Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for sending and receiving multimedia messages

US5802314A · kind A · utility

231Cited by
14References
320Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 5, 1995
Grant dateSep 1, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 5, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N2201/0068
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A multimedia message handling apparatus comprises a keyboard for inputting text information, a microphone for inputting voice information, a scanner for inputting image information, and binary means for inputting binary information. A processor is provided for mixing at least two of text information, voice information, image information, binary information and OLE information to generate a multimedia message in which the different types of information are separately identifiable. A memory stores the generated multimedia message. The multimedia message handling apparatus further includes a facsimile interface for sending and receiving image information through a telephone interface, a voice synthesizer/digitizer for sending and receiving voice information through the telephone interface, a modem for sending and receiving image information, text information, voice information and binary information through the telephone interface, and a network control unit for selectively connecting the telephone interface to the facsimile interface, the voice synthesizer/digitizer, or the modem in accordance with message characteristics on the telephone interface. Multimedia messages received by th…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.