System and method for selective application of email delivery options

• US 7,085,812 B1
• Filed: 08/06/2001
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sherwood, Amy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, ASHOKKUMAR B
• Application Number:
  US09/921,659
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

A system and method, implemented within an email client and/or server, for selectively applying delivery options to addressees in an email includes displaying an address book, choosing addressees from the address book, setting a flag indicating that more than one addressee has been chosen, displaying an email delivery options selection window if the flag is set, selectively applying delivery options to each of the addressees, and sending the email.

Claims

1. A method for selectively applying a delivery notification option to an email comprising:

listing email addresses;

selecting a plurality of said email addresses in the course of composing an email message;

maintaining a first list for a first type of delivery notification option and a second list for a second type of delivery notification option;

selectively applying the delivery notification option to one or more, but not all, of said plurality of email addresses;

moving each of the one or more email addresses with a delivery notification option applied to it into the first list, second list, or both lists corresponding to the selected delivery notification option;

displaying an address book with the listed email addresses;

setting a flag indicating that more than one address has been chosen;

displaying an email delivery notification options selection window if said flag is set wherein the email delivery notification options selection window permits selective application of at least one of delivery confirmation and read receipt;

saving a configuration of delivery notification option settings that is associated with a first set of addresses;

matching a second set of addresses with the first set of addresses and automatically setting delivery notification options with respect to the first set of addresses;

selecting the delivery notification option from the options of delivery confirmation and read receipt and

sending the email to said plurality of email addresses.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a separate email for a group of addresses that have the same delivery notification option configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a separate email to each address of said plurality of addresses.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively applying more than one delivery notification option to one or more, but not all, of said plurality of email addresses.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving a configuration of delivery notification option settings that is associated with a first set of addresses.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising matching a second set of addresses with the first set of addresses and automatically setting delivery notification options saved with respect to the first set of addresses.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery notification option is selected from the options of delivery confirmation and read receipt.

8. An email system for providing selective application of delivery notification options to individual addresses in a single email, comprising:

means for listing email addresses on a computer;

means for selecting a plurality of said email addresses in the course of composing an email message;

means for maintaining a first list for a first type of delivery notification option and a second list for a second type of delivery notification option;

means for selectively applying the delivery notification option to one or more, but not all, of said plurality of email addresses;

means for saving a configuration of delivery notification option settings that is associated with a first set of addresses;

means for matching a second set of addresses with the first set of addresses and automatically setting delivery notification options saved with respect to the first set of addresses;

means for moving each of the one or more email addresses with a delivery notification option applied to it into the first list, second list, or both lists corresponding to the selected delivery notification option;

wherein the delivery notification option is selected from delivery confirmation and read receipt; and

means for sending the email to said plurality of email addresses.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for sending a separate email for a group of addresses that have the same delivery notification option configuration.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for sending a separate email to each address of said plurality of addresses.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for selectively applying more than one delivery notification option to one or more, but not all, of said plurality of email addresses.

12. An email system for selectively applying delivery notification options to an email having a plurality of addressees, comprising:

an email client operable to display an address list and to select addressees for an email; and

an email server in communication with the email client and connected to a network;

wherein at least one of the email client and the email server is operable to selectively apply, corresponding to input from a user, a delivery notification option to one or more, but not all, of the addressees;

wherein at least one of the email client and the email server is further operable to maintain a first list for a first type of delivery notification option and a second list for a second type of delivery notification option; and

to move each of the one or more email addresses with a delivery notification option applied to it into the first list, second list, or both lists corresponding to the selected delivery notification option as selected by a user;

wherein one of the email client and email server, corresponding to input from a user, sends a separate email for a group of addressees that have the same delivery notification option configuration;

wherein one of the email client and email server, corresponding to input from a user, saves a configuration of delivery notification option settings that is associated with a first set of addressees;

wherein one of the email client and email server matches a second set of addressees with the first set of addressees and automatically sets delivery notification options saved with respect to the first set of addressees;

wherein the delivery notification options comprise delivery confirmation and read receipt;

wherein one of the email client and the email server is configured to set a flag indicating that more than, one address has been chosen;

wherein one of the email client and the email server is configured to display an email delivery notification options selection window if said flag is set wherein the email delivery notification options selection window permits selective application of at least one of delivery confirmation and read receipt.