Method and apparatus for regenerating message data

• US 20060265460A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stamps.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stamps.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Kiyohara, Keith Shoji
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,223 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 for regenerating electronic mail, e.g., when a certain event transpires. If, for instance, a server program has previously sent the user an electronic mail message, that electronic mail message may be regenerated and retransmitted to the user or provided to support personnel upon request.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code for regenerating message data embodied therein, said computer readable program code configured to;

generate a first message to a customer;

transmit said first message to said customer;

store a reference to a template used to generate said first message, said template comprising standardized message text;

obtain an inquiry from a user for a duplicate of said first message; and

regenerate said duplicate of said first message from said template in response to said inquiry.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said first message is generated in response to a triggering event.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said computer readable program code configured to regenerate said duplicate further comprises computer program code configured to:

obtain template data associated with said first message;

obtain general information associated with said first message; and

combine said template data and said general information.

4. The computer program product of claim 3 wherein said general information comprises customer specific information.

5. The computer program product of claim 3 wherein said general information comprises previously calculated information.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said user comprises an entity representative.

7. A method comprising:

generating a first message to a customer;

transmitting said first message to said customer;

storing a reference to a template used to generate said first message, said template comprising standardized message text;

obtaining an inquiry from a user for a duplicate of said first message; and

regenerating said duplicate of said first message from said template in response to said inquiry.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said first message is generated in response to a triggering event.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said regenerating said duplicate further comprises:

obtaining template data associated with said first message;

obtaining general information associated with said first message;

combining said template data and said general information.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said general information comprises information associated with said customer.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said general information comprises previously calculated numerical data.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said user comprises an entity representative.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to said processor;

said memory comprising computer readable program code configured to;

generate a first message to a customer;

transmit said first message to said customer;

store a reference to a template used to generate said first message, said template comprising standardized message text;

obtain an inquiry from a user for a duplicate of said first message; and

regenerate said duplicate of said first message from said template in response to said inquiry.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said first message is generated in response to a triggering event.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said computer readable program configured to regenerate said duplicate further comprises computer readable program code configured to:

obtain template data associated with said first message;

obtain general information associated with said first message; and

combine said template data and said general information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said general information comprises information associated with said customer.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said general information comprises previously calculated numerical data.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said user comprises an entity representative.

19. A method for providing electronic mail messages comprising:

in response to a triggering event, accessing a template from a plurality of templates, each of said plurality of templates comprising standardized information associated with a type of triggering event;

generating an electronic mail message by populating said template with data from a file associated with a customer; and

transmitting said electronic mail message to said customer; and

storing a reference to said template.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a request for prior correspondence with said customer;

retrieving said reference;

obtaining said template based on said reference; and

regenerating said electronic mail message by populating said template with said data from said file.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said request is received from an entity representative, said method further comprising displaying said electronic mail message to said entity representative.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said file further comprises note information from a prior communication with said customer, said method further comprising:

obtaining a notes template;

populating said notes template with said note information; and

displaying to said entity representative said notes template comprising said note information.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said file further comprises audio data of a prior communication with said customer, said method further comprising:

obtaining an audio template;

associating said audio data with said audio template;

displaying to said entity representative said audio template, said audio template configured to provide play back of said audio data.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising transmitting the regenerated electronic mail message to said customer.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising storing calculated data from said electronic mail message in said file.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said data comprises a record in a database.

27. An apparatus comprising:

computer storage media comprising;

a plurality of templates, each of said templates associated with one of a plurality of standardized communications;

a plurality of files respectively associated with a plurality of customers, each of said files comprising;

one or more references to one or more templates used in one or more prior communications with a respective customer;

information specific to said respective customer;

a server configured to regenerate said one or more prior communications with said respective customer by;

obtaining one or more previously used templates based on said one or more references;

populating said one or more previously used templates with data from said information specific to said respective customer.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said server is further configured to provide regenerated prior communications to a requester.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said requester is a customer service representative.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises customer account information.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises customer transaction information.

32. The apparatus of claim 27:

wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises a prior electronic mail message from said respective customer;

wherein said plurality of templates further comprises a mail display template; and

wherein said server is further configured to obtain said mail template and populate said mail template with said prior electronic mail message.

33. The apparatus of claim 27:

wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises text data from one or more notes associated with said respective customer;

wherein said plurality of templates further comprises a note display template; and

wherein said server is further configured to obtain said note display template and populate said note display template with said text data.

34. The apparatus of claim 27:

wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises audio data of a prior conversation with said respective customer;

wherein said plurality of templates further comprises an audio playback interface template; and

wherein said server is further configured to obtain said audio playback interface template and associate said audio playback interface template with said audio data.

35. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said server is further configured to respond to a triggering event by:

obtaining a triggered template associated with a type of said triggering event, said triggered template comprising standardized information associated with said triggering event;

generating a triggered electronic mail message by populating said triggered template with data from a given file of a customer associated with said triggering event;

transmitting said triggered electronic mail message to said customer; and

storing a reference to said triggered template in said given file.

36. The apparatus of claim 27:

wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises calculated data from a prior communication; and

wherein said server is further configured to use said calculated data to populate said one or more previously used templates.