Systems, methods and computer program products for obtaining responses to announcement files

• US 7,751,802 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Silver, Edward M., Moore, Darryl C., Starr, Robert, Carter, Sharon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIS, JONATHAN U
• Application Number:
  US11/377,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20070220096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/26, 705/78, 707/1, 707/104, 709/204, 709/206, 709/218, 709/219, 709/229, 455/412.2
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A method of obtaining a response to associated announcement files. The method includes associating a first announcement file including an attribute of a tangible item with an email and associating an interactive information file with the email. The email is sent with the associated announcement file and the associated interactive information file to the recipient to a recipient. The announcement file causes presentation of the attribute of the tangible item to the recipient upon receipt of the email by the recipient. The interactive information file causes presentation of the interactive information file to the recipient upon receipt of the email by the recipient.

Claims

1. A method, performed between a sending computer terminal and a recipient computer terminal, of obtaining a response to associated announcement files, the method comprising:

associating, by an email program of the sending computer terminal, a first announcement file including an attribute of a tangible item with an email;

associating, by the email program of the sending computer terminal, an interactive information file with the email;

sending, by the email program of the sending computer over a network, the email with the associated announcement file and the associated interactive information file to a recipient; and

receiving, by an email program of the recipient computer terminal over the network, the email with the associated announcement file and the associated interactive information file;

the announcement file causing presentation, by the recipient computer terminal, of the attribute of the tangible item to the recipient upon receipt of the email by the recipient;

the interactive information file causing presentation, by the recipient computer terminal, of the interactive information file to the recipient upon receipt of the email by the recipient;

wherein the tangible item is an album and the attribute is a picture of at least a front cover of the album;

wherein the announcement file includes at least a portion of a song from the album, the announcement file being played upon receipt of the email with the associated announcement file and the associated interactive information file by the email program of the recipient computer terminal indicating to the recipient that the email with the associated announcement file and the associated interactive information file has arrived;

wherein associating the interactive information file includes inserting the interactive information file as at least part of the email;

wherein the interactive information file is a purchase order form for the tangible item.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the interactive information file includes associating a second announcement file.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the interactive information file includes inserting the interactive information file as an attachment.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a reply to the interactive information file from the recipient of the interactive message file, the reply including selections by the recipient.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the interactive information file is a product placement offer for the tangible item.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the interactive information filed is a product survey form for the tangible item.

7. A computer program product for obtaining a response to associated announcement files, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising;

associating a first announcement file including an attribute of a tangible item with an email;

associating an interactive information file with the email;

sending the email with the associated announcement file and the associated interactive information file to a recipient; and

the announcement file causing presentation of the attribute of the tangible item to the recipient upon receipt of the email by the recipient;

the interactive information file causing presentation of the interactive information file to the recipient upon receipt of the email by the recipient;

wherein the tangible item is an album and the attribute is a picture of at least a front cover of the album;

wherein the announcement file includes at least a portion of a song from the album, the announcement file being played upon receipt of the email with the associated announcement file and the associated interactive information file by a recipient email program indicating to the recipient that the email with the associated announcement file and the associated interactive information file has arrived;

wherein associating the interactive information file includes inserting the interactive information file as at least part of the email;

wherein the interactive information file is a purchase order form for the tangible item.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein associating the interactive information file includes associating a second announcement file.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein associating the interactive information file includes inserting the interactive information file as an attachment.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a reply to the interactive information file from the recipient of the interactive message file, the reply including selections by the recipient.

11. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the interactive information file is a product placement offer for the tangible item.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the interactive information filed is a product survey form for the tangible item.