Methods for using the addressing, protocols and the infrastructure of email to support near real-time communication

Abstract

A method of implementing late binding of time-based media that can be rendered in near real-time by a recipient when transmitted over a communication network. The method involves addressing a message to a recipient using an address associated with the recipient and progressively creating time-based media associated with the message. When the address of the recipient is defined, the method uses the address to define an active delivery route for the delivery of time-based media associated with the message in near real-time to the recipient. When the active delivery route is discovered and is available, the method further involves progressively and simultaneously transmitting to the recipient the created time-based media associated with the message as the time-based media is being created.

1 . A method of implementing late binding of time-based media that can be rendered in near real-time by a recipient when transmitted over a communication network, comprising:
 addressing a message to a recipient using an address associated with the recipient;   progressively creating time-based media associated with the message;   discovering an active delivery route over the communication network to progressively and simultaneously deliver the time-based media associated with the message to the recipient using the address associated with the recipient; and   progressively and simultaneously transmitting the time-based media associated with the message to the recipient as the time-based media is being created when the active delivery route is discovered and is available.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein discovering the active delivery route and progressively and simultaneously transmitting the time-based media of the message occur at substantially the same time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein discovering the active delivery route occurs after the creation of the time-based media of the message has started. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 progressively storing the time-based media as the time-based media is created; and   progressively and simultaneously transmitting from storage the created time-based media stored before the discovery and availability of the active discovery route.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein discovering the active delivery route further comprises defining one or more hops on the communication network between a sender of the message and the recipient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein defining the one or more hops further comprises using a first lookup result of the address associated with the recipient at each of the one or more hops respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first lookup result of the address is a DNS lookup result of an email address associated with the recipient, the first lookup result ascertaining if the address of the recipient is in a domain capable of supporting a near real-time communication protocol and the next hop on the network. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising using a second lookup result of the address of the recipient if the result of the first lookup is negative, the second lookup result determining if the recipient is in a domain capable of supporting email services and a delivery route to the next hop for delivering email messages to the recipient. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising, when the second lookup result is positive, the following:
 encapsulating the time-based media associated with the message into a file;   attaching the file to an email message; and   transmitting the email message with the attached file to the recipient using the determined email delivery route.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein progressively and simultaneously transmitting the time-based media associated with the message further comprises using a communication protocol that allows the communication of time-based media in near real-time, but does not require the recipient to review the time-based media in a near real-time mode. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 progressively and simultaneously delivering the time-based media of the message at a communication device associated with the recipient; and   enabling the recipient to progressively and simultaneously rendering the time-based media of the message at the communication device of the recipient as the time-based media is progressively and simultaneously is delivered.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 delivering the time-based media of the message at a communication device associated with the recipient;   enabling the storage of the time-based media of the message at the communication device associated with the recipient; and   providing the recipient with the option to review the time-based media of the message at an arbitrary later time by retrieving the time-based media from storage.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein enabling the storage of the time-based media of the message at the communication device associated with the recipient further comprises:
 (i) enabling the storage of the time-based media on a computer or phone associated with the recipient;   (ii) enabling the storage of the time-based media on a server on the network accessible by the recipient; or   (iii) both (i) and (ii).   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more one hops may comprise one of the following:
 (i) a server to server hop;   (ii) a client to server hop; or   (iii) server to client hop.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein progressively and simultaneously transmitting the time-based media associated with the message further comprises using one of the following: VoIP, SIP, RTP, Skype, progressive emails, a communication protocol that allows the communication of time-based media in near real-time, or any combination thereof.