CONCEPTS FOR USING ACTION IDENTIFIERS IN MESSAGES

• US 20150347961A1
• Filed: 09/04/2014
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: GILLEN, ROBERT J.
• Application Number:
  US14/477,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20150347961A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes

Abstract

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for automatically carrying out actions based on action identifiers in messages. In one embodiment, an appropriate computing entity can determine whether a message comprises an action identifier in the message. If the message comprises an action identifier, one or more of the parties of message can be identified and the corresponding action can be initiated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining whether an electronic message from a sender to an intended recipient comprises an action identifier in the electronic message, the action identifier initiating the generation of a shipping record for an item to be sent from the sender to the intended recipient;

responsive to determining that the electronic message comprises the action identifier in the electronic message, determining (a) the identity of the sender and the intended recipient of the item based at least in part on the electronic message and (b) a physical address of the intended recipient of the item based at least in part on the electronic message; and

automatically initiating generation of a shipping record for the item, the shipping record identifying (a) the sender of the item, (b) the recipient of the item, and (b) the physical address of the intended recipient of the item.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether an action requirement corresponding to the action identifier must be satisfied to initiate the generation of the shipping record for the item; and

responsive to determining that the action requirement corresponding to the action identifier must be satisfied to initiate the generation of the shipping record for the item, determining whether the action requirement is satisfied.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing (a) a notification to the sender of the item and (b) a notification to the intended recipient of the item.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising providing an electronic advertisement in the notification to the sender of the item.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether the sender and the intended recipient of the item are registered; and

responsive to determining that the sender and the intended recipient of the item are not registered, providing a notification facilitating registration of the sender or the intended recipient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is selected from the group consisted of an email message, a text-based message, a social media message, a picture message, a graphic message, and a video message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the action identifier is selected from the group consisting of an alphanumeric string, a symbol, a graphic, and a code.

8. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

determine whether an electronic message from a sender to an intended recipient comprises an action identifier in the electronic message, the action identifier initiating the generation of a shipping record for an item to be sent from the sender to the intended recipient;

responsive to determining that the electronic message comprises the action identifier in the electronic message, determine (a) the identity of the sender and the intended recipient of the item based at least in part on the electronic message and (b) a physical address of the intended recipient of the item based at least in part on the electronic message; and

automatically initiate generation of a shipping record for the item, the shipping record identifying (a) the sender of the item, (b) the recipient of the item, and (b) the physical address of the intended recipient of the item.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine whether an action requirement corresponding to the action identifier must be satisfied to initiate the generation of the shipping record for the item; and

responsive to determining that the action requirement corresponding to the action identifier must be satisfied to initiate the generation of the shipping record for the item, determine whether the action requirement is satisfied.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to provide (a) a notification to the sender of the item and (b) a notification to the intended recipient of the item.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to provide an electronic advertisement in the notification to the sender of the item.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine whether the sender and the intended recipient of the item are registered; and

responsive to determining that the sender and the intended recipient of the item are not registered, provide a notification facilitating registration of the sender or the intended recipient.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electronic message is selected from the group consisted of an email message, a text-based message, a social media message, a picture message, a graphic message, and a video message.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the action identifier is selected from the group consisting of an alphanumeric string, a symbol, a graphic, and a code.

15. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to determine whether an electronic message from a sender to an intended recipient comprises an action identifier in the electronic message, the action identifier initiating the generation of a shipping record for an item to be sent from the sender to the intended recipient;

an executable portion configured to, responsive to determining that the electronic message comprises the action identifier in the electronic message, determine (a) the identity of the sender and the intended recipient of the item based at least in part on the electronic message and (b) a physical address of the intended recipient of the item based at least in part on the electronic message; and

an executable portion configured to automatically initiate generation of a shipping record for the item, the shipping record identifying (a) the sender of the item, (b) the recipient of the item, and (b) the physical address of the intended recipient of the item.

16. The computer program product claim 15 further comprising:

an executable portion configured to determine whether an action requirement corresponding to the action identifier must be satisfied to initiate the generation of the shipping record for the item; and

an executable portion configured to, responsive to determining that the action requirement corresponding to the action identifier must be satisfied to initiate the generation of the shipping record for the item, determine whether the action requirement is satisfied.

17. The computer program product claim 15 further comprising an executable portion configured to provide (a) a notification to the sender of the item and (b) a notification to the intended recipient of the item.

18. The computer program product claim 17 further comprising an executable portion configured to provide an electronic advertisement in the notification to the sender of the item.

19. The computer program product claim 15 further comprising:

an executable portion configured to determine whether the sender and the intended recipient of the item are registered; and

an executable portion configured to, responsive to determining that the sender and the intended recipient of the item are not registered, provide a notification facilitating registration of the sender or the intended recipient.

20. The computer program product claim 15, wherein the electronic message is selected from the group consisted of an email message, a text-based message, a social media message, a picture message, a graphic message, and a video message.

21. The computer program product claim 15, wherein the action identifier is selected from the group consisting of an alphanumeric string, a symbol, a graphic, and a code.