US6587549B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for automatically processing incoming electronic mail (=e-mail)
Assignee: Sound View Innovations LLC
•
Filing: 2000-05-09
•
Granted: 2003-07-01
•
Expires: 2020-05-09
Abstract
Abstract A device and process for receiving and/or forwarding electronic mail (=e-mail) are characterised in that, in the case of all the e-mail messages ( 4 ) incoming in a receiving unit ( 1 ), information is extracted automatically in accordance with predetermined search criteria, that as a function of the extracted information and predetermined assignment criteria, an automatic assignment of the incoming e-mail to at least one of a plurality of addresses takes place, and that the incoming e-mail is automatically stored in a storage area ( 11, 12, 13, 14 ) designated by the corresponding address(es) or forwarded to the address(es). In this way the incoming e-mail can be automatically pre-sorted and appropriately stored or forwarded to assigned addresses without the user having to perform manual tasks or the subsequent processing via a macro of the e-mail which has already arrived and been stored in a mailbox. (FIG. 1)
Inventors
- 👤 Hartmut Weik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:02
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/21; H04L51/212; H04L51/42; H04L51/234
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A router for connection to a telecommunications network, said router comprising a device for receiving and forwarding electronic mail, wherein said device comprises: means for extracting information from the incoming e-mail in accordance with predeterminable search criteria, and means for assigning incoming e-mail to at least one of a plurality of addresses as a function of the extracted information and one or more predeterminable assignment criteria.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
A router for connection to a telecommunications network, said router comprising a device for receiving and forwarding electronic mail, wherein said device comprises: means for extracting information from the incoming e-mail in accordance with predeterminable search criteria, and means for assigning incoming e-mail to at least one of a plurality of addresses as a function of the extracted information and one or more predeterminable assignment criteria.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The router according to claim 1 , wherein addresses to which the incoming e-mail is assigned designate storage areas of a data storage unit which are set up as electronic files.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The router according to claim 2 , wherein means are provided for storing the incoming e-mail in the corresponding file(s).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The router according to claim 1 , wherein the content is at least subject matter contained in the body of the e-mail.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The router according to claim 1 , wherein said device comprises a receiving unit comprising said means for extracting and said means for assigning.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
90 words
A router for performing a process of receiving and/or forwarding electronic mail, said router comprising a receiving unit, wherein when e-mail messages are received in the receiving unit, information is extracted automatically in accordance with predetermined search criteria, as a function of the extracted information and predetermined assignment criteria, an automatic assignment of the incoming e-mail to at least one of a plurality of addresses takes place, and the incoming e-mail is at least automatically stored in a storage area designated by corresponding address(es) or is forwarded to the address(es).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
90 words
A router for performing a process of receiving and/or forwarding electronic mail, said router comprising a receiving unit, wherein when e-mail messages are received in the receiving unit, information is extracted automatically in accordance with predetermined search criteria, as a function of the extracted information and predetermined assignment criteria, an automatic assignment of the incoming e-mail to at least one of a plurality of addresses takes place, and the incoming e-mail is at least automatically stored in a storage area designated by corresponding address(es) or is forwarded to the address(es).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The router according to claim 6 , wherein the addresses to which the incoming e-mail is assigned designate storage areas of a data storage unit which are set up as electronic files.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The router according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the search criteria and assignment criteria relates to sender-specific data of the incoming e-mail, said spender-specific data comprising the name and e-mail address of the sender.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
The router according to claim 8 , wherein the sender-specific data are compared with a black list, and in the event that the result of this comparison is positive, the incoming e-mail is immediately erased or without further processing is stored under, or forwarded to, a special address which in particular performs scrap functions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The router according to claim 6 , wherein the sender-specific data are compared with a white list and in the event that the result of this comparison is positive, the incoming e-mail is immediately passed on for further processing as a function of the assignment criteria.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The router according to claim 10 , wherein in the event that the result of the comparison with the white list is positive, a backup copy of the incoming e-mail is stored under, or forwarded to, a special address in parallel to the further processing of the e-mail.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The router according to claim 10 , wherein in the event that the result of the comparison with the white list is positive, a signalling device ( 15 ) is actuated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The router according to claim 12 , wherein said signaling device is at least one of an optical signal generator and an acoustic signal generator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
The router according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the search criteria and assignment criteria relates to content of the incoming e-mail, said content comprising a specific keyword, and upon discovery of said specific keyword in the incoming e-mail ( 4 ), either the e-mail directly or a backup copy thereof is stored under, or forwarded to, a specific address.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The router according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the search criteria relates to the data content at a specific position within the incoming e-mail.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The router according to claim 15 , wherein said specific position within the incoming e-mail comprises a “salutation”, a “reference”, an “enclosure”, and a “cc”.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The router according to claim 6 , wherein in the event that one of the assignment criteria applies, the incoming e-mail is forwarded to one or more predetermined other e-mail address(es).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The router according to claim 6 , wherein in the event that one of the search- or assignment criteria applies, the incoming e-mail is further processed with special priority.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5377354A
Cited
JPH104428A
Cited
US5995597A
Cited
US6092101A
Cited
US6199103B1
Cited
US6249805B1
Cited
US6393465B2
Cited
US6023723A
Cited
US6128646A
Cited
US6226630B1
Cited
US6233322B1
Cited
US6351764B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-06-30 | 2006-12-30 | 2007-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-06-30 | 2010-12-30 | 2011-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-06-30 | 2014-12-30 | 2015-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |