E-mail forms

• US 20060129645A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Witriol, Daniel B., Leen, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,653,694 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]

Abstract

A system and method is provided to enable an e-mail to display a Web-based form. A definition concerning an e-mail address may include form schema owned by a Web site. Alternatively, the definition may contain a link to a Web service that provides the form schema. An e-mail client may download the form schema from the Web service, preferably along with additional data such as information concerning previous e-mails sent to the e-mail address, a FAQ list concerning an e-mail distribution list if the e-mail address represents the e-mail distribution list, etc. The Web site owning the form schema may receive and process e-mail containing the form according to the metadata of the Web-based form.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for displaying an e-mail containing a Web-based form (“

e-mail form”

), comprising;

upon receiving an e-mail address directed to a Web site, resolving the e-mail address; and

displaying an e-mail form upon receiving form schema for rendering a Web-based form.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein definition of the e-mail address includes the form schema.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein definition of the e-mail address includes a link to a Web service that provides the form schema.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the Web service also provides additional data that can be downloaded along with the form schema.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the additional data includes an item selected from the group consisting of frequently asked questions, previous e-mails directed to the e-mail address, or information concerning a recipient of the e-mail.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the frequently asked questions concern an e-mail distribution list and include any one of

description of the distribution list;

purpose of the distribution list; and

method of using the distribution list.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending the e-mail form along with data concerning the e-mail form upon receiving a signal to send the e-mail form.

8. A computer-implemented method for processing an e-mail containing a Web-based form (“

e-mail form”

), comprising;

retrieving data concerning an e-mail form; and

processing the e-mail form according to the data.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising archiving the e-mail form in a Web site associated with the destination address of the e-mail.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

analyzing the e-mail form to determine if the e-mail form is valid and complete; and

sending a reply to the sender of the e-mail form with a link to a page containing the Web-based form in the e-mail form for the sender to fill in if the submitted e-mail form is invalid or incomplete.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the page includes a suggestion for missing data for the sender to edit if the e-mail form is incomplete.

12. A computing system for displaying and processing an e-mail containing a Web-based form (“

e-mail form”

), comprising;

(a) a Web server;

(b) an e-mail client; and

(c) an e-mail directory, coupled with the e-mail client and the Web server, for

(i) upon receiving an e-mail address directed to a Web site, resolving the e-mail address; and

(ii) displaying an e-mail form upon receiving form schema for rendering the e-mail form.

13. The computing system of claim 12, wherein definition of the e-mail address includes the form schema.

14. The computing system of claim 12, wherein definition of the e-mail address includes a link to a Web service that provides the form schema.

15. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the Web service also provides additional data that is downloaded along with the form schema.

16. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the additional data includes an item selected from the group consisting of frequently asked questions, previous e-mails directed to the e-mail address, or information concerning recipient of the e-mail.

17. The computing system of claim 16, wherein the frequently asked questions concern an e-mail distribution list and include any one of

description of the distribution list;

purpose of the distribution list; and

method of using the distribution list.

18. The computing system of claim 12, further comprising sending the e-mail form along with data concerning the e-mail form upon receiving a signal to send the e-mail form.

19. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the Web server receives and processes the e-mail form along with the data concerning the e-mail form.

20. The computing system of claim 19, wherein the Web server processes the e-mail form along with the data concerning the e-mail form by:

retrieving the data concerning the e-mail form from the e-mail; and

processing the data concerning the e-mail form.

21. The computing system of claim 19, wherein the e-mail form is archived in a Web site associated with a destination address of the e-mail form.

22. The computing system of claim 19, wherein processing the data concerning the form includes sending a reply to the sender of the e-mail form with a link to a page containing the Web-based form in the e-mail form for the sender to fill in if the submitted e-mail form is invalid or incomplete.

23. The computing system of claim 22, wherein the page includes a suggestion for missing data for the sender to edit if the e-mail form is incomplete.

24. A display device having rendered thereon a form in an e-mail, comprising a window for:

displaying an e-mail, wherein the e-mail includes a form that is associated with an destination e-mail address of the e-mail; and

displaying a panel including information concerning the destination e-mail address with which the form is associated.

25. The display device of claim 24, wherein the panel displays information concerning any one of

latest e-mails sent to the destination e-mail address;

how many times the user composing the e-mail has directed e-mails to the destination e-mail address;

all e-mails directed to the destination address;

a recipient of the e-mail;

or

a FAQ list concerning an e-mail distribution list if the destination e-mail address represents the e-mail distribution list.