Real-time messaging method and apparatus

Abstract

A system and method for the late-binding of time-based media in real-time. With late binding, the sender may create time-based media before or at the same time an active delivery route to the recipient is discovered. As soon as the route becomes available, the media is transmitted. The existing DNS and email infrastructure is possibly used for route discovery, while any real-time transmission protocol may be used for the actual delivery of the media. “Progressive” emails may also be used for the real-time delivery of time-based media.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for transmitting video media using email over a network to a recipient, comprising:
 addressing at a sending device an email message to the recipient using an email address associated with the recipient;   establishing an email protocol session between the sending device and an email domain located on the network as soon as the email message is addressed using the email address associated with the recipient;   storing on the sending device the video media associated with the email message as the video media is created;   transmitting to the email domain the video media associated with the email message as the video media is created and stored;   receiving the video media associated with the email message at the email domain as the video media is transmitted by the sending device;   discovering at the email domain a delivery route to the recipient using the email address associated with the recipient;   forwarding the video media associated with the email message to the recipient as the video media is received and stored within the email domain, the forwarding by the email domain to the recipient occurring along the delivery route discovered using the email address associated with the recipient;   delivering the video media of the email message to a receiving device associated with the recipient as the email domain forwards the video media associated with the email message;   storing the video media of the email message at the receiving device as the video media is delivered;   providing the recipient with the option to selectively render the video media of the email message at the receiving device of the recipient as the video media is delivered; and   providing the recipient with the option to review the video media of the email message at an arbitrary later time by retrieving the video media from storage at the receiving device,   wherein an email protocol used to create the email protocol session with the email domain and used by the email domain for forwarding the video media to the receiving device is modified so as to remove restriction(s) requiring the full size of the video media created and transmitted by the sending device to be known before forwarding to the recipient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing the email protocol session with the email domain before the creation of the video media of the email message is complete. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising progressively transmitting the video media from storage if the email protocol session is established after some or all of the video media of the email message is created. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing the email protocol session using one of the following:
 (a) SMTP;   (b) Microsoft Exchange; or   (c) any proprietary email service.