Digital media messages and files

Abstract

A method includes capturing a digital content segment, generating a first identifier, and associating the first identifier with a digital image in the memory of an electronic device. The method also includes generating a second identifier and associating the second identifier with a digital content segment in the memory. The method further includes transferring at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment to a server computer via a network, wherein the first identifier is transferred in association with the digital image and the second identifier is transferred in association with the digital content segment. The method also includes generating an electronic file providing a sequential clip listing associated with rendering a digital media message. The electronic file includes the first and second identifiers, a first indicator identifying a first frame of the digital media message, and a second indicator identifying a second frame of the digital media message.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a touch and hold input via a touch-sensitive display of a first electronic device, wherein the touch and hold input corresponds to a digital image stored in a memory of the first electronic device;   capturing a digital content segment, using a microphone of the first electronic device, in response to the touch and hold input;   generating a first identifier and associating the first identifier with the digital image in the memory of the first electronic device;   generating a second identifier and associating the second identifier with the digital content segment in the memory of the first electronic device;   transferring at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment to a server computer via a network, wherein the first identifier is transferred in association with the digital image if the digital image is transferred, and the second identifier is transferred in association with the digital content segment if the digital content segment is transferred;   generating an electronic file providing a sequential clip listing associated with rendering a digital media message, the electronic file including the first and second identifiers, a first indicator identifying a first frame of the digital media message corresponding to the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment, and a second indicator identifying a second frame of the digital media message corresponding to the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment;   transferring the electronic file to the server computer via the network; and   providing instructions to the server computer to share the digital media message with a second electronic device different from the first electronic device via the network, the instructions including a third indicator identifying the second electronic device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic file is transferred to the server computer separately from the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the digital image is transferred to the server computer via a first signal sent using the network, the digital content segment is transferred to the server computer via a second signal sent using the network separate from the first signal, and the electronic file is transferred to the server computer via a third signal sent using the network separate from the first and second signals. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring the digital content segment to the server computer via the network, substantially in real time, as the digital content segment is being captured. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rendering the digital media message using the sequential clip listing of the electronic file causes the digital image to be presented on the second electronic device simultaneously with the digital content segment from the first frame of the digital media message to the second frame of the digital media message. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the server computer to generate first and second additional electronic files using the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment,
 the first additional electronic file comprising a plurality of frame groups formed from the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment and comprising a plurality of frames of the digital media message, a first frame group of the plurality of frame groups having a first level of fidelity and a second frame group of the plurality of frame groups having a second fidelity different from the first level, and   the second additional electronic file comprising digitally compressed versions of each frame of the plurality of frames.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein instructions cause the server computer to at least one of:
 stream the first additional electronic file via the network, and   transfer the second additional electronic file to the second electronic device via the network.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment is stored in a first portion of a memory associated with the server computer, and the electronic file is stored, in association with the third indicator, in a second portion of the memory associated with the server computer different from the first portion of the memory. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is compared to a plurality of identifiers stored in a memory associated with the server computer, and the digital image is denied storage in the memory associated with the server computer based on the comparing. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic file further includes a fourth indicator identifying a volume level corresponding to the digital content segment. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the digital media message comprises a plurality of frames,   the sequential clip listing comprises a plurality of frame groups formed from the plurality of frames,   each frame group of the plurality of frame groups comprises a respective clip of the digital media message,   the sequential clip listing defines an order in which each respective clip of the digital media message is to be rendered, and   rendering the digital media message in accordance with the sequential clip listing causes the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment to be rendered from the first frame of the digital media message to the second frame of the digital media message.   
     
     
         12 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a processor;   a display operably connected to the processor;   a microphone operably connected to the processor; and   memory operably connected to the processor and including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:
 capturing a digital content segment, using the microphone, in response to a touch and hold input, the touch and hold input corresponding to a digital image stored in the memory; 
 generating a first identifier and associating the first identifier with the digital image in the memory; 
 generating a second identifier and associating the second identifier with the digital content segment in the memory; 
 transferring at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment to a server computer via a network, wherein the first identifier is transferred in association with the digital image if the digital image is transferred, and the second identifier is transferred in association with the digital content segment if the digital content segment is transferred; 
 generating an electronic file providing a sequential clip listing associated with rendering a digital media message, the electronic file including the first and second identifiers, a first indicator identifying a first frame of the digital media message corresponding to the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment, and a second indicator identifying a second frame of the digital media message corresponding to the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment; 
 transferring the electronic file to the server computer via the network; and 
 providing instructions to the server computer to share the digital media message with an additional electronic device via the network, the instructions including a third indicator identifying the additional electronic device. 
   
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein transferring the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment comprises transferring the digital content segment to the server computer via the network, substantially in real time, as the digital content segment is being captured. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein the third indicator comprises a telephone number of the additional electronic device. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein rendering the digital media message using the sequential clip listing of the electronic file causes the digital image to be presented on the additional electronic device simultaneously with the digital content segment from the first frame of the digital media message to the second frame of the digital media message. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the digital media message comprises a plurality of frames,   the sequential clip listing comprises a plurality of frame groups formed from the plurality of frames,   each frame group of the plurality of frame groups comprises a respective clip of the digital media message,   the sequential clip listing defines an order in which each respective clip of the digital media message is to be rendered, and   rendering the digital media message in accordance with the sequential clip listing causes the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment to be rendered from the first frame of the digital media message to the second frame of the digital media message.   
     
     
         17 . A system, comprising:
 a server computer having a processor and a memory operably connected to the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the server computer to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a digital image, from a first electronic device, via a network operably connecting the first electronic device and the server computer; 
 receiving a first identifier from the first electronic device, transferred via the network in association with the digital image; 
 receiving a digital content segment from the first electronic device via the network, wherein the digital content segment was captured using a microphone of the first electronic device, and in response to a touch and hold input corresponding to the digital image; 
 receiving a second identifier from the first electronic device, transferred via the network in association with the digital content segment; 
 receiving a first electronic file from the first electronic device, via the network, providing a first sequential clip listing associated with rendering a digital media message using at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment, the first electronic file including the first and second identifiers, a first indicator identifying a first frame of the digital media message corresponding to the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment, and a second indicator identifying a second frame of the digital media message corresponding to the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment; 
 receiving instructions from the first electronic device via the network to share the digital media message with a second electronic device via the network, the instructions including a third indicator identifying the second electronic device; and 
 in response to the instructions, generating first and second additional electronic files using the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment,
 the first additional electronic file comprising a plurality of frame groups formed from the at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment and comprising a plurality of frames of the digital media message, a first frame group of the plurality of frame groups having a first level of fidelity and a second frame group of the plurality of frame groups having a second fidelity different from the first level, and 
 the second additional electronic file comprising digitally compressed versions of each frame of the plurality of frames. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , the operations further comprising:
 providing, in response to the instructions, a signal to the second electronic device via the network and using the third indicator, the signal including a request for permission associated with sharing the digital media message.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving additional instructions from the second electronic device via the network and in response to the signal; and   in response to the additional instructions, at least one of:   streaming the first additional electronic file via the network, and   transferring the second additional electronic file to the second electronic device via the network.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , the operations further comprising:
 transferring the second additional electronic file to the second electronic device via the network;   receiving a second electronic file from the second electronic device, via the network, providing a second sequential clip listing associated with rendering the digital media message different from the first sequential clip listing; and   storing the first and second electronic file in the memory.