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WO2011158033A1 - Procédé et appareil de services de communication - Google Patents

Procédé et appareil de services de communication Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2011158033A1
WO2011158033A1 PCT/GB2011/051125 GB2011051125W WO2011158033A1 WO 2011158033 A1 WO2011158033 A1 WO 2011158033A1 GB 2011051125 W GB2011051125 W GB 2011051125W WO 2011158033 A1 WO2011158033 A1 WO 2011158033A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
email
addressee
message
information
configuration
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2011/051125
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jeffrey Wilson
Original Assignee
Intellprop Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Intellprop Limited filed Critical Intellprop Limited
Publication of WO2011158033A1 publication Critical patent/WO2011158033A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L51/00—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
    • H04L51/02—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L51/00—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
    • G06Q10/10—Office automation; Time management
    • G06Q10/107—Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Definitions

  • the invention relates to communications services apparatus and methods for providing service functions on behalf of email addressees.
  • a known service function in email systems is the automated reply function. This allows a status message, often called an 'out-of-office * or "auto-reply" message, to be returned by an intended recipient's email system to the originator of an email sent to the intended recipient (the email addressee). This may be used, for example, when the communication attempt is unsuccessful, or when the intended recipient is unavailable, for example on holiday.
  • the content of the status message may be specified by the intended recipient of the failed communication, or may be automatically provided by his email system.
  • voice telephony e.g., "voice email”
  • text message systems e.g., the GSM SMS system
  • a limitation of existing status message techniques in communication networks is evident from the following example situation.
  • a coach of a sports team who needs to deal with perhaps twenty or thirty different people to confirm arrangements prior to every practice session or match. If the coach wants to avoid repeatedly explaining the necessary information in person, he has a number of options using known techniques. For example, the coach can newly record an appropriate outgoing voice mail announcement providing the relevant information. The coach can then reject the twenty or thirty calls from the people who need the information so the callers hear the announcement. Similarly, the coach could configure a reply text message with the relevant information in his mobile telephone handset and reject the calls with this preset text message.
  • apparatus for providing a service function, for an email addressee, the apparatus comprising: a database for storing information regarding the service function to be provided for the email addressee; a configuration processor element operable to receive configuration information from the email addressee and to modify the information in the database based on the configuration information; and a service processor element operable to access an email message addressed to the email addressee, to determine whether the content of the accessed email message (e.g., the main text body or subject line) conforms to a predefined criterion, and to selectively provide a service function based on the information stored in the database in dependence on whether or not the content of the accessed email message conforms to the predefined criterion.
  • a database for storing information regarding the service function to be provided for the email addressee
  • a configuration processor element operable to receive configuration information from the email addressee and to modify the information in the database based on the configuration information
  • a service processor element operable to access an email message addressed to the email addressee, to determine whether
  • embodiments of the invention provide a means for allowing a service function to be selectively carried out by an addressee's email system dependent upon a characteristic of an email message from an originator sent to the addressee and received at the addressee's email system.
  • the predefined criterion may, for example, be a pre-specified syntax, e.g., a specific character or text string in the subject field or main body of the email message.
  • the configuration processor element may be operable to receive the configuration information in a configuration email message from the email addressee, e.g., an email message addressed to a predefined service configuration email address.
  • the configuration processor element may be operable to receive the configuration information through an Internet interface.
  • the email addressee may be provided with easily used scheme(s) for configuring the service.
  • the configuration processor element may be operable to send a confirmation email message to the email addressee to confirm when information stored in the database has been modified based on configuration information received from the email addressee.
  • Provision of the service function may comprise sending a response message to a sender of the email message addressed to the email addressee.
  • the response message may, for example, include information content derived from the configuration information received from the email addressee.
  • the email addressee may pre-specify information, e.g., status information, that he wishes to make publicly available / disseminate to people sending an appropriate request message - i.e. a message conforming to the predefined criterion.
  • the response message may also include information content that is automatically generated by the service processor element, for example time information, e.g., the time the most recent configuration information was received.
  • Provision of the service function may further comprise inhibiting delivery of a received email message conforming to the predefined format to the email addressee.
  • the service function may be provided on behalf of the email addressee without him being disturbed.
  • the provision of the service function may be further dependent on the identity of the originator of the received message. Thus white- and / or black-listing may be applied to restrict which message originators can trigger the service function.
  • the provision of the service function may further dependent upon at least one further criterion being met, e.g., based on the time of day or location of the addressee.
  • a method for providing a service function for an email addressee comprising: receiving configuration information from the email addressee regarding the provision of the service function and modifying information stored in a database based on the configuration information; accessing an email message addressed to the email addressee; and determining whether the content of the accessed email message conforms to a predefined criterion, and if so, selectively providing a service function based on the information stored in the database in dependence on whether or not the content of the accessed email message conforms to the predefined criterion BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • Figure 1 schematically shows an example email system architecture having fixed terminal access
  • Figure 2 schematically shows an example email system architecture having wireless terminal access
  • FIG. 3 schematically shows an example email system architecture having fixed terminal access in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 4 schematically shows an example email system, architecture having wireless terminal access in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 1 schematically shows in simplified form how email messages may be delivered between fixed (non-wireless) email clients.
  • an email message is sent between a first email client 1 within a first organisation (Organisation
  • the first and second organisations may, for example, be companies having their own email servers in the case of business email use, or may be another type of entity, such as an Internet service provider (ISP) in the case of personal email user.
  • ISP Internet service provider
  • the term "organizing" is used here generally to refer to any entity responsible for an email server with which sender or recipient email addresses may be associated. In this regard the organisations may also be referred to as email hosts.
  • the first email client 1 is operable to communicate with a first email server 2 associated with Organisation 1 via the Internet 3.
  • the second email client 7 is operable to communicate with a second email server 6 associated with Organisation 2 via the Internet 3.
  • the first and second email servers 2, 6 are operable to communicate with one another via the Internet 3.
  • a DNS server 4 and a webmail server 5, neither of which is specifically associated with either of the first or second organisations, are also shown in Figure 1 connected to the Internet 3. These aspects of email services are conventional and well understood.
  • a standard Internet browser 8 operable to communicate with the Internet using HTTP.
  • an email client is a computer program that provides a user with access to email services.
  • the email client 1 of Figure 1 allows a user to: download and read an email message that has been received and stored on the associated email server 2, typically using either the well known POP or IMAP protocol;
  • the associated email server 2 determines the destination IP address to which the outgoing message is to be sent by looking up the domain part of the destination email address associated with the message (i.e. the part after the "@" symbol) in the DNS server 4.
  • the email message is then forwarded towards the corresponding destination email server, in this case to the email server 6 of the second organisation via the Internet 3 using the SMTP protocol.
  • the message arrives at the email server 6 it is stored.
  • the message may then be downloaded by an email client 7.
  • the standard Internet browser 8 could be used as an email client to connect to an email service hosted by the webmail server 5 using HTTP.
  • the well known, email domains such as Hotmail and Gmail work in this way.
  • the webmail server 5 provides the functions of both, a web server for communicating with the browser 8, and an email server for sending, receiving and storing email messages.
  • FIG. 2 schematically shows in simplified form how email messages may be delivered in a system supporting wireless email access.
  • the wireless email clients belong to an organisation 10 which corresponds with the first organisation of Figure 1.
  • Fixed email clients 7 outside the organisation 10 communicate with the email server 2 in the manner described above with reference to Figure 1.
  • communications between the email server 2 and wireless mobile users 24, 25 are via a redirector 20, a gateway and a mobile carrier 22, 23 for the respective wireless mobile users 24, 25 (namely carrier A for user 24 and carrier B for user 25).
  • carrier A for user 24 and carrier B for user 25 carrier A for user 24 and carrier B for user 25.
  • Option 1 The gateway 31 is within the organisation 10, behind its firewall 21 , and the organisation is responsible for maintaining links from the gateway 31 to each of the mobile carriers 22 and 23 that it uses.
  • Option 2 The gateway 32 is outside the organisation's firewall 21 in a so- called demilitarised zone. Again the organisation 10 is responsible for maintaining links to each of the mobile carriers 22 and 23 that it uses.
  • Option 3 The gateway 33 is provided by a mobile carrier. In the case represented in Figure 2, only carrier A can be used by the organisation's wireless users 24 since this is the carrier with the gateway.
  • the gateway 34 is provided by an independent email service provider which takes responsibility for managing links to all of the mobile carriers.
  • a gateway is known as a Network Operating Centre (NOC). This is the scheme used, for example, by RIM (RTM) for the Blackberry ( RTM ) system of wireless email.
  • an email server associated with each user (email address).
  • This email server might be managed by a company in the case of a corporate email user, or might be managed by an Internet Service Provider in the case of a home email user, or might be managed by a dedicated email provider in the case of a webmail service.
  • An email server can therefore be regarded as a concentration point through which all email messages are received for all of its associated users, whether fixed or wireless.
  • Embodiments of the present invention allow a sender of an email (email originator) located anywhere in the world to send an email message conforming to at least one predetermined criterion to an email addressee (intended recipient) associated with a particular email server (i.e. email addressed to this email addressee is received and accessible by this email server).
  • the email server is operable to detect that the received email message meets the predetermined criterion, and to perform a particular service on behalf of the email addressee.
  • an example service that can be provided by the present invention provides a means for the email addressee to pre-configure a message to be selectively sent back to an email originator who sends an email message that meets the predetermined criterion.
  • an email originator aware of the predetermined criterion may elect to send a message addressed to the email addressee which meets the predefined criterion (criteria) so as to in effect make a request for the email message pre-configured by the email addressee to be sent back to him.
  • a message originator conforming to the predefined criterion (criteria) may sometimes be referred to as a request message.
  • a service whereby a subscriber of the service (referred to here as an email addressee) is able to specify / pre-configure any information that he desires to be made available to any email, originator who send him an appropriately configured request message.
  • email request messages meeting the predefined criterion which are addressed to the email addressee are not delivered to the email addressee's mailbox.
  • the email originator can request to receive the email addressee's pre- configured message without disturbing the email addressee. For example, if the email, addressee is the coach of a sports team as discussed above, the coach can in effect publish any desired information by making it automatically available to anyone who wants to receive it.
  • the information can be selectively retrieved by any interested party simply by him sending an email that meets the predetermined criterion to the coach's normal email address.
  • a convenient point in an email system architecture to access email messages addressed to an email addressee on whose behalf the service function is to be provided is, in some embodiments, at the email addressee's email server, or in a separate element associated with the email server. This is a convenient point at which to implement some embodiments of the invention because it provides a location where received messages for a particular email addressee can be accessed and examined to check whether a received messaged meets the relevant predefined criterion.
  • service functions which may be provided by embodiments of the invention will not need any user configuration (e.g., the service function need not be personalised).
  • the present invention is now described in the context of the specific example service function identified above, wherein the service function comprises the automated retuming of information that the email addressee wishes to publish (the published information).
  • Figure 3 schematically represents an email system architecture in accordance with an embodiment of the invention in the context of fixed (non- wireless) email clients. Many aspects of Figure 3 are similar to and will be understood from the correspondingly numbered elements of Figure 1. Elements appearing in both Figures 1 and 3 with the same reference .numeral are conventional and not described in detail in the interest of brevity.
  • Email client 1 in this example is taken to be associated with the email addressee, i.e. the person (email address) on behalf of which the additional service function (the selective auto-reply in this example) is provided.
  • the email client 1 is associated with a conventional email server 2
  • the email client 1 is associated with an email server 42 according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • the email server 42 of Figure 3 is coupled to a database 9 for storing information regarding the provision of the service function on behalf of the email addressee associated with email client 1.
  • the email server 42 comprises a number of functional units.
  • the email server 42 comprises a service function element 44, a configuration processor element 43, and an email server element 45.
  • the email server element 45 is responsible for handling all functional aspects of the email server 42 which are normally performed by a conventional email server, such as the email server 2 of Figure 1.
  • the email server element 45 provides the email server 42 with all the capability of a conventional email server and is able to handle conventional emails in the usual way, except as described further below.
  • the service function element 44 is responsible for managing the provision of the service function in accordance with embodiments of the invention while the configuration processor element 43 is responsible for handling the configuring of the service function for an email addressee.
  • the respective elements of the email server 42 are shown as separate functional units in Figure 3 for the sake of clarity. In practice all the functionality of the email server may be provided by a single apparatus, such as a suitably programmed general purpose computer. Furthermore, whereas the database 9 is shown separately from the email server 42 in Figure 3, the database in some embodiments may be comprised within the same equipment as the email server 42, e.g., embodied in a conventional disk storage system of a general purpose computer programmed to provide the functionality of the email server 42.
  • the email server 42 and database 9 may be collectively considered an advanced email server 48, as schematically represented by the dashed line in Figure 3.
  • a user having an email address associated with the email server 42 and who wishes to publish information first configures the selective auto-reply service function provided by the advanced email server 48. For example, if the email addressee is a sports team coach who wishes to disseminate information about an upcoming match, he first configures the advanced email server 48 by providing the relevant information (e.g., time and date of the upcoming match) to the email server 42. This may be achieved in a number of ways.
  • the email addressee may access an Internet interface served by the email server 42, e.g., by the configuration processor element 43, and specify the information content to be disseminated / published (which may also be referred to as configuration information) through this interface along with the email address with which the service is to be associated.
  • configuration information information content to be disseminated / published (which may also be referred to as configuration information) through this interface along with the email address with which the service is to be associated.
  • access restrictions may be applied, e.g., through use of passwords, to prevent unauthorised use.
  • the configuration information may be provided by the email addressee to the advanced email server 48 b email.
  • a predefined email configuration address hosted by the email server 42 may be defined, such as "conf ig@emai l server42 . com".
  • the email server element 45 of the advanced email server may be configured to in effect deliver messages to this address to the configuratioii processor element 43.
  • the configuration processor element 43 may then take the content the email to be configuration information for the sending user.
  • the configuration information may be provided by the email addressee to the advanced email server 48 through a "self-addressed" email - i.e. an email sent by the email addressee which specifies the email addressee as recipient.
  • the advanced email server 48 may be configured to identify email messages having the same sender and destination email address and "catch" these for routing to the configuration processor element 43.
  • configuration information from the email addressee could be routed to the configuration processor element 43 of the advanced email server 48.
  • email messages from the email addressee having a predefined syntax or including a predefined "key word" may be identified by the advanced email server 48 as comprising configuration information on this basis.
  • the email address of the sender of the configuration email might be used to match the configuration information to the relevant user.
  • other techniques may be used.
  • the user on behalf of whom the configuration information is being supplied may be required to identify themselves in some other way, e.g., by providing his name or an allotted user ID (with accompanying password or PIN where additional security is desired) in conjunction with the configuration information.
  • An aspect of the configuration email message e.g., conformance with a prearranged syntax, could then be used to identify the message as conveying configuration information such as discussed above. This approach would thus allow, for example, a user to send updated configuration information from an email address other than the one with which the service function is to be associated.
  • the configuration processor element 43 acts to extract the relevant information to be published from the configuration information.
  • the configuration information may conform to a predefined configuration format whereby the sole textual content of the configuration information is taken as the information to be published verbatim.
  • the configuration may use a predefined syntax to extract the relevant information from the configuration information.
  • the configuration processor element 43 is configured to update the database 9 to reflect the new configuration state.
  • the configuration processor element 43 may instruct modification of the database 9 so that an entry representing an "information to publish" entry associated with the user sending the configuration information is updated in accordance with the configuration information.
  • the database update may be performed in accordance with known database management techniques.
  • a configuration change requested by a user in configuration information routed to the configuration processor element 43 in any of the above described techniques results in a change to data stored in the attached database 9.
  • a new record may be created in the database 9, e.g., if it is the user's first time using the system, or an existing data record may be modified.
  • the configuration change in the database may in some examples be confirmed when complete, e.g., by sending an email message to the user requesting the configuration change.
  • the database 9 may also maintain more general information regarding the provision of the selective auto-reply service function. For example, whether or not the service is activated for a given user. Thus users may switch on and off the service function, e.g., by sending configuration information containing a predefined switch signal. For example, sending a message comprising blank configuration information may be interpreted as a request to disable the selective auto-reply service function, while sending any subsequent configuration information that is not blank may be interpreted as a request to enable the selective auto-reply service function. 4.
  • a user may configure aspects of a service function to be provided on his behalf by simply providing configuration information to an advanced email server responsible for providing the service.
  • the configuration information may be provided by email, or through an Internet interface, for example.
  • the advanced email server is operable to provide the service function (i.e. the selective auto-reply function) on behalf the email addressee when an appropriately configured email message addressed to the addressee is received by email server.
  • the service function i.e. the selective auto-reply function
  • any email addressed to an email addressee having an email address hosted by the email server will be routed through the email server 42 in accordance with the conventional handing of emails.
  • the email message when an email originator sends an email message to an email addressee associated with the advanced email server 48, the email message is routed to the email server element 45 of the email server in accordance with standard email routing techniques. However, when an email is received, the email server element 45 is operable to make its content available for access by the service processor element 44 of the advanced email server 48. The service processor element is then operable to determine whether the accessed email message meets one or more predefined criterion (discussed in more detail further below).
  • the service processor element 44 of the email server 42 determines the received email message does not meet the one or more predefined criterion associated with the service function, the message is delivered normally to the email addressee by the email server element 45 of the advanced email server 48 in the conventional way.
  • "normal" email messages i.e. messages sent to the email addressee that have nothing to do with the sender requesting published information
  • the service processor element 44 of the email server 42 determines the received email message does meet the one or more predefined criterion for the service function, the service processor element 44 queries the database 9 (using conventional database access techniques), to determine the function to be executed and any associated data.
  • the function to be executed is the sending of a response message to the sender of the email conforming to the predefined criterion
  • the associated data is the information content to be provided in the response email (which in this example is derived from previously received configuration information from the email addressee).
  • the email server then executes the desired function, in the is case by sending the auto-reply message.
  • the service processor element may configure the auto-reply message to present the address of the email addressee as the message sender.
  • the function may be enabled for only some email addressees, either by subscription, or by the addressee's choice, in which case the function is only executed for those addressees that have the function enabled.
  • embodiments of the invention can help address a limitation of known "out of office" auto-reply schemes by allowing an email addressee's associated email server to respond on behalf of the email addressee to an enquiry email from an email originator that is addressed to the email addressee, and to send back published information to the email originator.
  • Embodiments of the invention can allow the content of the published information to be configurable at least in part by the email addressee and / or automatically by his email server (e.g., the service processor e!ement of the email server may automatically add a time stamp to the auto-reply message corresponding to the time the configuration information was received.
  • Figure 3 describes an. implementation of the invention primarily in the context of fixed access users, the invention is equally applicable for wireless access email users. This is both for a wireless user as an email addressee on whose behalf the service is provided and for a wireless user as an originator of an email request message (and subsequent recipient of published information). Since the location and function of an email server is substantially the same for both conventional fixed (e.g., as shown in Figure 1) and conventional wireless (e.g., as shown in Figure 2) email addressees, the same modification of the email server as described above with reference to Figure 3 could also be made for an email server provided in conjunction with a wireless email access scenario.
  • conventional fixed e.g., as shown in Figure 1
  • conventional wireless e.g., as shown in Figure 2
  • the same modification of the email server as described above with reference to Figure 3 could also be made for an email server provided in conjunction with a wireless email access scenario.
  • the email server 2 of Figure 2 could be replaced with a modified email server such as the advanced email server 48 of Figure 3 to provide the same functionality for wireless email access as described above for fixed users.
  • a modified email server such as the advanced email server 48 of Figure 3 to provide the same functionality for wireless email access as described above for fixed users.
  • email configuration information and information request messages arrive via the Internet 3 (as in Figure 3) or via a redirector in a corresponding wireless implementation.
  • a single email server may host both fixed and wireless email access.
  • a conventional redirector operating in conventional manner such as described in reference to Figure 2 may be coupled to the advanced email server 48 of Figure 3, and in particular to the email server element 45 of the advanced email server 48.
  • the email server element 45 may be configured to communicate with the redirector in the same way as with a conventional email server so that the wireless access aspect of the architecture operates in wholly conventional manner.
  • a company or organisation that operates its own email server (as is usual) can readily implement an embodiment of the present invention to provide the personal publication service described above to any or all of its employees whether using fixed or wireless access.
  • Figure 4 schematically represents an email system architecture in accordance with another embodiment of the invention for providing additional service functions in the context of wireless email clients.
  • this example is based on a wireless email configuration based on the gateway Option 4 of Figure 2, i.e. the Network Operating Centre (NOC) 34 implementation, such as is used by RIM for its Blackberry (RTM) email service for corporate users.
  • NOC Network Operating Centre
  • Figure 4 primarily differs from the implementation of Figure 3 in that Figure 4 is based on a modified redirector 52, whereas Figure 3 is based on a modified email server 42.
  • the email system architecture of Figure 4 differs from the email system architecture of Figure 2 in the functional design of the redirector associated with email server 2 of the organisation 10 with which the email addressee 24 is associated.
  • the conventional wireless access architecture of Figure 2 includes a conventional redirector 20
  • the email system architecture of Figure 4 is associated with a redirector 52 modified according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • the redirector 52 of Figure 4 is coupled to a database 59 for storing information regarding the provision of the service function on behalf of the email addressee 24.
  • the redirector 52 comprises a number of functional units.
  • the redirector 52 comprises a service function element 54, a configuration processor element 53, and a redirector element 55.
  • the redirector element 55 is responsible for handling all functional aspects of the redirector 52 which are normally performed by a conventional redirector, such as the redirector 20 of Figure 2.
  • the redirector element 55 provides the redirector 52 with all the capability of a conventional redirector and is able to handle conventional emails In the usual way, except as described further below.
  • the service function element 54 is responsible for managing the provision of the service function in accordance with embodiments of the invention while the configuration processor element 53 is responsible for handling the configuring of the service function for an email addressee.
  • the respective elements of the redirector 52 are shown as separate functional units in Figure 4 for the sake of clarity. In practice all the functionality of the redirector may be provided by a single apparatus, such as a suitable programmed general purpose computer.
  • the database 59 is shown separately from the redirector 52 in Figure 4, the database in some embodiments may be comprised within the same equipment as the redirector 52, e.g., embodied in a conventional disk storage system of a general purpose computer programmed to provide the functionality of the redirector 52.
  • the redirector 52 and database 59 may be collectively considered an advanced redirector 58, as schematically represented by the dashed line in Figure 4.
  • the configuration processor element 52, the service processor element 53 and the database 59 may operate in broadly the same manner as the corresponding elements in the advanced email server of Figure 3. In essence, the only difference is where in the system the modified email processing is applied. In Figure 3 it is applied in a modified email server, whereas in Figure 4 it is applied in a modified redirector.
  • the NOC 34 communicates with each subscribing organisation, e.g., organisation 10, via a proprietary protocol, and requires a middleware software package to be installed and run on the redirector 52 on the organisation ' s premises.
  • this software package is known as Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES); other implementations from other manufacturers also exist.
  • RIM's BES provides continuous connection between the email server 2 of an organisation 10 and the NOC 34, which in turns provides connection to the wireless users 24, 25.
  • the BES, or equivalent redirector software in the case of other implementations, is sold and provided by the independent organisation that operates the NOC 34, since the two work together and typically communicate with each other over a secure proprietary protocol.
  • the email addressee is able to pre -configure the literal text of his published information by sending to a defined address (for example his own email address or a special configuration email address) an email message with a predefined syntax and containing the desired personal status text.
  • a defined address for example his own email address or a special configuration email address
  • the configuration syntax may be a single dot at the start of the message body followed by the desired personal status text. Use of other fields and/or syntaxes is of course possible.
  • the user may cancel the sending of published information by sending a message with predefined configuration syntax.
  • the text '.' followed by the text of the desired published information might be used to set up published information to be sent in response to a status enquiry, and the text '.' on its own sent as a configuration message might be used to cancel any configured published information. If no personal status is set, then a default status message may be sent in response to a status enquiry, for example "No status set".
  • the addressee may configure the provision of the service function via the Internet interface www I/F instead of, or in addition to, through the use of configuration email messages.
  • the email server may distinguish configuration messages from other enquiry messages by determining that the origination and destination email addresses are the same.
  • part of the published information may be configured by the email addressee as described above, with the remainder provided by other means.
  • all or part of the published information content may be derived automatically as and when required.
  • the auto-reply message may simply contain an indication of how long has elapsed since the email addressee last checked their email.
  • All or part of the published information may be derived from another application, for example an Out-of-Office status message set up for responding to unsuccessful text, voice or video communications.
  • the published information may be generated as desired, using any combination of user-entered or automatically sourced media.
  • rules may be defined to allow published information configuration to change dependent upon other factors such as for example time of day, or upon the originating address of the enquiring subscriber (e.g., a white list or blacklist indicating which originator subscribers receive published information and which do not, or a table indicating which originating user receives which published information). It would be possible, for example, for all enquiring users to receive a manually configured text portion of the personal status, while whitelisted subscribers also receive an added portion, e.g., information considered more private, such as the user's location. Many other permutations are possible.
  • configuration messages addressed to the configuration email address may be routed in the normal way to the email server of the user. If the syntax of the message corresponds to the predefined syntax of a configuration message for a subscribed service, or the configuration message is sent to a predefined email address allowing it to be identified as a configuration message, then the email server may update configuration settings for that service and user (email addressee) stored in the database.
  • the predefined criterion for the content of a message to trigger the automated sending of an automatic reply email message may relate to a specified syntax. For example, a single dot at the start of the enquiry message followed by no other characters may be used. Thus a party wishing to receive information to be published that has been configured by an email addressee may simply send a message to the normal email address of the addressee containing a single "dot" character to obtain the information.
  • Other criteria or syntaxes are of course possible, for example particular subject line content or format may be pre- specified to trigger the auto-reply.
  • the apparatus i.e. the advanced email server of Figure 3 or the advanced redirector of Figure 4
  • the apparatus i.e. the advanced email server of Figure 3 or the advanced redirector of Figure 4
  • the published information is generated according to the configuration settings for this user as described above.
  • the published information may, for example, provides a textual indication of the personal status of the email addressee. If the originator is blacklisted for published information, or not on an active whitelist for published information, then the email enquiry may be discarded and no published information returned and the email not forwarded to the email addressee. Alternatively, such an email may be forwarded onto the email addressee to alert him to someone's interest in his published information.
  • the above-described examples allow an email originator to check the published information of a service user (the email addressee) by email without disturbing him or initiating a dialogue, and provide the service user with control over the enabling of this facility and its content.
  • the scheme is easy for the service user to manage, because configuration changes can be effected with a single email message, or alternatively can be performed on the web.
  • the scheme is also easy for the email originator to use, because the enquiry message is directed to the addressee's normal email address, and hence the facilities of the originator's email client, such as the address book, can be used in the normal way to create the enquiry message.
  • a further example of an embodiment of the invention may be illustrated in a situation where the coach of a sports team wishes to regularly disseminate information to members of his team, without either being disturbed by multiple incoming communications, having to make multiple outgoing communications, or giving out the same information multiple times.
  • the coach can set up the published information, which in this case could be text such as:
  • each and every interested party can send an email enquiry to the coach's normal email address, and receive back the configured message. This fulfils the need for disseminating the information to multiple parties without disturbing the coach.
  • disseminated information could relate to anything desired, and need not necessarily be a reflection of any personal status.
  • the invention when used in this way can provide an instant publishing capability for an addressee, who can configure any item of information desired for publication / dissemination, and hence allow any enquiring party to receive this information on demand by sending an email enquiry message to the addressee's normal email address.
  • Examples of a personal status service provided in accordance with some embodiments of the invention, which is just one example of an application of an embodiment of the present invention, may find application in the following: • for social networking, where contacts can keep in touch with a user's personal status by email when they are away from their computer
  • embodiments of the present invention can be used to trigger many types of functions in the email system of the email addressee, and can allow the addressee, if desired, to have control over these functions.
  • an additional criterion may be used to influence the action of a function performed by the email addressee's email system in response to receipt of an email message that meets a first criterion as described above.
  • additional criteria include but are not limited to—
  • addressee e.g., determined from a reported mobile handset location in the case of a wireless access user
  • an originator could be provided with the opportunity to send messages conforming to a number of different predefined criteria to get different published information. That is to say, the email addressee could configure multiple published information messages each of which could be retrievable by a different originator email enquiry message. For example, a coach who managed a rugby and a hockey team, could set up separate published information for each, and these could be requested respectively by an enquiry email message having the content '.rugby' or ' .hockey * within its content (e.g., in the subject line or main text portion) sent to the coach's email address.
  • embodiments of the present invention are not limited to personal status enquiries, but provide a means more generally of selectively implementing a desired function (service function) to be carried out on behalf of an email addressee according to previously received configuration information.
  • An alternative example of a service function that could be implemented using an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by the following scenario.
  • An originator sends a particular email message with predefined syntax (e.g., a single dot character) to an addressee.
  • the originator is present on a white list that has been set up by the addressee.
  • the function implemented by the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is to send an email message to the email addressee giving the location of the originator, e.g., determined from a conventionally reported position of a mobile handset for a wireless user.
  • this example could be further extended to also send the email addressee's location back to the originator, so that two email messages are generated in response to the single originator message.
  • Many other functions are possible and envisaged as falling within the scope of the present invention.
  • embodiments of the invention provide a means for an addressee to publish any information that he desires, and hence that the invention provides a vehicle for instant publishing. That is to say, the service function provided in accordance with embodiments of the invention may be the provision of information in response to a received message from a third party in effect requesting the information, e.g., because the received message conforms to a predefined criterion.
  • the published information can, for example, be set up by the addressee (who may also be referred to as the publisher) using the configuration message techniques described above, and anyone who sends a suitably formatted message (e.g., a single dot character in a preferred embodiment) to the addressee will then receive a message in return containing the published information.
  • a suitably formatted message e.g., a single dot character in a preferred embodiment
  • Email is an established technology defined in the various relevant Internet RFC standards, that can support the inclusion text, video, images and audio. It would be possible for such media components to be configured either together or separately by a publisher (as noted above, the term publisher is used here to refer to an addressee using an embodiment of the invention to make information widely available).
  • a publisher could send an email configuration message to define his published information, and in this case the multimedia content or attachments of the configuration message could form all or part of the published information in broadly the same was as described above for a textual email configuration message.
  • additional information could be automatically added by the user's email network.
  • the system could be set up so that individual media components of the desired multimedia published information could be configured separately.
  • the components of the multimedia published information could be combined dynamically into an email message with one or more attachments whenever a suitably formatted message (e.g., a message conforming to at least one predefined criterion) is sent to the publisher (i.e. the email addressee).
  • An advantage of this technique is that it gives the publisher the flexibility to update each component of his multimedia published information separately as desired. For example, a traveller could periodically update his current published information by configuring a new picture, sending new text using email, or by recording a new piece of audio. A picture or video clip could be configured by sending it to the configuration address as an email attachment. Users sending a suitably formatted message may then receive a composite email message comprising the latest components combined into a single email message with one or more attachments.
  • a significant feature of some embodiments of the present invention is that a suitably formatted message (i.e. conforming to a predefined criterion) sent from an originator to a publisher is preferably not delivered to the publisher.
  • a suitably formatted message i.e. conforming to a predefined criterion
  • published information can be retrieved from a publisher without disturbing him. This might be particularly important for example in the case of a celebrity who was publishing information. At peak times it may be that many hundreds or thousands of requests could be addressed to the celebrity ' s email address in a short period of time, and it would be undesirable to attempt to deliver all of these messages to the celebrity's inbox.
  • Other messages that are not suitably formatted are not intercepted and are delivered normally, e.g., as described above.
  • embodiments of the invention may provide means for allowing a service function to be selectively carried out by an addressee's email system dependent upon a characteristic of an email messagc from an originator sent to the addressee and received at the addressee's email system.
  • the service function may, for example, comprise sending a response message to the originator of the received message.
  • the response message may include information content specified by the addressee for use in conjunction with the service function, e.g., information content which the addressee wishes to disseminate, such as personal status information. This content may be referred to herein as published information.
  • the information content may include information specified by the addressee in a configuration message previously sent to the email system.
  • the information content may comprise a number of components (e.g., audio, text, video and/or picture components), and wherein different ones of the components are specified by the addressee in different configuration messages / configuration information submissions.
  • Such a scheme might be employed, for example, to provide for the returning on demand of published information comprising an indication of the personal status of an addressee, to an originator who sends to the addressee a query message conforming to a predefined criterion.
  • the response message may include information content automatically generated by the email addressee's email system.
  • the provision of the service function may further comprise inhibiting forwarding of the received message to the addressee.
  • This allows senders of messages conforming to the predefined criterion to obtain a response message, e.g., relevant to the addressee's current status and / or containing information the addressee wishes to make available, without the addressee being disturbed by the receipt of query email messages, especially push email messages, and without the addressee's email inbox becoming cluttered with query messages.
  • the query message may be considered to conform to the predefined criterion if the content of the message, for example the main body field or the subject field, meets a predetermined syntax, e.g., if it contains a predefined character or character string. Other fields or combinations of fields could be used as desired.
  • Methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention may further comprise selectively providing the service function dependent upon, at least one further criterion being met, e.g., based on the time of day or location of the addressee.
  • the apparatus comprises a database for storing information regarding the service function to be provided for the user, a configuration processor element operable to receive configuration information from user, e.g., in a configuration email sent to a predefined service configuration email address, and to modify the information in the database based on the configuration information.
  • the apparatus further comprises a service processor element operable to access an email message addressed to the user, to determine whether the content of the accessed email message conforms to a predefined criterion, for example, whether the email conforms to a predefined syntax, and to selectively provide the service function in dependence on whether or not the content of the accessed email message conforms to the predefined criterion, wherein at least one aspect of the service function performed is dependent on the information stored in the database for the user.
  • a service processor element operable to access an email message addressed to the user, to determine whether the content of the accessed email message conforms to a predefined criterion, for example, whether the email conforms to a predefined syntax, and to selectively provide the service function in dependence on whether or not the content of the accessed email message conforms to the predefined criterion, wherein at least one aspect of the service function performed is dependent on the information stored in the database for the user.

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Abstract

La présente invention se rapporte à un appareil permettant d'offrir sélectivement des fonctions de service configurables par un utilisateur au nom d'utilisateurs de courrier électronique. L'appareil comprend une base de données pour stocker des informations se rapportant à la fonction de service qui doit être proposée à l'utilisateur, un élément de processeur de configuration conçu pour recevoir de l'utilisateur des informations de configuration, par exemple dans un courrier électronique de configuration envoyé à une adresse électronique de configuration de service prédéfinie, et pour modifier les informations dans la base de données sur la base des informations de configuration. L'appareil comprend en outre un élément de processeur de service conçu pour avoir accès à un message électronique adressé à l'utilisateur, pour déterminer si le contenu du message électronique auquel on a accédé est en conformité avec un critère prédéfini, par exemple si le courrier électronique est en conformité avec une syntaxe prédéfinie, et pour offrir sélectivement la fonction de service selon le fait que le contenu du message de courrier électronique auquel on a accédé est, ou non, en conformité avec le critère prédéfini, au moins un aspect de la fonction de service proposée étant fonction des informations stockées dans la base de données pour l'utilisateur.
PCT/GB2011/051125 2010-06-18 2011-06-16 Procédé et appareil de services de communication WO2011158033A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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GB1010212.7 2010-06-18
GB1010212.7A GB2481242A (en) 2010-06-18 2010-06-18 Providing configurable auto-reply e-mail messages to selected recipients

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US9509650B2 (en) 2014-08-29 2016-11-29 Betteremailing, Llc Electronic message management with conversation participation status
CN115086066A (zh) * 2022-07-14 2022-09-20 中国联合网络通信集团有限公司 消息订阅方法、装置、设备及存储介质
CN115086066B (zh) * 2022-07-14 2023-07-18 中国联合网络通信集团有限公司 消息订阅方法、装置、设备及存储介质

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