Video cell phone messenger

• US 9,986,390 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2012
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Patential Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ubiquity Broadcasting Corporation
• Inventors: Carmichael, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/529,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20130023245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,168 Days
• Field of Search: 4555692, 4555759, 455344, 4554351, 455345, 4554141, 455466, 379 2901
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A video cell phone messenger that provides caller ID streaming with sound and/or video, and provides a virtual greeting that users get when a call or text. A customized message is sent as part of an outgoing communication to another user who is being contacted by the user, in place of a numerical caller ID. The phone also sends text messages, and a second picture and sound forms a second customized message for texts.

Claims

1. A telephone, comprising:

a first user interface part for the telephone that has a display screen, a microphone, a camera, and a processor,

the telephone operating for making and receiving calls,

the processor operating to use the camera and microphone to record a first picture and sound of a user speaking,

and the processor operating to set the first picture and sound of the user speaking as being a customized message that includes at least the picture and sound as two different forms of media that are combined together; and

and the processor operating to play the customized message sent as part of an outgoing communication to another user who is being contacted by the user, in place of a numerical caller ID,

wherein the telephone also operates for sending text messages, the processor operating to use the camera and microphone to record a second picture and sound of the user speaking, which is different than the first picture and sound of the user speaking, and using said second picture and sound to form a second customized message for texts, and to send the second customized message to said another user who is receiving a text message from the user.

2. The telephone as in claim 1, wherein the processor controls sending the customized message to said another user who is being called, in place of a caller ID.

3. The telephone as in claim 1, wherein the first user interface part also includes an editor which allows changing parts of the greeting.

4. The telephone as in claim 3, wherein the editor allows changing a color scheme of the greeting.

5. The telephone as in claim 3, wherein the editor allows changing a music background that is played with the greeting.

6. The telephone as in claim 1, wherein the greeting is video and sound taken with a camera of the telephone.

7. A telephone system, comprising:

a computer part that operates to record a first video of a telephone user speaking, and to set the video as a first customized message that includes at least the video with at least picture and sound that are combined together;

said computer part causing the first message to be sent to a user who is being contacted as part of a telephone call to the user who is being contacted, so that the user who is being called sees the caller ID based customized message in place of a numerical caller ID when receiving a communication from the telephone user,

said computer part also operating to record a second video of a telephone user speaking, and to set the video as a second greeting to show to a party who is receiving a text message from the telephone user, said second greeting formed of a second customized message that includes at least the video with at least picture and sound that are combined together;

said computer part causing the second greeting to be played to the party who is receiving a text message from the telephone user, so that the party who is receiving a text message from the telephone user sees a greeting comprising the telephone user along with the message in the user'"'"'s own voice.

8. The telephone system as in claim 7, wherein the computer part also includes an editor which allows changing parts of the greeting.

9. The telephone system as in claim 8, wherein the editor allows changing a color scheme of the greeting.

10. The telephone system as in claim 7, wherein the editor allows changing a music background that is played with the greeting.

11. The telephone system as in claim 7, wherein the greeting is video and sound taken with a camera of the telephone.

12. A method, comprising:

using a computer part in a telephone to record a first video of a telephone user speaking using a camera in a telephone associated with the telephone user;

sending the video and its sound as a first multimedia caller ID sent as part of an outgoing call to another user who is being contacted by the user, in place of a numerical caller ID;

using the computer part in the telephone to record a second video of the telephone user speaking using a camera in a telephone associated with the telephone user;

sending the second video and its sound as a second multimedia caller ID sent as part of an outgoing text message being sent to another user who is being contacted by a text message by the user.

13. The method as in claim 12, wherein the computer part also includes an editor which allows changing color schemes and music associated with the greeting that was recorded on the telephone.