E-mail with discretionary functionality

• US 9,473,441 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Gough, Michael L., Gough, James J., Hickman, Paul L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): FABBRI, ANTHONY E
• Application Number:
  US12/142,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20150196838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,043 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/02 Chess; Similar board games
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

An embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, comprises an e-mail method including creating an e-mail having discretionary functionality and sending the e-mail. Another embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, comprises an e-mail server including a computer configured to create an e-mail having discretionary functionality and to send the e-mail.

Claims

1. A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media, the program comprising instructions for execution by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display, comprising:

software segments for creating an e-mail having a discretionary functionality including an image within a body portion of said e-mail, a set of rules governing interaction with said image, and a store of data, said image including at least portions with which a recipient at a recipient computer system may interact, subject to the enforcement of said set of rules by the recipient computer system, to at least one of increase and modify said store of data; and

software segments for sending said e-mail to said recipient;

wherein said image is an image of a game, said game comprises chess, said set of rules comprise rules of said game, and said store of data comprises a state of said game;

wherein said e-mail is first sent by an original sender and further comprising software segments for receiving said e-mail by said original sender after said store of data has been at least one of increased and modified by the recipient of the e-mail.

2. The computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein said store of data is configured to accumulate inputs from a plurality of recipients.

3. The computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein said store of data further accumulates at least one input from said original sender of said e-mail.

4. The computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein said discretionary functionality includes a self-executing application that is automatically initialized when said e-mail is opened by a user.

5. The computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein said e-mail is sent back and forth between said original sender and one or more recipients a plurality of times.

6. The computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein said image comprises at least one data entry field, said set of rules comprise rules enforcing a proper entry of data into said data entry field, and said store of data comprises data entered into said data entry field.