Enhanced electronic mail delivery system

• US 8,146,001 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2010
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morris Reese
• Original Assignee: Morris Reese
• Inventors: Reese, Morris
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/655,648
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 715/744, 715/751, 715762-765, 715804-808, 715/733, 715/740
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic mail (e-mail) delivery system and more particularly to a method and apparatus for selecting a specific e-mail message from a visual list of stored e-mail messages, selecting an advertisement from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database, and then downloading the selected e-mail message to a recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device and inserting the selected advertisement into the e-mail message, preferably in the e-mail message header or between the header and body (text) or after the text, as it is downloaded to the e-mail receiving device which receives and displays the downloaded e-mail message with the inserted advertisement in response to receiving a selection signal from the e-mail receiving device indicating that the recipient wishes to read the selected e-mail message.

Claims

1. A method for downloading to a recipient'"'"'s electronic mail (e-mail) receiving device an e-mail message along with an advertisement, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a server servicing the recipient e-mail messages from a network which is connected at least periodically to a Wide Area Network or Internet and storing said received e-mail messages in the recipient'"'"'s private mailbox;

(b) the server, in response to receiving a send list signal from the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device indicating that the recipient wishes to view a summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages in the recipient'"'"'s private mailbox, downloading the summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages to the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device; and

(c) the server, in response to receiving a selection signal from the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device indicating that the recipient wishes to read a specific one of said e-mail messages stored in said private mailbox, selecting from said stored e-mail messages an e-mail message which relates to the selection signal received from the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device, selecting an advertisement from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database, and downloading said selected e-mail message to the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device and inserting said selected advertisement into said e-mail message as it is downloaded to said e-mail receiving device of the recipient.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(d) said e-mail receiving device of the recipient receiving said downloaded e-mail message with said inserted advertisement from the server and displaying said received e-mail message with said inserted advertisement at said e-mail receiving device preferably in said e-mail message header or between said e-mail header and body (text), or after said text.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device is a cellular mobile phone or other receiving and sending equipment.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device is a computer or other receiving and sending equipment.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device is a wired telephone.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device is a peripheral device.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the network is a cellular network.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the network is a telephone network.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the network is a cable network.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the network is a satellite network.

12. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the associate database archives a plurality of advertisements (promotional messages).

13. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the server is a host-based server model.

14. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the server is a local area network server model.

15. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the e-mail message is a personal communication.

16. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the advertisement (promotional message) is a notice, such as a paid announcement which can be written or pictorial or a combination of both.

3. A method for downloading an electronic mail (e-mail) message to a recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device and inserting a promotional message into said e-mail message as it is downloaded to the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a server servicing the recipient e-mail messages from a network and storing said received e-mail messages in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box, said server automatically downloading brief headers of said received e-mail messages to the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device; and

(b) said server, in response to receiving a selection signal from the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device indicating that the recipient wishes to read a specific one of said e-mail messages stored in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box and after it has been determined that the recipient is an opt-in customer, selecting from said e-mail messages stored in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box an e-mail message which relates to the selection signal received from the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device, selecting a promotional message from a plurality of promotional messages stored in an associate database, and downloading said selected e-mail message to the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device and inserting said selected promotional message into said e-mail message as it is downloaded to said e-mail receiving device of the recipient.

17. A method for displaying at a recipient'"'"'s electronic mail (e-mail) receiving device an e-mail message with an advertisement, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a server of the recipient e-mail messages from a network which is connected at least periodically to a Wide Area Network or Internet and storing said received e-mail messages in a private mailbox of the recipient;

(b) the server downloading a summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages from the private mailbox of the recipient in response to receiving a send list signal from the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device indicating that the recipient wishes to view the summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages;

(c) the server selecting from the summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages an e-mail message which the recipient wishes to read, selecting an advertisement from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database, and downloading said selected e-mail message to the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device and introducing said selected advertisement into said e-mail message as it is downloaded to said e-mail receiving device of the recipient in response to receiving a selection signal from the recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device indicating that the recipient wishes to read a specific one of said stored e-mail messages and after it has been determined that the recipient is an opt-in customer; and

(d) said e-mail receiving device of the recipient receiving said downloaded e-mail message with said introduced advertisement from the server and displaying said received e-mail message with said introduced advertisement at said e-mail receiving device of the recipient.

18. An enhanced electronic mail (e-mail) system, comprising:

(a) a network which is connected at least periodically to a Wide Area Network or Internet;

(b) a server having means for receiving from the Wide Area Network or Internet e-mail messages addressed to a selected recipient;

(c) the server having means for storing said received e-mail messages in an addressable private mailbox having the selected recipient'"'"'s name and/or e-mail address associated therewith;

(d) the server having means for transferring a summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages to the selected recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device if a send list signal has been received from said e-mail receiving device indicating that said recipient wishes to view the summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages;

(e) the server having means for selecting a specific e-mail message from said stored e-mail messages, selecting an advertisement from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database, and transferring the specific e-mail message to the selected recipient'"'"'s e-mail receiving device and inserting said selected advertisement into said selected e-mail message as it is transferred to said e-mail receiving device in response to receiving a selection signal from said e-mail receiving device indicating that the specific e-mail message relating to the selection signal is to be selected from said stored e-mail messages and after it has been determined that the recipient is an opt-in customer; and

(f) said e-mail receiving device of the recipient having means for receiving said transferred e-mail message with said inserted advertisement from the server and displaying said received e-mail message and advertisement at said e-mail receiving device of the selected recipient.

19. A method for delivering to a recipient'"'"'s premises equipment an electronic mail (e-mail) message and an associated advertisement, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a server servicing the recipient e-mail messages from a from a network, which is connected at least periodically to a Wide Area Network or Internet, and storing said received e-mail messages in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box;

(b) the server delivering a summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages to the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment; and

(c) the server, in response to receiving a selection signal from the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment indicating that the recipient wishes to read a specific one of said e-mail messages stored in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box, selecting from the summary list of brief headers of said e-mail messages stored in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box an e-mail message which relates to the selection signal said received from the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment, selecting an advertisement from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database, and delivering said selected e-mail message and said selected advertisement to the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment for reading, printing, text-to-speech and/or storing.

20. An enhanced electronic mail (e-mail) system, comprising:

(a) a network which is connected at least periodically to a Wide Area Network or Internet;

(b) a server having means for receiving e-mail messages from the network and storing said received e-mail messages in a recipient'"'"'s private mail box;

(c) the server having means for delivering a summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages to the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment; and

(d) the server, in response to receiving a selection signal from the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment indicating that the recipient wishes to read a specific one of said e-mail messages stored in the recipient'"'"'s private mailbox, having means for selecting from the summary list of brief headers of said e-mail messages said stored in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box an e-mail message which relates to the selection signal said received from the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment, selecting an advertisement from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database, and delivering said selected e-mail message and said selected advertisement to the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment for reading, printing, text-to-speech and/or storing.

21. A method for downloading to a recipient'"'"'s premises equipment an electronic mail (e-mail) message and an associated advertisement, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a server servicing the recipient e-mail messages from a network, which is connected at least periodically to a Wide Area Network or Internet, and storing said received e-mail messages in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box;

(b) the server downloading a summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages to the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment; and

(c) the server, in response to receiving a selection signal from the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment indicating that the recipient wishes to read a specific one of said e-mail messages stored in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box, and after it is determined that the recipient is an opt-in customer, selecting from the summary list of brief headers of said e-mail messages said stored in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box an e-mail message which relates to the selection signal received from the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment, selecting an advertisement from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database, and downloading said selected e-mail message and said selected advertisement to the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment for reading, printing, text-to-speech and/or storing.

22. An enhanced electronic mail (e-mail) system, comprising:

(a) a network which is connected at least periodically to a Wide Area Network or Internet;

(b) a server having means for receiving e-mail messages from the network and storing said received e-mail messages in a recipient'"'"'s private mail box;

(c) the server having means for downloading to a summary list of brief headers of said stored e-mail messages to the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment; and

(d) the server, in response to receiving a selection signal from the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment indicating that the recipient wishes to read a specific one of said e-mail messages stored in said private mailbox, and after it is determined that the recipient is an opt-in customer, having means for selecting from the summary list of brief headers of said e-mail messages said stored in the recipient'"'"'s private mail box an e-mail message which relates to the selection signal said received from the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment, selecting an advertisement from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database, and downloading said selected e-mail message and said selected advertisement to the recipient'"'"'s premises equipment for reading, printing, text-to-speech and/or storing.

23. A method for inserting advertisements into subscribers'"'"' email, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a email server servicing a subscriber email messages from a network, which is connected to a Wide Area Network or Internet, and storing said received email messages in a private mail box associated with the subscriber;

(b) the email server, in response to receiving a send list signal from the subscriber'"'"'s premises equipment indicating that the subscriber wishes to view a summary list of brief headers of said stored email messages in the private mail box, transferring the summary list of brief headers of said stored email messages to the subscriber'"'"'s premises equipment; and

(c) the email server, in response to receiving a selection signal from the subscriber'"'"'s premises equipment indicating that the subscriber wishes to read a specific one of said email messages stored in the private mail box, selecting from said stored email messages an email message which relates to the selection signal received from the subscriber'"'"'s premises equipment, selecting from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database an advertisement which is relevant to the subscriber'"'"'s personal interests, and inserting said selected advertisement into said selected email message.

24. An email system, comprising:

(a) a network which is connected at least to a Wide Area Network or Internet;

(b) an email server, which services a subscriber, having means for receiving from the network email messages addressed to the subscriber and storing said received email messages in a private mail box associated with the subscriber;

(c) the email server, in response to receiving a send list signal from the subscriber'"'"'s premises equipment indicating that the subscriber wishes to view a summary list of brief headers of said stored email messages in the private mail box, having means for delivering the summary list of brief headers of said stored email messages to the subscriber'"'"'s premises equipment for viewing;

(d) the email server, in response to receiving a selection signal from the subscriber'"'"'s premises equipment indicating that the subscriber wishes to read a specific one of said email messages stored in the private mail box, having means for selecting from said stored email messages an email messages which relates to the selection signal received from the subscriber'"'"'s premises equipment, selecting from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database an advertisement which is relevant to the subscriber'"'"'s personal interests, and inserting said selected advertisement into said selected email message.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the email server is a web-based server model.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the email server has a link to said selected advertisement that it inserts into said selected email message.

27. The system according to claim 24, wherein said selected advertisement is an object, as text and/or graphics.