Targeted email promotion
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An email-based promotional message delivery system comprising:
- a sender profile database configured to store a profile of each of a plurality of potential email senders;
a promotional message database configured to store a plurality of promotional messages and, for each, a profile of preferred recipients of the message; and
a processing system configured to receive a plurality of outgoing emails from a plurality of different senders, each email containing information identifying the sender and at least one recipient, and configured in connection with each received email to;
locate the profile of the sender of the email in the sender profile database;
locate at least one promotional message in the promotional message database that has a profile that is appropriate for the profile of the sender;
add the at least one located promotional message to the email; and
direct the augmented email to the at least one recipient of the email.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An email-based promotional message delivery system. The system may append targeted promotional messages to outgoing emails. The system may use the profiles of senders as a means of targeting the recipients. The system may use a recipient profile supplied by one sender as a means of targeting the same recipient when that recipient is sent a message by a different sender. A two-tier spam blocking system may be offered as an inducement to allowing promotional messages to be added to outgoing emails. Other features and processes are disclosed.
124 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An email-based promotional message delivery system comprising:
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a sender profile database configured to store a profile of each of a plurality of potential email senders;
a promotional message database configured to store a plurality of promotional messages and, for each, a profile of preferred recipients of the message; and
a processing system configured to receive a plurality of outgoing emails from a plurality of different senders, each email containing information identifying the sender and at least one recipient, and configured in connection with each received email to;
locate the profile of the sender of the email in the sender profile database;
locate at least one promotional message in the promotional message database that has a profile that is appropriate for the profile of the sender;
add the at least one located promotional message to the email; and
direct the augmented email to the at least one recipient of the email.
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2. An email-based promotional message delivery process for use in connection with a sender profile database configured to store a profile of each of a plurality of potential email senders and a promotional message database configured to store a plurality of promotional messages and, for each, a profile of preferred recipients of the message, the process comprising:
receive a plurality of outgoing emails from a plurality of different senders, each email containing information identifying the sender and at least one recipient, and in connection with each received email;
locate the profile of the sender of the email in the sender profile database;
locate at least one promotional message in the promotional message database that has a profile that is appropriate for the profile of the sender;
add the at least one located promotional message to the email; and
direct the augmented email to the at least one recipient of the email.
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3. An email address database configured to be accessed electronically by an email application and configured to store and deliver information identifying a plurality of potential email recipients and, in connection with each, information about his or her income.
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4. An email address database configured to be accessed electronically by an email application and configured to store and deliver information identifying a plurality of potential email recipients and, in connection with each, information about his or her vocation.
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5. An email address database configured to be accessed electronically by an email application and configured to store and deliver information identifying a plurality of potential email recipients and, in connection with each, information about his or her race.
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6. An email address database configured to be accessed electronically by an email application and configured to store and deliver information identifying a plurality of potential email recipients and, in connection with each, information about the number of his or her children.
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7. An email address database configured to be accessed electronically by an email application and configured to store and deliver information identifying a plurality of potential email recipients and, in connection with each, information about his or her hobbies.
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8. An email-based promotional message delivery system comprising:
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a recipient profile database configured to store a profile of each of a plurality of potential email recipients;
a promotional message database configured to store a plurality of promotional messages and, for each, a profile of preferred recipients of the message; and
a processing system configured to;
receive recipient profiles from email address databases maintained by a plurality of email senders;
store the recipient profiles in the recipient profile database;
receive an outgoing email from an email sender, the email containing information identifying at least one intended recipient of the email;
locate the profile of the intended recipient in the recipient profile database;
locate at least one promotional message in the promotional message database that has a profile that is appropriate for the located profile of the at least one intended recipient;
add the at least one located promotional message to the email; and
direct the augmented email to the at least one intended recipient.
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9. An email-based promotional message delivery process for use in connection with a recipient profile database configured to store a profile of each of a plurality of potential email recipients;
- a promotional message database configured to store a plurality of promotional messages and, for each, a profile of preferred recipients of the message; and
email address databases maintained by a plurality of email senders, each configured to store a profile of each of a plurality of prospective email recipients, the process comprising;
receive recipient profiles from the email address databases;
store the recipient profiles in the recipient profile database;
receive an outgoing email from an email sender, the email containing information identifying at least one intended recipient of the email;
locate the profile of the intended recipient in the recipient profile database;
locate at least one promotional message in the promotional message database that has a profile that is appropriate for the located profile of the at least one intended recipient;
add the at least one located promotional message to the email; and
direct the augmented email to the at least one intended recipient.
- a promotional message database configured to store a plurality of promotional messages and, for each, a profile of preferred recipients of the message; and
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10. An email-based system comprising:
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a recipient database configured to store information identifying recipients that have clicked links embedded in their email messages and information identifying the links that the recipients have clicked; and
a processing system configured to;
receive reports about recipients that have clicked links embedded in their email messages; and
update the recipient database to reflect information in the reports.
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11. An email-based process for use in connection with a recipient database configured to store information identifying recipients that have clicked links embedded in their email messages and information identifying the links that the recipients have clicked, the process comprising:
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receive reports about recipients that have clicked links embedded in their email messages; and
update the recipient database to reflect information in the reports.
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12. An email-based system comprising:
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a recipient database configured to store information identifying recipients that have clicked links embedded in their email messages and a profile of each recipient; and
a processing system configured to;
receive reports about recipients that have clicked links embedded in their email messages; and
update the recipient profiles in the recipient database based on the reports.
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13. An email-based process for use in connection with a recipient database configured to store information identifying recipients that have clicked links embedded in their email messages and a profile of each recipient;
- the process comprising;
receive reports about recipients that have clicked links embedded in their email messages; and
update recipient profiles in the recipient database based on the reports.
- the process comprising;
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14. An email-based modification system comprising:
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a sender database configured to store information about a plurality of email senders, including information about the number of emails from each sender that the modification system has modified; and
a processing system configured to receive a plurality of emails from the plurality of senders, each email containing information identifying the sender and at least one recipient, and configured in connection with each received email to;
modify the email;
direct the modified email to the at least one recipient; and
update the information in the sender database about the number of emails from the sender to reflect that another email has been modified.
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15. An email-based modification process for use in connection with a sender database configured to store information about a plurality of email senders, including information about the number of emails from each sender that the modification system has modified, the process comprising:
receive a plurality of emails from a plurality of senders, each email containing information identifying the sender and at least one recipient, and for each received email;
modify the email;
direct the modified email to the at least one recipient; and
update the information in the sender database about the number of emails from the sender to reflect that another email has been modified.
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16. A message-based promotional process comprising:
receive a plurality of messages from a plurality of senders, each message containing information identifying the sender and at least one recipient, and for each received message;
modify the message by adding a promotional component to the message; and
direct the modified message to the at least one recipient; and
compensate the senders for allowing promotional components to be added to their messages. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
Specification