Abstract: A communication device for rendering one or more conversations. The communication device includes a receiver configured to receive media over a network and an encoder configured to encode media created using the communication device, where the received and encoded media are associated with the one or more conversations. A storage or memory element stores on the device both the received media and the encoded media. A conversation control element is provided for selecting one of the one or more conversations as current and for controlling the rendering of the media of the selected conversation.

Abstract: A communication device configured to receive messages containing media over a communication network and to receive locally created messages containing media created using the communication device. The device also includes a time-shifting buffer to store in a time-based format the media contained in both the messages received over the communication network and the locally created messages. The time-shifting buffer enables on the communication device to either (i) render the media received over the network in a near real-time mode; or (ii) render both the media received over the network and the locally created media in a time-shifted mode by retrieving the stored media from the time-shifting buffer. The communication device also includes a message management system, which enables the communication device to transition the rendering of the media between the time-shifted mode and the near real-time mode without interrupting the ongoing storage of media of received messages into the time-shifting buffer.

Abstract: A communication device capable of participating in a conversation over a network. The communication device includes an encoder to receive and encode media locally created using the communication device and associated with the conversation and a transmitter to transmit over the network the locally created media to one or more participants of the conversation. The communication device also includes a receiver to receive media from the one or more participants of the conversation over the network and a time-shifting buffer to store in a time-based format both the media received over the communication network and the locally created media. The time-shifting buffer enables the communication device to either (i) render the media received over the network in a near real-time mode or (ii) render both the media received over the network and the locally created media in a time-shifted mode by retrieving the stored media from the time-shifting buffer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for rendering one or more conversations on a first communication device. The method includes receiving over a network and storing at the first communication device media associated with the one or more conversations. The method further includes selecting on the first communication device one of the one or more conversations as current and rendering the media associated with the selected current conversation. The rendering of the media of the currently selected conversation may be performed in either a near real-time mode where the media is progressively rendered as it is received or in a time shifted mode where the media is rendered at a time after it was received. The method also includes creating media on the first communication device associated with the selected current conversation and transmitting the created media over the network to one or more remote communication devices associated with the selected current conversation.

Abstract: A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.

Abstract: A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.