Video in e-mail

• US 8,878,855 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2010
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liveclicker Incorporated (CM Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Liveclicker Incorporated (CM Group LLC)
• Inventors: Casanova, Xavier, Mann, Walter Rezin, Foster, Justin Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarka, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vu
• Application Number:
  US12/787,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20110037767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 345/473
• US Class Current: 345/473
• 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 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

To allow a video clip to be rendered within an e-mail, the video stream is converted into an animated image object (e.g. a GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) object) and stored on a server system. An HTML image element/tag (<img . . . >) is created that references the animated image object at the server, for embedding in a conventional HTML-encoded e-mail message. When the receiving e-mail application processes the HTML encoding, the processing of the HTML image element causes the referenced animated image object to be downloaded and displayed, thereby automatically presenting a recreation of the video stream. To facilitate efficient transmission to the receiving device, the size of the animated image object is preferably optimized before transmission, the optimization including general optimization techniques, as well as optimizations based on the particular characteristics associated with the receiving device and/or the communications link to the receiving device.

Claims

1. A server system comprising:

a transceiver system that is configured to communicate with a plurality of user devices; and

a processing system, operably coupled to the transceiver system, that is configured to;

receive video content and creation parameters from a first user device,

convert the video content into a plurality of HyperText Markup Language (HTML)-supported animated image objects based on the creation parameters,

store the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects at a memory location,

transmit a reference to the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects to the first user device for inclusion in an HTML image element (IMG) of an e-mail message,

in response to an automated processing of the IMG in the e-mail message, receive a request for the video content from a second user device that receives the e-mail message from the first user device,

determining one or more parameters of a receiving channel associated with the second user device based on a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header of the request,

selecting, based on the one or more parameters of the receiving channel associated with the second user device, a certain HTML-supported animated image object from the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects such that a channel response time of the certain HTML-supported animated image object from the first user device to the second user device less than a predetermined time period, and

transmit the certain HTML-supported animated image object to the second user device.

3. The server system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determining one or more device parameters associated with the second user device, and wherein the one or more device parameters include at least one of a connection speed or a frame speed.

4. The server system of claim 3, wherein the device parameters include one or more application-specific parameters.

5. The server system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

provide a redirect response upon receiving the request for the video content, and

determine the channel response time based on receiving a redirected request.

6. The server system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to convert the video content by creating one or more static image objects and one or more dynamic image objects to create the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects.

7. The server system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the static image objects includes a background image, and each of the one or more dynamic age objects is based on differences from the background image.

8. The server system of claim 6, wherein the static image objects include an associated time duration during which at least a portion of video content is substantially constant.

9. The server system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to perform a blending among frames of an individual HTML-supported animated image object of the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects.

10. The server system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to optimize a selection of colors used to encode frames of the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects.

11. The server system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to facilitate control of brightness of one or more of frames of plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects.

12. The server system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to provide a graphic symbol with the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects, and selection of the graphic symbol by the second user causes an associated action to be performed.

13. The server system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects are encoded using one of:

GIF, APNG, and MNG.

14. The server system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to maintain an accounting of requests for the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects, and to provide one or more reports based on the accounting.

15. The server system of claim 1, wherein the creation parameters include a frame rate.

16. The server system of claim 1, wherein the creation parameters include a duration of an individual of HTML-supported animated image object of the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects.

17. The server system of claim 1, wherein the creation parameters include one or more of:

color-depth, static post-roll, play button, cropping, and placement.

18. The server system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive multiple requests for the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects, and

provide statistics based on these requests.

19. The server system of claim 18, wherein the statistics are based on one or more of:

a number of the requests, a frequency of the requests, and characteristics of requesting devices.

20. The server system of claim 18, wherein the statistics are based on a duration of viewing of an individual HTML-supported animated image object of the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects.

21. The server system of claim 18, wherein the statistics are based on an amount of data transmitted in response to the requests.

2. The server system of cairn 1, wherein the processing system is configured to convert the video content by a process that includes creating a preliminary image object based on the video content and the creation parameters, and reducing a size of the preliminary image object to create an animated image object of the plurality of HTML-supported animated image objects.

22. A method comprising:

receiving, at a server system, video content and creation parameters from a first user device;

converting, at the server system, the video content into a plurality of image objects, based on the creation parameters;

storing, at a memory system, the plurality of image objects at a memory location, the plurality of image objects comprising a plurality of HyperText Markup Language (HTML) animated image objects;

sending, from the server system, a reference to the plurality of image objects to the first user device for inclusion of the reference in an HyperText Markup Language (HTML) image element (IMG) of an e-mail message that is sent from the first user device to a second user device;

in response to a determination a processing of the IMG at the second user device, receiving, at the server system, a request for the video content from the second user device that receives the e-mail message from the first user device the reference to the memory location;

determining one or more parameters of a receiving channel associated with the second user based on a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header of the request;

selecting, based on the one or more parameters of the receiving channel associated with the second user device, a certain image object from the plurality of image objects such that a channel response time of the certain image object from the first user device to the second user device is less than a predetermined time period; and

sending, from the server system, the certain image object to the second user device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein converting the video content includes creating a preliminary image object based on the video content and the creation parameters, and reducing a size of the preliminary image object to create an image object of the plurality of image objects.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining one or more parameters associated with the second user, wherein device parameters include at least one of an application-specific parameter, a connection speed, or a frame speed.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

providing a redirect response upon receiving the request for the plurality of image objects, and

determining a channel response time based on receiving a redirected request, wherein the selecting, based on the one or more parameters of the receiving channel associated with the second user device, the certain image object from the plurality of image objects selecting the certain image object from the plurality of image objects based on the determined channel response time.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein converting video content includes creating one or more static image objects and one or more dynamic image objects to create the plurality of image objects.

27. The method of claim 22, including blending among frames of the plurality of image objects.

28. The method of claim 22, including maintaining an accounting of requests for the plurality of image objects, and providing one or more reports based on the accounting.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the creation parameters include one or more of:

frame rate, duration, color-depth, static post-roll, play button, cropping, and placement.

30. The method of claim 22, including receiving multiple requests for the plurality of image objects and providing statistics based on these requests.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the statistics are based on one or more of:

a number of the requests, a frequency of the requests, a duration of viewing of an individual image object of the plurality of image objects, an amount of data transmitted in response to the requests, and characteristics of requesting devices.

32. A non-transitory computer readable medium that includes software that, when executed, is configured to cause a processor to:

receive video content and creation parameters from a first user device;

convert the video content into a plurality of HyperText Markup Language (HTML) image objects, based on the creation parameters, the plurality of HTML image objects comprising a plurality of HTML animated image objects;

store the plurality of HTML image objects at a memory location;

transmit a reference to the plurality of HTML image objects to the first user device for inclusion in an HTML image element (IMG) of an e-mail message that is sent from the first device to a second user device;

in response to a determination a processing of the IMG at the second user device, receive a request for the video content from the second user device that receives the e-mail message from the first user device;

determine one or more parameter of a receiving channel associated with the second user device based on a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header of the request;

select, based on the one or more parameters associated with the second user device, a certain HTML image object from the plurality of HTML image objects such that a channel response time of the certain image object from the first user device to the second user device is less than a predetermined time period; and

transmit the certain HTML image object to the second user device.

33. The medium of claim 32, wherein the software causes the processor to convert the video content by a process that includes creating a preliminary image object based on the video content and the creation parameters, and reducing a size of the preliminary image object to create the plurality of HTML image objects.

34. The medium of claim 32, wherein the software causes the processor to determine device parameters associated with the second user device, and wherein the selecting, based on the one or more parameters associated with the second user device, the certain HTML image object from the plurality of HTML image objects comprises selecting the certain HTML image object from the plurality of HTML image objects based on the device parameters associated with the second user device.

35. The medium of claim 34, wherein the device parameters include at least one of a connection speed or a frame speed.

36. The medium of claim 32, wherein the device parameters include one or more application-specific parameters.

37. The medium of claim 32, wherein the software causes the processor to:

provide a redirect response upon receiving the request for the plurality of HTML image objects, and

determine a channel response time based on receiving a redirected request, wherein the selecting, based on the one or more parameters associated with the second user device, the certain HTML image object from the plurality of HTML image objects comprises selecting the certain HTML image object from the plurality of HTML image objects based on the determined channel response time.

38. The medium of claim 32, wherein the software causes the processor to convert the video content by creating one or more static image objects and one or more dynamic image objects to create the plurality of HTML image objects.

39. The medium of claim 38, wherein at least one of the static image objects includes a background image, and each of the one or more dynamic image objects is based on differences from the background image.

40. The medium of claim 38, wherein the static image objects include an associated time duration during which at least a portion of video content is substantially constant.

41. The medium of claim 32, wherein the software causes the processor to perform a blending among frames of the plurality of HTML image objects.

42. The medium of claim 32, wherein the software causes the processor to optimize a selection of colors used to encode frames of the plurality of HTML image objects.

43. The medium of claim 32, wherein the software causes the processor to facilitate control of brightness of one or more of frames of the plurality of HTML image objects.

44. The medium of claim 32, wherein the software causes the processor to provide a graphic symbol with the plurality of HTML image objects, and selection of the graphic symbol by the second user device causes an associated action to be performed.

45. The medium of claim 32, wherein the plurality of HTML image objects are encoded using one of:

GIF, APNG, and MNG.

46. The medium of claim 32, wherein the software causes the processor to maintain an accounting of requests for the plurality of HTML image objects, and to provide one or more reports based on the accounting.

47. The medium of claim 32, wherein the creation parameters include at least one of:

frame rate, duration of an individual HTML image Object of the plurality of HTML image objects, color-depth, static post-roll, play button, cropping, and placement.

48. The medium of claim 32, wherein the software causes the processor to receive multiple requests for the plurality of HTML image objects, and to provide statistics based on these requests.

49. The medium of claim 48, wherein the statistics are based on one or more of:

a number of the requests, a frequency of the requests, and characteristics of requesting devices.

50. The medium of claim 48, wherein the statistics are based on a duration of viewing of an individual HTML image object of the plurality of HTML image objects.

51. The medium of claim 48, wherein the statistics are based on an amount of data transmitted in response to the requests.