Intelligent email detection and auto reply email technique to emails destined to no reply email addresses

• US 7,406,504 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2003
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Paul, Gary B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino; Joseph E
• Application Number:
  US10/666,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20050066005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709217-219, 715243-253
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

An intelligent email detection and auto reply email tool is disclosed. A method includes receiving an incoming email, determining whether the incoming email requires a response; and after determining that the incoming email requires a response, generating an auto reply email to the incoming email, wherein the incoming email is processed to determine characteristics of the auto reply email. Email sent to customers can have a no-reply origination address and control identifiers that then are recognized on incoming replies. The control identifiers can include such information as application information that identifies an application that generated the email (billing, marketing, order confirmation), region information, and an auto reply email count. The auto reply email can be associated with a web-based customer feedback tool including, for example, a dynamic web page that directly intelligently interlinks the customer to a web based email feedback system.

Claims

1. A method of processing incoming emails, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming email including a no-reply destination address;

examining the no-reply destination address of the incoming email to determine whether the no-reply destination address indicates that the incoming email is associated with a particular application;

selectively processing control information indicated by the no-reply destination address of the incoming email to determine characteristics of an auto reply email to the incoming email;

generating the auto reply email based on the determined characteristics; and

sending the generated auto reply email to a source address of the incoming email.

2. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

separating the incoming email into a plurality of parts, the plurality of parts including a control information portion; and

processing the control information of the control information portion to determine the characteristics of the auto reply email.

3. The method, as recited in claim 2, wherein the control information portion comprises a region identifier and an application identifier.

4. The method, as recited in claim 3, further comprising selecting a template for the auto reply email based on the region identifier and the application identifier.

5. The method, as recited in claim 4, wherein the template is a web page linked to a customer feedback tool.

6. The method, as recited in claim 4, wherein the template is a text message directing a customer to a customer feedback tool.

7. The method, as recited in claim 2, wherein the control information portion comprises an identifier of a sent email, wherein the incoming email is a reply to the sent email.

8. The method, as recited in claim 2, wherein the control information portion includes an auto reply email loop count.

9. The method, as recited in claim 8, further comprising comparing the auto reply email loop count to a predetermined threshold value, and selectively sending the auto reply email based on a result of the comparison.

10. The method, as recited in claim 8, wherein to determine the characteristics of the auto reply email comprises incrementing the auto reply email loop count.

11. The method, as recited in claim 2, wherein the control information portion comprises a message header, a destination address, an origination address, and an auto reply email loop count.

12. The method, as recited in claim 11, the no-reply destination address includes a sent email identifier and an application identifier.

13. The method, as recited in claim 12, wherein the application identifier identifies one of an electronic billing application, a confirm order status application, and a marketing application.

14. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein generating the auto reply email comprises:

separating the incoming email into a plurality of parts, the plurality of parts including a message body portion;

processing the message body portion producing an extracted text portion;

choosing an auto reply email template based on the control information; and

forming the auto reply email by adding the extracted text portion to the auto reply email template.

15. The method, as recited in claim 14, wherein processing the message body portion comprises:

converting the message body portion into the extracted text portion in response to determining that the message body portion includes an HTML portion.

16. The method, as recited in claim 15, wherein converting the message body portion comprises:

converting the HTML portion into a text only portion;

removing blank lines from the text only portion; and

truncating the text only portion.

17. The method, as recited in claim 16, wherein the text only portion is truncated after determining that the text only portion size exceeds a predetermined limit that is determined according to a size of a web field.

18. The method, as recited in claim 14, wherein processing the message body portion comprises:

converting the message body into the extracted text portion.

19. The method, as recited in claim 14, wherein processing the message body portion comprises removing an attachment to the message body portion.

20. The method, as recited in claim 14, wherein forming the auto reply email includes placing the extracted text portion into a web field of the auto reply email template.

21. The method, as recited in claim 14, wherein the auto reply email template is a web page linked to a customer feedback tool.

22. The method, as recited in claim 14, wherein the auto reply email template is a text message directing a customer to a customer feedback tool.

23. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining if the incoming email is one of an out-of-office reply, a notification of an incorrect address, an unsubscribe email, and a reply containing a customer inquiry that requires a response.

24. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the incoming email is received in response to a broadcast email sent to a plurality of customers, the broadcast email including a no-reply from address and one or more control identifiers.

25. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the incoming email is received in response to an email sent to a customer, the email sent to the customer including a no-reply from address and one or more control identifiers.

26. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the auto reply email includes a next email form identifier from a customer feedback tool.

27. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

separating the incoming email into a plurality of parts, the plurality of parts including a control information portion and a message body portion;

processing the control information of the control information portion to determine the characteristics of the auto reply email;

processing the message body portion producing an extracted text portion;

choosing an auto reply email template based on the control information; and

forming the auto reply email by adding the extracted text portion to the auto reply email template.

28. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the auto reply email is associated with a customer feedback tool.

29. An apparatus comprising:

an auto reply email tool stored in a memory and configured to;

receive incoming emails includinci no-reply destination addresses;

examine the no-reply destination addresses of the incoming emails to determine whether a no-reply destination address of an incoming email indicates that the incoming email is associated with a particular application;

selectively process control information associated with the no-reply destination address of the incoming email to determine characteristics of an auto reply email to the incoming email;

generate the auto reply email based on the determined characteristics; and

send the generated auto reply email to a source address of the incoming email.

30. The apparatus, as recited in claim 29, wherein the auto reply email tool comprises:

an email filter to examine the no-reply destination addresses of the incoming emails to determine whether a no-reply destination address of an incoming email indicates that the incoming email is associated with a particular application;

a separator configured to split the incoming email into a plurality of parts, the plurality of parts including a control information portion and a message body portion;

a message body extractor configured to process the message body portion producing an extracted text portion; and

a generator configured to choose an auto reply email template based on the control information of the control information portion, to form the auto reply email by adding the extracted text portion to the auto reply email template, and to send the formed auto reply email to a source address of the incoming email.

31. The apparatus, as recited in claim 30, wherein the auto reply email template is a web page linked to a customer feedback tool.

32. The apparatus, as recited in claim 30, wherein the auto reply email template is a text message directing a customer to a customer feedback tool.

33. The apparatus, as recited in claim 30, wherein the control information of the control information portion comprises a region identifier and an application identifier.

34. The apparatus, as recited in claim 33, further comprising selecting the auto reply email template based on the region identifier and the application identifier.

35. A system comprising:

an auto reply email tool stored in a memory and configured to;

receive incoming emails including no-reply destination addresses;

examine no-reply destination addresses of the incoming emails to determine whether a no-reply destination address of an incoming email indicates that the incoming email is associated with a particular application;

selectively process control information indicated by the no-reply destination address of the incoming email to determine characteristics of an auto reply email to the incoming email;

generate the auto reply email to the incoming email, the auto reply email linking a sender of the incoming email to a customer feedback tool based on the determined characteristics; and

send the generated auto reply email to a source address of the incoming email.

36. The system, as recited in claim 35, wherein the auto reply email tool comprises:

a separator configured to split the incoming email into a plurality of parts, the plurality of parts including a control information portion and a message body portion;

a message body extractor configured to process the message body portion producing an extracted text portion; and

a message generator configured to choose an auto reply email template based on the control information of the control information portion and to form the auto reply email by adding the extracted text portion to the auto reply email template.

37. The system, as recited in claim 36, wherein the auto reply email template is a web page linked to a customer feedback tool.

38. The system, as recited in claim 36, wherein the auto reply email template is a text message directing a customer to a customer feedback tool.

39. The system, as recited in claim 36, wherein the control information of the control information portion comprises a region identifier and an application identifier.

40. The system, as recited in claim 39, further comprising selecting the auto reply email template based on the region identifier and the application identifier.