Method and system for generating and distributing electronic communications

• US 20060036608A1
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adknowledge
• Original Assignee: Adknowledge
• Inventors: Gutierrez, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,429,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Content is provided to electronic mail, commonly known as e-mail, over a network, such as the Internet. This content is provided in accordance with keywords, typically organized in a hierarchy. The presently highest ranked keyword, that is active, is passed to various content servers, along the network, in response to a request, returned from the e-mail client of a recipient user. The keywords are managed, such that after a certain number of responses from the recipients of the electronic mails, to content in each e-mail generated from a particular keyword, use of that particular keyword is terminated, as the keyword is inactivated. Content is then delivered in accordance with another keyword, typically the next highest ranked keyword.

Claims

1. A method for managing keywords comprising:

providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with a first keyword, when the first keyword is active;

receiving an indicator, that at least a portion of the data provided to the at least one electronic communication in accordance with the first keyword, has been responded to;

determining if the number of indicators received has reached a predetermined number; and

if the number of indicators received has reached the predetermined number, deactivating the first keyword and activating a second keyword for providing data to at least one electronic communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fist keyword and the second keyword are different.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first keyword and the second keyword are the same.

4. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

sending at least one electronic communication to an e-mail client associated with a user, the at least one electronic communication including at least one request, and the at least one request including at least one keyword identifier, the at least one keyword identifier associated with the first keyword and the second keyword.

5. The method of claim 4, additionally comprising:

matching the keyword identifier returned with the at least one request with a keyword identifier in a database corresponding to the keyword identifier, and if there is a match, providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with the active keyword.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator corresponds to a response to the provided data, where the browser of a user is directed to a targeted web site associated with the data provided in accordance with the first keyword.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the response includes at least one click of a pointing device.

8. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

providing data to at least one additional electronic communication in accordance with the second keyword when the second keyword is activated.

9. A method for managing keywords comprising:

providing data to a plurality of electronic communications in accordance with an active keyword;

receiving an indicator, that at least a portion of the data provided in accordance with the active keyword, in at least some of the plurality of electronic communications, has been responded to;

determining if the number of indicators received has reached a predetermined number; and

if the number of indicators has reached the predetermined number, deactivating the active keyword and designating a new keyword as the active keyword for providing data to electronic communications.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the keywords are different.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the keywords are the same.

12. The method of claim 9, additionally comprising:

sending at least one electronic communication to an e-mail client associated with a user, the at least one electronic communication including at least one request, and the at least one request including at least one keyword identifier, the at least one keyword identifier associated with the keyword.

13. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising:

matching the keyword identifier returned with the at least one request with a keyword identifier in a database corresponding to the keyword identifier, and if there is a match, providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with the active keyword.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the indicator includes a response directing the browser of a user to a targeted web site associated with the data provided in accordance with the active keyword.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the response includes at least one click of a pointing device.

16. The method of claim 9, additionally comprising:

providing data to at least one additional electronic communication in accordance with the new keyword when the active keyword is deactivated.

17. A method for managing content provided to electronic communications, comprising:

electronically maintaining at least one database of a plurality of keywords, each of the keywords for use in providing content to electronic communications, each keyword in the at least one database of keywords including a predetermined number corresponding to a limit for responses to the content in the electronic communications provided to the electronic communications based on a keyword;

electronically maintaining a database of keyword identifiers, corresponding to at the at least one database of a plurality of keywords;

electronically maintaining a database of responses to the content provided to the electronic communications in accordance with each of the keywords; and

electronically controlling the keywords in the at least one database of a plurality of keywords by changing keywords when a predetermined number of responses, to the content of electronic communications provided in accordance with at least one keyword, has been received in the database of responses.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein changing the keywords includes, changing keywords when the number of responses to the content provided in accordance with the at least one keyword reaches the predetermined number of responses for the keyword in the at least one database of keywords.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the responses are received from a pointing device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein providing content to electronic communications includes, providing data for redirecting the browser associated with at least one user to a targeted site on a network, caused by a response being made to the content of the electronic communications.

21. The method of claim 17, additionally comprising:

electronically maintaining a database of electronic communications to be sent to e-mail clients corresponding to users, each of the electronic communications including data for returning at least one request with a keyword identifier corresponding to at least one of the keyword identifiers in database of keyword identifiers.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein changing keywords includes changing from a first keyword of the plurality of keywords to a second keyword of the plurality of keywords.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first keyword is different than the second keyword.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first keyword is the same as the second keyword.

25. A method for managing keywords comprising:

providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with a keyword;

receiving an indicator, that at least a portion of the data provided in accordance with the keyword, in the at least one electronic communication, has been responded to;

determining if the number of indicators received has reached a predetermined number; and

changing the keyword for providing content to at least one electronic communication if the number of indicators received has reached the predetermined number.

26. The method of claim 25, additionally comprising:

providing a database including a plurality of keywords.

27. The method of claim 26, additionally comprising:

sending at least one electronic communication to an e-mail client associated with a user, the at least one electronic communication including at least one request, and the at least one request including at least one keyword identifier, the at least one keyword identifier associated with the plurality of keywords in the database.

28. The method of claim 27, additionally comprising:

matching the keyword identifier returned with the at least one request with a keyword identifier in a database corresponding to the keyword identifier, and if there is a match, providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with the keyword being used.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the indicator includes data corresponding to a click of a pointing device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the data provided to the electronic communication in accordance with the keyword, includes data for redirecting the browser associated with at least one user to a targeted site on a network, the redirecting data activated in response to the click of the pointing device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one targeted site includes at least one of a web page or a web site and the network includes the Internet.

32. A system for managing keywords comprising:

a first component configured for providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with a first keyword, when the first keyword is active;

a second component configured for receiving an indicator, that at least a portion of the data provided to the at least one electronic communication in accordance with the first keyword, has been responded to; and

a third component configured for;

determining if the number of indicators received has reached a predetermined number; and

,

deactivating the first keyword and activating a second keyword for providing data to at least one electronic communication, if the number of indicators received has reached the predetermined number.

33. The system of claim 32, additionally comprising:

a fourth component configured for sending at least one electronic communication to an e-mail client associated with a user, the at least one electronic communication including at least one request, and the at least one request including at least one keyword identifier, the at least one keyword identifier associated with the first keyword and the second keyword.

34. The system of claim 33, additionally comprising:

a fifth component configured for matching the keyword identifier returned with the at least one request with a keyword identifier in a database corresponding to the keyword identifier, and if there is a match, providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with the active keyword.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the second component includes means for receiving an indicator, that corresponds to a response to the provided data, where the browser of a user is directed to a targeted web site associated with the data provided in accordance with the first keyword.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein means for receiving an indicator include means for the receiving and responding to a response from at least one click of a pointing device.

37. A computer usable storage medium having a computer program embodied thereon for causing a suitably programmed system to manage keywords by performing the following steps when such program is executed on the system, the steps comprising:

providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with a first keyword, when the first keyword is active;

receiving an indicator, that at least a portion of the data provided to the at least one electronic communication in accordance with the first keyword, has been responded to;

determining if the number of indicators received has reached a predetermined number; and

deactivating the first keyword and activating a second keyword for providing data to at least one electronic communication, if the number of indicators received has reached the predetermined number.

38. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the steps when such program is executed on the system additionally comprise:

sending at least one electronic communication to an e-mail client associated with a user, the at least one electronic communication including at least one request, and the at least one request including at least one keyword identifier, the at least one keyword identifier associated with the first keyword and the second keyword.

39. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the steps when such program is executed on the system additionally comprise:

matching the keyword identifier returned with the at least one request with a keyword identifier in a database corresponding to the keyword identifier, and if there is a match, providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with the active keyword.

40. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the receiving an indicator includes receiving a response to the provided data, where the browser of a user is directed to a targeted web site associated with the data provided in accordance with the first keyword.

41. The computer-usable storage device of claim 40, wherein receiving the response includes receiving data corresponding to at least one click of a pointing device.

42. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the steps when such program is executed on the system additionally comprise:

providing data to at least one additional electronic communication in accordance with the second keyword when the second keyword is activated.

43. A system for managing content provided to electronic communications, comprising:

at least one database of a plurality of keywords, each of the keywords for use in providing content to electronic communications, each keyword in the at least one database of keywords including a predetermined number corresponding to a limit for responses to the content in the electronic communications provided to the electronic communications based on a keyword;

a database of keyword identifiers, corresponding to at the at least one database of a plurality of keywords;

a database of responses to the content provided to the electronic communications in accordance with each of the keywords; and

a controller configured for controlling the keywords in the at least one database of a plurality of keywords by changing keywords when a predetermined number of responses, to the content of electronic communications provided in accordance with at least one keyword, has been received in the database of responses.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the controller is configured for changing the keywords when the number of responses to the content provided in accordance with the at least one keyword reaches the predetermined number of responses for the keyword in the at least one database of keywords.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the database of responses is configured for receiving responses from a pointing device.

46. The system of claim 45, additionally comprising:

a component for redirecting the browser associated with at least one user to a targeted site on a network, caused by a response to the content of the electronic communications.

47. The system of claim 43, additionally comprising:

a database of electronic communications to be sent to e-mail clients corresponding to users, each of the electronic communications including data for returning at least one request with a keyword identifier corresponding to at least one of the keyword identifiers in database of keyword identifiers.

48. A system for managing keywords comprising:

a first component configured for providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with a keyword;

a second component configured for receiving an indicator, that at least a portion of the data provided in accordance with the keyword, in the at least one electronic communication, has been responded to;

a third component configured for determining if the number of indicators received has reached a predetermined number; and

a fourth component configured for changing the keyword for providing content to at least one electronic communication if the number of indicators received has reached the predetermined number.

49. The system of claim 48, additionally comprising:

a database including a plurality of keywords.

50. The system of claim 49, additionally comprising:

a fifth component configured for sending at least one electronic communication to an e-mail client associated with a user, the at least one electronic communication including at least one request, and the at least one request including at least one keyword identifier, the at least one keyword identifier associated with the plurality of keywords in the database.

51. The system of claim 50, additionally comprising:

a sixth component configured for matching the keyword identifier returned with the at least one request with a keyword identifier in a database corresponding to the keyword identifier, and if there is a match, providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with the keyword being used.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the second component is additionally configured for receiving an indicator that includes data corresponding to a click of a pointing device.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the first component configured for providing data to the electronic communication in accordance with the keyword, includes, providing data for redirecting the browser associated with at least one user to a targeted site on a network, the redirecting data activated in response to the click of the pointing device.

54. A computer usable storage medium having a computer program embodied thereon for causing a suitably programmed system to manage keywords by performing the following steps when such program is executed on the system, the steps comprising:

providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with a keyword;

receiving an indicator, that at least a portion of the data provided in accordance with the keyword, in the at least one electronic communication, has been responded to;

determining if the number of indicators received has reached a predetermined number; and

changing the keyword for providing content to at least one electronic communication if the number of indicators received has reached the predetermined number.

55. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 54, wherein the steps when such program is executed on the system additionally comprise:

sending at least one electronic communication to an e-mail client associated with a user, the at least one electronic communication including at least one request, and the at least one request including at least one keyword identifier, the at least one keyword identifier associated with the plurality of keywords in the database.

56. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 55, wherein the steps when such program is executed on the system additionally comprise:

matching the keyword identifier returned with the at least one request with a keyword identifier in a database corresponding to the keyword identifier, and if there is a match, providing data to at least one electronic communication in accordance with the keyword being used.

57. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 56, wherein receiving the indicator includes receiving data corresponding to a click of a pointing device.

58. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 56, wherein providing data to the at least one electronic communication in accordance with the keyword, includes providing data for redirecting the browser associated with at least one user to a targeted site on a network, the redirecting data activated in response to the click of the pointing device.