Apparatus and methods for converting an electronic mail to a postal mail at the receiving station
First Claim
1. A method of generating mail objects from email messages performed by a computer system at a first station with at least one database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and address information for both the senders and recipients, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving at the first station from a sender an email message intended by the sender to be delivered by postal mail to a recipient;
locating in a database at the first station the identifier for the sender and the identifier for the recipient specified in the email message;
sending the email to a second station near the address of the recipient; and
generating at the second station a mail object from the email message using the address information identified in the database at the first station for the sender and for the recipient.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of generating mail objects from email messages. The method is performed by a computer system having at least one database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and address information for both the senders and recipients. The method is broadly comprised steps of three steps: (1) receiving an email message from a sender; (2) locating in the database an identifier for the sender and an identifier for a recipient specified in the email message; and (3) generating a mail object from the email message using the address information in the database for the sender and for the recipient.
-
Citations
102 Claims
-
1. A method of generating mail objects from email messages performed by a computer system at a first station with at least one database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and address information for both the senders and recipients, the method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving at the first station from a sender an email message intended by the sender to be delivered by postal mail to a recipient; locating in a database at the first station the identifier for the sender and the identifier for the recipient specified in the email message; sending the email to a second station near the address of the recipient; and generating at the second station a mail object from the email message using the address information identified in the database at the first station for the sender and for the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A method of generating mail objects from email messages performed by a computer system at a first station at least one database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and address information for both the senders and the recipients, the method comprising steps of:
-
receiving at the first station an email message from a sender, including an identifier of the sender and an identifier of a recipient; locating in the database of the computer system the identifier of the sender to determine the name and address of the sender; locating in the database of the computer system the identifier of the recipient to determine the name and address of the recipient; sending the email message from the computer system to a receiving station near the address of the recipient, the email message including the name and address of the sender and the name and address of recipient, and generating a mail object at the receiving station from the received email message using the name and address information in the database for the sender and for the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 92)
-
-
9. A method of generating mail objects from email messages performed by a computer system at a first station with at least one database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and name and address information for both the senders and the recipients based upon the identifiers for the senders and the recipients, the method comprising steps of:
-
receiving at the first station an email message from a sender, including an identifier of the sender and an identifier of a recipient; locating in the database of the computer system the identifier of the sender to determine the name and address of the sender; locating in the database of the computer system the identifier of the recipient to determine the name and address of the recipient; determining in the computer system whether the identifier of the sender in the database corresponds to the identifier of the recipient in the database; sending the email massage to a receiving station near the address of the recipient when the computer system determines that the identifier of the sender in the database corresponds to the identifier of the recipient in the database, generating at the receiving station a mail object from the received email message using the address information in the database for the sender and for the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (10)
-
-
11. A method of generating mail objects from email messages performed by a computer system at a first station with at least one database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and name and address information for both the senders and the recipients based upon the identifiers of the sender and the recipient, the method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving at the computer system from a sender an email message intended for a recipient; extracting from the received email message an identifier of the sender and an identifier of the recipient; locating in the database at the computer system the identifier of the sender; determining whether the database contains the identifier of the recipient and whether the identifier of the recipient corresponds to the identifier of the sender; and generating a mail object, at the computer system from the received email message, to a receiving station near the address of the recipient by using the address information in the database for the sender and for the recipient if it is determined at the computer system that the identifier of the recipient corresponds to the identifier of the sender. - View Dependent Claims (12)
-
-
13. A method of generating mail objects from email messages performed by a computer system at a first station with at least one database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and name and address information for both the senders and the recipients based upon the identifiers of the sender and the recipient, the method comprising steps of:
-
receiving at the computer system an email message intended by a sender to be mailed to a recipient; extracting at the computer system from the received email message an identifier of the sender and an identifier of the recipient; locating in the database at the computer system the identifier of the sender; determining in the database at the computer system whether the database contains the identifier of the recipient and whether the identifier of the recipient corresponds to the identifier of the sender; and transmitting the email message from the computer system to a receiving station near the address of the recipient when it is determined at the computer system that the database in the computer system contains the identifier of the recipient and that the identifier of the recipient corresponds to the identifier of the sender, and generating and storing at the computer system a partial mail object from the received email message using the address information in the database for the sender if it is determined at the computer system that the identifier of the recipient is not contained in the database at the computer system or if it is determined at the computer system that the identifier of the recipient does not correspond to the identifier of the sender. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A computer system for generating mail objects from email messages, the computer system comprising;
-
a database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and address information for both the senders and recipients; means for receiving email messages from senders; means for locating in the database the identifiers for the senders and the identifiers for the recipients specified in the email messages; and means for generating mail objects from the email messages using the address information in the database for the senders and for the recipients, wherein the computer system includes a printer, and wherein the generating means comprises; means for printing the mail object on the printer.
-
-
23. A computer system for generating mail objects from email messages, the computer system comprising:
-
a database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and name and address information for both the senders and the recipients; means receiving an email message from a sender, including an identifier of the sender and an identifier of a recipient; means for locating in the database the identifier of the sender; means for locating in the database the identifier of the recipient; and means for generating a mail object from the received email message using the address information in the database for the sender and for the recipient, and including a printer for printing the mail object.
-
-
24. A computer system for generating mail objects from email messages, the computer system comprising:
-
a database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and address information for both the senders and the recipients; means for receiving an email message from a sender, including an identifier of the sender and an identifier of a recipient; means for locating in the database the identifier of the sender and the identifier of the recipient; means for determining whether the identifier of the sender in the database and the identifier of the recipient in the database correspond to the identifiers of the sender and the recipient in the email message; and generating a mail object from the received email message using the address information in the database for the sender and for the recipient if it is determined that the identifier of the sender and the identifier of the recipient correspond to the identifiers of the sender and the recipient in the email message. - View Dependent Claims (25)
-
-
26. A computer system for generating mail objects from email messages, the computer system comprising:
-
a database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and address information for both the senders and the recipients; means for receiving an email message; means for extracting from the received email message an identifier of a sender and an identifier of a recipient; means for locating in the database the identifier of the sender; means for determining whether the database contains the identifier of the recipient and whether the identifier of the recipient and the identifier of the sender correspond to the identifiers of the sender and the recipient in the email message; and means for generating a mail object from the received email message using the address information in the database for the sender and for the recipient if it is determined in the database that the identifier of the recipient and the identifier of the sender correspond to the identifier of the sender and the recipient in the email message. - View Dependent Claims (27)
-
-
28. A computer system for generating mail objects from email messages, the computer system comprising:
-
a database containing identifiers for senders of email messages, identifiers for corresponding recipients of mail objects, and name and address information for both the senders and the recipients; means for receiving an email message; means for extracting from the received email message an identifier of a sender and an identifier of a recipient; means for locating in the database the identifier of the sender; means for determining whether the database contains the identifier of the recipient and whether the identifier of the recipient and the identifier of the sender correspond to the identifiers of the sender and the recipient in the email message; and means for generating and storing a partial mail object from the received email message using the address information in the database for the sender if it is determined that the identifier of the recipient is not contained in the database or if the identifier of the recipient and the identifier of the sender do not correspond to the identifiers of the sender and the recipient in the email message. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. In a method of generating and sending a message, the steps of:
-
receiving from a sender information identifying the sender of the message and the recipient of the message on a generalized basis and identifying the message, providing a stored data base identifying the sender and the recipient previously identified by the sender on the generalized basis, sending the message to a receiving station near the address of the recipient identified in the stored data base, providing in the stored data base information indicating whether the sender has a financial balance sufficient to send the message to the recipient, and sending the message to the receiving station near the address of the recipient when the stored data base indicates that the sender has a sufficient financial balance to send the message to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. In a method of generating and sending messages by electronic mail, the steps of:
-
receiving from a sender information identifying the sender of the message, information identifying the recipient of the message and information identifying the message, determining which, if any, of the identification of the sender, the identification of the recipient and the identification of the message is incomplete, storing the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message, sending the message to the recipient when a determination is made that the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message is complete, and preventing the message from being sent to the recipient when a determination is made that at least one of the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message is incomplete.
-
-
44. In a method of generating and sending messages by electronic mail, the steps of:
-
receiving from a sender information identifying the sender of the message, information identifying the recipient of the message and information identifying the message, determining which, if any, of the identification of the sender, the identification of the recipient and the identification of the message is incomplete, storing the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message, sending the message to the recipient when a determination is made that the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message is complete, thereafter receiving the incomplete portion of at least one of the information identifying the sender, the information identifying the recipient and the information identifying the message, and sending the message to the recipient when the incomplete portion of at least one of the information identifying the sender, the information identifying the recipient and the information identifying the message has been provided by the sender.
-
-
45. In a method of generating and sending messages by electronic mail, the steps of:
-
receiving from a sender information identifying the sender of the message, information identifying the recipient of the message and information identifying the message, determining which, if any, of the identification of the sender, the identification of the recipient and the identification of the message is incomplete, storing the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message, sending the message to the recipient when a determination is made that the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message is complete, the recipient being identified on a generalized basis in a data base for the sender, storing in the data base for the sender the identity of the recipient identified on the generalized basis by the sender, and sending the message to the recipient identified in the data base of the sender when a determination is made that the information identifying the sender, the information identifying the recipient and the information identifying the message are complete.
-
-
46. In a method of generating and sending messages by electronic mail, the steps of:
-
receiving from a sender information identifying the sender of the message, information identifying the recipient of the message and information identifying the message, determining which, if any, of the identification of the sender, the identification of the recipient and the identification of the message is incomplete, storing the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message, and sending the message to the recipient when a determination is made that the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message is complete, and identifying to the sender what in the information identifying the sender, the information identifying the recipient and the information identifying the message is determined to be incomplete thereby providing the sender with an opportunity to complete such information. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
-
-
49. In a method of generating and sending messages by electronic mail, the steps of:
-
receiving from a sender information identifying the sender of the message, information identifying the recipient of the message and information identifying the message, determining which, if any, of the identification of the sender, the identification of the recipient and the identification of the message is incomplete, storing the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message, and sending the message to the recipient when a determination is made that the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the recipient of the message and the information identifying the message is complete, and the steps of receiving, determining, storing and sending being provided at a central station.
-
-
50. In a method of generating and sending messages by electronic mail wherein
a sender sends by electronic mail to a central station information identifying the sender, information identifying a recipient and information identifying a message, the central station receives the information sent by the sender, the central station provides a stored database indicating the identity and the address of the sender and the identity and the address of the recipient, the central station sends by electronic mail to a receiving station near the address of the recipient information disclosing the message and the identity and the address of the sender in the database and the identity and the address of the recipient in the database, and the receiving station receives the information disclosing the message and the identity and the address of the sender and the identity and the address of the recipient.
-
56. In a method of generating and sending a message by electronic mail wherein
a sender sends by electronic mail to a central station information identifying a message, information identifying the sender of the message and information identifying the recipient of the message and wherein the central station receives the information identifying the message, the information identifying the sender of the message and the information identifying the recipient of the message and determines which, if any, of the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the message and the information identifying the recipient of the message is incomplete and wherein the central station sends by electronic mail to the sender the determination by the central station as to which, if any, of the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the message and the information identifying the recipient of the message is incomplete and wherein the sender sends by electronic mail to the central station additional information to complete the incomplete portion of the information identifying the sender, the information identifying the message and the information identifying the recipient of the message and wherein the central station receives the additional information transmitted by electronic mail from the sender and determines whether the additional information completes the incomplete portion of the information identifying the sender of the message, the information identifying the message and the information identifying the recipient of the message.
-
61. In a method of generating and sending a message by electronic mail wherein
a sender sends by electronic mail to a central station information identifying a message, information identifying the sender of the message and information identifying the recipient of the message and wherein the central station receives the information identifying the message, the information identifying the sender of the message and the information identifying the recipient of the message and determines which, if any, of the information identifying the message, the information identifying the sender of the message and the information identifying the recipient of the message is incomplete, and wherein the central station provides a control number to the information identifying the message, the information identifying the sender of the message and the information identifying the recipient of the message and wherein the central station sends the control number by electronic mail to the sender and also sends by electronic mail to the sender, with such control number, the determination by the central station as to which, if any, of the information identifying the message, the information identifying the sender of the message and the information identifying the recipient of the message is incomplete.
-
67. In a method of generating and sending a message by electronic mail wherein
a sender sends by electronic mail to a central station information identifying a message, information identifying the sender of the message and information identifying the recipient of the message and wherein the central station receives the information identifying the message, the information identifying the sender of the message and the information identifying the recipient of the message and wherein the central station provides a control number to the received message and wherein the central station determines whether it has sufficient information concerning the sender, the recipient and the message to send the message to the recipient and wherein the central station sends the control number to the sender of the message and an indication to the sender as to whether or not the central station has sufficient information concerning the sender, the recipient and the message to send the message to the recipient and wherein the central station sends the message and the identity of the sender and the recipient to a receiving station near the recipient, when the central station determines that it has sufficient information concerning the sender, the recipient and the message, for the mailing of such information from the receiving station to the recipient.
-
74. In a method of generating and sending a message by electronic mail, the steps of:
-
receiving from a sender at a central station by electronic mail information identifying a message, the sender of the message and the recipient of the message, the recipient being identified by an abbreviated designation other than the name and address of the recipient, storing in a database at the central station the name and address of the recipient of the message on the basis of the abbreviated designation of the recipient in connection with the identity of the sender, retrieving from the database at the central station the name and address of the recipient on the basis of the abbreviated designation in connection with the identity of the sender, and sending the message and the identity of the sender and the name and address of the recipient, as retrieved from the database from the central station by electronic mail to a receiving station near the address of the recipient for mailing of the message from the receiving station to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77)
-
-
78. In a method of generating and sending a message by electronic mail, the steps of:
-
receiving at a central station by electronic mail from a sender a particular message including the context of the particular message and the identities of the sender and the recipient, providing an individual control number for the message at the central station, storing the individual control number and the message in a queue with other control numbers and messages associated with such control numbers, and retrieving each of the control numbers and the associated message in sequence from the queue in a chronological order related to the order in which the control numbers and the associated messages are stored in the queue, and sending the retrieved individual control number and the associated message from the central station to a receiving station near the address of the recipient of the associated message for mailing by the receiving station to the recipient when such individual control number and such associated message are retrieved from the queue. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
-
-
84. In a method of generating and sending a message by electronic mail, the steps of:
-
sending by electronic mail from a sender to a central station a request indicating a brief identification of the type of the message, a brief identification of the sender and a brief identification of the recipient, storing in a first database at the central station the message indicated by the brief identification of the type of message, storing in a second database at the central station the name and address of the sender as indicated by the brief identification, storing in a third database at the central station the name and address of the recipient as indicated by the brief identification of the sender and the recipient, retrieving the message from the first database as indicated by the brief identification of the message, the name and address of the sender from the second database as indicated by the brief identification of the sender and the name and address of the recipient from the third database as indicated by the brief identification of the sender and the recipient, and sending the retrieved message, the retrieved name and address of the sender and the retrieved name and address of the recipient from the central station by electronic mail to a receiving station near the address of the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 95, 100)
-
-
93. In a method of generating and sending messages by electronic mail, the steps of:
-
receiving at a central station from a sender by electronic mail a request for the central station to send by electronic mail a message from the sender to a recipient identified by the sender in the request, determining at the central station whether the request from the sender is in sufficient detail for the central station to send the message to the recipient and to indicate to the recipient that the message is from the sender, if the determination at the central station is that the request from the sender is not in sufficient detail, entering the request from the sender in a transaction queue at the central station and entering in the transaction queue the information that is needed to provide the request in sufficient detail for the central station to send the message to the recipient, and sending from the central station by electronic mail to the sender a request for the information that is determined by the central station to be needed to provide the request in sufficient detail for the central station to send the message to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (94, 96, 97)
-
-
98. In a method of generating and sending a message by electronic mail, the steps of:
-
receiving at a central station from a sender a request to send a message by electronic mail to a recipient, determining at the central station if the request from the sender is sufficiently complete for the central station to send the message by electronic mail to a receiving station near the address of the recipient, storing at the central station the name and address of the recipient and an abbreviated identification previously identified by the sender for such recipient, substituting the name and address of the recipient for the abbreviated identification of the recipient if such abbreviated identification of the recipient is used in the request, sending by electronic mail from the central station to the receiving station, for printing at the receiving station, the message identified in the request when the central station determines that the request from the sender is sufficiently complete for the central station to send the message by electronic mail to the receiving station, and sending by electronic mail from the central station to the receiving station, for printing at the receiving station, an envelope with the name and address of the recipient in the place on the envelope where an addressee is ordinarily identified and with the name and address of the sender in the place on the envelope where the addressor is ordinarily identified. - View Dependent Claims (99, 101, 102)
-
Specification