Method and apparatus for configuring electronic mail for delivery of electronic services

• US 20060085513A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,275 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: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

An event manager is disclosed for sending services through an email communication. The event manager provides a template through which a user may select an available service that he wishes to send as an attachment to an email. The event manager enables the user to attach electronic services such as an audio file, a video file, a gift certificate, or a money transfer, among others, to an email message and package it with items such as wallpaper or background music, among others, to send to another email user.

Claims

1. A method for providing services by email comprising:

displaying a template of services;

receiving a selection of a service from the template of services;

attaching the selected service to an email message; and

sending the email message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the service is sending an electronic product.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the product is packaged with at least one of a gift card, wallpaper, and background music.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the product is at least one of money, a gift certificate, an audio file, a video file, a photograph, and a graphic file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the template is provided in at least one of an email client and a web-based environment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating a particular user; and

referencing a profile of the particular user to determine services available for the particular user.

7. The method of claim 1, further including attaching one of the services available for a particular user in the template.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting payment for the service attached to the email message; and

accepting payment for the services attached to the email message.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving the email message on a server whereby the message can be used as a sub-template.

10. A computer readable medium with logic embedded therein for performing a method of providing services by email comprising:

logic for displaying a template of services;

logic for receiving a selection of a service from the template of services; and

logic for attaching the selected service to an email message and sending the email message.

14. A computer readable medium with logic embedded therein for performing a method of claim 10, wherein the template is provided in at least one of an email client and a web-based environment.

15. A computer readable medium with logic embedded therein for performing a method of claim 10, further comprising:

logic for authorizing a particular user; and

logic for referencing a profile of the particular user to determine services available for the particular user.

16. A computer readable medium with logic embedded therein for performing a method of claim 10, including the services available for a particular user in the template.

17. A computer readable medium with logic embedded therein for performing a method of claim 10, further comprising:

logic for requesting payment for the service attached to the email message; and

logic for accepting payment for the services attached to the email message.

18. A computer readable medium with logic embedded therein for performing a method of claim 10, further comprising saving the email message on a server whereby the message can be used as a sub-template.

11. A computer readable medium with logic embedded therein for performing a method of claim 11, wherein the service is sending an electronic product.

12. A computer readable medium with logic embedded therein for performing a method of claim 11, wherein the product is packaged with at least one of a gift card, wallpaper, and background music

13. A computer readable medium with logic embedded therein for performing a method of claim 11, wherein the product is at least one of money, a gift certificate, an audio file, a video file, a photograph, and a graphic file.

19. A method for configuring an email communication with an attachment comprising:

providing a template with a recipient address list and at least one no-attachment indicator settable by a user as for indicating that a particular recipient does not receive the attachment;

setting the no-attachment indicator for at least one recipient; and

sending the email communication without an attachment to the recipients for with a no-attachment indicator has been set.

20. The method for configuring an email communication with an attachment according to claim 19, wherein the template is applied to each attachment of the email communication.