System and methods for electronic message content identification

• US 20040148355A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Orbke, Wayne H., Krause, Robert G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Consistent with the present invention, an electronic message identification method and system is provided that avoids the problems associated with current systems and methods for identifying and managing electronic messages.

In one aspect, a method consistent with the present invention for sending an electronic file to a customer comprises receiving an approval from the customer indicating acceptable content for electronic files that are sent to the customer; receiving the electronic file from a sender, the electronic file including file content and a message content identifier corresponding to the file content; comparing the message content identifier to the approval from the customer; and delivering the file content to an electronic mailbox of the customer, if the message content identifier is consistent with the approval from the customer indicating acceptable content.

Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

Claims

1. A method for sending an electronic file to a customer, comprising:

receiving an approval from the customer indicating acceptable content for electronic files to be sent to the customer;

receiving the electronic file from a sender, the electronic file including file content and a message content identifier corresponding to the file content;

comparing the message content identifier to the approval from the customer; and

delivering the file content to an electronic mailbox of the customer, if the message content identifier is consistent with the approval from the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

sending an approved status report to the sender, if the file content is delivered to the customer.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

sending a declined status report to the sender, if the message content identifier is inconsistent with the approval from the customer, and the file content is undeliverable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivering stage comprises:

delivering the file content to a folder within the electronic mailbox of the customer, the folder corresponding to the message content identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the delivering stage comprises:

delivering the file content to a pool folder, if the message content identifier is inconsistent with the acceptable content indicated by the approval from the customer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving stage comprises:

using a program to apply the message content identifier to the file content that is received from the sender.

7. A method for sending an electronic file to a customer, comprising:

uploading a physical address list file to a processor;

uploading file content and a content identifier code to the processor;

querying a customer database with the processor to retrieve a customer'"'"'s e-address and filtering preferences; and

combining the customer'"'"'s e-address and file content and content identifier code within the processor to create the electronic file for delivery to the customer.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending the electronic file to a filter for identification of customer preferences.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

comparing the content identifier code to the customer preferences and, if the content identifier code is consistent with the customer preferences, sending the electronic file to a routing system for delivery to an appropriate folder in a customer'"'"'s electronic mailbox, and notifying a sender of the electronic message that the electronic message has been delivered.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

comparing the content identifier code to the customer preferences and, if the content identifier code is inconsistent with the customer preferences, sending the electronic file to a pool folder.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

comparing the content identifier code to the customer preferences, and if the content identifier code is inconsistent with the customer preferences, marking the electronic message as undeliverable, and notifying the sender of the electronic message that the electronic message is undeliverable.

12. A system for sending an electronic file to a customer, comprising:

means for receiving an approval from the customer indicating acceptable content for electronic files to be sent to the customer;

means for receiving the electronic file from a sender, the electronic file including file content and a message content identifier corresponding to the file content;

means for comparing the message content identifier to the approval from the customer; and

means for delivering the file content to an electronic mailbox of the customer, if the message content identifier is consistent with the acceptable content indicated by the approval from the customer.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising means for sending an approved status report to the sender, if the file content is delivered to the customer.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising means for sending a declined status report to the sender, if the message content identifier is inconsistent with the acceptable content indicated by the approval from the customer and the message content identifier.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for delivering further comprises means for delivering the file content to a folder within an electronic mailbox, the folder corresponding to the message content identifier.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for delivering further comprises means for delivering the file content to a pool folder, if the message content identifier is inconsistent with the acceptable content indicated by the approval from the customer.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for receiving the electronic file further comprises means for using a program to apply the message content identifier to the electronic file.

18. A system for composing and delivering an electronic message to a customer, comprising:

a component for uploading a physical address mailing list file and a message content and coding file;

a processor that receives the uploaded physical mailing list file and message content and coding file, queries a database for e-address and customer preferences, and creates the electronic message;

a filter that filters the message content and coding file, based on the customers preferences; and

a message routing system that receives the message content and coding file that have been successfully filtered and delivers the electronic message to a customer electronic mailbox.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the filter is located within the processor and filters the message content and coding file before forwarding the electronic message, which has been developed from a successfully filtered message content and coding file, to the message routing system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein a notification is provided indicating successful delivery to the message routing system.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the filter is located in the database and the filtering takes place as part of the query.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein an unsuccessfully filtered message content and coding file is one of delivered to a pool and undelivered.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein a notification is provided indicating one of unsuccessful delivery to the message routing system and delivery to a pool.

24. A system for sending an electronic file to a customer, comprising:

a registration system that receives an approval from the customer indicating acceptable content for electronic files to be sent to the customer;

a filtering system that receives the electronic file from a sender, the electronic file including file content and a message content identifier corresponding to the file content, and compares the message content identifier to the approval from the customer; and

a message routing system that delivers the file content to an electronic mailbox of the customer, if the message content identifier is consistent with the acceptable content indicated by the approval from the customer.

25. A system for sending an electronic file to a customer, comprising:

an interface component that connects a sender to the system, which assigns a message content identifier to the sender;

a registration component that interfaces with the system to set up the customer'"'"'s preferences and through the system sets up the customer'"'"'s e-mail account on an e-mail system;

a filtering component that filters the electronic file sent by the sender, based on the message content identifier, and one of delivers the electronic file to the customer'"'"'s e-mail account and rejects the electronic file as undeliverable.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the message content identifier includes codes identifying the industry segment of a company, permutations of product types, and offerings associated with the company.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein a notification is provided indicating successful delivery to the customer'"'"'s e-mail account.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein an unsuccessfully filtered electronic file is one of delivered to a pool and undelivered.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein a notification is provided indicating one of unsuccessful delivery to the customer'"'"'s e-mail account and delivery to a pool.

30. A system for sending an electronic file to a customer including a processor, comprising:

an address matching component that parses a physical address and constructs match codes for interrogating a match directory within the address matching component;

a key generation querying function that receives results from the address matching component, based on the interrogation of the match directory, and queries a database to obtain an electronic address list file;

a mail merge processor that receives the electronic address list file and a message, with a message content identifier, and creates an electronic mail item;

a filtering component that filters the electronic mail item based on the message content identifier; and

a routing component for delivering the electronic mail item that has been successfully filtered to the customer'"'"'s e-mail account.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein a notification is provided indicating successful delivery to the customer'"'"'s e-mail account.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein an unsuccessfully filtered message is one of delivered to a pool and undelivered.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein a notification is provided indicating one of unsuccessful delivery to the message routing system and delivery to a pool.

34. A computer-readable media containing computer-readable instructions for performing:

receiving an approval from the customer indicating acceptable content for electronic files to be sent to the customer;

receiving the electronic file from a sender, the electronic file including file content and a message content identifier corresponding to the file content;

comparing the message content identifier to the approval from the customer; and

delivering the file content to an electronic mailbox of the customer, if the message content identifier is consistent with the approval from the customer.