Electronic message payload for interfacing with text contained in the message

• US 6,704,771 B1
• Filed: 09/21/1999
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Neostar, INC.
• Inventors: Gough, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean, Frantz B.
• Application Number:
  US09/400,781
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/203, 709/217, 709/229, 709/218, 709/249, 705/14, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention includes a system, method, and article of manufacture for communicating via an application program included as a payload of an electronic message. At least one application program is initialized after an electronic message is selected by a user. After initialization, the application program is executed. The execution of the application program includes displaying text included with the electronic message, and running a code segment including as a parameter at least a portion of the text included with the electronic message.

Claims

1. A method for communicating via an application program associated with an electronic message, comprising:

receiving over a network at least in part one application program identified by a URL embedded in an electronic message previously received over said network after said electronic message is selected by a user for viewing; and

executing the application program after the receipt thereof, the execution of the application program including;

displaying text included with the electronic message, and

running a code segment including as a parameter at least a portion of the text included with the electronic message.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the application program is executed on a network browser.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electronic message is selected on an electronic mail browser.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the execution of the application program further includes displaying indicia, allowing entry of text, and sending the entered text and the application program over the network in a second electronic message to a second user upon selection of the indicia.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the code segment replaces a selected string of the text of the electronic message with a graphic.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein selection of the graphic initiates a link to a site on the network.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the code segment links a string of the text of the electronic message with a site on the network.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the execution of the application program includes linking a string of the text of the first electronic message with a search engine on a network.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the execution of the application program further includes automatically inputting the string as a search term in the search engine upon the linking with the search engine.

10. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for communicating via an application program associated with an electronic message, comprising:

a code segment for receiving over a network at least in part one application program identified by a URL embedded in an electronic message previously received over said network after said electronic message is selected by a user for viewing; and

a code segment for executing the application program after the receipt thereof, the execution of the application program including;

displaying text included with the electronic message, and

running a code element including as a parameter at least a portion of the text included with the electronic message.

11. The computer program as set forth in claim 10, wherein the application program is executed on a network browser.

12. The computer program as set forth in claim 10, wherein the electronic message is selected on an electronic mail browser.

13. The computer program as set forth in claim 10, wherein the execution of the application program further includes displaying indicia, allowing entry of text, and sending the entered text and the application program over the network in a second electronic message to a second user upon selection of the indicia.

14. The computer program as set forth in claim 10, wherein the code element replaces a selected string of the text of the electronic message with a graphic.

15. The computer program as set forth in claim 14, wherein selection of the graphic initiates a link to a site on the network.

16. The computer program as set forth in claim 10, wherein the code element links a string of the text of the electronic message with a site on the network.

17. The computer program as set forth in claim 10, wherein the execution of the application program includes linking a string of the text of the first electronic message with a search engine on a network.

18. The computer program as set forth in claim 17, wherein the execution of the application program further includes automatically inputting the string as a search term in the search engine upon the linking with the search engine.

19. A system for communicating via an application program included in an electronic message, comprising:

logic for receiving over a network at least in part one application program identified by a URL embedded in an electronic message previously received over said network after an said electronic message is selected by a user for viewing; and

logic for executing the application program after the receipt thereof, the execution of the application program including;

displaying text included with the electronic message, and

running a code segment including as a parameter at least a portion of the text included with the electronic message.

20. A system for communicating via an application program included in an electronic message as set forth in claim 19, wherein the electronic message is selected on an electronic mail browser.