System and method for media-enabled messaging having publish-and-send feature

Abstract

A system and related techniques manage the adding of digital images or other media to email messages using a comparatively straightforward insert-and-send scheme. A user may choose to insert or embed comparatively low-resolution versions of images or other media automatically published to a media server into an email message. The recipient of that media-enabled message may receive and view the email text message along with the low-resolution images in typical fashion using an email or other client. The recipient may choose to view one or more of the embedded images in greater resolution by linking or activating those images, for instance by moving a cursor and clicking into the selected image or other object. Activating the image or other media object from within the email pane may seamlessly transport the user to the media server's Web page to view a larger-resolution version of that image, for instance using a media player. Video, audio and other media may likewise be inserted into messages. The sender may therefore share a variety of images, audio, video or other media with selected recipients without loading the recipient's email or other client with increased download times or storage requirements.

1 . A system for selectively presenting media embedded in a message, comprising: 
 an input interface to receive a media-enabled message;    a messaging client, communicating with the input interface, the messaging client presenting the media-enabled message to a user and permitting the user to select at least one media object in the media-enabled message; and    a media player, communicating with the messaging client, the media player presenting an enhanced representation of the at least one media object to the user.    
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the media-enabled message comprises email.  
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 2 , wherein the messaging client comprises an email client.  
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one media object comprises at least one of a graphical image, an audio stream and a video stream.  
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one media object comprises a graphical image, and the enhanced representation of the graphical image comprises an enhanced-resolution version of the graphical image.  
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the media player comprises at least one of a slide show player, an audio player and a video player.  
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the selecting of the at least one media object comprises activating a link via the at least one media object.  
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the media player is integrated with the messaging client.  
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the media player is separate from the messaging client.  
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the media player communicates with at least one media server to retrieve the enhanced representation of the at least one media object selected by the user.  
   
   
       11 . A method for selectively presenting media embedded in a message, comprising: 
 receiving a media-enabled message;    presenting the media-enabled message to a user;    receiving an input from the user to select at least one media object in the media-enabled message; and    presenting an enhanced representation of the at least one media object to the user.    
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the media-enabled message comprises email.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one media object comprises at least one of a graphical image, an audio stream and a video stream.  
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one media object comprises a graphical image, and the enhanced representation of the graphical image comprises an enhanced-resolution version of the graphical image.  
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the selecting of the at least one media object comprises activating a link via the at least one media object.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising communicating with at least one media server to retrieve the enhanced representation of the at least one media object selected by the user.  
   
   
       17 . A system for generating a media-enabled message, comprising: 
 a selector module, the selector module permitting a user to selectively embed at least one media object in a media-enabled message;    an uploader module, communicating with the selector module, the uploader module publishing an enhanced representation of the at least one media object accessible to a recipient of the media-enabled message.    
   
   
       18 . A system according to  claim 17 , wherein the media-enabled message comprises email.  
   
   
       19 . A system according to  claim 18 , wherein the uploader module communicates the media-enabled message to an email client.  
   
   
       20 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein the media-enabled message is separately queued from non-media-enabled messages in the email client.  
   
   
       21 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the uploader module stores the enhanced representation of the at least one media object selected by the user to at least one media server.  
   
   
       22 . A media-enabled message, the media-enabled message being readable to selectively present embedded media objects, the media-enabled message comprising: 
 at least one media object, the at least one media object being selectable by a user to access an enhanced representation of the at least one media object; and    an interface to a media player, the media player being activated by the selection of the at least one media object to present the enhanced representation of the at least one media object to the user.    
   
   
       23 . The media-enabled message according to  claim 22 , wherein the media-enabled message comprises email.  
   
   
       24 . The media-enabled message according to  claim 22 , wherein the at least one media object comprises at least one of a graphical image, an audio stream and a video stream.  
   
   
       25 . The media-enabled message according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one media object comprises a graphical image, and the enhanced representation of the graphical image comprises an enhanced-resolution version of the graphical image.  
   
   
       26 . A media-enabled message according to  claim 22 , wherein the media player communicates with at least one media server to retrieve the enhanced representation of the at least one media object selected by the user.