DYNAMIC E-MAIL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20070244977A1
• Filed: 04/17/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Quixote Atkins
• Original Assignee: Quixote Atkins
• Inventors: Atkins, Quixote
• Application Number:
  US11/736,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20070244977A1
• 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: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes

Abstract

A computer program product and method of sending an electronic message. The program allows the content of the message to be changed dynamically after the message is sent. Changes can be made by the sender after the message has been transmitted or by predetermined user preferences. The program provides embedded links within the message that are associated to the content. The content associated with the hyperlink can be changed after the message is sent. The invention is preferably practiced as an e-mail system. The sender selects media stored on a sever such as music, picture, or video files. The user can also optionally enter text. The e-mail message contains embedded hyperlinks that automatically access the media or text, and display them within the recipients e-mail. The sender can later decide to change the content of the e-mail by changing the files that are associated with the hyperlink. The file associated with the hyperlink can also be changed automatically according to predetermined preferences.

Claims

1. A method of sending a dynamic electronic message:

selecting or entering content;

associating a reference with the content; and

sending a message containing the reference.

2. A method of sending an e-mail with media content comprising the steps of:

providing to a user a list of media files stored on a server;

storing text entered by the user in a text file on a server;

automatically embedding in an email an embedded hyperlink to a media file selected by said user and/or an embedded hyperlink to the text file so that when either embedded hyperlink is accessed the associated file is accessed;

receiving from said user a recipient email address;

transmitting said email to the post office protocol server of the recipient email address.

3. A computer program product fixed on a computer readable medium that when executed performs the steps comprising:

providing to a user a list of media files stored on a server;

generating an embedded hyperlink to the media file selected by said user so that when the embedded hyperlink is accessed the associated file is accessed;

displaying an embedded hyperlink so that the user can copy and paste the embedded hyperlink.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

storing text entered by the user in a text file on a server; and

generating an embedded hyperlink to the text file so that when the embedded hyperlink is accessed the associated text file is accessed.

5. The computer program product of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

changing the media file or text file associated with an embedded hyperlink when the user enters different text or selects a different media file to be accessed when the embedded hyperlink is accessed.

6. A computer program product fixed on a computer readable medium that when executed performs the steps comprising of:

providing to a user a list of media files stored on a server;

storing text entered by the user in a text file on a server;

automatically embedding in an email an embedded hyperlink to a media file selected by said user and/or an embedded hyperlink to the text file so that when either embedded hyperlink is accessed the associated file is accessed;

receiving from said user a recipient email address;

transmitting said email to the post office protocol server of the recipient email address.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

changing the file associated with an embedded hyperlink after an amount of time predetermined by the user has elapsed from the time an embedded hyperlink is accessed

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

embedding in the email an embedded hyperlink to a file that displays the amount of time predetermined by the user that is remaining before the file associated with an embedded hyperlink is changed.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

transmitting a media file that after a predetermined period of time contains blank content.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

denying the recipient access to the media file or changing the media file associated with an embedded hyperlink after the embedded hyperlink has been accessed a predetermined number of times.

11. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

changing the media file and/or text file associated with an embedded hyperlink after said email has been transmitted, when the user selects a different media file on a sever to be associated with an embedded hyperlink or enters different text to be provided in the transmitted email.

12. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

recording at least one of the date, time, and IP address associated with an embedded hyperlink being accessed.

13. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

converting the selected media file into vertical and horizontal components;

storing on a server the vertical and horizontal components; and

associating the vertical and horizontal components with an embedded hyperlink associated to the media file so that when the embedded hyperlink is accessed the vertical and horizontal components are transmitted.

14. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the embedded hyperlink is embedded in the signature portion of the email.

15. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

automatically disabling an embedded hyperlink or changing the file associated with an embedded hyperlink according to predetermined user preferences.

16. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the user is the recipient of the email and the preferences relate at least one of time of day, sender, and type of media file.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the user is the sender of the email and the preferences relate at least one of the number of times an embedded hyperlink has been accessed, time elapsed from when an embedded hyperlink was accessed, email address, internet connection properties of the recipient, and IP address accessing an embedded hyperlink.

18. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

generating an animated GIF file related to a selected video media file;

associating the animated GIF file with an embedded hyperlink associated to the video media file; and

transmitting the animated GIF and the video media file when the embedded hyperlink associated when the video media file is accessed.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the animated GIF is either retransmitted only while the video media file is uploading or continuously retransmitted.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

repeating transmission of the animated GIF if the recipient'"'"'s email server blocks the transmission of the video media file.

21. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

automatically embedding in the email an embedded hyperlink associated to a signature file.

22. The computer program product of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

splitting the signature file into a first portion and a second portion;

associating the first portion with at least one media file selected by the user and a file containing information related to a media file or the user;

associating the second portion with media selected by a sponsor, advertiser, or promoter.