Statement regarding federally sponsored research or development

• US 6,631,400 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2000
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TLD3 Entertainment Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sticky Web Inc. (TLD3 Entertainment Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: DiStefano, Thomas L. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, KENNY S
• Application Number:
  US09/548,167
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10, 707/6, 187/396, 709/206, 709/224, 705/14
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

A method for managing bulk e-mail distribution can include the steps of matching a target recipient profile with a group of target recipients; transmitting a set of bulk e-mails to the target recipients in the matched group; and, calculating a quantity of e-mails in the set of bulk e-mails which have been successfully received by the target recipients. If the calculated quantity does not exceed a prescribed minimum quantity of successfully received e-mails, the matching, transmitting and calculating steps can be repeated until the calculated quantity exceeds the prescribed minimum quantity. Notably, in the preferred embodiment, the group of target recipients is an opt-in list.

Claims

1. A method for managing bulk e-mail distribution comprising the steps:

(A) matching a target recipient profile with a group of target recipients;

(B) transmitting a set of bulk e-mails to said target recipients in said matched group;

(C) calculating a quantity of e-mails in said set of bulk e-mails which have been successfully received by said target recipients; and

,

(D) if said calculated quantity does not exceed a prescribed minimum quantity of successfully received e-mails, repeating steps (A)-(C) until said calculated quantity exceeds said prescribed minimum quantity.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting step comprises the steps of:

selecting among said group of target recipients a subset of target recipients; and

,

transmitting said set of bulk e-mails to said subset of target recipients.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said repeating step comprises the steps of:

if said calculated quantity does not exceed said prescribed minimum quantity of successfully received e-mails, selecting among said group of target recipients a new subset of target recipients and repeating said steps (A)-(C) using said new subset of target recipients in said transmitting step until said calculated quantity exceeds said prescribed minimum quantity.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

calculating an assessment corresponding to said prescribed quantity of e-mails and said target recipient profile; and

, charging said assessment to a subscribing marketeer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said group of target recipients is an opt-in list.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(E) calculating among said quantity of e-mails in said set of bulk e-mails which have been successfully received by said target recipients, a quantity of e-mails opened by said target recipients; and

,

(F) if said quantity of opened e-mails does not exceed a prescribed minimum quantity of opened e-mails, repeating steps (A)-(C) and (E) until said quantity of opened e-mails exceeds said prescribed minimum quantity.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting step comprises the steps of:

specifying a date and time for transmitting said set of bulk e-mails; and

,

transmitting said set of bulk e-mails to said target recipients in said matched group at said specified date and time.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a status report identifying a quantity of e-mails successfully transmitted to said target recipients and a quantity of e-mails successfully received by said target recipients.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said status report further identifies e-mails opened by said target recipients.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising transmitting said status report by e-mail to a subscribing marketeer.

11. A machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

(A) matching a target recipient profile with a group of target recipients;

(B) transmitting a set of bulk e-mails to said target recipients in said matched group;

(C) calculating a quantity of e-mails in said set of bulk e-mails which have been successfully received by said target recipients; and

,

(D) if said calculated quantity does not exceed a prescribed minimum quantity of successfully received e-mails, repeating steps (A)-(C) until said calculated quantity exceeds said prescribed minimum quantity.

12. The machine readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said transmitting step comprises the steps of:

selecting among said group of target recipients a subset of target recipients; and

,

transmitting said set of bulk e-mails to said subset of target recipients.

13. The machine readable storage according to claim 12, wherein said repeating step comprises the steps of:

if said calculated quantity does not exceed said prescribed minimum quantity of successfully received e-mails, selecting among said group of target recipients a new subset of target recipients and repeating said steps (A)-(C) using said new subset of target recipients in said transmitting step until said calculated quantity exceeds said prescribed minimum quantity.

14. The machine readable storage according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

calculating an assessment corresponding to said prescribed quantity of e-mails and said target recipient profile; and

,

charging said assessment to a subscribing marketeer.

15. The machine readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said group of target recipients is an opt-in list.

16. The machine readable storage according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

(E) calculating among said quantity of e-mails in said set of bulk e-mails which have been successfully received by said target recipients, a quantity of emails opened by said target recipients; and

,

(F) if said quantity of opened e-mails does not exceed a prescribed minimum quantity of opened e-mails, repeating steps (A)-(C) and (E) until said quantity of opened e-mails exceeds said prescribed minimum quantity.

17. The machine readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said transmitting step comprises the steps of:

specifying a date and time for transmitting said set of bulk e-mails; and

,

transmitting said set of bulk e-mails to said target recipients in said matched group at said specified date and time.

18. The machine readable storage according to claim 11, further comprising the step of generating a status report identifying a quantity of e-mails successfully transmitted to said target recipients and a quantity of e-mails successfully received by said target recipients.

19. The machine readable storage according to claim 18, wherein said status report further identifies e-mails opened by said target recipients.

20. The machine readable storage according to claim 18, further comprising transmitting said status report by e-mail to a subscribing marketeer.