EMAIL COMMAND SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120054289A1
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Doruk Aytulu, Joshua Thorp
• Original Assignee: Doruk Aytulu, Joshua Thorp
• Inventors: Aytulu, Doruk, Thorp, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US13/198,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054289A1
• 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

Systems and methods are described that operate to manipulate networked applications and resources. A server is configured to extract a command from an Email message directed by a user to a predetermined address. A parser extracts parameters from the Email message, where the parameters configure and direct command execution. Parameters may be found in one or more fields of the Email message. The server responds to the command by manipulating an operational aspect of an application associated with the user and executed on a second, networked server. The command may be one of a set of commands maintained by the server. The server may maintain a customized set of commands for each registered user and default commands for unregistered users. Customized sets of commands may include commands created by the registered user.

Claims

1. A method for controlling network resources, comprising:

receiving at a server, a message directed by a user to a predetermined Email address; and

determining if one or more fields of the message includes command information;

when command information is determined to be present in the one or more fields of the message, manipulating an operational aspect of a network resource accessible to the user in accordance with the command information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a set of commands on the server for each of a plurality of users of a networked system, wherein the set of commands includes one or more commands customized for the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user is a registered user and set of commands includes at least one command customized by the user,

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising manipulating an operational aspect of a network resource in accordance with a default command when command information is determined to be absent from the one or more fields of the message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the default command is selected based on the content of an address filed of the message.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the default command is selected based on a type of an attachment to the Email.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the user is a non-registered user and further comprising:

upon receipt of the message, creating a registration message for transmission to the user; and

creating and subsequently maintaining a set of commands for the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising parsing a body of the message to determine if the body includes command information;

and

when command information is determined to be present in the body, manipulating one or more operational aspects of the network resource in accordance with the command information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein parsing the command information includes extracting one or more parameters associated with the command.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising maintaining a profile for the user, the profile identifying information used to access the network resource.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein command information present in the body includes a disguised command.

12. A system comprising:

one or more networked resources having at least one aspect of its operation controllable by a network user; and

a server configured to extract a command from an Email message directed to an Email address by the network user and further configured manipulate an operational aspect of the one or more networked resources based on the command extracted from the Email message,

wherein the command is one of a set of commands maintained by the server and corresponding to the network user, and

wherein the server maintains a customized set of commands for each of a plurality of registered users, the customized set of commands including a user command generated by the each registered user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the server is embodied in an appliance.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the server is a logical server and the one or more networked resources includes a resource provided by a cloud computing system,

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the Email address is associated with an Email domain that includes the server.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the local-part of the Email address includes the command,

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with data and instructions wherein the data and instructions, when executed by a processor of a networked server, cause the server to perform a method comprising:

receiving at a server, a message directed by a user to a predetermined E-mail address; and

determining if one or more fields of the message includes command information;

when command information is determined to be present in the one or more fields of the message, manipulating an operational aspect of a network resource accessible to the user in accordance with the command information.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

maintaining a set of commands on the server for each of a plurality of users of a networked system, wherein the set of commands includes one or more commands customized for the user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises manipulating an operational aspect of a network resource in accordance with a default command when command information is determined to be absent from the one or more fields of the message.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the user is a non-registered user and the method further comprises:

upon receipt of the message, creating a registration message for transmission to the user; and

creating and subsequently maintaining a set of commands for the user.