E-mail to physical mail converter

• US 20050160147A1
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, David LeRoy, Denney, Michael James
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression

Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment convert e-mail into physical mail. In various embodiments, if a recipient identifier in the e-mail is an e-mail address, the recipient identifier is retained. But, if the recipient identifier in the e-mail is not an e-mail address, the recipient identifier, or a street address associated with the recipient identifier, is printed on an envelope, and the e-mail is also printed. Postage may also optionally be printed on the envelope. In this way, persons who do not have an e-mail address may still receive the contents of e-mail via physical delivery.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

if a recipient identifier in an e-mail does not comprise an e-mail address, removing the recipient identifier from the e-mail, printing the e-mail, and printing a street address associated with the recipient identifier on an envelope.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining the street address from an address book, wherein an entry in the address book is associated with the recipient identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient identifier comprises the street address.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising

printing postage on the envelope.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether to perform the removing, the printing the e-mail, and the printing the street addressed based on an option associated with the address book.

6. An apparatus comprising:

means for removing a recipient identifier from an e-mail, printing the e-mail, and printing a street address associated with the recipient identifier on an envelope if the recipient identifier does not comprise an e-mail address; and

means for retaining the recipient identifier in the e-mail if the recipient identifier comprises the e-mail address.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

means for obtaining the street address from an address book, wherein an entry in the address book is associated with the recipient identifier.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the recipient identifier comprises the street address.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

means for printing postage on the envelope.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

means for determining whether to perform the removing, the printing the e-mail, and the printing the street address based on an option associated with the address book.

11. A signal-bearing medium encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed comprise:

removing a recipient identifier from an e-mail, printing the e-mail, and printing a street address associated with the recipient identifier on an envelope if the recipient identifier in the e-mail does not comprise an e-mail address;

retaining the recipient identifier in the e-mail if the recipient identifier comprises the e-mail address; and

sending the e-mail, if the e-mail comprises the e-mail address.

12. The signal-bearing medium of claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining the street address from an address book, wherein an entry in the address book is associated with the recipient identifier.

13. The signal-bearing medium of claim 11, wherein the recipient identifier comprises the street address.

14. The signal-bearing medium of claim 11, further comprising:

printing postage on the envelope.

15. The signal-bearing medium of claim 14, further comprising:

subtracting a cost of the postage from an account associated with an originator of the e-mail.

16. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

memory encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed on the processor comprise;

removing a recipient identifier from an e-mail, printing the e-mail, and printing a street address associated with the recipient identifier on an envelope if a recipient identifier in the e-mail does not comprise an e-mail address,

retaining the recipient identifier in the e-mail if the recipient identifier comprises an e-mail address,

sending the e-mail, if the e-mail comprises the e-mail address,

determining whether to perform the removing, the printing the e-mail, and the printing the street addressed based on an option associated with an address book.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further comprise:

obtaining the street address from the address book, wherein an entry in the address book is associated with the recipient identifier.

18. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the recipient identifier comprises the street address.

19. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further comprise:

printing postage on the envelope.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the instructions further comprise:

subtracting a cost of the postage from an account associated with an originator of the e-mail.