US20050021633A1 - E-mail program capable of transmitting, opening and presenting a container having digital content using embedded executable software - Google Patents

Abstract

An E-mail message enhancement apparatus is preferably implemented through a sequence of program instructions. On the sender side, creation software implements a data format that allows for differing types of content, such as visual images, audio, multimedia, and functional attributes such as links to a sender's home page on the world wide web. Furthermore, in addition to such content in the E-mail message, there is included header information, including the E-mail address of the sender, and recipient executable embedded software that ensures the recipient will be able to view contents and perform the functional attributes that make up the E-mail message.

Description

• This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/329,122 filed Jun. 9, 1999, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/845,722 filed Apr. 25, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,688.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to an E-mail software program enhancement, and, more particularly, an e-mail program capable of transmitting, opening and presenting a container having digital content (e.g. visual images, audio) using embedded executable software.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Conventional E-mail systems transmit textual messages from a sender to a receiver. It is also customary to send attachments with messages, the attachments containing files that the sender desires forwarding to the receiver.
• Despite the vast usage of E-mail and E-mail systems, certain drawbacks still exist. Among these drawbacks include lack of privacy and verification of message receipt. While encryption systems exist that can provide for privacy and verification of message receipt, such encryption systems become tedious to properly use, and are, therefore, avoided in many circumstances due to the fact that they are difficult to use. Since typical E-mails are not secure in a heterogeneous environment and there is no verification of message receipt, E-mail messages are typically used only for low priority communications.
• Furthermore, messages that are sent via one E-mail platform cannot be reliably transmitted to another E-mail platform and still ensure that different types of content appear as desired. For this and other reasons, E-mail messages typically lack interesting different types of content, such as visual images, audio, multimedia, and other functional attributes, such as, for instance, links to a sender's home page on the world wide web. Accordingly, since only text based content can be easily transmitted and received in a reliable manner, most E-mail transmissions tend to use textual content that looks similar, with attachments of files that are similarly uninteresting.
• As a result, a more robust enhancement to conventional E-mail platforms is needed in order to reliably overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• It is an object of the present invention to provide an E-mail message enhancement apparatus that allows for privacy and verification of message receipt.
• It is another object of the present invention to provide an E-mail message enhancement apparatus that can be reliably transmitted from one E-mail platform to another E-mail platform.
• It is a further object of the present invention to provide an E-mail message enhancement apparatus that allows for the transmission, reception and layout of interesting different types of content.
• The above objects of the present invention, among others, are provided by the present invention through the E-mail message enhancement apparatus which is preferably implemented through a sequence of program instructions and achieved as attachments to e-mail message. On the sender side, creation software implements a data format that allows for differing types of digital content. Furthermore, in addition to such content in the E-mail message, there is included attachments, header information, including the E-mail address of the sender, and recipient executable embedded software that ensures the recipient will be able to view contents and perform the functional attributes that make up the E-mail message.
• In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the executable software that is transmitted as part of the E-mail message is written using Java programming language and contains a self-opening message feature, such that the container automatically opens and is initially viewed with all of the desired content appearing. Thereafter, depending upon the content originally included by the sender, and the action taken on the part of the recipient, different portions of the content and functional attributes are highlighted. Such content and functional attributes will be viewable, regardless of the E-mail platform of the recipient, due to the inclusion of the executable software in the E-mail message itself that is transmitted.
• Through the use of a data structure that allows for a plurality of component objects to be included in a single E-mail message, as well as a plurality of sub-component objects to be associated with each component object, an E-mail message having robust content and functional attributes can be achieved.
• In a specific embodiment of the invention, the E-mail message that is transmitted has a plurality of component objects, with one of the component objects representing the front face of an envelope, and different other component objects including, but not limited to, recipient address, sender address, stamp, digital time stamp, and an envelope open attribute so that the E-mail message appears on the recipient's computer screen like an envelope. When the E-mail message is opened using the envelope open attribute, or subsequently closed, verification of message receipt is automatically forwarded back to the original sender. In a specific form of this embodiment, both sides of the envelope can be represented, with another component object representing the back side of the envelope and the envelope open attribute that allows for attachments or messages within the envelope to be viewed appearing on the back side of the envelope.
• In another specific embodiment of the present invention, the E-mail message that is transmitted has a plurality of component objects, with one of the component objects representing the front face of a postcard, and different other component objects represented on the back face of the postcard being the recipient address, sender address, stamp, senders letter and digital time stamp.
• Still furthermore, the size and shape of component objects can be varied as desired by the sender, overlap with each other and vary in number within a single E-mail message. Accordingly, the appearance of the E-mail message can be varied as desired by the sender.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The structural and functional aspects of the invention will become understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:
• FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an implementation of the invention in a computer network;
• FIG. 2 illustrates an E-mail message format for an enhanced E-mail message according to the invention;
• FIG. 3 illustrates the format of an envelope data structure according to the invention;
• FIG. 4 illustrates the contents of an envelope header in an envelope data file according to the invention;
• FIG. 5 illustrates envelope data;
• FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a component objects file according to the invention;
• FIG. 7 illustrates the contents of a component object header data structure according to the invention;
• FIG. 8 illustrates the contents of a component object data structure according to the invention;
• FIG. 9 illustrates the contents of a component object property data structure according to the invention;
• FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate the process of creating and sending an enhanced E-mail message according to the invention;
• FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the process of receiving an enhanced E-mail message according to the invention;
• FIG. 12 illustrates an enhanced E-mail message initial container display according to the invention;
• FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the process of handling a user action according to the invention;
• FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the process of conditional display of contents if conditions set by the sender according to the invention;
• FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating the process of sending return receipt E-mail messages according to the invention;
• FIGS.16A,16B1-16B2 and16C1-16C4 illustrates example data structures for an envelope container having a company logo as an object component according to the invention; and
• FIGS. 17A-17D illustrate views and actions that result from the data structures such as set forth in FIGS.16A,16B1-16B2 and16C1-16C4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• FIG. 1 illustrates acomputer network10 which operates upon the E-mail enhancement program according to the present invention. Asender computer20 communicates with arecipient computer30 through anetwork12. Of course, additional computers, represented as computers32(1),32(2) . . .32(n) can also be connected to thenetwork12 and be used to send and receive E-mail messages.
• Sender computer20 contains, as is known, acomputing portion22 that contains, as is known, I/022A,memory22B and some type of processor22C, which can be in the form of, for instance, a microprocessor. Attached to thecomputing portion22 is akeyboard24, a-mouse26, and adisplay28. Similarly,recipient computer30 contains, as is known, acomputing portion32 that contains, as is known, I/032A,memory32B and some type ofprocessor32C, which can be in the form of, for instance, a microprocessor. Attached to thecomputing portion32 is akeyboard34, amouse36, and adisplay38.
• Creation executable software according to the present invention contains sequences of program instructions that allow for the creation of an enhanced E-mail message according to the present invention, as well as the transmission of the created message through the network to the recipient. Recipient executable software according to the present invention contains a different sequence of program instructions that allow for the receipt, and thus visual, audible and functional attributes to be obtained by the recipient.
• There currently exist two different embodiments of the software according to the present invention. In a first, version of the software, the creation and recipient executable software is loaded into thememory22B of thesender computer20. When this embodiment of the software is used, the E-mail message structure contains, as described hereinafter, a portion that attaches the recipient executable software to the E-mail message transmitted from the sender to the recipient. So long as therecipient computer30 can operate as a Java virtual machine, therecipient computer30 will receive the E-mail message containing the recipient executable software, preferably written in Java, and use that recipient executable software to display the enhanced E-mail message on thedisplay38 of therecipient computer30.
• In a second, native version of the software, the creation executable software is loaded into thememory22B of thesender computer20, and the recipient executable software is loaded into thememory32B of therecipient computer32. In this embodiment, the transmitted E-mail message will not contain the recipient executable software, since the recipient executable software will already reside on therecipient computer30.
• It should of course be understood that the present invention is not to be interpreted in a manner that limits the present invention to a specific sequence of program instructions. The descriptions given herein, as well as a review of the source code attached hereto, provide the teachings necessary to implement the present invention in different programming languages and on different operating system platforms.
• FIGS. 2-9 will now be described, which figures illustrate the data format which the Java executable software version implements. Those specific fields which are believed to be self explanatory will not be described in detail. Before describing this data format in further detail, however, reference is made toFIG. 12, which illustrates an enhanced E-mailinitial container display100 made up of component objects102,104,106 and108. It should be noted that the number of component objects in any initial display can be varied, as can the size and shape of each of the component objects. Also, it should be noted that the component object is also referred to in certain of the drawings and potentially the specification text as a “Vixel”, which term is a trademark of PostX Corporation. Theinitial display100 provides a display that is also referred to in certain of the drawings and potentially the specification text as “Active View”, which term is a trademark of PostX Corporation.
• FIG. 2 illustrates the E-mail message format for the enhanced E-mail message according to the present invention. Thisdata format40 includes anative stub code40A that provides for a self-opening envelope at the present time, despite the fact that Java classes are not presently defined so that self-opening can occur without the use of such a native stub. Thereafter,data40B indicates the number of recipient executable files, which files then follow asfiles1,2 . . .n, which are labeled as40C-1,40C-2 . . .40C-n, the number of which will be determined by the different number and type of images, sounds, and functional attributes that the sender inserts into the enhanced E-mail message that is sent. Container/envelope data file40D follows thereafter, which file is further described with reference toFIG. 3.
• As illustrated inFIG. 3, the envelope data file40D contains anenvelope header42, the contents of which are provided in detail inFIG. 4. Of note with respect to the contents of theFIG. 4 header is the return E-mail address of the sender, as well as the recipient name that is used in the return receipt E-mail function described further hereinafter, as well as an indication of whether the E-mail message is encrypted as described further hereinafter. It should be noted that the header is not encrypted.
• As also illustrated inFIG. 3, the envelope data file40D containsenvelope data44, which includes the list of attachments sent by the sender, and recipients and sender's letter. Senders Attachments50-1,50-2 . . .50-nrepresent attachments that are included within the enhanced E-mail message, as will be described in more detail hereinafter, as will be the contents of the component objects file54, also referred to as the Active View file, the contents of which are set forth inFIG. 6.
• As shown inFIG. 6, component objects file54 includes a component objectheader data structure56, followed by component object or Vixel data structure58-1,58-2 . . .58-n, and component object property or Vixel property data structures60-1,60-2,60-2-n. . .60-n. The contents of the component objectheader data structure56 are set forth inFIG. 7, the contents of the componentobject data structures58 are set forth inFIG. 8, and the contents of the component objectproperty data structures60 are set forth inFIG. 9.
• Of note with respect to the contents of the header data structure illustrated inFIG. 7 is that the “platinum envelope” entry for the file information is used as a description information, no conditional processing is done with this field. The identifiers for “Container Type” correspond to different representations of default containers.
• A default “envelope” container contains component objects representing the front face of an envelope, and different other component objects being recipient address, sender address, stamp, digital time stamp, the back side of the envelope and the envelope open attribute that allows for attachments or messages within the envelope to be viewed appearing on the back side of the envelope so that the E-mail message appears on the recipient's computer screen like an envelope.
• A default “postcard” container contains component objects representing the front face of a postcard, and different other component objects represented on the back face of the postcard being the recipient address, sender address, stamp, and digital time stamp.
• A default “newsletter” container contains a component object representing each page of a newsletter, as well as various component objects on each page.
• A default “CD” container contains a component object for each different audio track for a component object that has a functional attribute of playing music.
• A default “Rolled up Newspaper” container contains a component object representing a newspaper, a component object representing the index to the newspaper, and a component object representing each section of the newspaper, as well as component objects for each article if desired.
• A default “stack of card” container contain a component object representing each card.
• A default “coupon” contains a component object for each coupon that could appear in, for example, a newspaper.
• The Front Color indicates the background color that will be used for thecontainer100, whereas the Envelope Size is used by the default envelope container to represent the width and height dimensions.
• The Data Location refers to whether data for the component object requires looking to a data field, fetching data using a URL, or an absolute offset. The data field may be a digital data field that contains digital data, such as digital images from, for instance, a GIF, a video sequence, an audio sequence, or other representations of images.
• For each component object, there exists the data structure illustrated inFIG. 8, which data structure contains a Component ID that allows that component object to be uniquely identified, as well as Component Attributes that identify whether the component object appears as an image on the front and back of a container, or is invisible. If it appears on the front or back of a container, the size of the component object, its location, and the location of data are also specified. If it is an invisible attribute, the size and location data may not be necessary. Also a hidden component object can, for instance, trigger a return receipt without the knowledge of the recipient, such that a mouse over would cause a return receipt if the hidden component object were configured to respond to a mouse over by providing a return receipt when a mouse-over occurs.
• Potentially associated with each component object identified by a data field ofFIG. 8 are a plurality of sub-component objects. Each sub-component object associated with a component object contains data fields provided inFIG. 9.
• Each sub-component object is initiated by a User Action, which User Action is specified by, but not limited to the following, the position and state of the mouse pointer, which state can be that it is not over the component object (no action), appears over the component object (mouse over), there is a single mouse click when it is over the component object, or there is a mouse double click when it is over the component object. Each User Action can cause a Sub-Component-Type to be displayed/initiated. A plurality of sub-components can be associated with a single component object, and be initiated by the same or different User Action.
• Each sub-component object also has an ID, as well as an ID type that has associated with it a primary or a secondary sub-component object. The secondary sub-component object will only be initiated if the primary sub-component object is unavailable, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.
• Having now described the preferred data format that is used to transmit the enhanced E-mail message according to the present invention,FIGS. 10 and 11 will be referred to in describing the creation and sending, and the receipt, respectively, of an enhanced E-mail message, so that a container such as thecontainer100 illustrated inFIG. 12 is displayed on thedisplay38 of arecipient computer30 after having been sent from asender computer20.
• The creation and sending of an enhanced E-mail message according to the present invention, as well as initial receipt of an enhanced E-mail message prior to a user event, will now be described with respect toFIGS. 10 and 11.
• FIGS. 10-10B illustrate the process of creating and transmitting an enhanced e-mail message with a container attachment that is self opening and has the other characteristics described herein. Instep62, header information is first designated to define the container. Thereafter, component definitions are created by the sender in astep64. There can be any number of component definitions desired, with it being understood that the more definitions that exist, the larger the size of the attachment that will ultimately be transmitted. Thereafter, sub-component definitions can be created for each component object, as described previously, isstep66. Instep68, the component and sub-component files are combined into an ActiveView file, which thereafter is combined with header information and attachments to create a container file instep70. The container file is encrypted instep72. Once being encrypted, in the preferred embodiment, the Java class files, collectively termed the recipient executable software, and the native stub are attached to the encrypted container file instep78. Mime encoding follows instep80, which mime encoded file is then attached to an e-mail message instep80 and transmitted.
• Upon receipt at the recipient computer instep84 with reference toFIG. 11, double clicking the received message instep86 if on a java virtual machine will cause self opening to occurs instep88, or, alternatively, opening the container attachment. Thereafter, the files are extracted from the attachment instep90 and invocation of the application (the java virtual machine and the java class files) and extraction of the senders container data files instep94 will cause the display of the container instep96. Thereafter, instep98, thecomputer30 awaits the recipients action, as will be further described hereinafter.
• As a result, of the display on thedisplay38 of therecipient computer30, a container, such as theenvelope container100 illustrated inFIG. 12 is obtained. At this time, the recipient executable software then proceeds to a state in which it waits for the user to take an action, as will now be described with respect toFIG. 13.
• Instep110, a first event takes place. Step112 follows and a determination is made instep112 as to whether the event that takes place is an event that is directed to one or more object components. If it is not such an event, then step114 follows and the recipient executable software does nothing, and waits for a next event instep120, Types of nothing events would be, for instance, if themouse cursor122 illustrated inFIG. 12. moves to an area that is not over any object component.
• If, however, step112 determines that the event is directed to a component object/Vixel, then step116 follows and it is determined which component objects have events, and then instep118 the action associated with the event intended for each component object takes place.
• For instance, ifcomponent object102 illustrated inFIG. 12 contains an User Action ofFIG. 9 in the form of a mouse over, then the action of placing themouse cursor122 over thecomponent object102 will cause instep112,a determination is made that the action involves a component object, and in step116 a determination that the action pertains tocomponent object102. Thereafter, step116 to results and the actions associated with that event will be executed. A specific example of such events will be provided hereinafter.
• FIG. 14 illustrates one functional attribute of the present invention, which functional attribute can be set forth at the initiation of receiving an enhanced E-mail message according to the present invention, or after the initiation of an action stemming from a component object. Anevent124 initiates the conditional display of contents functional attribute. If this conditional display of contents functional attribute occurs at the initiation of the enhanced E-mail message,step126 follows and the enhanced E-mail message is opened as an attachment, as has been previously described. Step128 follows, in which terms and conditions which must be agreed upon are first made known to the recipient. Thereafter,step130 follows and the recipients response is reported back to the sender, in a manner using some form of return receipt as will be described hereinafter. If the conditions responded to in a manner deemed appropriate by the sender, then step132 follows, and the appropriate contents are then made accessible to the recipient.Step134, which follows thereafter, waits for another event to occur, as has been previously described with reference toFIG. 13.
• FIG. 15 illustrates another functional attribute of the present invention, referred to as a return receipt. If a return receipt is requested by the sender,step136 is initiated at an appropriate time. This could be when the attachment that forms the enhanced e-mail according to the present invention is initially transmitted to the recipient, when the recipient closes the enhanced e-mail that has been received, or it can be triggered by an event that relates to a sub-component of a component object according to the present invention. If the sender did not request a return receipt when initially sending the message, then step140 follows, no action is taken, and then step142 waits for another event to occur, as has been previously described with reference toFIG. 13. If, however, sender requested a return receipt,step144 follows and a determination is made whether a specific format of response was requested. If not, step146 follows and a default response, such as “xyz@abc.com has opened the envelope at 10:00 pm pacific daylight time” is transmitted, this response being delivered using the sender address information, and other time information on the system. Step148 follows and thecomputer30 waits for another event to be initiated by the recipient, as has been previously described with reference toFIG. 13.
• If a specific format of response was requested instep144, then step150 follows and determination is made whether the sender's request requested a specific input from the recipient type of response. If it did not, then the senders configured response is sent instep152 to addresses specified by the sender, which may be the senders own e-mail address, the address of another, or the address of many others. Thereafter astep154, likestep148 previously described, follows.
• If a response from recipient was requested, then the requested response is made known instep156 and collected and compiled instep158. Thereafter, the recipient's response is automatically transmitted instep160 and anotherwait step162 follows.
• The return receipt responses transmitted back to the sender insteps146,152, and160 are each automatically sent using the API provided by respective E-mail client's. For SMTP, routines to send mail can be written using public domain information.
• FIGS.16A,16B1-16B2 and16C1-16C4 illustrate example data structures for an envelope container having a company logo as an object component according to the invention.FIGS. 17A-17D illustrate views and actions that result from the data structures such as set forth in FIGS.16A,16B1-16B2 and16C1-16C4. So that the capabilities of the present invention can be appreciated, it should be noted thatFIG. 17A is represented by the data structure ofFIGS. 16a,16C1 and16C2;FIG. 17B is represented by the data structure inFIG. 16A;FIG. 17C is represented by the data structure inFIG.16C3; andFIG. 17D is represented by the data structure inFIG.16C4.
• Of particular note, a mouse over180 inFIG. 17A results in a bubble180-A, which corresponds to data associated with the bubble as defined by mouse over action ifFIG.16C1 that has a text sub-component. Similarly,FIG.16C2 data defines that the mouse over182 will cause a process launch attribute that will result in audio music being played by a program containing program instructions to launch the audio content, which programs can also have been transmitted from the sender with the originally sent enhanced e-mail message.
• Adigital time stamp184 is also included and indicates either sender transmission time or, in the alternative, a certified time stamp from a dedicated time stamp server. Object components188-204 are also illustrated on both sides of the envelope, and represent the ability of the present invention to depict, as desired by the user, many different forms, in many different manners, as well as attributes that then lead to the recipient to other areas. For instance,FIG.16C3, when a mouse click over thestamp object component186 occurs, if the user is online at the time, will result in the user automatically being connected to thehome page206 illustrated inFIG. 17A. If, however, that mouse click over thestamp object component186 occurs, but the user if offline, then theFIG.16C3 primary sub-component is not used, but the alternate sub-component that is identified byFIG.15C4 is launched, which in this case results in a textual message being displayed.
• The above example is intended to show how robust the enhanced e-mail message enhancement apparatus according to the present invention actually is. By being able to be sent as an attachment through E-mail, the appearance of the E-mail message can be enhanced at the option of the sender, and the recipient will be ensured of being able to receive it in the intended form, since the executable recipient program instructions are preferably transmitted as part of the attachment.
• Furthermore, even though the executable recipient program instructions can ensure receipt of the message in its intended form, the architecture of the present invention also provides that if a more robust program or hardware element exists on therecipient computer30, which can even further enhance the content that is transmitted by the sender, then that more robust program or hardware element exists on therecipient computer30 can be used instead of the executable recipient program instructions that were transmitted by the sender. While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (1)

1. A method of presenting a container to a recipient that has been electronically transmitted and receiving a return receipt comprising the steps of:

forming a data file representing said container as a plurality of objects, certain of said objects having associated therewith digital images, certain other of said objects having associated therewith initiable sub-components;

creating executable software that can cause said container to automatically open, generate a return receipt indicating that said container has been opened, initiate said initiable sub-components and cause said digital images to be rendered;

creating an attachment file by combining together said executable software and said data file;

electronically transmitting said attachment file from a first computer to a second computer; and

receiving said return receipt indicating that said container has been opened.

Images