System, method and computer program for recipient controlled communications

• US 8,122,097 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Great Adventure Series 103 of Allied Security Trust I (Allied Security Trust)
• Original Assignee: Daniel Gross, Erwin Gross
• Inventors: Gross, Daniel, Gross, Erwin
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, PELING ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US13/083,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20110302311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-208, 709/211, 709217-219, 709227-231, 709245-246, 709/248, 379 8813- 8814, 379/88.17, 379/93.24
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A communication system is provided in which users associate handling data identifying how messages are to be processed with contact data. Handling data for the identified contacts in the contact data is then dispatched to those contacts. Subsequently when messages are dispatched from the locations identified by the contact data a sender of a message selects handling data to be associated with a message being dispatched. Upon receipt of a message associated with handling data the message is then processed in the manner identified by the handling data.

Claims

1. A system for controlling processing of data communicated between a first computer and a second computer among a plurality of computers connected to a communication network, said system comprising:

means for generating at the first computer a group of processing criteria for recipient controlled communication;

means for selecting at the first computer a first sub-set of processing criteria from the group of processing criteria, wherein the means for selecting the first sub-set of processing criteria is adapted to identify which processing criteria are to be available to the second computer;

means for associating contact data with the first computer, the contact data comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record comprising an address of one specific computer and a list of one or more said processing criteria that are allocated to the one specific computer, the associating means comprising means at the first computer for storing or accessing the contact data, wherein one contact record of the plurality of contact records corresponds to the second computer;

means for utilizing the one contact record to allocate said first sub-set of processing criteria to the second computer;

means for selecting a second sub-set of processing criteria from said first sub-set of processing criteria at said second computer;

means for associating a communication dispatched by said second computer with said second sub-set of processing criteria; and

means for processing said communication associated with said second sub-set of processing criteria in accordance with said second sub-set of processing criteria.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for selecting a second sub-set of processing criteria comprises selecting the second sub-set after the dispatch of the communication.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sub-set of processing criteria is dispatched from the first computer to the second computer using tag data associated with the second computer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer updates the first sub-set of processing criteria allocated to the second computer.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for distributing the first sub-set of processing criteria to the second computer.

6. An electronic receiving unit for receiving and processing an electronic communication dispatched from a specific remote electronic dispatching unit among a plurality of remote electronic dispatching units, said electronic receiving unit comprising:

generation means for generating a group of processing criteria, the processing criteria indicative of processes to be performed on electronic communications;

allocation means for allocating to the specific remote electronic dispatching unit a sub-set of one or more particular processing criteria from the group of processing criteria;

selection means adapted to identify which processing criteria are to be available to which one or more specific remote electronic dispatching units among the plurality of remote electronic dispatching units;

means for associating contact data with the electronic receiving unit, the contact data comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record comprising an address of one specific remote electronic dispatching unit and a list of one or more said processing criteria that are allocated to the one specific remote electronic dispatching unit, the associating means comprising means at the electronic receiving unit for storing or accessing the contact data, wherein;

one contact record of the plurality of contact records corresponds to the specific remote electronic dispatching unit, and

the allocation means utilizes the one contact record to allocate the sub-set of one or more particular processing criteria to the specific remote electronic dispatching unit;

receiving means for receiving electronic communications associated with any selected processing criteria, said selected processing criteria being selected from the sub-set of one or more particular processing criteria by the specific remote electronic dispatching unit; and

processing means for processing electronic communications in accordance with said associated processing criteria.

7. The electronic receiving unit as claimed in claim 6,

wherein the selection means is operable to enable a user of the electronic receiving unit to select the specific remote electronic dispatching unit and particular processing criteria, and

wherein said allocation means is arranged to allocate to said specific remote electronic dispatching unit said particular processing criteria.

8. The electronic receiving unit as claimed in claim 6, further comprising input means used to define processing definition data indicative of processes to be performed on electronic communications, wherein said input means is operable to establish processing criteria based on such processing definition data thereby enabling the processing means to process electronic communications in accordance with the processing definition data.

9. The electronic receiving unit as claimed in claim 6, further comprising output means for outputting processing definition data indicative of processes to be performed on electronic communications prior to receipt of an electronic communication, wherein second generation means is arranged to generate, at said specific remote electronic dispatching unit, means for processing electronic communications in accordance with processing criteria corresponding to the processing definition data prior to dispatching of the electronic communication.

10. The electronic receiving unit as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said allocation means is arranged to allocate processing criteria that are indicative of the forwarding of electronic communications to other locations, and

wherein said processing means is arranged to forward the electronic communications to said other locations.

11. The electronic receiving unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the processing criteria comprises items of control data indicative of processes to be performed on electronic communications.

12. The electronic receiving unit of claim 6,

wherein the specific remote electronic dispatching unit comprises at least a first remote electronic dispatching unit and a second remote electronic dispatching unit,

wherein a subset of one or more particular processing criteria is allocated to the first remote electronic dispatching unit and a subset of one or more particular processing criteria is allocated to the second remote electronic dispatching unit,

wherein the receiving means receives a first electronic communication and processes it in accordance with any processing criteria selected at the first remote electronic dispatching unit, and

wherein the receiving means receives a second electronic communication and processes it in accordance with any processing criteria selected at the second remote electronic dispatching unit.

13. An electronic communications system comprising:

a plurality of electronic processing units including a first electronic processing unit and a second electronic processing unit;

electronic communication means for transmitting electronic communications between said electronic processing units; and

a plurality of data storage means corresponding to the plurality of electronic processing units, the plurality of data storage means for storing processing criteria indicative of one or more processes to be performed upon electronic communications,

wherein each of said electronic processing units includes a corresponding data storage means for storing a corresponding group of the processing criteria,

wherein associating means is operable at the first electronic processing unit to associate contact data with the first electronic processing unit, the contact data comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record comprising an address of one specific electronic processing unit and a list of one or more said processing criteria from the corresponding group of the processing criteria that are allocated to the one specific electronic processing unit, the associating means comprising means for storing or accessing the contact data, wherein one contact record of the plurality of contact records corresponds to the second electronic processing unit,

wherein allocation means is operable at the first electronic processing unit for utilizing the one contact record to allocate a sub-set of one or more particular processing criteria from the corresponding group of processing criteria to the second electronic processing unit, and wherein the allocation means is adapted to identify which processing criteria are to be allocated to which one or more specific electronic processing units among the plurality of electronic processing units,

wherein selection means is operable at the second electronic processing unit for selecting one or more of said particular processing criteria from the allocated sub-set of processing criteria,

wherein transmission means is operable at the second electronic processing unit for transmitting electronic communications to be processed in accordance with the selected processing criteria,

wherein receiving means is operable for receiving the electronic communications to be processed in accordance with the selected processing criteria, and

wherein processing means is operable for processing the received electronic communications in accordance with processes identified by said selected processing criteria.

14. The electronic communications system claimed in claim 13, further comprising at least one of:

a server that includes data storage means and a server application operable on the server, the server application being operable to receive electronic communications to be processed in accordance with the selected processing criteria;

a server that includes data storage means and a server application operable on the server, the server application being operable to process electronic communications in accordance with the selected processing criteria;

a server that includes data storage means and a server application operable on the server, the server application being operable to enable selection of said sub-set of processing criteria;

a server that includes data storage means and a server application operable on the server, the server application being operable to enable defining of processing definition data indicative of processes to be performed on electronic communications;

a server that includes data storage means and a server application operable on the server, the server application being operable to send electronic communications to be processed in accordance with processing criteria;

or

a server that includes data storage means and a server application operable on the server, the server application being operable to retrieve from the data storage means and transfer to the second electronic processing unit the sub-set of processing criteria.

15. A storage medium storing a computer program operable on processing device units including a first unit and a second unit connected to the first unit via a communication medium, the computer program comprising computer instructions for defining:

generation means operable at the first unit for generating a group of processing criteria, the processing criteria indicative of one or more processes to be performed on communications;

allocation means operable at the first unit for allocating a sub-set of one or more particular processing criteria from the group of processing criteria to the second unit, wherein the allocation means is adapted to identify which processing criteria are to be allocated to which one or more specific processing device units among the processing device units;

associating means operable at the first unit for associating contact data with the first unit, the contact data comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record comprising an address of one specific processing device unit and a list of one or more said processing criteria that are allocated to the one specific processing device unit, the associating means comprising means for storing or accessing the contact data, wherein

one contact record of the plurality of contact records corresponds to the second unit, and

the allocation means utilizes the one contact record to allocate the sub-set of one or more particular processing criteria to the second unit;

selection means operable at the second unit for selecting one or more of said particular processing criteria from the allocated sub-set of processing criteria;

receiving means operable at the first unit for receiving communications to be processed in accordance with the selected processing criteria; and

processing means operable for processing communications in accordance with processes identified by said selected processing criteria.

16. A method for recipient controlled communications, the method comprising:

generating a group of processing criteria by a recipient electronic communication device;

selecting a first sub-set of processing criteria for recipient controlled communications from the group of processing criteria for a specific sender among a plurality of sender electronic communication devices by the recipient electronic communication device, wherein the recipient electronic communication device identifies which processing criteria are to be allocated to which one or more specific senders among the plurality of sender electronic communication devices;

associating contact data with the recipient electronic communication device, the contact data comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record comprising an address of one specific sender and a list of one or more said processing criteria that are allocated to the one specific sender, said associating comprising storing or accessing the contact data, wherein

one contact record of the plurality of contact records corresponds to the specific sender, and

said selecting comprises utilizing the one contact record to allocate the first sub-set of processing criteria to the specific sender;

selecting a second sub-set of processing criteria from the first sub-set of processing criteria by the specific sender; and

processing electronic communications in accordance with the selected second sub-set of processing criteria.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein processing electronic communications in accordance with the selected second sub-set of processing criteria comprises automatic printing of the electronic communication.