Video-voicemail solution for wireless communication devices

Abstract

An enhanced communication and voicemail solution for mobile phones is described where still images and/or video clips are injected into the voice stream creating a “video-voice” call. When a receiving party is not available to take a video-voice call, this combined stream of voice and image information is stored at the mobile service provider in a manner similar to voice mail today. Then, stored video-voicemails may be retrieved at a later time by the receiving party. Also, realtime video-voice conversations may be recorded for later retrieval in order to document the conversation or because a party in the conversation is not able to view the images realtime. While the sending party may use a normal size mobile phone containing a miniature digital camera, the receiving party may view video-voicemail images on a variety of devices including a wireless mobile phone or PDA, or alternately a conventional PC connected to the World Wide Web.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for transferring video, voice, and still image information during a realtime conversation, wherein video clips and still images are captured by a calling party on a capturing device, said video clips and still images being interspersed in time and combined with a stream of voice information (hereinafter “the voice stream”) captured by a wireless communication device, and comprising the steps of:
 capturing, from time to time during a realtime conversation, video clips and still images utilizing a digital camera contained within or attached to said wireless communication device; 
 transmitting said video clips and still images together with and synchronized with the voice stream such that the initial position of each video clip and still image in time relative to the voice stream is maintained; 
 receiving by a receiving party, on a receiving device having a display and at a remote location and in realtime, said voice stream combined with said video clips and still images, where the initial position in time of each video clip and still image relative to the voice stream is maintained; and where video clips and still images are displayed alternately on the same display; and where the displayed image of each still image or the last frame of a video clip displayed on said receiving device persists until a different still image or video clip arrives in the voice stream, or until otherwise terminated; and 
 storing, at a mobile service provider for retrieval at a later time, said realtime conversation including the voice stream combined with said video clips and still images, while preserving the relationship in time between voice, video and still image information. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  where said realtime conversation, including video clips and still images combined with the voice stream, is optionally recorded at said mobile service provider for later retrieval in response to a decision indication, said decision indication to start said recording being supplied during said video-voice conversation by the receiving party or the calling party. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  where said realtime conversation, including video clips and still images combined with the voice stream, is automatically recorded at said mobile service provider for later retrieval, and where a decision indication causing the contents of said video-voice conversation to be saved is optionally supplied by the receiving party or the calling party during the course of said conversation. 
     
     
       4. A communication system, including a calling party and a receiving party communicating via a mobile service provider, including:
 at least one wireless communication device capable of bi-directional voice communication and containing a digital camera, said wireless communication device capable of capturing and transmitting from the calling party to said mobile service provider, video clips and high resolution still images together with and synchronized with a stream of voice information (hereinafter “the voice stream”), said video clips and still images being interspersed in time and where the initial position of each video clip and high resolution still image in time relative to the voice stream is maintained; and   at least one receiving device operable by said receiving party, said receiving device having a display and being capable of receiving synchronized voice, video clip, and high resolution still image information from said mobile service provider, either through a wireless connection or through the World Wide Web, and where each video clip and still image is displayed on said receiving device such that the initial position in time of each video clip and still image when displayed, is maintained relative to the voice stream; and where video clips and still images are displayed alternately on the same display; and where the most recent still image or the last frame of the most recent video clip, whichever occurred most recently, continues to be displayed on the receiving device's display until a different image or video clip arrives in the voice stream, or until otherwise terminated; and   where a realtime conversation including voice, video clip and still image information transmitted by said wireless communication device is stored at said mobile service provider in response to decision indications supplied by both the calling parting and the receiving party during said conversation, said video clip and still image information being stored together with and synchronized with the voice stream.   
     
     
       5. A communication system for communicating between two parties via a mobile service provider, video clip and high resolution still image information together with and synchronized with a stream of voice information (hereinafter “the voice stream”), where video clips and high resolution still images are interspersed in time and where the initial position in time of each video clip and high resolution still image in the voice stream is maintained, including:
 at least one communication device capable of transmitting from a calling party to said mobile service provider, voice information, video clips, and high resolution still images together with and synchronized with the voice stream; and 
 at least one receiving device having a display and capable of receiving at a receiving party, synchronized voice, video clip, and still image information from said mobile service provider, either through a wireless connection or through the World Wide Web; and where each video clip and still image is displayed on said receiving device such that the initial position in time of each video clip and still image when displayed is maintained relative to the voice stream and where video clips and still images are displayed alternately on the same display; and where the displayed image of each still image or the last frame of a video clip displayed on said receiving device persists until a different still image or video clip arrives in the voice stream, or until otherwise terminated; and 
 a storage system at said mobile service provider for storing said voice information, video clips, and high resolution still images while maintaining the initial position in time of said video clips and high resolution still images in the voice stream; and 
 where information communicated from a calling party is optionally recorded for retrieval at a later time if the receiving party decides, during a realtime conversation, that said information should be recorded. 
 
     
     
       6. A communication system for communicating between two parties via a mobile service provider, video clip and high resolution still image information together with and synchronized with a stream of voice information (hereinafter “the voice stream”), where video clips and high resolution still images are interspersed in time and where the initial position in time of each video clip and high resolution still image in the voice stream is maintained, including:
 at least one communication device capable of transmitting from a calling party to said mobile service provider, voice information, video clips, and high resolution still images together with and synchronized with the voice stream; and 
 at least one receiving device having a display and capable of receiving at a receiving party, synchronized voice, video clip, and still image information from said mobile service provider, either through a wireless connection or through the World Wide Web; and where each video clip and still image is displayed on said receiving device such that the initial position in time of each video clip and still image when displayed is maintained relative to the voice stream; and where video clips and still images are displayed alternately on the same display; and where the displayed image of each still image or the last frame of a video clip displayed on said receiving device persists until a different still image or video clip arrives in the voice stream, or until otherwise terminated; and 
 a storage system at said mobile service provider for storing said voice information, video clips, and high resolution still images while maintaining the initial position in time of said video clips and high resolution still images in the voice stream; and 
 where a receiving party may choose to have all incoming information recorded for retrieval at a later time, selectively deleting information for individual conversations at a later time. 
 
     
     
       7. A communication system for communicating between two parties via a mobile service provider, video clip and high resolution still image information together with and synchronized with a stream of voice information (hereinafter “the voice stream”), where video clips and high resolution still images are interspersed in time and where the initial position in time of each video clip and high resolution still image in the voice stream is maintained, including:
 at least one communication device capable of transmitting from a calling party to said mobile service provider, voice information, video clips, and high resolution still images together with and synchronized with the voice stream; and 
 at least one receiving device having a display and capable of receiving at a receiving party, synchronized voice, video clip, and still image information from said mobile service provider, either through a wireless connection or through the World Wide Web; and where each video clip and still image is displayed on said receiving device such that the initial position in time of each video clip and still image when displayed is maintained relative to the voice stream; and where video clips and still images are displayed alternately on the same display; and where the displayed image of each still image or the last frame of a video clip displayed on said receiving device persists until a different still image or video clip arrives in the voice stream, or until otherwise terminated; and 
 a storage system at said mobile service provider for storing said voice information, video clips, and high resolution still images while maintaining the initial position in time of said video clips and high resolution still images in the voice stream; and 
 where a receiving party may choose to have all incoming information from a particular calling party recorded for retrieval at a later time, selectively deleting information for individual conversations at a later time. 
 
     
     
       8. A communication system for communicating between two parties via a mobile service provider, video clip and high resolution still image information together with and synchronized with a stream of voice information (hereinafter “the voice stream”), where video clips and high resolution still images are interspersed in time and where the initial position in time of each video clip and high resolution still image in the voice stream is maintained, including:
 at least one communication device capable of transmitting from a calling party to said mobile service provider, voice information, video clips, and high resolution still images together with and synchronized with the voice stream; and 
 at least one receiving device having a display and capable of receiving at a receiving party, synchronized voice, video clip, and still image information from said mobile service provider, either through a wireless connection or through the World Wide Web; and where each video clip and still image is displayed on said receiving device such that the initial position in time of each video clip and still image when displayed is maintained relative to the voice stream; and where video clips and still images are displayed alternately on the same display; and where the displayed image of each still image or the last frame of a video clip displayed on said receiving device persists until a different still image or video clip arrives in the voice stream, or until otherwise terminated; and 
 a storage system at said mobile service provider for storing said voice information, video clips, and high resolution still images while maintaining the initial position in time of said video clips and high resolution still images in the voice stream; and 
 where a particular calling party and a particular receiving party may choose in advance to have all information, including voice, video clips and still images, exchanged between them during conversations recorded at said mobile service provider for retrieval at a later time. 
 
     
     
       9. A method for transferring video, voice, and still image information during a realtime conversation, wherein video clips and still images are captured by a calling party on a capturing device, said video clips and still images being interspersed in time and combined with a stream of voice information (hereinafter “the voice stream”) captured by a wireless communication device, and comprising the steps of:
 capturing, from time to time during a realtime conversation, video clips and still images utilizing a digital camera contained within or attached to said wireless communication device: 
 transmitting said video clips and still images together with and synchronized with the voice stream such that the initial position of each video clip and still image in time relative to the voice stream is maintained; 
 receiving by a receiving party, on a receiving device having a display and at a remote location and in realtime, said voice stream combined with said video clips and still images, where the initial position in time of each video clip and still image relative to the voice stream is maintained; and where video clips and still images are displayed alternately on the same display; and where the displayed image of each still image or the last frame of a video clip displayed on said receiving device persists until a different still image or video clip arrives in the voice stream, or until otherwise terminated; and 
 storing, at a mobile service provider for retrieval at a later time, said realtime conversation including the voice stream combined with said video clips and still images, while preserving the relationship in time between voice, video and still image information; and 
 where a particular calling party and a particular receiving party may choose in advance to have all information, including voice, video clips and still images, exchanged between them during conversations recorded at said mobile service provider for retrieval at a later time. 
 
     
     
       10. A method for transferring video, voice, and still image information during a realtime conversation, wherein video clips and still images are captured by a calling party on a capturing device, said video clips and still images being interspersed in time and combined with a stream of voice information (hereinafter “the voice stream”) captured by a wireless communication device, and comprising the steps of: capturing, from time to time during a realtime conversation, video clips and still images utilizing a digital camera contained within or attached to said wireless communication device; and
 transmitting said video clips and still images together with and synchronized with the voice stream such that the initial position of each video clip and still image in time relative to the voice stream is maintained; and 
 receiving, by a receiving party, on a receiving device having a display and at a remote location, either in realtime or retrieved from a video-voicemail storage system at a mobile service provider, said voice stream combined with and synchronized with said video clips and still images, where the initial position in time of each video clip and still image relative to the voice stream is maintained; and where video clips and still images are displayed alternately on the same display; and where the most recent still image or the last frame of the most recent video clip, whichever occurred most recently, continues to be displayed on the receiving device's display until a different image or video clip arrives in the voice stream, or until otherwise terminated; and 
 where a particular calling party and a particular receiving party may choose in advance to have all information, including voice, video clips and still images, exchanged between them during conversations recorded at said mobile service provider for retrieval at a later time. 
 
     
     
       11. A communication system, including a calling party and a receiving party communicating via a mobile service provider, including:
 at least one wireless communication device capable of bi-directional voice communication and containing a digital camera, said wireless communication device capable of capturing and transmitting from the calling party to said mobile service provider, video clips and high resolution still images together with and synchronized with a stream of voice information (hereinafter “the voice stream”), said video clips and still images being interspersed in time and where the initial position of each video clip and high resolution still image in time relative to the voice stream is maintained; and   at least one receiving device operable by said receiving party, said receiving device having a display and being capable of receiving synchronized voice, video clip, and high resolution still image information from said mobile service provider, either through a wireless connection or through the World Wide Web, and where each video clip and still image is displayed on said receiving device such that the initial position in time of each video clip and still image when displayed, is maintained relative to the voice stream; and where video clips and still images are displayed alternately on the same display; and where the most recent still image or the last frame of the most recent video clip, whichever occurred most recently, continues to be displayed on the receiving device's display until a different image or video clip arrives in the voice stream, or until otherwise terminated; and   where a particular calling party and a particular receiving party may choose in advance to have all information, including voice, video clips and still images, exchanged between them during conversations recorded at said mobile service provider for retrieval at a later time.   
     
     
       12. A method, comprising:
 receiving, from a wireless communication device at a mobile service provider by way of cellular wireless communications during a conversation, a first continuous voice stream comprising a plurality of intermittently attached video clips wherein an initial position of a video clip of the plurality of intermittently attached video clips is maintained in time relative to the first continuous voice stream;   transmitting, from the mobile service provider by way of a network, the first continuous voice stream wherein the initial position of the video clip is maintained in time relative to the first continuous voice stream; and   recording, by the mobile service provider, the first continuous voice stream.   
     
     
       13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
 receiving a second continuous voice stream by the mobile service provider by way of the network, the second continuous voice stream occurring contemporaneously with the first continuous voice stream; and   transmitting, from the mobile service provider by way of cellular wireless communications, the second continuous voice stream.   
     
     
       14. The method of claim 13 wherein certain voice streams of the first and second continuous voice stream transferred in real time are stored in response to an agreement to store the certain voice streams. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 13 wherein the conversation comprising the plurality of video clips transferred in real time are stored in response to an agreement to store the conversation. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 13 wherein a plurality of still images are intermittently transmitted along with the first and second continuous voice stream and interspersed with the plurality of intermittently attached video clips, and
 wherein certain voice streams of the first and second continuous voice stream, and the plurality of still images are transferred in real time and stored in response to an agreement to store the certain voice streams, and the plurality of still images.   
     
     
       17. The method of claim 13 wherein a plurality of still images are intermittently transmitted along with the first and second continuous voice stream and interspersed with the plurality of intermittently attached video clips, and
 wherein the conversation comprising the plurality of intermittently attached video clips and the plurality of still images are transferred in real time and stored in response to an agreement to store the conversation.   
     
     
       18. The method of claim 12 wherein the first continuous voice stream is stored for retrieval at a later time. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 12 wherein the first continuous voice stream is stored in response to the first continuous voice stream not being able to be received in real time. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 12 wherein the first continuous voice stream further comprises a plurality of intermittently transmitted still images. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20 wherein the first continuous voice stream is stored. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 20 wherein the first continuous voice stream is stored in response to the first continuous voice stream not being able to be received in real time. 
     
     
       23. A system for transferring a continuous voice stream comprising:
 a mobile service provider configured to:
 receive a first voice stream associated with a plurality of intermittently attached video clips and a plurality of still images by way of wireless cellular communication from a wireless communication device, and 
 transmit the first voice stream associated with the plurality of intermittently attached video clips and the plurality of still images by way of a network; 
   a storage system at the mobile service provider configured to:
 record the first voice stream, the plurality of intermittently attached video clips, and the plurality of still images, 
 maintain an initial position in time of the first voice stream, a video clip of the plurality of intermittently attached video clips, and a still image of the plurality of still images, and 
 delete information for a conversation; and 
   wherein the initial position of the video clip and still image is maintained in time relative to the first voice stream.   
     
     
       24. The system of claim 23, wherein the mobile service provider is further configured to receive a second voice stream by way of the network, the second voice stream occurring contemporaneously in time with the first voice stream; and
 wherein the second voice stream is transmitted from the mobile service provider to the wireless communication device by way of cellular wireless communications.   
     
     
       25. The system of claim 24, wherein certain voice streams of the first and second voice streams and certain video clips of the plurality of intermittently attached video clips are transferred in real time and stored in response to an agreement to store the certain voice streams and the certain video clips. 
     
     
       26. The system of claim 24, wherein the conversation comprising the plurality of intermittently attached video clips is transferred in real time and stored in response to an agreement to store the conversation. 
     
     
       27. The system of claim 24 wherein a plurality of still images are intermittently transmitted along with the first voice stream and interspersed with the plurality intermittently attached video clips, wherein certain voice streams of the first and second voice streams, certain video clips of the plurality intermittently attached video clips, and certain high resolution still images of the plurality of still images are transferred in real time from the wireless communication device and stored for retrieval in response to an agreement to store the certain voice streams, the certain video clips, and the certain high resolution still images. 
     
     
       28. The system of claim 24 wherein a plurality of still images are intermittently transmitted along with the first voice stream and the plurality of intermittently attached video clips, and wherein a conversation comprising the plurality of intermittently attached video clips and the plurality of still images are transferred in real time from the wireless communication device and stored at the mobile service provider for retrieval in response to an agreement to store the conversation. 
     
     
       29. The system of claim 23, wherein the first voice stream, the plurality of intermittently attached video clips, and the plurality of still images are stored. 
     
     
       30. The system of claim 23, wherein the storage system is configured to store the first voice stream, the plurality of intermittently attached video clips, and the plurality of still images in response to the first voice stream, the plurality of intermittently attached video clips, and the plurality of still images not being able to be received in real time. 
     
     
       31. The system of claim 23, wherein a plurality of still images are intermittently transmitted, along with the first voice stream and interspersed with the plurality of intermittently attached video clips from the wireless communication device. 
     
     
       32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first voice stream and the plurality of still images are stored for retrieval. 
     
     
       33. The system of claim 31, wherein the first voice stream and the plurality of still images are stored for retrieval in response to the first voice stream and the still images are not able to be received in real time. 
     
     
       34. A method, comprising:
 receiving a continuous voice stream with a plurality of intermittently attached video clips at a mobile service provider by way of wireless cellular communication from a wireless communication device;   transmitting the continuous voice stream and the plurality of intermittently attached video clips from the mobile service provider for viewing;   recording the continuous voice stream and the plurality of intermittently attached video clips at the mobile service provider; and   wherein an initial position of a video clip of the plurality of intermittently attached video clips is maintained in time relative to the continuous voice stream throughout the receiving, the transmitting, and the viewing.   
     
     
       35. The method of claim 34 wherein the continuous voice stream and the plurality of intermittently attached video clips are stored for retrieval, and in response to the continuous voice stream and the plurality of intermittently attached video clips being retrieved, the initial position of the video clip in time relative to the continuous voice stream is maintained. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 34 wherein a plurality of still images are intermittently transferred and interspersed with the plurality of intermittently attached video clips, wherein an initial position of a still image of the plurality of still images and the initial position of the video clip are maintained in time relative to the continuous voice stream. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 36 wherein the continuous voice stream, the plurality of intermittently attached video clips, and the plurality of still images are stored for retrieval, and in response to the continuous voice stream, the video clips, and the plurality of still images being retrieved, the initial position of the video clips and the initial position of the plurality of still images are maintained in time relative to the continuous voice stream.