INTERACTIVE PHYSICAL MAIL CONTENT MANAGEMENT

• US 20080040242A1
• Filed: 08/08/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Venkataramappa, Vishwanathan, Chang, David Yu, Chang, John Yow-Chun
• Granted Patent: US 7,731,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1214 including a receiver located remotely from the letter-box and a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for interactive mail management of physical mail. Physical mail is received in a mailbox. An identifier is read in response to receiving the physical mail in the mailbox. The physical mail contains the identifier. Information contained in the identifier is sent to the mail recipient. The mail recipient is able to identify instructions for communicating with a sender associated with the physical mail based on the information from the identifier.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for interactive mail management of physical mail, the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving physical mail in a mailbox;

responsive to receiving the physical mail in the mailbox, wherein the physical mail contains an identifier, reading the identifier;

sending information contained in the identifier to a mail recipient, wherein the mail recipient is provided with instructions for communicating with a sender associated with the physical mail based on the information from the identifier.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating with the sender based on the information.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a radio frequency identification tag.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mailbox is in a different location from a current location of the mail recipient.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the reading step further comprises:

transmitting a signal to the radio frequency identification tag to extract contact information.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is any of a bar code, graphics, or text.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the reading step further comprises:

scanning the identifier to extract contact information.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the communicating step further comprises:

performing a business transaction based on the information, wherein necessary information for carrying out the business transaction is included in the information.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying relevant information included in the information to the mail recipient.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the necessary information includes an identification of the physical mail received.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mail recipient receives the information on a computing device.

12. A physical mail management system comprising:

a mailbox for receiving physical mail wherein the mailbox includes a scanner for reading an identifier on the physical mail to extract information; and

a first client operably connected to the mailbox, wherein the mailbox sends the information to the first client, wherein the information identifies instructions for communicating with a second client associated with the physical mail.

13. The physical mail management system of claim 12, wherein the first client carries out a business transaction with the second client using the information.

14. The physical mail management system of claim 12, wherein the identifier is a radio frequency identification tag, and wherein the scanner is a radio frequency identification tag reader, wherein the mailbox stores the information and user preferences for accessing the information and the physical mail.

15. The physical mail management system of claim 12, wherein the instructions for communicating with the second client are any of a phone number, email address, hyperlink, instant message identification, and text messaging number.

16. The physical mail management system of claim 12, wherein the information includes an electronic identification label, and wherein the first client displays the electronic identification label to a mail recipient.

17. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium including computer usable program code for interactive mail management of physical mail, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code responsive to receiving the physical mail in a mailbox, wherein the physical mail contains an identifier, for reading the identifier; and

computer usable program code for sending information contained in the identifier to a mail recipient, wherein the mail recipient is able to identify instructions for communicating with a sender associated with the physical mail based on the information from the identifier.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the identifier is a radio frequency identification tag, wherein the mailbox is in a remote location based on a current location of the mail recipient, wherein the computer program product further comprises:

computer usable program code for transmitting a signal to the radio frequency identification tag to extract the information; and

computer usable program code for performing a business transaction based on the information, wherein necessary information for carrying out the business transaction is included in the information.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the reading step further comprises:

displaying relevant information included in the information to the mail recipient; and

displaying the necessary information for the business transaction included in the information to the sender.

20. A computer implemented method for mail management of physical mail, the computer implemented method comprising:

responsive to receiving the physical mail in a mailbox, wherein the physical mail contains an identifier, reading the identifier;

sending information contained in the identifier to a mail recipient;

identifying instructions for communicating with a sender associated with the physical mail based on the information from the identifier; and

communicating with the sender based on the information.