Apparatus and method of tracking access status of store-and-forward messages

• US 7,660,862 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: CVON
• Inventors: Peppers, Donald, Ahopelto, Timo, Friman, Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zuniga, Jackie
• Application Number:
  US11/888,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709201-203, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

A method of selecting a recipient of a message on the basis of data identifying access to previously transmitted messages, wherein each said message includes content data for display within a display area of a receiving terminal and control data including data indicative of a user selectable portion within the display area. The method includes receiving content data having one of a plurality of different types for use in creating said message, accessing tracking data corresponding to a previously transmitted message containing content data of a given type, the tracking data being indicative of selection of said user selectable portion upon display thereof at said receiving terminal, and selecting a recipient of the message on the basis of the received content data and the tracking data.

Claims

1. A system for selecting a recipient of a message on the basis of data identifying access to previously transmitted messages and tracking access status of said messages, each said message comprising content data for display within a display area of a receiving terminal and control data comprising data indicative of a user selectable portion within the display area, the system comprising:

a first server comprising an interface for receiving content data having one of a plurality of different content types for use in creating said message, said message comprising a SMS, MMS or WAP; and

a second server arranged to receive a response message, said response message being created by the receiving terminal in relation to the previously transmitted message and in accordance with a set of processable instructions therein, wherein the response message identifies the receiving terminal and upon receipt thereof the second server is arranged to update the access status of the previously transmitted message, whereby to update the tracking data;

wherein a message generating system operatively coupled to the first server is arranged to select a recipient of the message on the basis of the received content data and the tracking data from the second server,

wherein the message generating system is arranged to select a recipient by querying a database for previously transmitted content that matches a specified attribute, ranking the previously transmitted content specifying those attributes and creating a ranking list specifying recipients for which a response message was received; and

wherein the message comprises the control data and the user selectable portion, the control data comprising the set of processable instructions for use in controlling operation of the receiving terminal in dependence on selection of the user selectable portion, the receiving terminal transmitting the response message to the second server to update the tracking data in response to selection of the user selectable portion.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface is responsive to receipt of said content data so as to identify one or more attributes thereof so as to assign content data to one of said plurality of different content types.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the message generating system is arranged to create a message on the basis of the received content data and the selected recipient.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the received content data is of a first type and the previously transmitted message contains content data of a second type, the message generating system being arranged to select content data for the message on the basis of a predetermined relationship between said first and second content types.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first type of content data is different from said second type of content data.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control data comprise the set of processable instructions for use in controlling operation of the receiving terminal in dependence on selection of the user selectable portion.

7. The system according to claim 6, further comprising a device arranged to receive the response message, said response message being created by the receiving terminal in relation to the previously transmitted message and in accordance with at least one of said set of processable instructions therein, wherein the response message identifies the receiving terminal and upon receipt thereof the device is arranged to update the access status of the previously transmitted message, whereby to update the tracking data.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the device is operatively coupled to the system.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the device has a network address and the control data associated with the previously transmitted message comprises data identifying a network address associated with the device, for use in formulating the response message.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second server is arranged to update the access status so as to identify the receiving terminal from which the response message has emanated.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the user selectable portion comprises a link, and the message is created in accordance with the Wireless Application Part (WAP) Hypertext Protocol.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the content data comprise image data and the user selectable portion is an integral part of the image data.

13. A method for selecting a recipient of a message on the basis of data identifying access to previously transmitted messages and tracking access status of said messages, each said message comprising content data for display within a display area of a receiving terminal and control data comprising data indicative of a user selectable portion within the display area, the method comprising:

in a first server comprising an interface, receiving content data having one of a plurality of different content types for use in creating said message, said message comprising a SMS, MMS or WAP;

in a second server, receiving a response message, said response message being created by the receiving terminal in relation to the previously transmitted message and in accordance with a set of processable instructions therein, wherein the response message identifies the receiving terminal and upon receipt thereof the second server is arranged to update the access status of the previously transmitted message, whereby to update the tracking data;

in a message generating system operatively coupled to the first server, selecting a recipient of the message on the basis of the received content data and the tracking data from the second server,

in the message generating system selecting a recipient by querying a database for previously transmitted content that matches a specified attribute, ranking the previously transmitted content specifying those attributes and creating a ranking list specifying recipients for which a response message was received; and

wherein the message comprises the control data and the user selectable portion, the control data comprising the set of processable instructions for use in controlling operation of the receiving terminal in dependence on selection of the user selectable portion, and in the receiving terminal transmitting the response message to the second server to update the tracking data in response to selection of the user selectable portion.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising identifying one or more attributes of the content data so as to assign content data to one of said plurality of different content types.

15. The method to claim 13, further comprising in the message generating system, creating a message on the basis of the received content data and the selected recipient.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the content data is of a first type and the previously transmitted message contains content data of a second type, the method further comprising, in the message generating system,

selecting content data for the message on the basis of a predetermined relationship between said first and second content types.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising differentiating the first type of content data from said second type of content data.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising using the control data which comprises the set of processable instructions to control operation of the receiving terminal in dependence on selection of the user selectable portion.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising receiving the response message in a device, creating the response message in the receiving terminal in relation to the previously transmitted message and in accordance with at least one of said set of processable instructions therein, wherein the response message identifies the receiving terminal and upon receipt thereof updating the access status of the previously transmitted message, whereby to update the tracking data.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the device has a network address and the control data associated with the previously transmitted message comprises data identifying a network address associated with the device, for use in formulating the response message by using the data to identify a network address associated with the device.

21. The method according to claim 13, further comprising updating the access status so as to identify the receiving terminal from which the response message has emanated.

22. The method according to claim 13, wherein the user selectable portion comprises a link, the method further comprising creating the message in accordance with the Wireless Application Part (WAP) Hypertext Protocol.

23. A computer program resident on a non transitory computer readable media and arranged to select a recipient of a message on the basis of data identifying access to previously transmitted messages and to track access status of said messages, each said message comprising content data for display within a display area of a receiving terminal and control data comprising data indicative of a user selectable portion within the display area, the computer program being arranged to:

in a first server comprising an interface, receive content data having one of a plurality of different content types for use in creating said message, said message comprising a SMS, MMS or WAP;

in a second server, receive a response message, said response message being created by the receiving terminal in relation to the previously transmitted message and in accordance with a set of processable instructions therein, wherein the response message identifies the receiving terminal and upon receipt thereof the second server is arranged to update the access status of the previously transmitted message, whereby to update the tracking data;

in a message generating system operatively coupled to the first server, selecting a recipient of the message on the basis of the received content data and the tracking data from the second server,

in the message generating system, selecting a recipient by querying a database for previously transmitted content that matches a specified attribute, ranking the previously transmitted content specifying those attributes and creating a ranking list specifying recipients for which a response message was received; and

wherein the message comprises the control data and the user selectable portion, the control data comprising a set of processable instructions for use in controlling operation of the receiving terminal in dependence on selection of the user selectable portion, and in the receiving terminal transmit the response message to the second server to update the tracking data in response to selection of the user selectable portion.

24. The computer program according to claim 23, wherein the computer program is further arranged to identify one or more attributes of the content data so as to assign content data to one of said plurality of different content types.

25. The computer program according to claim 23, wherein the computer program is further arranged to, in the message generating system, create a message on the basis of the received content data and the selected recipient.

26. The computer program according to claim 23, wherein the content data is of a first type and the previously transmitted message contains content data of a second type, wherein the computer program is further arranged to, in the message generating system, select content data for the message on the basis of a predetermined relationship between said first and second content types.

27. The computer program according to claim 26, wherein the computer program is further arranged to differentiate the first type of content data from said second type of content data.

28. The computer program according to claim 23, wherein the computer program is further arranged to use the control data which comprises the set of processable instructions to control operation of the receiving terminal in dependence on selection of the user selectable portion.

29. The computer program according to claim 28, wherein the computer program is further arranged to receive the response message in a device, and create the response message in the receiving terminal in relation to the previously transmitted message and in accordance with at least one of said set of processable instructions therein, wherein the response message identifies the receiving terminal and upon receipt thereof updates the access status of the previously transmitted message, whereby to update the tracking data.

30. The computer program according to claim 29, wherein the device has a network address and the control data associated with the previously transmitted message comprises data identifying a network address associated with the device, wherein the computer program is further arranged to formulate the response message by using the data to identify a network address associated with the device.

31. The computer program according to claim 23, wherein the computer program is further arranged to update the access status so as to identify the receiving terminal from which the response message has emanated.

32. The computer program according to claim 23, wherein the user selectable portion comprises a link, wherein the computer program is further arranged to create the message in accordance with the Wireless Application Part (WAP) Hypertext Protocol.