Multimedia Object Repository for Electronic Messages

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional processes for handling embedded or attached multimedia objects in electronic messages require manual user actions, making them cumbersome and inconsistent.

Innovation Solution

Automatically identifying and saving multimedia objects to a repository, allowing users to select and reuse them across multiple applications through a graphical user interface, with options for central or local storage and metadata management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual processes are used to identify and access embedded or attached multimedia objects in electronic messages, then user control and selectivity are maintained, but the process becomes cumbersome and inconsistent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of accessing multimedia objectsVSAvoidtime required for manual identification and retrieval

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs the identification and separation of multimedia objects from electronic messages in advance, saving them to a repository without requiring user intervention at the time of receipt or sending. This preliminary automated action eliminates the need for users to manually retrieve objects later, directly reducing the time and effort required for accessing multimedia content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides self-service by automatically identifying, separating, and storing multimedia objects without requiring user actions. The repository automatically populates with multimedia content from incoming and outgoing messages, and users can directly access this pre-organized content through the graphical interface, making the system serve itself rather than requiring manual user management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual actions are required to handle multimedia objects, then system resources are conserved, but user effort and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility across multiple applicationsVSAvoidcomplexity of handling processes

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The repository system provides universal access to multimedia objects across multiple applications including email clients, instant messaging applications, and web browsers. The graphical user interface enables users to select and reuse multimedia objects from a centralized location regardless of which application is being used, making the system adaptable and versatile across different communication platforms without increasing user-facing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The repository acts as an intermediary layer between electronic messages and users across different applications. Instead of requiring users to manually extract and manage multimedia objects in each application, the repository mediates by automatically collecting objects from various message sources and providing unified access points through the graphical interface, thereby reducing the complexity of handling processes across multiple applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If multimedia objects are automatically saved to a repository, then user effort is reduced, but system automation and resource usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of multimedia object retrievalVSAvoidlevel of automated handling

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically extracts multimedia objects from electronic messages by separating them from the message content. This extraction process is performed automatically for both incoming and outgoing messages, with the multimedia objects being identified and pulled out from their embedded or attached states and saved to the repository, thereby reducing user effort while managing automation systematically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary automated actions by automatically identifying, separating, and saving multimedia objects to the repository before users need to access them. This advance automated processing eliminates the need for users to manually retrieve objects later, directly improving productivity by making objects immediately available through the graphical interface without requiring users to initiate any retrieval actions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS7774410B2Handling a multimedia object associated with an electronic message

Publication Date: 2010.08.10 META PLATFORMS INC

AI summary

Automatically saving communicated multimedia objects to a repository for subsequent use includes in response to a sent electronic message and a received electronic message, identifying an embedded multimedia object or an attached multimedia object. The embedded multimedia object or the attached multimedia object is separated from the electronic message. The separated multimedia object is automatically saved to a repository for subsequent use by a user and the user is able to select the multimedia object from the repository for subsequent use.