Real time electronic mail

• US 10,083,423 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2011
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bombbomb LLC
• Original Assignee: Bombbomb LLC
• Inventors: Green, Greg, Dibble, Kevin S., McCluskey, Conor
• Primary Examiner(s): Swearingen, Jeffrey R
• Application Number:
  US13/161,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20120011196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,659 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques for generating and/or transmitting dynamic electronic mail messages, which can include content that is generated at the time the email message is opened. In some cases, an email message will include a reference to a resource on a server, and a standard email client can request that resource with the reference, either automatically or upon prompting by the user. Based on the nature of the request, a number of properties or characteristics of the request (and/or of the circumstances under which the email message is opened or loaded for display) can be derived or identified. Further, demographic information about the recipient can be identified. Based on these characteristics and/or demographic information, customized content can be generated and transmitted for display, e.g., in body of the electronic message.

Claims

1. A method of providing a dynamic electronic mail message, the method comprising:

transmitting an electronic message from a mail server computer system, the electronic message comprising;

a hypertext markup language (“

HTML”

) image (“

IMG”

) tag comprising a first uniform resource locator (“

URL”

) that references a first resource at a resource server computer system;

an HTML anchor (“

A”

) tag comprising a second URL; and

a dynamic subject field;

receiving the electronic message at an electronic mail client on a recipient computer system, wherein the electronic mail client does not support dynamic content;

loading the electronic message for display at the recipient computer system, wherein loading the electronic message for display comprises transmitting a request for a first resource referenced by the first URL;

receiving, at the resource server computer system, the request for the first resource referenced by the first URL;

executing a first executable script at the resource server computer system, based on the request for the first resource, wherein executing the first executable script comprises;

recording an indication that the recipient opened the electronic message;

identifying a set of characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was loaded for display, the set of characteristics comprising;

an identification of the electronic message, based at least in part on the request for the first resource;

a recipient of the electronic message, based at least in part on the request for the first resource;

an Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) address of the recipient computer system that loaded the electronic message for display, based at least in part on the request for the first resource;

a device type of the recipient computer system that loaded the electronic message for display, based at least in part on the request for the first resource;

a physical location of the recipient computer system that loaded the electronic message for display, based at least in part on the IP address of the recipient computer system; and

a timestamp indicating a time at which the electronic message was loaded for display;

identifying a set of demographic information about the recipient, based at least in part on one or more characteristics about the circumstances under which the message was loaded for display, the set of demographic information comprising one or more values from the group consisting of;

an address of the recipient;

an age of the recipient;

an education level of the recipient;

a gender of the recipient;

a marital status of the recipient;

a set of one or more interests of the recipient;

an income level of the recipient; and

past online behavior of the recipient;

obtaining a first set of content to be provided in response to the first request, based at least in part on one or more characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was loaded for display and at least a portion of the set of demographic information about the recipient;

generating a set of one or more images comprising the first set of content to be provided in response to the first request; and

transmitting the set of one or more images as the first resource, for reception by the recipient computer system, in response to the first request;

receiving, at the recipient computer system, the set of one or more images;

displaying, at the recipient computer system, the set of one or more images within the body of the electronic message;

displaying, at the recipient computer system, at least a portion of the set of one or more images obtained by the resource server in the dynamic subject field of the electronic message;

receiving, at the recipient computer system, a selection by a user of the second URL;

transmitting, from the recipient computer system, a request for a second resource referenced by the second URL;

receiving, at a web server computer system, the request for the second resource referenced by the second URL;

executing a second executable script at the web server computer system, based on the request for the second resource, wherein executing the second executable script comprises;

recording an indication that the recipient selected the second URL;

determining whether the request for the second resource referenced by the second URL should be directed to a different URL that is separate from the second URL;

based on a determination that the request should be directed to the different URL, correlating the second URL with a third URL that is associated with the second resource, the third URL being different from the second URL, and redirecting the request for the second resource referenced by the second URL to a third set of content referenced by the third URL; and

displaying the third set of content in a web browser at the recipient computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the first executable script further comprises:

caching, at a data store accessible by the resource server computer system, the generated set of one or more images.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, at the resource server computer system, an additional request for the first resource;

determining, at the resource server computer system that the additional request was received from the recipient computer; and

analyzing a timestamp of the additional request.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transmitting the cached set of images in response to the additional request, based on a determination that the additional request falls within a specified window of time after the first request.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating a new set of images, based on a determination that the additional request falls outside a specified window of time after the first request; and

transmitting the new set of images in response to the additional request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mail server computer system and the resource server computer system are the same computer system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource server computer system and the web server computer system are the same computer system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of content comprises a promotional offer from an entity, and wherein the third URL references a web site associated with the entity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a set of demographic information about the recipient comprises requesting the set of demographic information from a database, based on an identity of the recipient.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining a first set of content comprises:

transmitting, from the resource server computer system, a content request, the content request comprising one or more of at least a portion of the set of demographic information or at least one of the properties of the first request;

receiving, at a content server, the request for content;

generating, at the content server, a content definition;

transmitting, from the content server, the content definition;

receiving, at the resource server computer system, the content definition; and

generating the content at the resource server computer system, based at least in part on the content definition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the content definition is formatted with eXtensible Markup Language (“

XML”

).

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more properties of the content request comprises the device type of the recipient computer, at least a portion of the timestamp, and the physical location of the recipient computer.

13. A system, comprising:

a mail server comprising a first processor and a first computer readable medium having encoded thereon a first set of instructions executable by the first processor to cause the mail server to perform one or more operations, the first set of instructions comprising;

instructions for transmitting an electronic message, the electronic message comprising;

a hypertext markup language (“

HTML”

) image (“

IMG”

) tag comprising a first uniform resource locator (“

URL”

) that references a first resource at a resource server computer system;

an HTML anchor (“

A”

) tag comprising a second URL; and

a dynamic subject field;

a recipient computer system comprising a second processor and a second computer readable medium having encoded thereon a second set of instructions executable by the second processor to cause the recipient computer to perform one or more operations, the second set of instructions comprising;

instructions for receiving the electronic message with an electronic mail client that does not support dynamic content; and

instructions for loading the electronic message for display with the electronic mail client, wherein loading the electronic message for display comprises transmitting a request for a first resource referenced by the first URL;

a resource server comprising a third processor and a third computer readable medium having encoded thereon a third set of instructions executable by the third processor to cause the resource server to perform one or more operations, the third set of instructions comprising;

instructions for receiving, at the resource server computer system, the request for the first resource referenced by the first URL;

instructions for executing a first executable script at the resource server computer system, based on the request for the first resource, wherein the first executable script comprises;

instructions for recording an indication that the recipient opened the electronic message;

instructions for identifying a set of characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was loaded for display, the set of characteristics comprising;

an identification of the electronic message, based at least in part on the request for the first resource;

a recipient of the electronic message, based at least in part on the request for the first resource;

an Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) address of the recipient computer system that loaded the electronic message for display, based at least in part on the request for the first resource;

a device type of the recipient computer system that loaded the electronic message for display, based at least in part on the request for the first resource;

a physical location of the recipient computer system that loaded the electronic message for display, based at least in part on the IP address of the recipient computer system; and

a timestamp indicating a time at which the electronic message was loaded for display;

instructions for identifying a set of demographic information about the recipient, based at least in part on one or more characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was loaded for display, the set of demographic information comprising one or more values from the group consisting of;

an address of the recipient;

an age of the recipient;

an education level of the recipient;

a gender of the recipient;

a marital status of the recipient;

a set of one or more interests of the recipient;

an income level of the recipient; and

past online behavior of the recipient;

instructions for obtaining a first set of content to be provided in response to the first request, based at least in part on one or more characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was loaded for display and at least a portion of the set of demographic information about the recipient;

instructions for generating a set of one or more images comprising the first set of content to be provided in response to the first request; and

instructions for transmitting the set of one or more images as the first resource, for reception by the recipient computer system, in response to the first request;

wherein the second set of instructions at the recipient computer system further comprises;

instructions for receiving the set of one or more images;

instructions for displaying the set of one or more images within the body of the electronic message;

instructions for displaying at least a portion of the set of one or more images obtained by the resource server in the dynamic subject field of the electronic message;

instructions for receiving a selection by the user of the second URL; and

instructions for transmitting a request for a second resource referenced by the second URL;

wherein the system further comprises a web server comprising a fourth processor and a fourth computer readable medium having encoded thereon a fourth set of instructions executable by the fourth processor to cause the web server to perform one or more operations, the fourth set of instructions comprising;

instructions for receiving the request for the second resource referenced by the second URL; and

instructions for executing a second executable script, based on the request for the second resource, wherein the second executable script comprises;

instructions for recording an indication that the recipient selected the second URL;

determining whether the request for the second resource referenced by the second URL should be directed to a different URL that is separate from the second URL;

based on a determination that the request should be directed to the different URL, correlating the second URL with a third URL that is associated with the second resource, the third URL being different from the second URL, and redirecting the request for the second resource referenced by the second URL to a third set of content referenced by the third URL; and

wherein the second set of instructions at the recipient computer system further comprises;

instructions for displaying the third set of content in a web browser.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the mail server and the resource server are the same computer, wherein the first processor and the third processor are the same processor, and wherein the first computer readable medium and the third computer readable medium are the same computer readable medium.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the resource server and the web server are the same computer, wherein the third processor and the fourth processor are the same processor, and wherein the third computer readable medium and the fourth computer readable medium are the same computer readable medium.

16. A method of providing a dynamic electronic mail message, the method comprising:

transmitting an electronic message, the electronic message comprising;

a markup language tag comprising a first uniform resource locator (“

URL”

), wherein the markup language tag is configured to request a first resource when the electronic message is displayed at a recipient computer system;

receiving, at a server computer system, a request from an electronic mail client on the recipient computer system for the first resource referenced by the first URL, wherein the electronic mail client does not support dynamic content;

identifying, at the server computer system, a set of characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was displayed at the recipient computer system;

determining, at the server computer system, whether the request should be directed to a different URL that is separate from the first URL;

based on a determination that the request should be directed to the different URL, correlating, at the server computer system, the first URL with a second URL that is associated with the first resource, the second URL being different from the first URL, and redirecting the first request to the second URL;

generating, at the server computer system, a set of content to be provided in response to the first request, based at least in part on one or more of the characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was displayed at the recipient computer system; and

transmitting, from the server computer system, the set of content to be displayed within the body of the electronic message at the recipient computer system, wherein at least a portion of the set of content obtained by the resource server is displayed in a dynamic subject field of the electronic message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the set of content comprises one or more images.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more images comprise one or more text blocks.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the set of content comprises video.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the set of content comprises text.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the markup language is HTML5.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the set of content is a hyperlink.

23. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors;

a mail server;

a resource server;

a first set of instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors to cause the mail server to perform one or more operations, the first set of instructions comprising;

instructions for transmitting an electronic message, the message comprising;

a markup language tag comprising a first uniform resource locator (“

URL”

), wherein the markup language tag is configured to request a first resource when the electronic message is displayed at a recipient computer system; and

a second set of instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors to cause the resource server to perform one or more operations, the second set of instructions comprising;

instructions for identifying, upon receipt of a request from an electronic mail client on the recipient computer system for the first resource referenced by the first URL, a set of characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was displayed at the recipient computer system, wherein the electronic mail client does not support dynamic content;

instructions for determining whether the request should be directed to a different URL that is separate from the first URL;

instructions for, based on a determination that the request should be directed to the different URL, correlating the first URL with a second URL that is associated with the first resource, the second URL being different from the first URL, and redirecting the first request to the second URL;

instructions for generating a set of content to be provided in response to the first request, based at least in part on one or more of the characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was displayed at the recipient computer system; and

instructions for transmitting, from the server computer system, the set of content to be displayed within the body of the electronic message at the recipient computer system, wherein at least a portion of the set of content obtained by the resource server is displayed in a dynamic subject field of the electronic message.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions executable by one or more computers to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising;

instructions for transmitting an electronic message, the message comprising;

a markup language tag comprising a first uniform resource locator (“

URL”

), wherein the markup language tag is configured to request a first resource when the electronic message is displayed at a recipient computer system; and

instructions for identifying, upon receipt of a request from an electronic mail client on the recipient computer system for the first resource referenced by the first URL, a set of characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was displayed at the recipient computer system, wherein the electronic mail client does not support dynamic content;

instructions for determining whether the request should be directed to a different URL that is separate from the first URL;

instructions for, based on a determination that the request should be directed to the different URL, correlating the first URL with a second URL that is associated with the first resource, the second URL being different from the first URL, and redirecting the first request to the second URL;

instructions for generating a set of content to be provided in response to the first request, based at least in part on one or more of the characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was displayed at the recipient computer system; and

instructions for transmitting, from the server computer system, the set of content to be displayed within the body of the electronic message at the recipient computer system, wherein at least a portion of the set of content obtained by the resource server is displayed in a dynamic subject field of the electronic message.

25. A method of providing content for an electronic mail message, the electronic mail message comprising a markup language tag comprising a first uniform resource locator (“

URL”

), the method comprising;

receiving, at a server computer system, a request from an electronic mail client on a recipient computer system for a first resource referenced by the first URL, wherein the electronic mail client does not support dynamic content;

identifying, at the server computer system, a set of characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic mail message was displayed at the recipient computer system;

determining, at the server computer system, whether the request should be directed to a different URL that is separate from the first URL;

based on a determination that the request should be directed to the different URL, correlating, at the server computer system, the first URL with a second URL that is associated with the first resource, the second URL being different from the first URL, and redirecting the first request to the second URL;

generating, at the server computer system, a set of content to be provided in response to the first request, based at least in part on one or more of the characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic message was displayed at the recipient computer system; and

transmitting, from the server computer system, the set of content to be displayed within the body of the electronic message at the recipient computer system, wherein at least a portion of the set of content obtained by the resource server is displayed in a dynamic subject field of the electronic message.

26. A computer system for providing content for an electronic mail message, the electronic mail message comprising a markup language tag comprising a first uniform resource locator (“

URL”

), the computer system comprising;

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium having encoded thereon a set of instructions executable by the processor to cause the computer system to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising;

instructions for identifying, upon receipt of a request from an email client on a recipient computer system for a first resource referenced by the first URL, a set of characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic mail message was displayed at the recipient computer system, wherein the electronic mail client does not support dynamic content;

instructions for determining whether the request should be directed to a different URL that is separate from the first URL;

instructions for, based on a determination that the request should be directed to the different URL, correlating the first URL with a second URL that is associated with the first resource, the second URL being different from the first URL, and redirecting the first request to the second URL;

instructions for generating a set of content to be provided in response to the first request, based at least in part on one or more of the characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic mail message was displayed at the recipient computer system; and

instructions for transmitting the set of content to be displayed within the body of the electronic message at the recipient computer system, wherein at least a portion of the set of content obtained by the resource server is displayed in a dynamic subject field of the electronic message.

27. An apparatus for providing content for an electronic mail message, the electronic mail message comprising a markup language tag comprising a first uniform resource locator (“

URL”

), the apparatus comprising;

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions executable by one or more computers to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising;

instructions for identifying, upon receipt of a request from an electronic mail client on a recipient computer system for a first resource referenced by the first URL, a set of characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic mail message was displayed at the recipient computer system, wherein the electronic mail client does not support dynamic content;

instructions for determining whether the request should be directed to a different URL that is separate from the first URL;

instructions for, based on a determination that the request should be directed to the different URL, correlating the first URL with a second URL that is associated with the first resource, the second URL being different from the first URL, and redirecting the first request to the second URL;

instructions for generating a set of content to be provided in response to the first request, based at least in part on one or more of the characteristics about the circumstances under which the electronic mail message was displayed at the recipient computer system; and

instructions for transmitting the set of content to be displayed within the body of the electronic message at the recipient computer system, wherein at least a portion of the set of content obtained by the resource server is displayed in a dynamic subject field of the electronic message.