Communications system and method of operation for electronic messaging using structured response objects and virtual mailboxes

• US 5,930,471 A
• Filed: 12/26/1996
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Thomas M., Milewski, Allen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US08/773,373
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 380/21, 380/49, 395/200.36, 395/680, 395/200.3, 395/200.38, 395/200.4, 395/200.12, 395/200.16, 364/900, 364/551
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

A communications system facilitates transactions between a sender and a plurality of recipients as part of an electronic messaging system. Messaging means enable a sender to form an electronic template containing a message in the form of a structured response object for a recipient as part of a transaction between a sender and a recipient(s). Controller means receive and store the message in a virtual mailbox assigned to the transaction for access by the sender and the recipient(s). The controller means generate and send to the recipients an indicator or pointer identifying the message at an address for the virtual mailbox. The recipient(s) use the pointer address to view the electronic message in the form of a structured object response at the virtual mailbox in the controller. The recipient may ignore or file the message or send a response to the virtual mailbox. The response or lack of response to the structured object response by the recipient (s) is tracked and recorded by the controller. The status of the transaction is updated as reflected by the structured object response(s) and summarized for display by the controller upon inquiry by the sender. A reminder of a response due to a transaction is sent by the controller to the recipient(s) when selected from the summary display by the sender. When the transaction between the sender and recipient(s) ends, for one reason or another, the electronic message is erased from the virtual mailbox.

Claims

1. A communication system using structured response objects as action messages and virtual mailboxes in conducting electronic transactions comprising:

a) sender means for forming in a predetermined electronic template an action message identifying at least one receiver for response to the action message in a transaction between a sender and the at least one receiver;

b) processor means for receiving and storing the action message in a virtual mailbox;

c) the processor means further including;

i) means for generating and sending to the at least one receiver an indicator or pointer message in lieu of the action message at the virtual mailbox in the processor means;

ii) means for tracking and recording the response(s) by the at least one receiver to the action message;

iii) means for optionally updating the action message or a message body included therein according to the response(s) or lack of response(s) or an event by the at least one receiver;

iv) means for summarizing and displaying the status of the responses or lack of responses upon inquiry by the sender means;

v) means for automatically generating and sending to the at least one receiver a status reminder of the action message; and

d) receiver means for receiving the indicator or pointer and sending a response within the pointer to the action message at the virtual mailbox in the processor means.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the action message is a structured listing of limited possible responses and comments by the at least one receiver to an event described and contained in the action message.

3. The communication system of claim 2 wherein a menu(s) contained in the action message provides choices for the at least one receiver to respond to the action message.

4. The communication system of claim 3 wherein a response is made to the pointer in a graphical user interface by actuating a button or the like for the choice selected by the at least one receiver.

5. The communication system of claim 2 wherein the action message is rendered in a variety of media and using a variety of communication devices.

6. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the processor means is platform independent.

7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the indicator or pointer message identifies a Uniform Resource Locator for the action message at the processor means.

8. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the sender means includes further means for accessing the action message at the processor means.

9. The communication system of claim 8 wherein the processor means further includes response handling means for summarizing the transaction status of the action message.

10. In a communication system using action messages and virtual mailboxes in electronic transactions, a method of conducting electronic transactions between a sender and at least one receiver comprising the steps of:

a) forming in an electronic template an action message identifying at least one receiver for response to the action message in the transaction between the sender and the at least one receiver;

b) receiving and storing the action message in a virtual mailbox contained in a processor means;

c) generating and sending to the at least one receiver an indicator or pointer message identifying the action message at the virtual mailbox in the processor means;

d) tracking and recording the response(s) by the at least one receiver to the action message in the processor means;

e) updating the action message according to the response(s) or lack of response(s) by the at least one receiver in the processor means;

f) summarizing and displaying the status of the responses or lack of responses upon in the processor means upon inquiry by the sender;

g) automatically generating and sending to the at least one receiver a status reminder of the action message; and

h) receiving the indicator or pointer and sending a response in the pointer to the action message at the virtual mailbox in the processor means.

11. An article of manufacturing, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for performing and controlling electronic messaging in conducting electronic transactions between a sender and at least one receiver using an action message and a virtual mailbox, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

a) computer readable program code means for forming in an electronic template an action message identifying at least one receiver for response to the action message in a transaction between the sender and the at least one receiver;

b) computer readable program code means for receiving and storing the action message in a virtual mailbox contained in a processor means;

c) computer readable program code means for generating and sending to the sender and the at least one receiver an indicator or pointer message identifying the action message at the virtual mailbox in the processor means;

d) computer readable program code means for tracking and recording the response(s) by the at least one receiver to the action message in the processor means;

e) computer readable program code means for updating the action message according to the response(s) or lack of response(s) by the at least one receiver in the processor means;

f) computer readable program code means for summarizing and displaying the status of the responses or lack of responses in the processor means upon inquiry by the sender;

g) computer readable program code means for automatically generating and sending to the at least one receiver a status reminder of the action message; and

h) computer readable program code means for receiving the indicator or pointer and generating and sending in the pointer a response to the action mail at the virtual mailbox in the processor means.

12. An apparatus for conducting electronic transactions between a sender and at least one receiver in a communications system comprising:

means for incorporating an electronic transaction in an predetermined electronic template as a structured response object;

processor means for receiving and storing the structured response object in a virtual mailbox; and

means for providing the at least one receiver with a pointer indicator for response in lieu of the structured response object.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising means for responding to the structured response object in the pointer indicator by the at least one receiver.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising means for generating and sending to the at least one receiver means an indicator or pointer message to a receiver identifying the structured response object stored at the virtual mailbox.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising means for automatically generating and sending a status reminder of the electronic transaction to the sender.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising means for summarizing and displaying the status of responses or lack of responses to the structured response object.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising means for tracking and recording responses by the at least one receiver to the structured response object.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising means for the sender to access the virtual mailbox and view the contents of the structured response object.

19. A method of conducting electronic transactions between a sender and at least one receiver in a communications system comprising the steps of:

forming a predetermined electronic template including a structured response object for conducting an electronic transaction;

storing the structured response object in a virtual mailbox in a processor means; and

providing the at least one receiver with a pointer indicator for response in lieu of the structured response object.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of providing the predetermined electronic template to a sender for originating an electronic structured response object to the at least one receiver.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of storing the structured response object in a virtual mailbox.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of generating and sending the pointers to receivers listed in the electronic structured response object.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of forwarding the structured response objects to to the processor means.

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of generating and forwarding the pointer to the receiver for response to the structured response object.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of (a) preparing a menu of choices in the electronic template and forwarding in the pointer to the at least one receiver, and (b) forwarding a copy of the at least one receiver choices in the pointer to the processor by the at least one receiver.

26. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of displaying message status information for structured response objects forwarded in the pointer to the at least one receiver.

27. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of displaying non-reply information to a sender for structured response objects in the electronic template forwarded in the pointer to the at least one receiver.

28. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of sending reminder messages to receivers receiving a structured response object in the pointer.