System and method for using e-mail as advertisement medium

• US 20030093315A1
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interlex Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Interlex Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Kenji
• Application Number:
  US10/130,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093315A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to use electronic mail as an advertising medium so as to provide a user with an advertisement having a large information-communicating effect. A mail server 40 stores various advertising information items received from various advertisers, as well as distribution dates and/or times and/or recipient user attributes (region of residence, age, sex, etc.) and other such distribution conditions established by respective advertisers for respective advertising information items. When electronic mail is to be sent to a user 20 associated with mail server 40, such server 40 selects an advertising information item or items for which the current date and/or time, attribute or attributes of user 20, and/or the like match the previously established distribution condition or conditions, and affixes such advertising information item or items to a user-defined header of electronic mail which is sent to recipient user 20. Specially designed mail software 21 is present at a computer associated with recipient user 20, such specially designed mail software 21 extracting advertising information item or items from such user-defined header of received electronic mail and displaying same at a mail body or within a progress display window during downloading of mail.

Claims

1. A system for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the system being provided with

a mail server that possesses one or more advertising information items and advertisement distribution condition or conditions established for respective advertising information item or items, and that when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient selects an advertising information item or items satisfying the advertisement distribution condition or conditions and affixes such selected advertising information item or items to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system;

and

mail software that is capable of being executed by the user computer system, that receives the electronic mail from the mail server, and that displays the advertising information item or items affixed to the received electronic mail during or after receipt of the electronic mail.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein

the electronic mail has a mail header and a message body which is sent after the mail header;

and

the mail server affixes the advertising information item or items to the mail header of the electronic mail which is sent;

so as to permit the mail software to receive the advertising information item or items before the message body and to display the advertising information item or items during receipt of the message body.

3. A system according to claim 1 furthermore provided with a stream server for sending advertisement streaming data to the recipient user computer system;

the advertising information item or items affixed to the electronic mail being capable of comprising an address or addresses for the streaming data; and

in the event that the received advertising information item or items comprises or comprise such address or addresses for the streaming data the mail software using the address or addresses to receive the streaming data from the stream server and displaying the received streaming data.

4. A system according to claim 1 furthermore provided with an external device capable of being mounted in and removed from the user computer system, the external device containing the mail software;

so as to permit execution of the mail software by the user computer system as a result of mounting of the external device in the user computer system regardless of whether the mail software has or has not been installed on the user computer system prior thereto.

5. A method for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the method employing

a step taking place at a server system such that one or more advertising information items and advertisement distribution condition or conditions established for respective advertising information item or items are stored;

a step taking place at the server system such that when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient an advertising information item or items satisfying the advertisement distribution condition or conditions is or are selected from among the stored advertising information item or items and such selected advertising information item or items is or are affixed to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system; and

a step taking place at the user computer system such that the advertising information item or items affixed to the electronic mail is or are displayed during or after receipt of the electronic mail.

6. A method according to claim 5 furthermore employing

a step taking place at the server system such that personal information for respective user or users is stored;

a step taking place at the server system such that user attribute or attributes for candidate recipient user or users serving as the advertisement distribution condition or conditions is or are stored; and

a step taking place at the server system such that, when the electronic mail is to be sent to the user computer system, selection of advertising information item or items satisfying the advertisement distribution condition or conditions is carried out through comparison of the stored personal information for recipient user or users and the stored user attribute or attributes serving as advertisement distribution condition or conditions for respective advertising information item or items.

7. A method according to claim 5 furthermore employing

a step taking place at the server system such that distribution time period or periods serving as the advertisement distribution condition or conditions is or are stored;

and

a step taking place at the server system such that when the electronic mail is to be sent to the user computer system selection of advertising information item or items satisfying the advertisement distribution condition or conditions is carried out by determining whether the current time period corresponds to the stored distribution time period or periods serving as the advertisement distribution condition or conditions for respective advertising information item or items.

8. A method according to claim 5 wherein the electronic mail has a mail header and a message body which is sent after the mail header;

the advertising information item affixing step being such that the advertising information item or items is or are affixed to the mail header of the electronic mail so as to permit employment of a step allowing the advertising information item or items to be received at the recipient user computer before the message body; and

the advertising information item display step being such that the previously received advertising information item or items is or are displayed during receipt of the message body.

9. A method according to claim 5 furthermore employing a step taking place at the server system such that advertisement streaming data is saved;

the advertising information item affixing step employing a step wherein an address or addresses for the streaming data is or are included in the advertising information item or items affixed to the electronic mail; and

in the event that the received advertising information item or items comprises or comprise such address or addresses for the streaming data the advertising information item display step employing a step wherein the address or addresses is or are used to receive the streaming data from the server system and a step wherein the received streaming data is displayed.

10. A server system for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the system being provided with

an advertisement placement request server that presents an advertisement placement condition or conditions including advertising fee or fees to a computer system of an advertisement provider and that accepts from the advertisement provider computer system an advertisement placement request or requests as well as advertisement distribution condition or conditions for such advertisement or advertisements which is or are the subject or subjects of the request or requests;

and

a mail server that possesses one or more advertising information items as well as the advertisement distribution condition or conditions accepted by the advertisement placement request server for respective advertising information item or items and that when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient selects an advertising information item or items satisfying the advertisement distribution condition or conditions and affixes such selected advertising information item or items to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system.

11. A method of operating a server system for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the method employing

a step wherein an advertisement placement condition or conditions including advertising fee or fees is or are presented to a computer system of an advertisement provider;

a step wherein an advertisement placement request or requests as well as advertisement distribution condition or conditions for such advertisement or advertisements which is or are the subject or subjects of the request or requests are accepted from the advertisement provider computer system;

a step wherein one or more advertising information items as well as the advertisement distribution condition or conditions for respective advertising information item or items accepted from the advertisement provider providing that or those advertising information item or items are saved; and

a step wherein, when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient, an advertising information item or items satisfying the advertisement distribution condition or conditions is or are selected from among the stored advertising information item or items and such selected advertising information item or items is or are affixed to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system.

12. A server system for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the system being provided with

a mail server that possesses one or more advertising information items as well as advertisement distribution condition or conditions for respective advertising information item or items, and that when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient selects an advertising information item or items satisfying the advertisement distribution condition or conditions and affixes such selected advertising information item or items to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system;

and

a report server that possesses a history concerning affixing of the advertising information item or items to the electronic mail and sending thereof to the user computer system and that uses the history to report advertising results for the advertising information item or items to, or to carry out processing with respect to advertising charges in connection with the advertising information item or items for, the advertisement provider providing the advertising information item or items.

13. A system according to claim 12 furthermore employing

means for, when the electronic mail is sent to the user computer system, identifying a mail software provider or providers which provided the user recipient with mail software used at the user computer system;

and

means for reporting advertising results for the advertising information item or items to such identified mail software provider or providers.

14. A method of operating a server system for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the method employing

a step wherein one or more advertising information items as well as advertisement distribution condition or conditions for respective advertising information item or items are saved;

a step wherein, when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient, an advertising information item or items satisfying the advertisement distribution condition or conditions is or are selected and such selected advertising information item or items is or are affixed to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system;

a step wherein a history concerning affixing of the advertising information item or items to the electronic mail and sending thereof to the user computer system is saved; and

a step wherein the history is used to report advertising results for the advertising information item or items to, or to carry out charge assessment processing with respect to advertising charges in connection with the advertising information item or items for, the advertisement provider providing the advertising information item or items.

15. A method according to claim 14 furthermore employing

a step wherein, when the electronic mail is sent to the user computer system, a mail software provider or providers which provided the user recipient with mail software used at the user computer system is or are identified;

and

a step wherein advertising results for the advertising information item or items are reported to, or charge assessment processing is carried out with respect to charges in connection with the advertising information item or items for, such identified mail software provider or providers.

16. A system for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the system being provided with

a mail server that possesses one or more advertising information items and that, when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient, affixes the advertising information item or items to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system, the electronic mail having a mail header and a message body which is sent after the mail header and the mail server being such as to allow the advertising information item or items to be affixed to the mail header of the electronic mail;

and

mail software that is capable of being executed by the user computer system, that receives the electronic mail from the mail server, and that displays the advertising information item or items affixed to the mail header of the received electronic mail during receipt of the message body of the electronic mail.

17. A method for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the method employing

a step taking place at a server system such that one or more advertising information items is or are saved;

a step taking place at the server system such that, when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient, the saved advertising information item or items is or are affixed to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system, the electronic mail having a mail header and a message body which is sent after the mail header, this step furthermore being such as to allow the advertising information item or items to be affixed to the mail header of the electronic mail; and

a step taking place at the user computer system such that the electronic mail is received and such that the advertising information item or items affixed to the mail header of the received electronic mail is or are displayed during receipt of the message body of the electronic mail.

18. A system for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the system being provided with

a mail server that possesses one or more advertising information items and that, when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient, affixes the advertising information item or items to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system;

a stream server for sending advertisement streaming data to the user computer system; and

mail software that is capable of being executed by the user computer system, that receives the electronic mail from the mail server, and that displays the advertising information item or items affixed to the received electronic mail;

the advertising information item or items affixed to the electronic mail being capable of comprising an address or addresses for the streaming data; and

in the event that the received advertising information item or items comprises or comprise such address or addresses for the streaming data the mail software using the address or addresses to receive the streaming data from the stream server and displaying the received streaming data.

19. A method for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the method employing

a step taking place at a mail server such that one or more advertising information items is or are stored;

a step taking place at a stream server such that advertisement streaming data is saved;

a step taking place at the mail server such that when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient the advertising information item or items is or are affixed to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system, this step furthermore permitting an address or addresses for the streaming data to be included in the advertising information item or items;

a step taking place at the user computer system such that the electronic mail is received from the mail server; and

a step taking place at the user computer system such that in the event that the advertising information item or items affixed to the received electronic mail comprises or comprise such address or addresses for the streaming data the address or addresses is or are used to receive the streaming data from the stream server and the received streaming data is displayed.

20. A system for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the system being provided with

a mail server that possesses one or more advertising information items and that, when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient, affixes the advertising information item or items to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system;

an external device in the possession of the user recipient and capable of being mounted in and removed from the user computer system; and

mail software that is stored in the external device, that is made capable of being executed by the user computer system when the external device is mounted in the user computer system, that receives the electronic mail from the mail server, and that displays the advertising information item or items affixed to the received electronic mail.

21. A method for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the method employing

a step taking place at a mail server such that one or more advertising information items is or are stored;

a step taking place at the mail server such that when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient the advertising information item or items is or are affixed to the electronic mail which is sent to the recipient user computer system;

a step such that an external device storing mail software capable of being executed by the user computer system is mounted in the user computer system;

a step taking place at the user computer system such that the mail software within the external device is executed as a result of the external device'"'"'s having been mounted therein; and

a step taking place at the user computer system such that the mail software is used to receive the electronic mail from the mail server and the advertising information item or items affixed to the received electronic mail is or are displayed.

22. A mail server provided with

a storage apparatus storing one or more advertising information items;

an affixing apparatus for affixing the stored advertising information item or items to electronic mail; and

a sending apparatus for sending to a user computer system used by a user recipient the electronic mail to which the advertising information item or items has or have been affixed;

the electronic mail having a mail header and a message body which is sent after the mail header; and

the affixing apparatus affixing the advertising information item or items to the mail header of the electronic mail.

23. A computer program causing a computer to execute

a step such that electronic mail is received, the electronic mail having a mail header and a message body which follows the mail header, this step furthermore being such as to allow the mail header to comprise an advertising information item or items;

and

a step such that in the event that the mail header of the received electronic mail comprises the advertising information item or items the advertising information item or items is or are displayed during receipt of the message body.

24. A server system for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the system being provided with

a mail server that possesses one or more advertising information items and that, when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient, affixes the advertising information item or items to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system;

and

a recipient user award server that stores award point or points accrued to the user recipient, that updates the award point or points for the user recipient when the advertising information item or items is or are affixed to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system, and that awards the user recipient a stake in a drawing for a prize based on the award point or points.

25. A server system according to claim 24 furthermore provided with

means for storing a history concerning reception of electronic mail by the user recipient;

and

means for determining, as a result of investigation of the history, whether there has been fraudulent reception of electronic mail by the user recipient and for controlling the accruing of award point or points for the user recipient or whether the user is to be awarded the drawing stake in correspondence to the results of that determination.

26. A method of operating a server system for using electronic mail as an advertising medium, the method employing

a step wherein one or more advertising information items is or are saved;

a step wherein when electronic mail is to be sent to a user computer system used by a user recipient the advertising information item or items is or are affixed to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system;

a step wherein award point or points accrued to the user recipient is or are stored;

a step wherein the award point or points for the user recipient is or are updated when the advertising information item or items is or are affixed to the electronic mail which is sent to the user computer system; and

a step wherein the user recipient is awarded a stake in a drawing for a prize based on the award point or points.

27. A method according to claim 26 furthermore employing

a step wherein a history concerning reception of electronic mail by the user recipient is stored;

a step wherein whether there has been fraudulent reception of electronic mail by the user recipient is determined as a result of investigation of the history; and

a step wherein the accruing of award point or points for the user recipient or whether the user is to be awarded the drawing stake is controlled in correspondence to the results of that determination.