System and method for context enhanced messaging

• US 8,386,506 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martinez, Ronald, Davis, Marc Eliot, Spiegelman, Michael, Paretti, Christopher T, Ghezzi, Nicola Stefano, Higgins, Christopher William, Kalaboukis, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Amresh
• Application Number:
  US12/195,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.49, 707/759
• US Class Current: 707/759
• 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 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A system and method for media enhanced messaging. A message from a message sender to be delivered to at least one message recipient is received over a network. The message comprises at least one delivery criteria and at least one content criteria. When it is determined, via the network that the delivery criteria of the message has been satisfied, a query is formulated based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify at least one media file that is relevant to the content criteria. The media files are inserted into the message and the message is transmitted over the network to the recipient.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

transmitting, over a network, a message from a message sender to a message recipient, the message comprising content criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria;

in response to the message recipient opening the message,

formulating a query based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify a plurality of media files that are relevant to the content criteria, such that the search is performed using a global index comprising a global graph that relates entities known to the network with one another, and

providing, over the network, the plurality of media files to the message recipient.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein user profile data comprise data that match a user, and the preferences of the user is used as part of the query.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the content criteria is the lyrics of a song.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the message comprises at least two content criteria, wherein a first one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query where the message transmitted at a first time, and wherein a second one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query where the message transmitted at a second time.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the content criteria are ranked in a rank of relative importance and the plurality of media files are prioritized accord to the relative importance.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the spatial data and temporal data are retrieved from a plurality of sensors known to the network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a first user device associated with the message sender and a second user device associated with the message recipient.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the plurality of sensors additionally comprises an environmental sensor that is not associated with a user device.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the plurality of sensors additionally comprises a biometric sensor.

11. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving, over a network, a message from a message sender to be delivered to a message recipient, the message comprising delivery criteria and content criteria, the content criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria and the delivery criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria;

determining, via the network, that the delivery criteria for the message has been satisfied;

in response to determining the delivery criteria have been satisfied,

formulating a query based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify a media file relevant to the content criteria, such that the search is performed using a global index comprising a global graph that relates entities known to the network with one another, and

determining the message recipient is permitted to access the content of the media file using ownership data associated with the media file;

in response to determining the message recipient is permitted to access the content of the media file,

inserting the media file into the message, and

transmitting the message over the network to the message recipient.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein if delivery criteria is not satisfied when the message is initially received, the message is stored until a change in data on the network causes the delivery criteria to be satisfied.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific time.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific date and time.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted on the occurrence of a specific event.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the recipient is in a specific location.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the recipient is in a specific location at a specific time.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein user profile data comprise data that match user, and the preferences of the user is used as part of the query.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the content criteria is the lyrics of a song.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein the message comprises at least two content criteria, wherein a first one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query where the message transmitted at a first time, and wherein a second one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query where the message transmitted at a second time.

22. The method of claim 11 wherein at least a portion of the spatial data and temporal data are retrieved from a plurality of sensors known to the network.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a first user device associated with the message sender and a second user device associated with the message recipient.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of sensors additionally comprises an environmental sensor that is not associated with a user device.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of sensors additionally comprises a biometric sensor.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon computer-readable instructions for a method comprising:

transmitting, over a network, a message from a message sender to a message recipient, the message comprising content criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria;

in response to the message recipient opening the message,

formulating a query based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify a plurality of media files that are relevant to the content criteria, such that the search is performed using a global index comprising a global graph that relates entities known to the network with one another, and

providing, over the network, the plurality of media files to the message recipient.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26 wherein user profile data comprise data that match user, and the preferences of the user is used as part of the query.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26 wherein the content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26 wherein the content criteria is the lyrics of a song.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon computer-readable instructions for a method comprising:

receiving, over a network, a message from a message sender to be delivered to a message recipient, the message comprising delivery criteria and content criteria, the content criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria and the delivery criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria;

determining, via the network, that the delivery criteria for the message has been satisfied;

in response to determining the delivery criteria have been satisfied,

formulating a query based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify a media file relevant to the content criteria, such that the search is performed using a global index comprising a global graph that relates entities known to the network with one another, and

determining the message recipient is permitted to access the content of the media file using ownership data associated with the media object;

in response to determining the message recipient is permitted to access the content of the media file,

inserting the media file into the message, and

transmitting the message over the network to the message recipient.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein if delivery criteria is not satisfied when the message is initially received, the message is stored until a change in data on the network causes the delivery criteria to be satisfied.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific time.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific date and time.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted on the occurrence of a specific event.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the recipient is in a specific location.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the recipient is in a specific location at a specific time.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein user profile data comprise data that match a user, and the preferences of the user is used as part of the query.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein the content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein the content criteria is the lyrics of a song.

40. A system comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

logic executed by the processor for receiving, over a network, a message from a message sender to be delivered to a message recipient, the message comprising delivery criteria and content criteria, the content criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria and the delivery criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria;

logic executed by the processor for determining, via the network, that the delivery criteria for the message has been satisfied;

logic executed by the processor for, in response to determining the delivery criteria have been satisfied, formulating a query based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify a media file relevant to the content criteria, such that the search is performed using a global index comprising a global graph that relates entities known to the network with one another;

logic executed by the processor for determining the message recipient is permitted to access the content of the media file using ownership data associated with the media file; and

logic executed by the processor for, in response to determining the message recipient is permitted to access the content of the media file, inserting the media file into the message, and transmitting the message over the network to the message recipient.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein if the delivery criteria of the message is not satisfied when the message is initially evaluated, the message is retained and the delivery criteria evaluation and tracking logic tracks data related to delivery criteria of the message until the delivery criteria of a message are satisfied.

42. The system of claim 40 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific time.

43. The system of claim 40 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted at a specific date and time.

44. The system of claim 40 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted on the occurrence of a specific event.

45. The system of claim 40 wherein the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the recipient is in a specific location.

46. The system of claim 40 wherein for the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted when the recipient is in a specific location at a specific time.

47. The system of claim 40 wherein user profile data comprise data that match a user, and the preferences of the user is used as part of the query.

48. The system of claim 40 wherein the content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network.

49. The system of claim 40 wherein the content criteria is the lyrics of a song.