Electronic message distribution system

• US 7,996,471 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2004
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phuoc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Belani; Kishin G
• Application Number:
  US10/889,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,583 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting

Abstract

A method and system for distributing electronic messages, such as e-mails, using a subject-category-identifier are disclosed. A server receives electronic messages having an subject-category-identifier. The server includes logic for reading the subject-category-identifier and logic for sorting the electronic messages into a category based at least upon the subject-category-identifier. The server determines whether the electronic message is a valid electronic message for distribution; and responsive to determining that the electronic message is valid, the server distributes the electronic message according to the subject-category-identifier.

Claims

1. A method of distributing electronic message to subscribers of an electronic message distribution system, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic message having an electronic message subject-category-identifier;

determining whether the electronic message was sent from an authorized sender of mass electronic messages;

responsive to a determination that the electronic message was sent from an unauthorized sender, dropping the electronic message from distribution;

responsive to a determination that the electronic message was sent from an authorized sender, determining if the electronic message has a message type of user generic, user specific, or conventional;

responsive to the determination of the electronic message type, distributing the electronic message according to the message type and the electronic message subject-category-identifier,

wherein an electronic message having the message type of user generic is distributed to all subscribers that have selected to receive messages for the subject-category identified in a recipient list of the electronic message, wherein a recipient email address for the electronic message of the message type user generic is a three level domain name and a third domain level of the recipient email address designates an action to be executed by the electronic message distribution system in distributing the electronic message,

compiling delivery information on distributed electronic messages, the delivery information including a first percentage of electronic messages in a given subject-category that are accessed, a second percentage of the electronic messages in the given subject-category that are downloaded, and a third percentage of the electronic messages in the given subject-category that are opened; and

reporting the delivery information to the authorized sender of the mass electronic messages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail (e-mail) message, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of a subject-category of e-mail messages a subscriber decides to accept; and

automatically creating a sub-folder in the subscriber'"'"'s e-mail account for storing the selected subject-category of e-mail messages.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing the electronic message further includes:

creating a link to the electronic message;

providing the link to a subscriber of the electronic message distribution system,

wherein the link is provided in a designated folder that is associated with the electronic message subject-category-identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing the electronic message further includes:

creating a copy of the electronic message;

providing the copy to a subscriber of the electronic message distribution system,

wherein the copy is provided in a designated folder that is associated with the electronic message subject-category-identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

monitoring subscriber access to the electronic message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein monitoring subscriber access to the electronic message further comprising at least one of:

receiving an indicator that a subscriber accessed the electronic message via a link;

receiving an indicator that a subscriber downloaded the electronic message; and

receiving an indicator that a subscriber opened the electronic message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message includes an electronic message address associated with an intended recipient, the method further comprising:

determining whether the electronic message account is a valid electronic message account for distribution including;

determining whether the intended recipient desires to receive the electronic message using the electronic message subject-category-identifier; and

responsive to determining the recipient does not desire to receive the electronic message, dropping the electronic message.

8. A method of distributing electronic message to subscribers of an electronic message distribution system, the method comprising:

establishing categories for electronic message;

registering senders of classified electronic messages, wherein a classified electronic message includes an electronic message subject-category-identifier, and wherein the senders provide sender registration information;

associating a specific electronic message subject-category-identifier with a specific electronic message category;

associating subscribers of the electronic message distribution system with specific categories of electronic message;

determining if the electronic message has a message type of user generic, user specific, or conventional;

responsive to the determination of the electronic message type, distributing the electronic message according to the message type and the electronic message subject-category-identifier,

wherein an electronic message having the message type of user generic is distributed to all subscribers that have selected to receive messages for the subject-category identified in a recipient list of the electronic message, wherein a recipient email address for the electronic message of the message type user generic is a three level domain name and a third domain level of the recipient email address designates an action to be executed by the electronic message distribution system in distributing the electronic message;

compiling delivery information on distributed electronic messages, the delivery information including a first percentage of electronic messages in a given subject-category that are accessed, a second percentage of the electronic messages in the given subject-category that are downloaded, and a third percentage of the electronic messages in the given subject-category that are opened by the subscribers; and

reporting the delivery information to a sender of the distributed electronic messages, the sender being with the registered senders of the classified electronic messages.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail (e-mail) message, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of a subject-category of e-mail messages a subscriber decides to accept; and

automatically creating a sub-folder in the subscriber'"'"'s e-mail account for storing the selected subject-category of e-mail messages.

10. The method of claim 8, further including:

receiving a classified electronic message;

determining the specific category of electronic message associated with the electronic message classifier of the classified electronic message;

determining whether the classified electronic message came from a registered sender; and

responsive to the classified electronic message having come from a registered sender, providing at least a copy of the electronic message to a subscriber of the electronic message distribution system who is associated for the specific category of electronic message.

11. The method of claim 8, further including:

maintaining a list of subscribers who have elected to receive electronic messages having electronic message subject-category-identifiers associated with the specific electronic message category;

receiving a classified electronic message;

determining the specific category of electronic message associated with the electronic message subject-category-identifier of the classified electronic message;

determining whether the classified electronic message came from a registered sender; and

responsive to the classified electronic message having come from a registered sender, providing at least a copy of the electronic message to the subscribers included in the list.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the classified electronic message came from a specific sender and includes multiple recipient electronic message addresses having a domain that is associated with the electronic message distribution system, and further including:

providing the specific sender with a second list, wherein the second list is a list of recipient electronic message addresses that were included in the classified electronic message but are not included in the first list.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the classified electronic message came from a specific sender and includes multiple recipient electronic message addresses having a domain that is associated with the electronic message distribution system, and further including:

providing the specific sender with a second list, wherein the second list is a list of recipient electronic message addresses that were included in the classified electronic message and are included in the first list.

14. A server for receiving an electronic message having an electronic message subject-category-identifier, the server comprising:

a hardware computer processor;

first logic for reading the electronic message subject-category-identifier;

second logic for sorting the electronic message into a category based at least upon the electronic message subject-category-identifier;

third logic for determining whether the electronic message was sent from an authorized sender of mass electronic messages;

fourth logic for determining if the electronic message has a message type of user generic, user specific, or conventional responsive to a determination that the electronic message was sent from an authorized sender;

fifth logic for distributing the electronic message according to the message type and the electronic message subject-category-identifier responsive to the determination of the electronic message type,

wherein an electronic message having the message type of user generic is distributed to all subscribers that have selected to receive messages for the subject-category identified in a recipient list of the electronic message,

wherein a recipient email address for the electronic message of the message type user .generic is a three level domain name and a third domain level of the recipient email address designates an action to be executed by the computer processor in distributing the electronic message;

sixth logic for compiling delivery information on distributed electronic messages, the delivery information including a first percentage of electronic messages in a given subject-category that are accessed, a second percentage of the electronic messages in the given subject-category that are downloaded, and a third percentage of the electronic messages in the given subject-category that are opened; and

seventh logic for reporting the delivery information to the authorized sender of the mass electronic messages.

15. The server of claim 14, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh logic are embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium.

16. The server of claim 14, further including:

eighth logic, embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, for determining when to deliver the electronic message.

17. The server of claim 14, further including:

ninth logic, embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, for creating folders in an electronic message account of a subscriber, wherein a given folder is associated with the electronic message subject-category-identifier.

18. The server of claim 14, further including:

tenth logic, embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, for delivering a notice to a given folder of an electronic message account of a subscriber that the electronic message has been received by the server, wherein the given folder is associated with the electronic message subject-category-identifier.