Patent ID: 6014689
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A video e-mail system which enables encoded video, audio, and text to be transmitted over a digital network and received by one or more addressed locations notwithstanding that said locations do not already have installed video e-mail player software comprising:a keyboard for entering text;a video camera for creating video;a microphone for creating audio;a video e-mail encoder coupled to said video camera to generate encoded video data;an audio encoder coupled to said microphone to generate encoded audio data;a video/audio multiplexer in communication with said video encoder and said audio encoder and configured to generate multiplexed multimedia data comprising combined portions of said encoded audio data and said encoded video data;a computer processor which provides control signals to said video encoder, said audio encoder, and said multiplexer so as to process video e-mail messages having a file header, audio data packets, and video data packets;said file header comprising a video e-mail player transferrable in executable form, said player having a demultiplexer, an audio decoder, and a video decoder and configured so that execution of said file initiates execution of said player;a display which selectively views current video data and stored video data; anda virtual video cassette recorder which provides control for the storage of said current video data and the retrieval of said stored video data, said display and said virtual video cassette recorder being responsive to user inputs and providing visual information providing a graphical user interface to said computer processor, said graphical user interface including a plurality of virtual buttons each of which, when activated, initiate one of a plurality of specific operations to be performed by said video e-mail system.