Electronic mail connector

• US 20080270550A1
• Filed: 04/30/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ranjan, Shashi, Pouzin, Dominic J., Shutt, David Robert, Smith, Ilana Rae
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for providing a bi-direction e-mail transport between a management (“CRM”) server computer and an e-mail server computer. An e-mail connector communicates with a CRM server computer to determine whether any e-mail messages are pending send at the CRM server computer. If any e-mail messages are pending send, the e-mail connector retrieves the e-mail messages from the CRM server computer. The e-mail connector then communicates with an e-mail server computer to send the retrieved e-mail messages to their intended recipients. The e-mail connector may also retrieve e-mail messages from the e-mail server computer and determine whether the e-mail messages are CRM related. If the e-mail messages are CRM related, the e-mail connector is operative to transmit the CRM-related e-mails to the CRM server.

Claims

1. A method for connecting an electronic mail (e-mail) server computer and a customer relationship management (CRM) server computer, the method comprising:

determining whether one or more e-mail messages pending send are present at the CRM server computer;

in response to determining that one or more e-mail messages pending send are present at the CRM server computer, retrieving the e-mail messages pending send from the CRM server computer; and

communicating with the e-mail server computer to cause each of the e-mail messages pending send to be sent through the e-mail server computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether one or more e-mail messages pending send are present at the CRM server computer comprises communicating with the CRM server computer via an application programming interface (API) exposed by the CRM server computer to determine whether one or more e-mail messages pending send are present at the CRM server computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, retrieving, and communicating operations are performed by an e-mail client application plug-in.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising authenticating the e-mail client application plug-in at the e-mail server computer using a stored user credential prior to communicating with the e-mail server computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, retrieving, and communicating operations are performed by a service executing on a server computer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising authenticating the service at the e-mail server computer using a stored service credential prior to communicating with the e-mail server computer.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising authenticating the service at the e-mail server computer using a stored user credential prior to communicating with the e-mail server computer.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

9. A method for connecting an electronic mail (e-mail) server computer and a customer relationship management (CRM) server computer, the method comprising:

exposing an application programming interface (API) at the CRM server computer, the API operative to receive requests for e-mail messages pending send at the CRM server computer;

receiving a request at the API for e-mail messages pending send; and

providing the e-mail messages pending send in response to the request.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the request is received from an e-mail client application plug-in.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the request is received from a service executing on a server computer.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the API exposed at the CRM server computer is further operative to receive requests to add e-mail messages received from an e-mail server computer to the CRM server computer.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 9.

14. A system for providing a connection between a customer relationship management (CRM) server computer and an electronic mail (e-mail) server computer, the system comprising:

a CRM application operative to expose an application programming interface (API) for receiving requests for e-mail messages pending send at the CRM server computer; and

an e-mail connector operative to determine whether one or more e-mail messages pending send are present at the CRM server computer, to retrieve e-mail messages pending send from the CRM server computer, and to communicate with the e-mail server computer to cause each of the e-mail messages pending send to be sent through the e-mail server computer.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein determining whether one or more e-mail messages pending send are present at the CRM server computer comprises communicating with the CRM server computer via the API to determine whether one or more e-mail messages pending send are present at the CRM server computer.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the e-mail connector comprises an e-mail client application plug-in.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the e-mail client application plug-in is further operative to authenticate with the e-mail server computer using a stored user credential prior to communicating with the e-mail server computer.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the e-mail connector comprises a service executing on a server computer.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the service is further operative to authenticate with the e-mail server computer using a stored user credential prior to communicating with the e-mail server computer.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the API exposed at the CRM server computer is further operative to receive requests from the e-mail connector to add e-mail messages received from the e-mail server computer to the CRM server computer.