System, method and apparatus for communicating via sound messages and personal sound identifiers

#This invention relates to interactive communications, and more particularly, to a system, method and apparatus for communicating in a distributed network via sound instant messages and personal sound identifiers.

#One of the more beneficial aspects of the Internet, aside from the vast array of information and content sources it provides, is the varied and newfound ways people can now communicate and stay in touch with one another. Users all around the world, or even just around the corner, may now communicate in a relatively low cost and efficient manner via a myriad of Internet facilities including electronic mail, chat rooms, message boards, text based instant messaging and video teleconferencing.

#These methods of communication offer distinct advantages over standard communicative methods such as paper based mail and conventional telephone calls. For example, facilities like electronic mail are typically considerable faster and cheaper than these conventional methods of communication. Rapidly escalating in popularity is text based instant messaging which offers more instantaneous gratification with respect to interactive communications between two or more users.

#FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a diagram of an illustrative communicative device in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

#FIG. 3 is an exemplary method in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

#U.S. provisional application No. 60/184,180 filed Feb. 22, 2000 is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

#Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary communications system 10 is shown in accordance with the present invention wherein users in the system may communicate with one another using sound messages or “earcons” and/or personal sound identifiers. As used herein and described in more detail later herein, the terms “sound messages”, “sound instant messages” and “earcons” which are used interchangeably herein, mean a short series of notes and/or sounds which are associated with or representative of any number of short communicative phrases. These short communicative phrase may be any conversational message such as “Hi”, “Hello”, “Are you ready to go?”, “Meet you in five minutes”, “I'm heading home” and a virtually infinite variety of these and other phrases. For example, a short string of six notes could be constructed to mean “Are you ready to go?” while another unique short string of four notes could be constructed to mean “Hello.” Typically, each user will be provided with a basic “set” of conventional or standardized earcons which have predefined meanings such that users may readily communicate with one another using these standardized earcons without having to decipher or learn the meaning of the earcons. Additionally, new earcons may be created by each user such that when using these user-created earcons, each user is responsible for the task of interpreting and learning each other user's respective earcons in order to effectively communicate via the earcons or sound messages.

#As used herein and described in more detail later herein, the term “personal sound identifier” refers to one or more short or abbreviated sound snippets which a user may use to identify themselves to another user. These sound snippets will typically be short melodies made up of short strings of notes which a user will use to identify themselves to other users in the system. The personal sound identifiers may also be snippets or riffs of popular songs, themes or melodies. Both the earcons and personal sound identifiers may be selected by a user from a predetermined selection or the sound messages and person sound identifiers may be created by user individually, as discussed in more detail later herein.