Automated selection and inclusion of a message signature

• US 8,578,171 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil P., MacFarlane, David Victor, Little, Herbert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Brandon
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, ANTHONY D
• Application Number:
  US13/617,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/161, 713/169, 726/2
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

A system and method for the creation and automated selection and inclusion an automated signature text with an electronic message, wherein the automated selection of the automated signature text is dependent on attributes of the message, the designated recipients, or attributes of the designated recipients as compared to the sender'"'"'s attributes, such as the encoding type and/or transport method selected for the electronic message or the location of the recipient without the need for multiple user profiles or manual editing by the sender. At least one of a plurality of automated signature texts is associated with at least one encoding type of a plurality of encoding types, at least one message transport type, or with at least one predetermined recipient attribute or the outcome of a comparison of the recipient attribute with the sender'"'"'s attributes. The appropriate automated signature text is inserted prior to encoding of the message for transport.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating communication of electronic messages, the method comprising:

enabling, via a user interface, configuration of a first message and a second message, the user interface indicating the first message being configured to be sent as at least a portion of an automatic reply electronic message in reply to an electronic message received from a source internal to a particular organization and the second message being configured to be sent as at least a portion of an automatic reply electronic message in reply to an electronic message received from a source external to the particular organization;

enabling, via the user interface, modification of at least one of the first message or the second message; and

transmitting the configuration to an electronic message server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling, via the user interface, configuration of a third message, the user interface indicating the third message being configured to be sent as at least a portion of an automatic reply electronic message in reply to both an electronic message received from a source internal to the particular organization and a electronic message received from a source external to the particular organization.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular organization represents a class, wherein users internal to the particular organization are included in the class, and wherein users external to the organization are not included in the class.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the class of a user is indicated by associated information stored in an address book.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular organization represents a category, wherein users internal to the particular organization are included in the category and wherein users external to the particular organization are not included in the category.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the category is one of personal, customer, and supplier.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the category of a user is indicated by associated information stored in an address book.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling, via the user interface, selection from among a set of electronic message conditions associated with one or more of the messages.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the configuration includes one or more of the selected electronic message conditions for the first message or the second message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the server comprises an associated message server.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, by the associated message server, the configuration;

transmitting, by the associated message server, automatic reply electronic messages in accordance with the configuration.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a source'"'"'s relationship to the particular organization, internal to the particular organization or external to the particular organization, is reflected in at least a part of an address portion of electronic messages sent by or on behalf of the source.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an email message from a particular source; and

determining whether the particular source is considered to be internal to the particular organization or external to the particular organization based on at least a part of an address portion of electronic messages sent by or on behalf of the source.

21. The device of claim 1, further configured to:

enable, via the user interface, selection from among a set of electronic message conditions associated with one or more of the messages.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the configuration includes one or more of the selected electronic message conditions for the first message or the second message.

14. A message communication device configured to:

enable, via a user interface, configuration of a first message and a second message, the user interface indicating the first message being configured to be sent as at least a portion of an automatic reply electronic message in reply to an electronic message received from a source internal to a particular organization and the second message being configured to be sent as at least a portion of an automatic reply electronic message in reply to an electronic message received from a source external to the particular organization;

enable, via the user interface, modification of at least one of the first message or the second message; and

transmit the configuration to an electronic message server.

15. The device of claim 14, further configured to:

enable, via the user interface, configuration of a third message, the user interface indicating the third message being configured to be sent as at least a portion of an automatic reply electronic message in reply to both an electronic message received from a source internal to the particular organization and a electronic message received from a source external to the particular organization.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the particular organization represents a class, wherein users internal to the particular organization are included in the class, and wherein users external to the organization are not included in the class.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the class of a user is indicated by associated information stored in an address book.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the particular organization represents a category, wherein users internal to the particular organization are included in the category, and wherein users external to the particular organization are not included in the category.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the category is one of personal, customer, and supplier.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the category of a user is indicated by associated information stored in an address book.

23. The device of claim 14, wherein the server comprises an associated message server.

24. The device of claim 14, wherein a source'"'"'s relationship to the particular organization, internal to the particular organization or external to the particular organization, is reflected in at least a part of an address portion of electronic messages sent by or on behalf of the source.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a microprocessor to perform the following steps:

enabling, via a user interface, configuration of a first message and a second message, the user interface indicating the first message being configured to be sent as at least a portion of an automatic reply electronic message in reply to an electronic message received from a source internal to a particular organization and the second message being configured to be sent as at least a portion of an automatic reply electronic message in reply to an electronic message received from a source external to the particular organization;

enabling, via the user interface, modification of at least one of the first message or the second message; and

transmitting the configuration to an electronic message server.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the program instructs the microprocessor to perform the following step:

enabling, via the user interface, configuration of a third message, the user interface indicating the third message being configured to be sent as at least a portion of an automatic reply electronic message in reply to both an electronic message received from a source internal to the particular organization and a electronic message received from a source external to the particular organization.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the particular organization represents a class, wherein users internal to the particular organization are included in the class, and wherein users external to the organization are not included in the class.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the class of a user is indicated by associated information stored in an address book.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the particular organization represents a category, wherein users internal to the particular organization are included in the category and wherein users external to the particular organization are not included in the category.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the category is one of personal, customer, and supplier.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the category of a user is indicated by associated information stored in an address book.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the program instructs the microprocessor to perform the following step:

enabling, via the user interface, selection from among a set of electronic message conditions associated with one or more of the messages.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the configuration includes one or more of the selected electronic message conditions for the first message or the second message.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the server comprises an associated message server.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the program instructs the microprocessor to perform the following steps:

receiving, by the associated message server, the configuration;

transmitting, by the associated message server, automatic reply electronic messages in accordance with the configuration.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein a source'"'"'s relationship to the particular organization, internal to the particular organization or external to the particular organization, is reflected in at least a part of an address portion of electronic messages sent by or on behalf of the source.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the program instructs the microprocessor to perform the following steps:

receiving an email message from a particular source; and

determining whether the particular source is considered to be internal to the particular organization or external to the particular organization based on at least a part of an address portion of electronic messages sent by or on behalf of the source.