Method and apparatus for regenerating message data

• US 7,487,223 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stamps.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stamps.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Kiyohara, Keith Shoji
• Primary Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US11/407,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20060265460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207, 709/226, 709/217, 707/7, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A system for regenerating electronic mail, e.g., when a certain event transpires. If, for instance, a server program has previously sent the user an electronic mail message, that electronic mail message may be regenerated and retransmitted to the user or provided to support personnel upon request.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

computer storage media comprising;

a plurality of templates, each of said templates associated with one of a plurality of standardized communications;

a plurality of files respectively associated with a plurality of customers, each of said files comprising;

one or more references to one or more templates used in one or more prior communications with a respective customer;

information specific to said respective customer;

a server configured to regenerate said one or more prior communications with said respective customer by;

obtaining one or more previously used templates based on said one or more references;

populating said one or more previously used templates with data from said information specific to said respective customer, wherein said server is further configured to respond to a triggering event by;

obtaining a triggered tern plate associated with a type of said triggering event, said triggered template comprising standardized information associated with said triggering event;

generating a triggered electronic mail message by populating said triggered template with data from a given file of a customer associated with said triggering event;

transmitting said triggered electronic mail message to said customer; and

storing a reference to said triggered template in said given file.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said server is further configured to provide regenerated prior communications to a requester.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said requester is a customer service representative.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises customer account information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises customer transaction information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises a prior electronic mail message from said respective customer;

wherein said plurality of templates further comprises a mail display template; and

wherein said server is further configured to obtain said mail template and populate said mail template with said prior electronic mail message.

7. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises text data from one or more notes associated with said respective customer;

wherein said plurality of templates further comprises a note display template; and

wherein said server is further configured to obtain said note display template and populate said note display template with said text data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises audio data of a prior conversation with said respective customer;

wherein said plurality of templates further comprises an audio playback interface template; and

wherein said server is further configured to obtain said audio playback interface template and associate said audio playback interface template with said audio data.

9. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein said information specific to said respective customer comprises calculated data from a prior communication; and

wherein said server is further configured to use said calculated data to populate said one or more previously used templates.