Method and apparatus for identifying, managing, and controlling communications
First Claim
1. A computer system for generating a frank, comprising:
- a franking reguest receipt module, operative to receive a request for at least one frank;
wherein the request associates at least one franking criterion indicative of the relative importance as specified by a user, with regard to a given communication;
wherein the franking request receipt module further comprises a communication receipt module operative to receive a communication and to determine whether the communication is franked or unfranked;
a franking generation module, operatively connected to the franking request receipt module, operative to generate a frank in response to the request for at least one frank and operatively connected to the franking request receipt module;
a franking attachment module operative to attach a generated frank to a received communication, the franking attachment module operatively connected to the communication receipt module and franking generation module;
a frank transmission module, operatively connected to the franking generation module, operative to transmit a generated frank, the frank transmission module operatively connected to the franking generation module;
whereupon transmission of the generated frank the frank is substantially contemporaneously attached to a communication or saved in a database for latter attachment to a communication; and
a verification module operative to verify the authenticity of a frank affixed to a franked communication, the verification module operatively connected to the communication receipt module and further operative to receive the communication from the communication receipt module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for sorting, prioritizing, identifying, managing, and otherwise controlling (collectively, “controlling”) a communication. A frank may be used to associate a value and a class with a communication. The communication may be associated with the frank through the method of selecting a frank associated with a value from among a plurality of frank types, each of the frank types having a pre-assigned value, associating the frank with the communication, and initiating transmission of the franked communication across a network. Value may include anything important of having meaning to the parties, including, for example, money, credit (or a promise to pay), frequent flier miles, and so forth. “Franking” a communication generally associates some indicia of value and/or a service class with a communication.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A computer system for generating a frank, comprising:
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a franking reguest receipt module, operative to receive a request for at least one frank;
wherein the request associates at least one franking criterion indicative of the relative importance as specified by a user, with regard to a given communication;wherein the franking request receipt module further comprises a communication receipt module operative to receive a communication and to determine whether the communication is franked or unfranked; a franking generation module, operatively connected to the franking request receipt module, operative to generate a frank in response to the request for at least one frank and operatively connected to the franking request receipt module; a franking attachment module operative to attach a generated frank to a received communication, the franking attachment module operatively connected to the communication receipt module and franking generation module; a frank transmission module, operatively connected to the franking generation module, operative to transmit a generated frank, the frank transmission module operatively connected to the franking generation module; whereupon transmission of the generated frank the frank is substantially contemporaneously attached to a communication or saved in a database for latter attachment to a communication; and a verification module operative to verify the authenticity of a frank affixed to a franked communication, the verification module operatively connected to the communication receipt module and further operative to receive the communication from the communication receipt module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification