Video mail capture, processing and distribution

• US 9,300,910 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biscotti Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Biscotti Incorporated
• Inventors: Shoemake, Matthew B., Ahmed, Syed Nadeem, Smith, Craig D., Ring, Jack R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannett, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLEMAN, STEPHEN P
• Application Number:
  US14/170,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20140168344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• 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: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for enabling or implementing video mail capture, processing, and distribution. In response to a first video calling device receiving a video call from a caller at a second video calling device, the first video calling device, which is associated with a user or callee, might determine whether the user is available to answer the video call. If not, one of the first or second video calling devices might prompt the caller to leave a videomail message, and might record and upload the videomail message to a server over a network for post-processing and/or storage. A notification may be sent to the user regarding the videomail message. The user may be provided with options to view the videomail message and/or to respond to the videomail message. In some cases, the first and second video calling devices might be of different make or model.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first video calling device associated with a user and over a network, a video call from a caller at a second video calling device;

determining, with one or both of the first video calling device or the second video calling device, that the user is unable to answer the video call;

recording, with the first video calling device that receives the call, a videomail message from the video call, based at least in part on a determination that the user is unable to answer the video call;

uploading, with the first video calling device, the videomail message to a server over the network;

post-processing, with the server, at least a portion of the videomail message that has been uploaded over the network, wherein post-processing comprises scaling video of the videomail message being of a first resolution and scaling video of second videomail messages from third video calling devices being of a second resolution all to a single consistent specified resolution;

providing, with the first video calling device, user access to a web portal interface running on the server, the web portal interface providing the user with access to the videomail message that has been post-processed to be of the single consistent specified resolution and that is viewable through the web portal interface;

creating a uniform resource locator (“

URL”

) addressing the videomail message that has been post-processed to be of the single consistent specified resolution; and

providing a notification to the user, the notification containing the URL addressing the videomail message that has been post-processed to be of the single consistent specified resolution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video calling device and the second video calling device are at least one of made by different manufacturers or of different models of calling device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting, with the first video calling device associated with the user, the caller to leave the videomail message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of at least one of the first video calling device or the second video calling device comprises:

a first video input interface to receive first video input from a first local content source;

a first audio input interface to receive first audio input from the first local content source;

a first video output interface to provide first video output to a first video display device;

a first audio output interface to provide first audio output to a first audio receiver;

a first video capture device to capture at least one of first image data or first video data;

a first audio capture device to capture first audio data;

a first network interface;

at least one first processor; and

a first storage medium in communication with the at least one first processor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein uploading the videomail message to the server over the network comprises uploading at least a portion of each of one or more components of the videomail message, the one or more components of the videomail message comprising an audio component, a video component, and a timecode component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein post-processing further comprises mixing audio and video of the videomail message by reference to a timecode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein post-processing further comprises adding a visible watermark to the videomail message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein post-processing further comprises formatting the videomail message as a video viewable by a web browser that accesses the web portal interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein post-processing further comprises formatting the videomail message for downloading by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein post-processing further comprises formatting the videomail message for viewing on a user device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording a timecode file to a storage medium at one of the first video calling device, the second video calling device, or the server, the timecode file indicating when each frame of video of the videomail message should be displayed and indicating when each frame of audio of the videomail message should be played;

synchronizing, at the one of the first video calling device, the second video calling device, or the server, audio and video from the videomail message, based at least in part on the recorded timecode file;

wherein uploading the videomail message to the server comprises uploading an audio file, a video file, and the timecode to the server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification further comprises an e-mail message, in which the videomail message is one of an attached videomail message or an embedded videomail message.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification further comprises a text message with a link to a formatted video comprising the videomail message.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification further comprises an e-mail message with a link to a formatted video comprising the videomail message.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

creating a second uniform resource locator (“

URL”

) addressing the formatted video, wherein the link includes the second URL addressing the formatted video.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering, with a first computer, a master account for the user;

assigning, with the first computer, the first video calling device to the master account;

authenticating the user, at the first computer, using a set of credentials associated with the master account;

accessing the first video calling device from the first computer, over the network, after authenticating the user;

providing a user interface, from the first computer, over the network;

receiving, by the first computer, user input associated with options presented by the user interface, the options including one or more of options for establishing user preferences for videomail messages, options for modifying user preferences for videomail messages, options for deleting user preferences for videomail messages, options for notifying the user regarding videomail messages, or options for responding to videomail messages.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the network is the Internet, and wherein the user interface comprises a web page.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a request from the user to view the videomail message; and

displaying the videomail message with the user interface.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first computer is one of the first video calling device or the second video calling device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving user input comprises receiving user input from a third video calling device, the third video calling device comprising:

a second video input interface to receive second video input from a second local content source;

a second audio input interface to receive second audio input from the second local content source;

a second video output interface to provide second video output to a second video display device;

a second audio output interface to provide second audio output to a second audio receiver;

a second video capture device to capture at least one of second image data or second video data;

a second audio capture device to capture second audio data;

a second network interface;

at least one second processor; and

a second storage medium in communication with the at least one second processor;

the method further comprising;

providing the user with access, over the network, to at least one of the first video calling device or the master account.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

collecting presence information with the third video calling device;

detecting presence of the user, with the third video calling device, based at least in part on the presence information;

identifying the user, with a second computer, based at least in part on identifying information derived from at least a portion of the presence information; and

in response to identifying the user, providing, over the third video calling device, options for the user to view any videomail messages left for the user.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein identifying the user comprises one or more of:

analyzing, with the second computer, at least one of captured second image data or captured second video data, using facial recognition software;

comparing, with the second computer, at least a portion of the captured second audio data with a voiceprint;

comparing, with the second computer, at least a portion of the captured second audio data with stored challenge/response information;

determining, with the second computer, whether a username and a password inputted by the user matches a pre-stored username and a pre-stored password associated with the user;

determining, with the second computer, whether a user device that is detected in proximity to the presence detection device is a device associated with the user;

or

detecting a presence of a user device that is associated with the user, based on at least one of detecting a Bluetooth connection of the user device, detecting that the user device is associated with a WiFi access point with which the presence detection device has associated, or communicating with the user device using near field communication (“

NFC”

).

23. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the one or more processors, the computer readable medium having encoded thereon a set of instructions

executable by the one or more processors to cause the apparatus to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising;

instructions for receiving a video call from a video calling device;

instructions for determining that the user is unable to answer the video call;

instructions for recording a videomail message from the video call, based at least in part on a determination that the user is unable to answer the video call;

instructions for uploading the videomail message to a server over the network;

instructions for post-processing, with the server, at least a portion of the videomail message that has been uploaded over the network, wherein post-processing comprises scaling video of the videomail message being of a first resolution and scaling video of second videomail messages from third video calling devices being of a second resolution all to a single consistent specified resolution;

instructions for providing user access to a web portal interface running on the server, the web portal interface providing the user with access to the videomail message that has been post-processed to be of the single consistent specified resolution and that is viewable through the web portal interface; and

instructions for providing a notification to the user, the notification containing a uniform resource locator (“

URL”

) that has been created to address the videomail message that has been post-processed to be of the single consistent specified resolution.

24. A video calling device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the one or more processors, the computer readable medium having encoded thereon a set of instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the video calling device to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising;

instructions for sending a video call to an apparatus;

instructions for determining that a callee associated with the apparatus is not available to answer the video call;

instructions for recording a videomail message from the video call, based at least in part on a determination that the callee is unable to answer the video call;

instructions for uploading the videomail message to a server over a network;

instructions for post-processing, with the server, at least a portion of the videomail message that has been uploaded over the network, wherein post-processing comprises scaling video of the videomail message being of a first resolution and scaling video of second videomail messages from third video calling devices being of a second resolution all to a single consistent specified resolution

instructions for sending a first notification to the callee with instructions to access the videomail message via a web portal interface running on the server, the web portal interface providing the callee with access to the videomail message that has been post-processed to be of the single consistent specified resolution and that is viewable through the web portal interface; and

instructions for providing a notification to the user, the notification containing a uniform resource locator (“

URL”

) that has been created to address the videomail message that has been post-processed to be of the single consistent specified resolution.

25. A system, comprising:

a first video calling device associated with a user, the first video calling device comprising;

one or more first processors; and

a first computer readable medium in communication with the one or more first processors, the first computer readable medium having encoded thereon a first set of instructions executable by the one or more first processors to cause the first video calling device to perform one or more operations, the first set of instructions comprising;

instructions for receiving a video call from a caller at a second video calling device;

instructions for determining that the user is unable to answer the video call;

instructions for recording a videomail message from the video call, based at least in part on a determination that the user is unable to answer the video call;

instructions for uploading the videomail message to a server over the network; and

instructions for providing user access to a web portal interface running on the server, the web portal interface providing the user with access to the videomail message that is viewable through the web portal interface; and

a server computer, comprising;

one or more second processors; and

a second computer readable medium in communication with the one or more second processors, the second computer readable medium having encoded thereon a second set of instructions executable by the one or more second processors to cause the server computer to perform one or more operations, the second set of instructions comprising;

instructions for receiving the uploaded videomail message;

instructions for post-processing, with the server, at least a portion of the videomail message that has been uploaded over the network, wherein post-processing comprises scaling video of the videomail message being of a first resolution and scaling video of second videomail messages from third video calling devices being of a second resolution all to a single consistent specified resolution;

instructions for establishing or maintaining the web portal interface;

instructions for creating a uniform resource locator (“

URL”

) addressing the videomail message that has been post-processed to be of the single consistent specified resolution; and

instructions for providing a notification to the user, the notification containing the URL addressing the videomail message that has been post-processed to be of the single consistent specified resolution.