Apparatus and method for implementing a multimedia distribution list

Abstract

A system is described for providing multi-media notifications comprising: a multimedia distribution list for storing destination addresses for a plurality of recipients, the destinations identified by the addresses including destinations from a variety of different communication media types, the media types including both electronic messaging types and voice-based message types; and multimedia message processing logic for distributing a single message over a plurality of the different media types responsive to the multimedia distribution list.

1 . A system comprising: 
 a multimedia distribution list for storing destination addresses for a plurality of recipients, the destinations identified by the addresses including destinations from a variety of different communication media types, the media types including both electronic messaging types and voice-based message types; and    multimedia message processing logic for distributing a single message to the destinations over a plurality of the different media types responsive to the multimedia distribution list.    
   
   
       2 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein one of the voice media types comprises voicemail.  
   
   
       3 . The system as in  claim 2  wherein one of the electronic messaging media types comprises email.  
   
   
       4 . The system as in  claim 3  wherein the single message is a recorded voice message and wherein the multimedia message processing logic concurrently transmits the voice message to one or more voicemail destinations and one or more email destinations specified within the multimedia distribution list.  
   
   
       5 . The system as in  claim 4  wherein the voice message is transmitted to the one or more email destinations in the form of an attachment or embedded within the email.  
   
   
       6 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein one of the voice media types comprises fax and one of the electronic messaging media types comprises email.  
   
   
       7 . The system as in  claim 8  wherein the single message is a fax and wherein the multimedia message processing logic concurrently transmits the fax to one or more fax destinations and to one or more email destinations specified within the multimedia distribution list.  
   
   
       8 . The system as in  claim 7  wherein the fax is transmitted to the one or more email destinations in the form of an attachment or embedded within the email.  
   
   
       9 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein one of the voice-based message types comprises videomail and one of the electronic messaging media types comprises email.  
   
   
       10 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein the single message is a video message and wherein the multimedia message processing logic concurrently transmits the video message to one or more videomail destinations and to one or more email destinations specified within the multimedia distribution list.  
   
   
       11 . The system as in  claim 10  wherein the video message is transmitted to the one or more email destinations in the form of an attachment or embedded within the email.  
   
   
       12 . A method comprising: 
 storing destination addresses for a plurality of recipients within a multimedia distribution list, the destinations identified by the addresses including destinations from a variety of different communication media types, the media types including both electronic messaging types and telephony-based message types; and    distributing a single message to the destinations over a plurality of the different media types responsive to the multimedia distribution list.    
   
   
       13 . The method as in  claim 12  wherein one of the voice media types comprises voicemail.  
   
   
       14 . The method as in  claim 13  wherein one of the electronic messaging media types comprises email.  
   
   
       15 . The method as in  claim 14  wherein the single message is a recorded voice message, the method further comprising: 
 concurrently transmitting the voice message to one or more voicemail destinations and one or more email destinations specified within the multimedia distribution list.    
   
   
       16 . The method as in  claim 15  further comprising: 
 attaching the voice message to an email message or embedding the voice message within an email message prior to transmitting the voice message to one or more email destinations.    
   
   
       17 . The method as in  claim 8  wherein one of the voice media types comprises fax and one of the electronic messaging media types comprises email.  
   
   
       18 . The method as in  claim 17  wherein the single message is a fax, the method further comprising: 
 concurrently transmitting the fax to one or more fax destinations and to one or more email destinations specified within the multimedia distribution list.    
   
   
       19 . The method as in  claim 17  further comprising: 
 attaching the fax to an email message or embedding the fax within an email message prior to transmitting the fax to one or more email destinations.    
   
   
       20 . The method as in  claim 12  wherein one of the voice media types comprises videomail and one of the electronic messaging media types comprises email.  
   
   
       21 . The method as in  claim 12  wherein the single message is a recorded video message, the method further comprising: 
 concurrently transmitting the video message to one or more videomail destinations and one or more email destinations specified within the multimedia distribution list.    
   
   
       22 . The method as in  claim 21  further comprising: 
 attaching the video message to an email message or embedding the video message within an email message prior to transmitting the video message to the one or more email destinations.    
   
   
       23 . A machine-readable medium having stored thereon program code which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the operations of: 
 storing destination addresses for a plurality of recipients within a multimedia distribution list, the destinations identified by the addresses including destinations from a variety of different communication media types, the media types including both electronic messaging types and telephony-based message types; and    distributing a single message to the destinations over a plurality of the different media types responsive to the multimedia distribution list.    
   
   
       24 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 23  wherein one of the voice media types comprises voicemail.  
   
   
       25 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 24  wherein one of the electronic messaging media types comprises email.  
   
   
       26 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 25  wherein the single message is a recorded voice message, the machine-readable medium comprising additional program code to cause the machine to perform the operations of: 
 concurrently transmitting the voice message to one or more voicemail destinations and one or more email destinations specified within the multimedia distribution list.    
   
   
       27 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 26  comprising additional program code to cause the machine to perform the operations of: 
 attaching the voice message to an email message or embedding the voice message within an email message prior to transmitting the voice message to one or more email destinations.    
   
   
       28 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 23  wherein one of the voice media types comprises fax and one of the electronic messaging media types comprises email.  
   
   
       29 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 28  wherein the single message is a fax, the machine-readable medium comprising additional program code to cause the machine to perform the operations of: 
 concurrently transmitting the fax to one or more fax destinations and to one or more email destinations specified within the multimedia distribution list.