Patent EP0615368A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0615368A2
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EP
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Multi-media integrated message arrangement
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1994-03-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-03-02
Abstract
Abstract Voice, facsimile, and electronic mail messaging is integrated in a system that converts e-mail messages into voice-and-fax messages. An e-mail message (400) is parsed into voiceable, prose, segments (403) and non-voiceable, non-prose, segments (404). Prose segments are converted into voice message segments (503) via text-to-speech facilities. Each non-prose segment is converted into a fax segment (504). Voice pointers (505) to fax segments are inserted into the voice message, in places corresponding to the non-prose segments in the e-mail message. The voice file (500) and fax file (510) are then stored for subsequent delivery of the message as an integrated voice-and-fax message. Conversion of integrated voice-and-fax messages into e-mail messages is likewise envisioned.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Michael Klein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 20:57
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/5307; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L51/00; H04L51/06; H04L51/066; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04M2201/00; H04M2201/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of media conversion, CHARACTERISED BY the steps of: identifying (312) segments (403) of obtained information represented in a first medium in which the information is presentable to a person and which can be represented in a second medium in which the information is presentable to a person; converting (316) representation of the identified segments from the first medium into the second medium; converting (319) representation of other segments (404) of the obtained information from the first medium into a third medium in which the information is presentable to a person; and interspersing (320) pointers (505), represented in the second medium and pointing to the segments represented in the third medium, among the segments represented in the second medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
The method of claim 1 CHARACTERISED IN THAT the step of identifying comprises the steps of obtaining (300) an e-mail message (400), and identifying (312) segments (403) of the obtained e-mail message that can be converted into voice message segments; the first step of converting comprises the step of converting (316) the identified segments into voice message segments (503); the second step of converting comprises the step of converting (319) other segments (404) of the e-mail message into fax message segments (504); and the step of interspersing comprises the steps of interspersing (320) voice pointers (505) to the fax message segments among the voice message segments, and delivering (324) the received message as an integrated voice-and-fax message (600) comprising the fax message segments and the voice message segments interspersed with the voice pointers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 2 CHARACTERISED IN THAT the step of converting other segments comprises the steps of: selecting (312) other segments of the e-mail message that are not to be discarded; converting (319) the selected segments into the fax message segments; and discarding (318) segments (402) of the obtained message other than the identified and the selected segments.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
169 words
The method of claim 1 CHARACTERISED IN THAT the step of identifying comprises the steps of receiving (300) an e-mail message, and parsing (312) the received message into header (401), whitespace (402), prose (403), and non-prose (404) segments; the first step of converting comprises the steps of converting (314) the header segment into a voice header segment (501), and converting (316) the prose segments into voice message segments (503); the second step of converting comprises the step of converting (319) the non-prose segments into fax message segments (504); and the step of interspersing comprises the steps of inserting (320) among the voice message segments, at places occupied in the received e-mail message by the non-prose segments, voice pointers (505) to the fax message segments, and delivering (324) the received message to a recipient as an integrated voice-and-fax message (600) comprising a voice message that includes the voice header segments, the voice message segments, and the inserted voice pointers, and further comprising a fax message that includes the fax segments.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 4 CHARACTERISED BY the further step of: discarding (318) the whitespace segments (402) except those that are surrounded by the non-prose segments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
125 words
A media-conversion arrangement CHARACTERISED BY means (1002,1005:312) for identifying segments (403) of obtained information represented in a first medium in which the information is presentable to a person and which can be represented in a second medium in which the information is presentable to a person; processor means (1002,1005:316) for converting representation of the identified segments from the first medium into the second medium; processor means (1002,1005:319) for converting representation of other segments (404) of the obtained information from the first medium into a third medium in which the information is presentable to a person; and means (1002,1005:320) for interspersing pointers (505), represented in the second medium and pointing to the segments represented in the third medium, among the segments represented in the second medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
128 words
The arrangement of claim 6 CHARACTERISED IN THAT the identifying means comprise means (1002,1005:300) for obtaining an e-mail message, and means (1002,1005:312) for identifying segments (403) of the obtained e-mail message that can be converted into voice message segments; the first processor means comprise means (1002,1005:316) for converting the identified segments into voice message segments (503); the second processor means comprise means (1002,1005:319) for converting other segments (401) of the e-mail message into fax message segments (504); and the interspersing means comprise means (1002,1005:320) for interspersing voice pointers (505) to the fax message segments among the voice message segments, and means (1002,1005:324) for delivering the received message as an integrated voice-and-fax message (600) comprising the fax message segments and the voice message segments interspersed with the voice pointers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
The arrangement of claim 7 CHARACTERISED IN THAT the means for converting other segments comprise: means (1002,1005:312) for selecting other segments of the e-mail message that are not to be discarded; means (1002,1005:319) for converting the selected segments into the fax message segments; and means (1002,1005:318) for discarding segments (402) of the obtained message other than the identified and the selected segments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
171 words
The arrangement of claim 6 CHARACTERISED IN THAT the identifying means comprise means (1002,1005:300) for receiving an e-mail message, and processing means (1002,1005:312) for parsing the received message into header (401), whitespace (402), prose (403), and non-prose (404) segments; the first processor means comprise processing means (1002,1005:314) for converting the header segment into a voice header segment (501), and processing means (1002,1005:316) for converting the prose segments into voice message segments (503); the second processor means comprise processing means (1002,1005:319) for converting the non-prose segments into fax message segments (504); and the interspersing means comprise means (1002,1005:320) for inserting among the voice message segments, at places occupied in the received e-mail message by the non-prose segments, voice pointers (505) to the fax message segments, and means (1002,1005:324) for delivering the received message to a recipient as an integrated voice-and-fax message (600) comprising a voice message that includes the voice header segments, the voice message segments, and the inserted voice pointers, and further comprising a fax message that includes the fax segments.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The arrangement of claim 9 CHARACTERISED FURTHER BY means (1002,1005:318) for discarding the whitespace segments (402) except those that are surrounded by the non-prose segments.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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