Method and apparatus for providing an audio visual e-mail system

A method of performing e-mail messaging comprising:

• coupling a recording device to a telephone line connection;
• recording a message using said recording device;
• selecting a self image using a set up self image menu wherein said selecting comprises;
• displaying at least one visual icon, wherein each visual icon is associated with one of said self images, and wherein one of said visual icons comprises an active icon;
• displaying the self image associated with said active icon;
• choosing one of said self images to be said selected self image;
• displaying a plurality of visual depictions of potential message e-mail recipients other than a sender;
• selecting at least one of said visual depictions of potential recipients;
• automatically associating said selected at least one of said visual depictions of potential recipients and said selected self image with an e-mail message to be delivered, wherein said e-mail message comprises said recorded message;
• transmitting said e-mail message to be delivered and said automatically associated self image to an e-mail address associated with said at least one visual depiction of said potential recipient;
• upon receipt of said e-mail message by a recipient, automatically displaying said self image as a signature for said received recorded message.

An apparatus for performing messaging comprising:

• an audio recording device coupled to a television set and a telephone line connection;
• a recorded audio message, recorded using said audio recording device;
• a set up self image menu for selecting a self image comprising;
• at least one visual icon associated with at least one self image, wherein one of said visual icons comprises an active icon;
• a display of said self image associated with said active icon;
• a self image selector for choosing one of said self images;
• a plurality of images of potential message e-mail recipients other than said self;
• a recipients selection device for selecting at least one of said images of potential recipients device for selecting at least one of said images of potential recipients;
• an association engine for automatically associating said selected at least one of said images of potential recipients and said selected self image with an e-mail message to be delivered, wherein said e-mail message comprises said recorded audio message;
• a transmitter for transmitting said e-mail message to be delivered and said automatically associated self image to an e-mail address associated with said at least one image of said potential recipient;
• a signature display for automatically displaying said self image to a recipient as a signature for a received email upon receipt of said e-mail message.

A method for transmitting audio visual email comprising:

• generating a first user-interface via a first controller coupled to a first display screen, said first controller having a first audio input/output interface;
• presenting a first user-interface to a sending user via said first display screen, wherein said user-interface comprises a plurality of icons each representative of receiving users;
• obtaining audio data from said sending user via said audio input/output interface;
• obtaining a selection from said sending user of at least one receiving user from said plurality of icons wherein said selection enables said sending user to identify said at least one receiving users without requiring said sending user to have knowledge of an electronic mail address associated with said at least one receiving user;
• sending message data comprising said audio data, text data, and an image representative of said sending user to said at least one receiving user via a data communication network coupled to said first controller;
• receiving said message data at a second controller coupled to said data communication network wherein said second controller comprises a second audio input/output interface and a second display screen associated with said at least one receiving user;
• displaying a second user-interface to said at least one receiving user via said second display screen wherein said second user-interface comprises said image representative of said sending user;
• presenting said audio data portion of said message data to said at least one receiving user via said second audio input/output interface and said text data to said at least one receiving user when said at least one receiving user selects said image representative of said sending user, wherein said audio data and said text data are presented automatically without requiring said receiving user to identify an external application configured to play said audio data or display said text data.