Delivery control for email communicated among multiple end user communication devices
First Claim
1. A method implemented by a first end-user communication device for processing emails in which acknowledgement of receipt by an addressee of an email is requested by an originator of the email, the method comprising:
- generating, by the first end-user communication device, the email comprising a digital packet having a header segment and a user data segment, the user data segment containing a user message and a command portion;
inserting an acknowledgement request in a command field in the command portion wherein the addressee device upon receipt thereof executes predetermined steps associated with the acknowledgement request; and
transmitting the digital packet for delivery to the addressee device, and wherein the digital packet is transmitted by using either simple mail transfer protocol or hypertext transfer protocol for delivery of the email to the addressee device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exemplary method is implemented by end-user communication devices for transmitting and receiving emails in which acknowledgement of receipt by an addressee of an email is requested by an originator of the email. The email includes a digital packet having a header segment and a user data segment, the user data segment containing a user message and a command portion. An acknowledgement request command is stored in the command portion of an email. Upon receipt of the email by the addressee device and authorization to send an acknowledgement by the user, a reply email with an acknowledgement request is transmitted to the originator. Viewing of the content of the received email by the addressee is prohibited until the authorization is given. Accounting for acknowledgement receipts from multiple addressees is managed by the originator'"'"'s device. A technique using a self-addressed email prevents an email recipient, who uses one device to initially read an email with an acknowledgement request from one email account, from having to again authorize an acknowledgement request when the same email is later read from the same email account using a different device.
9 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method implemented by a first end-user communication device for processing emails in which acknowledgement of receipt by an addressee of an email is requested by an originator of the email, the method comprising:
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generating, by the first end-user communication device, the email comprising a digital packet having a header segment and a user data segment, the user data segment containing a user message and a command portion; inserting an acknowledgement request in a command field in the command portion wherein the addressee device upon receipt thereof executes predetermined steps associated with the acknowledgement request; and transmitting the digital packet for delivery to the addressee device, and wherein the digital packet is transmitted by using either simple mail transfer protocol or hypertext transfer protocol for delivery of the email to the addressee device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed by an end-user communication device to implement a method for generating an email communication, the method comprising:
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generating, by the first end-user communication device, the email comprising a digital packet having a header segment and a user data segment, the user data segment containing a user message and a command portion; inserting an acknowledgement request in a command field in the command portion wherein the addressee device upon receipt thereof executes predetermined steps associated with the acknowledgement request; and transmitting the digital packet for delivery to the addressee device, and wherein the digital packet is transmitted by using either simple mail transfer protocol or hypertext transfer protocol for delivery of the email to the addressee device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An end-user communication device that generates an email communication, the device comprising:
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a microprocessor controlled apparatus receives user input to create information to be conveyed by an email communication; the microprocessor controlled apparatus generates an email comprising a digital packet having a header segment and a user data segment, the user data segment containing a user message and a command portion; the microprocessor controlled apparatus inserts an acknowledgement request in a command field in the command portion wherein the addressee device upon receipt thereof executes predetermined steps associated with the acknowledgement request; and the microprocessor controlled apparatus causes the transmission of the digital packet for delivery to the addressee'"'"'s device, and wherein the digital packet is transmitted by using either simple mail transfer protocol or hypertext transfer protocol for delivery of the email to the addressee device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification