Method and system for delivery of e-mail and alerting messages

• US 6,185,603 B1
• Filed: 03/13/1997
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henderson, Donnie, Jackel, Lawrence David
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US08/816,608
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.36, 395/200.54, 395/200.04, 395/200.68, 379/96, 379/57, 340/506, 709/206, 709/238, 709/224, 709/207, 709/6, 709/10, 709/526
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components

Abstract

A messaging system uses the standard email subject line to control where a message gets delivered, when a message gets delivered and the appearance of a message when it gets delivered. This enables a company to use its standard intranet email system as a pseudo real-time messaging transport with a range of delivery options. Several codes control the features of the alerting message, and a predefined escape sequence for use by the sender is recognizable by a dedicated server. This escape sequence enables these codes. By placing the escape sequence in a predetermined location in each message, the sender indicates to the system that codes for controlling the features of the alerting message follow the escape sequence. Using these codes, the user can then specify when, how often and in what manner the alert message is displayed to the recipient in a window on the recipient'"'"'s workstation. In addition, the sender can certain aspects of message routing and delivery using these codes. In addition, routing of the message within the network can be controlled by the sender in the same manner by specifying a particular routing within the subject line of the message following the escape sequence. This includes routing the message to a facsimile, a pager or a telephone, or voice mail system. This is in addition to the normal email address used in the message.

Claims

1. A method for processing an alert regarding an email sent over a network comprising the steps of:

reviewing a predetermined location in the email for a predefined character sequence that indicates a sender wishes to send an alert message to an addressee;

transmitting an alert message if the predetermined location includes the predefined character sequence, wherein the alert message includes any characters following the predefined character sequence;

displaying the alert message according to the sender'"'"'s preferences as specified by the sender using a plurality of codes placed in a predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence; and

controlling a font of the alert message on the addressee'"'"'s workstation in accordance with a font code in the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling when the alert message is displayed on the addressee'"'"'s workstation in accordance with a time code in the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling a repetition rate for displaying the alert message on the addressee'"'"'s workstation in accordance with a repetition rate code in the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling a routing of the alert message within the network in accordance with a routing code within the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of routing the alert message to a pager server in accordance with a paging routing code within the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of routing the alert message to a facsimile server in accordance with a facsimile routing code within the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of routing the alert message to a call processing server in accordance with a call processing routing code within the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predefined character sequence includes an escape character.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined relationship includes immediately following the escape character.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined location includes a subject line of the email.

11. An apparatus for processing a message sent over a network, comprising:

an email server including an email spool having a plurality of email messages;

a search routine searching the email spool for any email messages containing a first code, extracting an email message that includes the first code, and copying a first portion of the email message that includes the first code;

a select database, wherein the search routine stores the first portion of the extracted email messages in the select database;

a message server retrieving the first portion from the select database;

a user queue, one foreach user, wherein the message server stores the first portion in the user queue designated for the user indicated in the email message; and

a routine polling the message server for messages for a particular user, and upon receipt of a message for that particular user decoding a plurality of display codes included in the first portion and displaying the message on the particular user'"'"'s workstation according to the plurality of display codes;

wherein the routine controls a font of in which the alert message is displayed on an addressee'"'"'s workstation in accordance with a font code in the first portion.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first portion includes the subject line of the email, and the first code includes an escape sequence.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the routine controls a time the window is opened and the alert message is displayed on an addressee'"'"'s workstation in accordance with a time code in the first portion.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the routine controls a repetition rate for displaying the alert message on an addressee'"'"'s workstation in accordance with a repetition rate code in the first portion.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the routine controls a routing of the alert message within the network routing the alert message in accordance with a routing code within the first portion.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a pager server coupled to the message server, wherein the routine routes the alert message to the pager server in accordance with a routing code within the first portion.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a facsimile server coupled to the message server, wherein the routine routes the alert message to the facsimile server in accordance with a routing code within the first portion.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a call processing server coupled to the message server, wherein the routine routes the alert message to the call processing server in accordance with a routing code within the first portion.

19. A device for controlling the display and routing of a message sent over a network by the sender comprising:

means for identifying messages being transmitted over the network that include a predetermined a character sequence in a predetermined location in the message;

means for interacting with a recipient'"'"'s workstation to open a window on the recipient'"'"'s workstation;

means for transmitting a message identified by said identifying means to said interacting means;

means for interpreting user preferences specified in the predetermined location in the message and controlling a display of the message within the window according to the user preferences;

means for controlling a font in which the message is displayed on the recipient'"'"'s workstation by interpreting a font code specified by the sender in the predetermined location of the message.

20. The device according to claim 19, further comprising means for controlling a time the message is displayed on the recipient'"'"'s workstation by interpreting a time code specified by the sender in the predetermined location of the message.

21. The device according to claim 19, further comprising means for controlling a repetition rate for di splaying the message on the recipient'"'"'s workstation by interpreting a repetition rate code specified by the sender in the predetermined location of the message.

22. The device according to claim 19, further comprising means for controlling a routing of the message within the network by interpreting a routing code specified by the user in the predetermined location of the message.

23. The device according to claim 19, further comprising:

a pager server coupled to the transmitting means; and

means for routing the message to the pager server by interpreting a routing code specified by the sender in the predetermined location in the message.

24. The device according to claim 19, further comprising:

a facsimile server coupled to the transmitting means; and

means for routing the message to the facsimile server by interpreting a routing code specified by the sender in the predetermined location in the message.

25. The device according to claim 19, further comprising:

a voice mail server coupled to the transmitting means; and

means for routing the message to the voice mail server by interpreting a routing code specified by the sender in the predetermined location in the message.

26. The device according to claim 19, further comprising means for accepting an external message from an external source and formatting the external message for delivery to the interacting means for display on the user'"'"'s terminal according to preferences indicated in the external message.

27. A method for processing an alert regarding a message received from a source external to a network comprising the steps of:

converting a message from an external source into an electronic mail format;

reviewing a predetermined location in the electronic mail formatted message for a predefined character sequence that indicates a sender wishes to send an alert to an addressee;

transmitting an alert if the predetermined location includes the predefined character sequence, wherein the alert includes any characters following the predefined character sequence;

displaying the alert according to the sender'"'"'s preferences as specified by the sender using a plurality of codes placed in a predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence;

controlling a font of the alert message on the addressee'"'"'s workstation in accordance with a font code in the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the external source includes a facsimile.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the external source includes a voice mail system.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein the external source includes a paging system.

31. The method according to claim 27, wherein the external source includes a telephone call received over a public telephone switched network and processed by a voice to text system.

32. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of controlling when the alert message is displayed on the addressee'"'"'s workstation in accordance with a time code in the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

33. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of controlling a repetition rate for displaying the alert message on the addressee'"'"'s workstation in accordance with a repetition rate code in the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

34. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of controlling a routing of the alert message within the network in accordance with a routing code within the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

35. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of routing the alert message to a pager server in accordance with a paging routing code within the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

36. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of routing the alert message to a facsimile server in accordance with a facsimile routing code within the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.

37. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of routing the alert message to a voice mail server in accordance with a voice mail routing code within the predetermined relationship to the predefined character sequence.