Method and system for temporal delivery of email messages

• US 20060223554A1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asaf Fried
• Original Assignee: Asaf Fried
• Inventors: Fried, Asaf
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

One embodiment includes an exemplary method of providing temporal control of email delivery. The method further includes receiving message data comprising at least a message body and a selected time. The message further includes displaying a first portion of the message data prior to the selected time. The first portion excludes at least a portion of the message body. The method further includes displaying a second portion of the message data after the selected time. The second portion of the message data includes the excluded portion of the message body. Other embodiments include systems for performing the method and applications of the method.

Claims

1. A method of providing temporal control of electronic message delivery and message availability, comprising:

receiving message data comprising at least a message body and a selected time;

providing for display a first portion of said message data prior to said selected time, said first portion excluding at least a portion of said message body; and

providing for display a second portion of said message data after said selected time, said second portion of said message data comprising said excluded portion of said message body.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said message data further comprises metadata, said metadata comprising said selected time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said second portion comprises at least one of a message subject, metadata, and the selected time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying said first portion of said message data to a recipient prior to said selected time; and

displaying said second portion of said message data to a recipient after said selected time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said message comprises at least one of an email message, an instant message, or a short message system (SMS) message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

visually relating said message with a first mailbox prior to said selected time; and

visually relating said message with a second mailbox after said selected time.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising automatically generating said first mailbox to correspond to said second mailbox.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing said first portion of said message data comprises displaying at least the sender, a recipient, the send time, and subject of said message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing said first portion of said message data comprises providing said first portion of said message data to a recipient of said message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said message body comprises at least one of a bid, a birthday greeting, academic material, marketing or promotional material, a personal message, a prediction, and a wager.

11. A system for providing temporal control of electronic message delivery, comprising:

a storage configured to store message data related to a message, said message data comprising at least a message body and a selected time; and

at least one processor configured to;

store said message data to said storage;

prior to said selected time, provide a first portion of said message data, said first portion excluding at least a portion of said message body;

after said selected time, provide a second portion of said message data, said second portion of said message data comprising said excluded portion of said message body.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said processor is configured to provide said message data via a web interface.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said processor is further configured to:

identify said message with a first mailbox prior to said selected time; and

identify said message with a second mailbox after said selected time.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said processor is further configured to:

display said first portion of said message data prior to said selected time; and

display said second portion of said message data after said selected time.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said message comprises at least one of an email message, an instant message, or a short message system (SMS) message.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said storage comprises at least one restricted area configured to provide for display at least a message subject, a sender, and said selected time and at least one unrestricted storage area configured to provide a recipient of the message with unrestricted access to said message data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said processor is configured to store said message data in said restricted area prior to said selected time and to transfer said message data to said unrestricted area after said selected time.

18. A system for providing temporal control of electronic message delivery, comprising:

means for storing message data related to a message, said message data comprising at least a message body and a selected time;

means for providing for display a first portion of said message data prior to said selected time, said first portion excluding at least a portion of said message body; and

means for providing for display a second portion of said message data after said selected time, said second portion of said message data comprising said excluded portion of said message body.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for visually relating said message with a first mailbox prior to said selected time; and

means for visually relating said message with a second mailbox after said selected time.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for displaying said first portion of said message data prior to said selected time; and

means for displaying said second portion of said message data after said selected time.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said message comprises at least one of an email message, an instant message, or a short message system (SMS) message.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said providing means comprises an email server.