Systems and methods for optimizing smart mail

• US 8,224,914 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Travelclick Incorporated (Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Zdirect, Inc. (Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A.)
• Inventors: Thomas, Rowland Hayes, Wieder, Isaac, Paddock, Shayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Liangche A
• Application Number:
  US12/977,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/224, 709/226, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

Methods and systems provide for creating and generating dynamic mailings which include providing for static and dynamic content to be included in a dynamically generated e-mail; establishing filters for determining dynamic content; establishing a generic e-mail including static and dynamic content; selecting dynamic content using the filters; generating a dynamic e-mail based upon the generic e-mail and the dynamic content selected; and transmitting the dynamically generated e-mail.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining information for use in dynamic mailings, the method comprising:

storing a set of processed-based questions;

providing a user an opportunity to opt-into a system;

upon receipt of confirmation of an opt-in, querying the user with a plurality of processed-based questions selected from the stored set via a network, wherein selection of at least one of the processed-based questions during the query is based on the user'"'"'s response to a previous question during the query;

storing at least one of the user'"'"'s responses to the plurality of processed-based questions as information in a computer database and storing an association between the information and the user;

generating a dynamic mailing including content that is selected based on the stored information; and

transmitting the dynamic mailing to an email address of the user via the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of all subsequent questions queried to the user is based on the response of a previous question queried to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining information through the user'"'"'s web page access history;

associating the information with the user; and

storing the information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a dynamic mailing includes:

generating a first e-mail including the content that is selected based on the stored information;

simulating the transmission of the first email through a SPAM filter;

if the simulated transmission indicates a high probability of the first email being blocked by a SPAM filter, utilizing the first e-mail as the dynamic mailing; and

if the simulated transmission indicates a high probability of the first email being blocked by a SPAM filter, modifying the first e-mail in order to generate a second email to be used as the dynamic mailing.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the simulated transmission indicates a high probability of the first email being blocked by a SPAM filter, the first email is modified by:

identifying content in the first email that could cause a SPAM filter to block the first email, and modifying the identified content in order to generate the second email.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the simulated transmission through a SPAM filter is repeated based on the modification to the identified content.

7. An apparatus for obtaining information for use in dynamic mailings, comprising:

memory storing instructions; and

a processor for executing the instructions to perform a method including;

storing a set of process-based questions;

providing a user an opportunity to opt-into a system;

upon receipt of confirmation of an opt-in, querying the user with a plurality of processed-based questions selected from the stored set, wherein selection of at least one of the process-based questions during the query is based on the user'"'"'s response to a previous question during the query;

storing at least one of the user'"'"'s responses to the plurality of processed-based questions as information and storing an association between the information and the user;

generating a dynamic mailing including content that is selected based on the stored information; and

transmitting the dynamic mailing to an email address of the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein selection of all subsequent questions queried to the user is based on the response of a previous question queried to the user.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining information through the user'"'"'s web page access history;

associating the information with the user; and

storing the information.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the step of generating a dynamic mailing includes:

generating a first e-mail including the content that is selected based on the stored information;

simulating the transmission of the first email through a SPAM filter;

if the simulated transmission indicates a high probability of the first email being blocked by a SPAM filter, utilizing the first e-mail as the dynamic mailing; and

if the simulated transmission indicates a high probability of the first email being blocked by a SPAM filter, modifying the first e-mail in order to generate a second email to be used as the dynamic mailing.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein if the simulated transmission indicates a high probability of the first email being blocked by a SPAM filter, the first email is modified by:

identifying content in the first email that could cause a SPAM filter to block the first email, and modifying the identified content in order to generate the second email.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the simulated transmission through a SPAM filter is repeated based on the modification to the identified content.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, executed by a processor, for performing a method for obtaining information for use in dynamic mailings, the method comprising:

storing a set of processed-based questions;

providing a user an opportunity to opt-into a system;

upon receipt of confirmation of an opt-in, querying the user a plurality of processed-based questions selected from a stored set, wherein selection of at least one of the processed-based questions during the query is based on the user'"'"'s response to a previous question during the query;

storing at least one of the user'"'"'s responses to the plurality of processed-based questions as information and storing an association between the information and the user;

generating a dynamic mailing including content that is selected based on the stored information; and

transmitting the dynamic mailing to an email address of the user.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein selection of all subsequent questions queried to the user is based on the response of a previous question queried to the user.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

obtaining information through the user'"'"'s web page access history;

associating the information with the user; and

storing the information.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the step of generating the dynamic mailing includes:

generating a first e-mail including the content that is selected based on the stored information;

simulating the transmission of the first email through a SPAM filter;

if the simulated transmission indicates a high probability of the first email being blocked by a SPAM filter, utilizing the first e-mail as the dynamic mailing; and

if the simulated transmission indicates a high probability of the first email being blocked by a SPAM filter, modifying the first e-mail in order to generate a second email to be used as the dynamic mailing.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein if the simulated transmission indicates a high probability of the first email being blocked by a SPAM filter, the first email is modified by:

identifying content in the first email that could cause a SPAM filter to block the first email, and modifying the identified content in order to generate the second email.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the simulated transmission through a SPAM filter is repeated based on the modification to the identified content.