Embedding Variable Fields in Individual Email Messages Sent via a Web-Based Graphical User Interface

• US 20110265016A1
• Filed: 06/25/2010
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Group Incorporated (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koopman, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

Method and system of present invention provide a web-based graphical user interface to a remote user for sending electronic messages, where the interface comprises an element for selecting an option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields (“to” and “cc”), obtain a set of data, comprising a list of two or more recipients in visible fields, a message subject and/or a message body, where the message subject and/or the message body contain a markup indicating variable field, and generate and transmit individual electronic messages.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a web-based graphical user interface to a remote user operating a remote computer, wherein said web-based graphical user interface is configured to send electronic messages and said web-based graphical user interface comprises an element for selecting an option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields, wherein said web-based graphical user interface is achieved by a first computer-readable code on a server computer and by a second computer-readable code on said remote computer, and wherein said server computer and said remote computer are communicatively connected via a computer network,

b) obtaining from said remote computer a set of data via said web-based graphical user interface, wherein said set of data comprises a list of two or more recipients in visible fields, a message subject and/or a message body, and an indicator that said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields was selected, and wherein said message subject and/or said message body contain one or more markups indicating variable fields,

c) generating individual electronic messages to each recipient in said list of two or more recipients in visible fields, wherein said one or more markups indicating variable fields are substituted with a recipient'"'"'s information, and

d) transmitting said individual electronic messages via said computer network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

e) saving a public key into a DNS record of a domain name,

f) creating a digital signature using said message subject and/or said message body and a private key corresponding to said public key saved into said DNS record, and

g) appending said digital signature to said individual electronic messages, wherein said individual electronic messages are transmitted from an email address associated with said domain name.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) providing a second web-based graphical user interface to said remote user operating said remote computer, wherein said second web-based graphical user interface is configured to register a domain name to said remote user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) providing a second web-based graphical user interface to said remote user operating said remote computer, wherein said second web-based graphical user interface is configured to register a domain name to said remote user with private registration.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) determining whether an automated script is used for sending bulk electronic messages via said web-based graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of said method are performed by a domain name registrar.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said element for selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields is implemented on said web-based graphical user interface as a checkbox.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said element for selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields is implemented on said web-based graphical user interface as a radio button.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said element for selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields is implemented on said web-based graphical user interface as a dropdown.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said element for selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields is implemented on said web-based graphical user interface as a list.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said list of two or more recipients in visible fields used for generating said individual electronic messages to each recipient is obtained from a “

to”

field of said web-based graphical user interface.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said list of two or more recipients in visible fields used for generating said individual electronic messages to each recipient is obtained from a “

cc”

field of said web-based graphical user interface.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) transmitting a copy of said individual electronic messages with said one or more markups indicating variable fields substituted with said recipient'"'"'s information to recipients in a “

bcc”

field of said web-based graphical user interface.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) disabling a “

bcc”

field of said web-based graphical user interface in response to said remote user selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) moving a recipient'"'"'s address from a “

bcc”

field of said web-based graphical user interface into a “

to”

field or a “

cc”

field of said web-based graphical user interface in response to said remote user selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said web-based graphical user interface limits a number of recipients of said individual electronic messages in said list of two or more recipients in visible fields.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said web-based graphical user interface limits a number of recipients of said individual electronic messages in said list of two or more recipients in visible fields to a maximum of 100.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said message subject obtained from said remote computer as part of said set of data via said web-based graphical user interface contains graphics.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said message body obtained from said remote computer as part of said set of data via said web-based graphical user interface contains graphics.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said recipient'"'"'s information used for substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body obtained via said web-based graphical user interface is a recipient'"'"'s name.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said recipient'"'"'s information used for substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body obtained via said web-based graphical user interface is a recipient'"'"'s email address.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said recipient'"'"'s information used for substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body obtained via said web-based graphical user interface is a recipient'"'"'s date of birth.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body obtained via said web-based graphical user interface with a recipient'"'"'s name stored on said server computer.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body obtained via said web-based graphical user interface with a recipient'"'"'s date of birth stored on said server computer.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body with a recipient'"'"'s name provided by said remote user on said web-based graphical user interface in one or more address fields.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) providing a selector field on said web-based graphical user interface configured to insert said one or more markups indicating variable fields into said message subject and/or into said message body.

27. A system, comprising:

a) means for providing a web-based graphical user interface to a remote user operating a remote computer, wherein said web-based graphical user interface is configured to send electronic messages and said web-based graphical user interface comprises an element for selecting an option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields, wherein said web-based graphical user interface is achieved by a first computer-readable code on a server computer and by a second computer-readable code on said remote computer, and wherein said server computer and said remote computer are communicatively connected via a computer network,

b) means for obtaining from said remote computer a set of data via said web-based graphical user interface, wherein said set of data comprises a list of two or more recipients in visible fields, a message subject and/or a message body, and an indicator that said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields was selected, and wherein said message subject and/or said message body contain one or more markups indicating variable fields,

c) means for generating individual electronic messages to each recipient in said list of two or more recipients in visible fields, wherein said one or more markups indicating variable fields are substituted with a recipient'"'"'s information, and

d) means for transmitting said individual electronic messages via said computer network.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means for saving a public key into a DNS record of a domain name,

f) means for creating a digital signature using said message subject and/or said message body and a private key corresponding to said public key saved into said DNS record, and

g) means for appending said digital signature to said individual electronic messages, wherein said individual electronic messages are transmitted from an email address associated with said domain name.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means for providing a second web-based graphical user interface to said remote user operating said remote computer, wherein said second web-based graphical user interface is configured to register a domain name to said remote user.

30. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means for providing a second web-based graphical user interface to said remote user operating said remote computer, wherein said second web-based graphical user interface is configured to register a domain name to said remote user with private registration.

31. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means for determining whether an automated script is used for sending bulk electronic messages via said web-based graphical user interface.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the means of said system are maintained by a domain name registrar.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein said element for selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields is implemented on said web-based graphical user interface as a checkbox.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein said element for selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields is implemented on said web-based graphical user interface as a radio button.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein said element for selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields is implemented on said web-based graphical user interface as a dropdown.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein said element for selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields is implemented on said web-based graphical user interface as a list.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein said list of two or more recipients in visible fields used for generating said individual electronic messages to each recipient is obtained from a “

to”

field of said web-based graphical user interface.

38. The system of claim 27, wherein said list of two or more recipients in visible fields used for generating said individual electronic messages to each recipient is obtained from a “

cc”

field of said web-based graphical user interface.

39. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means for transmitting a copy of said individual electronic messages with said one or more markups indicating variable fields substituted with said recipient'"'"'s information to recipients in a “

bcc”

field of said web-based graphical user interface.

40. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means disabling a “

bcc”

field of said web-based graphical user interface in response to said remote user selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields.

41. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means for moving a recipient'"'"'s address from a “

bcc”

field of said web-based graphical user interface into a “

to”

field or a “

cc”

field of said web-based graphical user interface in response to said remote user selecting said option for sending individual electronic messages to multiple recipients in visible fields.

42. The system of claim 27, wherein said web-based graphical user interface limits a number of recipients of said individual electronic messages in said list of two or more recipients in visible fields.

43. The system of claim 27, wherein said web-based graphical user interface limits a number of recipients of said individual electronic messages in said list of two or more recipients in visible fields to a maximum of 100.

44. The system of claim 27, wherein said message subject obtained from said remote computer as part of said set of data via said web-based graphical user interface contains graphics.

45. The system of claim 27, wherein said message body obtained from said remote computer as part of said set of data via said web-based graphical user interface contains graphics.

46. The system of claim 27, wherein said recipient'"'"'s information used for substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body obtained via web-based graphical user interface is a recipient'"'"'s name.

47. The system of claim 27, wherein said recipient'"'"'s information used for substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body obtained via web-based graphical user interface is a recipient'"'"'s email address.

48. The system of claim 27, wherein said recipient'"'"'s information used for substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body obtained via web-based graphical user interface is a recipient'"'"'s date of birth.

49. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means for substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body obtained via said web-based graphical user interface with a recipient'"'"'s name stored on said server computer.

50. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means for substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body obtained via said web-based graphical user interface with a recipient'"'"'s date of birth stored on said server computer.

51. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means for substituting said one or more markups indicating variable fields in said message subject and/or in said message body with a recipient'"'"'s name provided by said remote user on said web-based graphical user interface in one or more address fields.

52. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

e) means for providing a selector field on said web-based graphical user interface configured to insert said one or more markups indicating variable fields into said message subject and/or into said message body.