E-Mail with Discretionary Functionality

• US 20150196838A1
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Gough, Michael L., Gough, James J., Hickman, Paul L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,473,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/02 Chess; Similar board games
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

An embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, comprises an e-mail method including creating an e-mail having discretionary functionality and sending the e-mail. Another embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, comprises an e-mail sever including a computer configured to create an e-mail having discretionary functionality and to send the e-mail.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media comprising:

software segments for creating an e-mail having a discretionary functionality including an image to be displayed within a body portion of said e-mail, a set of rules governing interaction with said image, and a store of data, said image including at least portions with which a recipient may interact, subject to the enforcement of said set of rules, to at least one of increase and modify said store of data; and

sending said e-mail to said recipient;

wherein said image is an image of a game, said game comprises chess, said set of rules comprise rules of said game, and said store of data comprises a state of said game.

17. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 16 wherein said discretionary functionality is configured to accumulate inputs from a plurality of recipients.

18. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 16 wherein said discretionary functionality further accumulates at least one input from said original sender of said e-mail.

19. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 16 wherein said e-mail is first sent by an original senders and further comprising software segments for receiving said e-mail by said original sender after said store of data has been at least one of increased and modified.

20. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 19 wherein said e-mail is sent back and forth between said original sender and one or more recipients a plurality of times.

34. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 16 wherein said image further comprises at least one data entry field, said set of rules comprise rules enforcing a proper entry of data into said data entry field, and said store of data comprises data entered into said data entry field.

21. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media comprising:

software segments configured to create an e-mail having a discretionary functionality including an image to be displayed within a body portion of said e-mail and an Internet hyperlink comprising a URL that is associated with said image which can be activated by a recipient of said e-mail to access Internet functionality, wherein said Internet functionality comprises a streaming video; and

software segments configured to send said e-mail to said recipient;

whereby said recipient may view said image and select said hyperlink after opening said e-mail.

22. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein said discretionary functionality accumulates inputs from a plurality of participants.

23. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein said image comprises said hyperlink.

25. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein said Internet functionality further comprises an interactive resource.

35. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein said Internet functionality is collaborative.

24. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)