METHOD FOR PROVIDING A STRUCTURED E-MAIL QUERY

• US 20070282946A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Naick, Indran, Wilson, Jeff K.
• Application Number:
  US11/421,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20070282946A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

The present invention is a method for providing a structured e-mail query. The method includes receiving an input of a destination e-mail address, the destination e-mail address being associated with a service provider. The method further includes activating a query formatter in response to receiving the input e-mail address, the query formatter configured for directing query construction. The method further includes receiving a query for a desired service of the service provider. The query is contained within an e-mail and is formatted for automated processing by an e-mail server associated with the destination e-mail address.

Claims

1. A method for providing a structured e-mail query, comprising:

receiving an input of a destination e-mail address, the destination e-mail address being associated with a service provider;

activating a query formatter in response to receiving the input e-mail address, the query formatter configured for directing query construction; and

,

receiving a query for a desired service of the service provider,

wherein the query is contained within an e-mail and is formatted for automated processing by an e-mail server associated with the destination e-mail address.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the e-mail to the destination e-mail address.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a response e-mail from the destination e-mail address, the response e-mail containing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL), the at least one URL corresponding to a webpage of the service provider from which the desired service is accessible.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an input selection corresponding to a URL included in the at least one URL contained in the response e-mail.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

linking to the webpage associated with the input URL.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the query formatter is downloaded from a website associated with the service provider.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the e-mail server associated with the destination e-mail address processes the query utilizing web services.

8. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer useable medium including computer usable program code for performing a method for providing a structured e-mail query including;

computer usable program code for receiving an input of a destination e-mail address, the destination e-mail address being associated with a service provider;

computer usable program code for activating a query formatter in response to receiving the input e-mail address, the query formatter configured for directing query construction; and

computer usable program code for receiving a query for a desired service of the service provider,

wherein the query is contained within an e-mail and is formatted for automated processing by an e-mail server associated with the destination e-mail address.

9. A computer program product as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a computer useable medium including computer usable program code for transmitting the e-mail to the destination e-mail address.

10. A computer program product as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a computer useable medium including computer usable program code for receiving a response e-mail from the destination e-mail address, the response e-mail containing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL), the at least one URL corresponding to a webpage of the service provider from which the desired service is accessible.

11. A computer program product as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a computer useable medium including computer usable program code for receiving an input selection corresponding to a URL included in the at least one URL contained in the response e-mail.

12. A computer program product as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a computer useable medium including computer usable program code for linking to the webpage associated with the input URL.

13. A computer program product as claimed in claim 12, wherein the query formatter is downloaded from a website associated with the service provider.

14. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13, wherein the e-mail server associated with the destination e-mail address processes the query utilizing web services.

15. A method for providing a structured e-mail query, comprising:

downloading a query formatter, the query formatter configured for directing query construction;

receiving an input of a destination e-mail address, the destination e-mail address being associated with a service provider;

activating the query formatter in response to receiving the input e-mail address; and

,

receiving a query for a desired service of the service provider,

wherein the query is contained within an e-mail and is formatted for automated processing by an e-mail server associated with the destination e-mail address.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting the e-mail to the destination e-mail address.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a response e-mail from the destination e-mail address, the response e-mail containing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL), the at least one URL corresponding to a webpage of the service provider from which the desired service is accessible.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

receiving an input selection corresponding to a URL included in the at least one URL contained in the response e-mail.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

linking to the webpage associated with the input URL.

20. A method for providing an e-mail from a service provider, the e-mail being responsive to a structured query, comprising:

receiving an input of a user e-mail address;

activating a query formatter, the query formatter configured for directing query construction;

receiving a structured query for a desired service of the service provider; and

transmitting an e-mail to the user e-mail address, the e-mail containing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL), the at least one URL corresponding to a webpage of the service provider from which the desired service is accessible.