System and method for data collection and update utilizing surrogate e-mail addresses using a server

• US 8,352,564 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Campise, Leon, Leftwich, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): MACILWINEN, JOHN MOORE JAIN
• Application Number:
  US13/220,427
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

A system and method for data collection and update utilizing surrogate e-mail addresses using a server. An e-mail client generates an e-mail message comprising a surrogate e-mail address and data elements conveyed within standard fields of the e-mail message. The surrogate e-mail address also comprises data and instructions directed to a specialized software program. A message server parses the surrogate e-mail address and the e-mail content. Information relating to a specialized software program is extracted and translated into instructions and data elements. The specialized software program operates on the data elements based on the instructions obtained from the e-mail message.

Claims

1. A system for data collection, comprising:

a computer processor;

an e-mail server;

a first surrogate e-mail address corresponding to a first specialized software program external to the e-mail server; and

a second surrogate e-mail address corresponding to a second specialized software program external to the e-mail server; and

a message server executing on the computer processor and configured to;

identify, in the e-mail server, a first e-mail message comprising the first surrogate e-mail address;

match the first surrogate e-mail address to the first specialized software program;

extract, from the first e-mail message, a first instruction directed to the first specialized software program;

execute the first instruction to modify a first data element of the first specialized software program;

identify, in the e-mail server, a second e-mail message comprising the second surrogate e-mail address;

match the second surrogate e-mail address to the second specialized software program;

extract, from the second e-mail message, a second instruction directed to the second specialized software program; and

execute the second instruction to modify a second data element of the second specialized software program.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first instruction is an add command.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first instruction is a delete command.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first instruction is an update command.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data element is a start time value.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data element is a stop time value.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data element is a duration time value.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data element is a client identifier value.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data element is a project identifier value.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data element is a task identifier value.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data element is a narrative description value.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first e-mail message comprises a meeting invitation.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first specialized software program is one selected from a group consisting of a time entry application, an accounting application, a human resources application, and a customer relationship management application.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a data server configured to;

receive the first instruction from the message server; and

execute the first instruction on a plurality of application data used by the first specialized software program.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the message server is further configured to:

execute the first instruction by performing an operation using the first specialized software program.

16. A method of collecting data directed to a specialized software program, the method comprising:

associating a first surrogate e-mail address with a first specialized software program, wherein the first specialized software program is external to an e-mail server of the first surrogate e-mail address;

associating a second surrogate e-mail address with a second specialized software program, wherein the second specialized software program is external to the e-mail server of the second surrogate e-mail address;

identifying a first e-mail message comprising the first surrogate e-mail address;

matching the first surrogate e-mail address to the first specialized software program;

extracting, by a computer processor, a first instruction directed to the first specialized software program from the first e-mail message;

executing the first instruction to modify a first data element of the first specialized software program;

identifying a second e-mail message comprising the second surrogate e-mail address;

matching the second surrogate e-mail address to the second specialized software program;

extracting, by the computer processor, a second instruction directed to the second specialized software program from the second e-mail message; and

executing the second instruction to modify a second data element of the second specialized software program.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first instruction is an add command.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first instruction is a delete command.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first instruction is an update command.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first data element is a start time value.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the first data element is a stop time value.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the first data element is a duration time value.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the first data element is a client identifier value.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the first data element is a project identifier value.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the first data element is a task identifier value.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the first data element is a narrative description value.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the first specialized software program is one selected from a group consisting of a time entry application, an accounting application, a human resources application, and a customer relationship management application.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the first e-mail message comprises a meeting invitation.

29. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing the first instruction to the first specialized software program.

30. A system for data collection comprising:

a computer processor;

a message server executing on the computer processor and configured to;

associate a first surrogate e-mail address with a first specialized software program, wherein the first specialized software program is external to an e-mail server of the first surrogate e-mail address;

associate a second surrogate e-mail address with a second specialized software program, wherein the second specialized software program is external to the e-mail server of the second surrogate e-mail address;

monitor the e-mail server for e-mail messages addressed at least to the first surrogate e-mail address and the second surrogate e-mail address;

identify first e-mail message addressed to the first surrogate e-mail address;

filter, according to a first template, a first plurality of text from the first e-mail message to generate a first processed e-mail message;

identify a second e-mail message addressed to the second surrogate e-mail address;

filter, according to a second template, a second plurality of text from the second e-mail message to generate a second processed e-mail message; and

send the first processed e-mail message and the second processed e-mail message to a data server; and

the data server configured to;

receive the first processed e-mail message and the second processed e-mail message;

extract, from the first processed e-mail message, a first instruction directed to the first specialized software program;

execute the first instruction by performing a first operation using the first specialized software program;

extract, from the second processed e-mail message, a second instruction directed to the second specialized software program; and

execute the second instruction by performing a second operation using the second specialized software program.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first instruction is an add command.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the first instruction is a delete command.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the first instruction is an update command.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the data element is a start time value.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the first operation modifies a stop time value.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the first operation modifies a duration time value.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein the first operation modifies a client identifier value.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein the first operation modifies a project identifier value.

39. The system of claim 30, wherein the first operation modifies a task identifier value.

40. The system of claim 30, wherein the first operation modifies a narrative description value.

41. The system of claim 30, wherein the message server is further configured to block transmission of the first e-mail message according to the first template.

42. The system of claim 30, wherein the message server is further configured to add content to the first e-mail message according to the first template.

43. The system of claim 30, wherein the first specialized software program is one selected from a group consisting of a time entry application, an accounting application, a human resources application, and a customer relationship management application.

44. The system of claim 30, wherein the data server is further configured to:

provide the first instruction to the first specialized software program.

45. The system of claim 30, wherein the first e-mail message comprises a meeting invitation message.