System and method for context enhanced messaging

Abstract

A system and method for media enhanced messaging. A message from a message sender to be delivered to at least one message recipient is received over a network. The message comprises at least one delivery criteria and at least one content criteria. When it is determined, via the network that the delivery criteria of the message has been satisfied, a query is formulated based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify at least one media file that is relevant to the content criteria. The media files are inserted into the message and the message is transmitted over the network to the recipient.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, over a network at a computing device, a message from a message sender to be delivered to a message recipient, the message comprising content criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria;   in response to receiving the message, formulating, via the computing device, a query based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify a media file that is relevant to the content criteria;   inserting the media file into the message; and   transmitting the message over the network to the message recipient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein user profile data comprises data that matches a user, and the preferences of the user are used as part of the query. 
     
     
         3 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the content criteria is the lyrics of a song. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the message comprises at least two content criteria, wherein a first one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a first time, and wherein a second one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a second time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a playlist referencing the media file is inserted into the message. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein an HTTP link referencing the media file is inserted into the message. 
     
     
         12 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon computer-readable instructions for a method comprising:
 receiving, over a network, a message from a message sender to be delivered to message recipient, the message comprising content criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria;   in response to receiving the message, formulating a query based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify a media file that is relevant to the content criteria;   inserting the media file into the message; and   transmitting the message over the network to the message recipient.   
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29  wherein user profile data comprise data that match user, and the preferences of the user is used as part of the query. 
     
     
         31 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29  wherein the content criteria is the current mood of a person known to the network. 
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29  wherein the content criteria is the lyrics of a song. 
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29  wherein the message comprises at least two content criteria, wherein a first one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a first time, and wherein a second one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a second time. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29  wherein a playlist referencing the media file is inserted into the message. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29  wherein an HTTP link referencing the media file is inserted into the message. 
     
     
         40 - 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . A system comprising:
 a processor;
 a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising:
 context enhanced message receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving messages from senders, the requests each comprising recipient, delivery criteria and content criteria, the content criteria comprising spatial, temporal, social and topical criteria; 
 delivery criteria evaluation and tracking logic executed by the processor for determining for each message received by the context enhanced message receiving module if the delivery criteria of the message is satisfied; 
 media retrieval logic executed by the processor for using content criteria on each message received by the context enhanced message receiving module to, in response to determining delivery criteria on messages have been satisfied, formulate a query based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify a media file that is relevant to the content criteria; 
 context enhanced message update logic executed by the processor for inserting, in each message, the media files identified by the media retrieval module into the message; and 
 
   context enhanced message transmission logic executed by the processor for transmitting each the message updated by the context enhanced message update module to the recipient of the message.   
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57  wherein if the delivery criteria of a message is not satisfied when the message is initially evaluated, the message is retained and the delivery criteria evaluation and tracking logic tracks data related to delivery criteria of the message until the delivery criteria of a message are satisfied. 
     
     
         59 . (canceled) 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 57  wherein for at least some messages the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted according to at least one of a specific date, a specific time and when the recipient is in a specific location. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 57  wherein for at least some messages the delivery criteria specifies the message is to be transmitted on the occurrence of a specific event. 
     
     
         62 - 63 . (canceled) 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 57  wherein for at least some messages user profile data comprise data that match user, and the preferences of the user is used as part of the query. 
     
     
         65 - 70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 57  wherein for at least some messages the message comprises at least two content criteria, wherein a first one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a first time, and wherein a second one of the at least two content criteria is used in formulating the query if the message transmitted at a second time. 
     
     
         72 - 73 . (canceled)