient that is concurrent with the presence-based communications session; and

during the concurrent presence-based and video communications sessions between the sender and the recipient;

generating a video instant message on behalf of the sender;

receiving an instruction from the sender to send the video instant message to the recipient after generation of the video instant message is complete;

in response to receiving the instruction to send the video instant message to the recipient, initiating a transfer of the video instant message to the recipient using the video communications session;

receiving a non-video message from the sender intended for the recipient; and

initiating a transmission of the non-video message from the sender to the recipient using the presence-based communications session.