Method and apparatus for automatic sending of E-mail and automatic sending control program supplying medium
First Claim
1. A method for automatic control of the transmission of an E-mail,wherein a plurality of agent parameters controlling the behavior of an agent delivering an E-mail are appended to the main mail text having an appended mail header, the agent parameters are responsive to a send command designating the transmission of the E-mail for transmission to a recipient;
- wherein the agent parameters are modified responsive to the contents of experiences reflecting the operating hysteresis for the agent; and
further wherein an E-mail of a pre-set illustrative sentence is sent by said agent to a user of the agent based on said agent parameters.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An E-mail can be sent easily with an animated representation as if a pet were going in and out on a GUI picture simulating the inside of a room for dispatching or delivering a mail. In addition, the user can send an E-mail with a friendly feeling for an agent. By sending agent data updated responsive to experiences of an electronic pet as annexed papers to the E-mail, the animation as if an electronic pet were going in and out on a GUI picture simulating the inside of a room for dispatching or delivering a mail is displayed. The behaviour of the pet displayed by animation is varied depending on the keeping environment. The electronic pet selects an illustrative sentence in keeping with the agent data from pre-set illustrative sentences for voluntarily sending the sentence as an E-mail to a user who is a keeper or to a counterpart of past mailing of the user.
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Citations
68 Claims
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1. A method for automatic control of the transmission of an E-mail,
wherein a plurality of agent parameters controlling the behavior of an agent delivering an E-mail are appended to the main mail text having an appended mail header, the agent parameters are responsive to a send command designating the transmission of the E-mail for transmission to a recipient; -
wherein the agent parameters are modified responsive to the contents of experiences reflecting the operating hysteresis for the agent; and
furtherwherein an E-mail of a pre-set illustrative sentence is sent by said agent to a user of the agent based on said agent parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for automatic control of the transmission of an E-mail,
wherein a plurality of agent parameters controlling the behaviour of an agent delivering an E-mail are appended to the main mail text having an appended mail header, responsive to a send command designating the transmission of the E-mail, for transmission to a recipient; -
wherein the agent parameters are modified responsive to the contents of experiences reflecting the operating hysteresis for the agent; and
furtherwherein an E-mail of a pre-set illustrative sentence is transmitted by said agent to the recipient based on said agent parameters. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method for automatic control of the transmission of an E-mail,
wherein a plurality of agent parameters controlling the behaviour of an agent delivering an E-mail are appended to the main mail text having an appended mail header, responsive to a send command designating the transmission of the E-mail, for transmission to a recipient; -
wherein the agent parameters are modified responsive to the contents of experiences reflecting the operating hysteresis for the agent; and
furtherwherein the user or the recipient is randomly selected by the agent based on said agent parameters, and an E-mail of a pre-set illustrative sentence is sent by said agent to the user or to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for automatic control of the transmission of an E-mail, comprising:
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an agent manager for displaying an agent and for managing the behaviour of said agent responsive to agent parameters which determine the behaviour of said agent;
send command accepting means for accepting a send command designating a transmission of an E-mail; and
mail transmission means controlled by said agent manager upon acceptance by said send command accepting means of a send command which designates the transmission of an E-mail for appending the agent parameters to the main mail text having an appended mail header for transmitting an E-mail to a recipient;
wherein said agent manager modifies the agent parameters responsive to the contents of experiences reflecting the operating hysteresis for the agent to voluntarily send to the user an E-mail of an illustrative sentence pre-set by the agent based on the agent parameters. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for automatic control of the transmission of an E-mail, comprising:
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an agent manager for displaying an agent and for managing the behaviour of said agent responsive to agent parameters which determine the behaviour of said agent;
sending command accepting means for accepting a send command designating the transmission of an E-mail; and
mail transmission means controlled by said agent manager upon acceptance by said send command accepting means of a send command which designates the transmission of an E-mail for appending the agent parameters to the main mail text having an appended mail header, for sending an E-mail to a recipient;
wherein said agent manager modifies the agent parameters responsive to the contents of experiences reflecting the operating hysteresis for the agent to voluntarily send to the recipient an E-mail of an illustrative sentence pre-set by the agent based on the agent parameters. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. An apparatus for automatic control of the transmission of an E-mail, comprising:
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an agent manager for displaying an agent and for managing the behaviour of said agent responsive to agent parameters which determine the behaviour of said agent;
send command accepting means for accepting a send command designating the transmission of an E-mail; and
mail transmission means controlled by said agent manager upon acceptance by said send command accepting means of a send command which designates the transmission of an E-mail, said mail sending means appending the agent parameters to the main mail text having an appended mail header, for sending an E-mail to a recipient;
wherein said agent manager modifies the agent parameters responsive to the contents of experiences reflecting the operating hysteresis for the agent for voluntarily sending to the user or recipient an E-mail of an illustrative sentence pre-set by the agent based on the agent parameters. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An automatic E-mail transmission control program supply medium for supplying an automatic transmission control program that can be read and executed by a computers wherein, responsive to a send command for designating the transmission of an E-mail, a plurality of agent parameters are appended to the main mail text having an appended mail header, wherein the behaviour of said agent is managed by the agent parameters, the agent parameters modified responsive to the contents of experiences reflecting the operating hysteresis for the agents, and wherein
a control procedure is performed for automatic transmission by the agent of an E-mail of a pre-set illustrative sentence based on said agent parameters to the user.
- 20. An automatic E-mail transmission control program supply medium for supplying an automatic transmission control program that can be read and executed by a computer, wherein, responsive to a send command for designating the transmission of an E-mail, a plurality of agent parameters are appended to the main mail text having an appended mail header, wherein the behaviour of said agent is managed by the agent parameters, the agent parameters are modified responsive to the contents of experiences reflecting the operating hysteresis for the agent, and wherein a control procedure is performed for automatic transmission by the agent of an E-mail of a pre-set illustrative sentence based on said agent parameters to the user or to a recipient.
- 22. An automatic E-mail transmission control program supply medium for providing an automatic transmission control program that can be read and executed by a computer, wherein, responsive to a send command for designating the transmission of an E-mail, a plurality of agent parameters are appended to the main mail text having an appended mail header, wherein the behaviour of said agent is managed by the agent parameters, the agent parameters modified responsive to the contents of experiences reflecting the operating hysteresis for the agent, and wherein the agent randomly selects the user or a recipient based on the agent parameters for voluntarily sending an E-mail of a pre-set illustrative sentence to the user or to the recipient.
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25. A method of controlling a virtual agent, comprising the steps of:
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generating a virtual agent adapted to deliver E-mails and having a plurality of agent parameters, said agent parameters configured to determine a behavior of said virtual agent;
displaying said virtual agent on a display unit;
interacting with said virtual agent on said display unit, including positioning at least a portion of a display of an input device over said virtual agent on said display unit, detecting an input signal from said input device, and modifying the agent parameters such that said displaying step displays said virtual agent in response to said input signal; and
updating said plurality of agent parameters based on said interacting step such that the behavior of said virtual agent is continuously modified. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method automatic control of the transmission of an E-mail, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a send command designating the transmission of an e-mail to a recipient;
appending a plurality of agent parameters to a main mail text of said e-mail, said agent parameters controlling the behavior of an agent delivering said e-mail;
transmitting said e-mail to said recipient;
automatically returning an indication when said recipient has received said e-mail; and
modifying said agent parameters based on said agent interacting with said recipient. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An apparatus for controlling a virtual agent, said apparatus comprising:
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means for generating a virtual agent adapted to deliver E-mail and having a plurality of agent parameters, said agent parameters configured to determine a behavior of said virtual agent;
a display unit adapted to display said virtual agent;
means for interacting with said virtual agent on said display unit, said interacting means including means for positioning at least a portion of a display of an input device over said virtual agent on said display unit, means for detecting an input signal from said input device, and means for modifying the agent parameters such that said display unit displays said virtual agent in response to said input signal; and
means for updating said plurality of agent parameters using said interacting means such that the behavior of said virtual agent is continuously modified.
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41. An apparatus for automatic control of an E-mail transmission, said apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving a send command designating the transmission of an E-mail to a recipient;
means for appending a plurality of agent parameters to a main mail text of said E-mail, said agent parameters controlling the behavior of an agent delivering said E-mail;
means for transmitting said E-mail to said recipient;
means for automatically returning an indication when said recipient has received said E-mail; and
means for modifying said agent parameters based on said agent interacting with said recipient.
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42. A computer readable medium for controlling a virtual agent, wherein said medium generates a virtual agent adapted to deliver E-mail and having a plurality of agent parameters, said agent parameters are configured to determine a behavior of said virtual agent;
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wherein said virtual agent is displayed on a display unit;
wherein said virtual agent interacts on said display unit including positioning at least a portion of a display of an input device over said virtual agent on said display unit, detecting an input signal from said input device, and modifying the agent parameters such that said display unit displays said agent in response to said input signal; and
wherein said plurality of agent parameters are updated based on said interaction such that the behavior of said virtual agent is continuously modified.
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43. A computer readable medium for automatic control of the transmission of an E-mail wherein said medium, on receiving a send command designating the transmission of an E-mail to a recipient, appends a plurality of agent parameters to a main mail text of said E-mail, said agent parameters controlling the behavior of an agent delivering said E-mail;
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wherein said E-mail is transmitted to said recipient;
wherein an indicator that said recipient has received said E-mail is automatically returned; and
wherein said agent parameters are modified based on said agent interacting with said recipient.
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44. A method of providing a virtual agent, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting one or more events corresponding to a first virtual agent adapted to deliver E-mail, wherein the behavior of said first virtual agent is determined by a plurality of first agent parameters;
updating said plurality of first agent parameters based on a current first agent parameter with each detected event such that the behavior of said first virtual agent is continuously modified with each detected event; and
wherein said events include an interaction between said first virtual agent and a second virtual agent controlled by a second agent parameter and an interaction between said first virtual agent and an operation by an operator. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of providing an agent, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing a first agent software;
storing an agent parameter controlling a behavior of an agent;
executing said first agent software using said agent parameter to control the behavior of the agent; and
sending said agent parameter using E-mail to a remote computer storing a second agent software which is substantially the same as said first agent software so that said second agent software can be executed using said agent parameter to control the behavior of the agent. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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52. A method of controlling a virtual agent, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a virtual agent having a plurality of agent parameters, said agent parameters configured to determine the behavior of said virtual agent;
sending said agent parameters to a recipient through a network using E-mail;
setting a state of said virtual agent to an absent state corresponding to said sending step; and
selectively displaying said virtual agent on the display unit according to said state wherein said virtual agent is displayed on a display unit when said state represents other than said absent state. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. An apparatus for providing a virtual agent, said apparatus comprising:
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means for storing a first agent parameter controlling a first agent kept by a first person on a first computer kept by said first person;
means for storing a first image data of said first agent on said first computer;
means for storing a second image data of a second agent kept by second person on said first computer;
a display unit connected to said first computer adapted to display said first agent on a first screen based on said first image data and said first agent parameter; and
means for sending said first agent parameter to said first computer through a communication network using E-mail.
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58. An apparatus for providing a virtual agent, said apparatus comprising:
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means for storing a first agent parameter in a first storage device, said first agent parameter controlling a first virtual agent kept by a first person;
means for transferring said first agent parameter from said first storage device to a first memory for controlling said first agent at a first computer operated by said first person; and
means for sending said first agent parameter from said first memory to a second computer remote from both said first storage device and said first computer through a communication network using E-mail.
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59. An apparatus for providing a virtual agent, said apparatus comprising:
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means for sending a first agent parameter at a first computer operated by a first person to a second computer remote from said first computer through a communication network using E-mail, wherein said second computer is operated by a second person and said first agent parameter controls a first agent kept by said first person;
means for receiving said first agent parameter sent from said second computer using said first computer;
means for receiving a second agent parameter sent from second computer at said first computer, said second agent parameter controlling a second virtual agent kept by said second person; and
means for sending a received said second agent parameter to said second computer using said first computer.
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60. An apparatus for providing a virtual agent, said apparatus comprising:
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means for detecting one or more events corresponding to a first virtual agent adapted to deliver an E-mail, wherein the behavior of said first virtual agent is determined by a plurality of first agent parameters;
means for updating said plurality of first agent parameters based on a current first agent parameter with each detected event such that the behavior of said first virtual agent is continuously modified with each detected event; and
means for interacting said first virtual agent with a second virtual agent controlled by a second agent parameter and said first virtual agent with an operation by an operator.
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61. An apparatus for providing an agent, said apparatus comprising:
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means for storing a first agent software;
means for storing an agent parameter controlling a behavior of an agent;
means for executing said first agent software using said agent parameter to control the behavior of said agent; and
means for sending said agent parameter using E-mail to a remote computer storing a second agent software which is substantially the same as said first agent software so that said second software can be executed using said agent parameter to control the behavior of the agent.
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62. An apparatus for controlling a virtual agent, said apparatus comprising:
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means for providing a virtual agent having a plurality of agent parameters, said agent parameters configured to determine the behavior of said virtual agent;
means for sending said agent parameters to a recipient through a network using E-mail;
means for setting a state of said virtual agent to an absent state corresponding to said sending means sending said agent parameters; and
means for selectively displaying said virtual agent on the display unit according to said state connected to a display unit wherein said virtual agent is displayed when said state is other than said absent state.
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63. A computer readable medium for providing a virtual agent, wherein said medium stores a first agent parameter controlling a first agent kept by a first person a first computer operated by said first person;
- stores a first image data of said first agent on said first computer;
stores a second image data of a second agent being kept by second person on said first computer;
displays said first agent on a first screen connected to said first computer based on said first image data and said first agent parameter; and
wherein said first agent parameter is sent to said first computer through a communication network using E-mail.
- stores a first image data of said first agent on said first computer;
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64. A computer readable medium for of providing a virtual agent wherein a first agent parameter is stored in a first storage device, said first agent parameter controlling a first virtual agent kept by a first person;
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wherein said first agent parameter is transferred from said first storage device to a first memory for controlling said first agent at a first computer operated by said first person; and
wherein said first agent parameter is sent from said first memory to a second computer remote from both said first storage and said first computer through a communication network using an E-mail.
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65. A computer readable medium for providing a virtual agent wherein a first agent parameter at first computer operated by a first person is sent to a second computer remote from said first computer through a communication network using E-mail, wherein said second computer is operated by a second person and said first agent parameter controls a first agent kept by said first person;
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wherein said first agent parameter sent from said second computer is received using said first computer;
wherein a second agent parameter sent from second computer is received using said first computer, said second agent parameter controlling a second virtual agent kept by said second person; and
wherein a received said second agent parameter is sent to said second computer using said first computer.
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66. A computer readable medium for providing a virtual agent using an E-mail wherein said medium detects one or more events corresponding to a first virtual agent and the behavior of said first virtual agent is determined by a plurality of first agent parameters;
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said plurality of first agent parameters are updated based on a current first agent parameter with each detected event such that the behavior of said first virtual agent is continuously modified with each detected event; and
wherein said events include an interaction between said first virtual agent and a second virtual agent controlled by a second agent parameter and an interaction between said first virtual agent and an operation by an operator.
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67. A computer readable medium for providing an agent wherein the medium stores a first agent software;
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wherein an agent parameter controlling a behavior of an agent is stored;
wherein said first agent software is executed using said agent parameter to control the behavior of the agent; and
wherein said agent parameter is sent using E-mail to a remote computer storing a second agent software which is substantially the same as said first agent software so that said second software can be executed using said agent parameter to control the behavior of the agent.
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68. A computer readable medium for controlling a virtual agent wherein said medium provides a virtual agent having a plurality of agent parameters, said agent parameters configured to determine the behavior of said virtual agent;
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wherein said agent parameters are sent to a recipient through a network using E-mail;
wherein a state of said virtual agent is set to an absent state corresponding to sending said agent parameters to said recipient; and
wherein said virtual agent is selectively displayed on the display unit according to said state, wherein said virtual agent is displayed on a display unit when said state represents other than said absent state.
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Specification