Information delivery system for providing senders with a recipient's messaging preferences

Abstract

An information delivery system includes a web server in operative communication with a plurality of recipients and a plurality of senders, the plurality of senders desirous of generating messages intended for the plurality of recipients, respectively. The web server includes a plurality of recipient preference profiles corresponding to the plurality of recipients, respectively, and a plurality of sender profiles corresponding to the plurality of senders, respectively. Each of the recipient preference profiles includes respective information directed to the recipient's preferences for receiving messages and the web server provides the plurality of senders with access to the plurality of recipient preference profiles. The web server maintains a relationship between a log of recipient preference profiles out of the plurality of recipient preference profiles that have been accessed by a particular sender. For each of the recipient preference profiles in the log of recipient preference profiles, the web server provides a change notification to the particular sender of a change in the recipient preference profile.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Continuation of commonly owned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 588,763, filed Jun. 6, 2000 (Attorney Docket No. F-160), entitled Information Delivery System For Providing Senders With A Recipient's Messaging Preferences by Robert A. Law, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [0002] This application is related to the following co-pending applications filed concurrently herewith and commonly assigned to the assignee of this application: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 588,443, entitled MESSAGING SYSTEM HAVING RECIPIENT PROFILING and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 588,853, entitled RECIPIENT CONTROL OVER ASPECTS OF INCOMING MESSAGES, both of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] This invention relates generally to information delivery systems. More particularly, in the preferred embodiments, this invention is directed to tech...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The present invention provides a information delivery system and methods for improving the collection and dissemination of recipient preferences for messages. Generally, this is accomplished by collecting recipient preference data and making it available to a plurality of senders for their use in preparing messages intended for a selected recipient.

Problems solved by technology

Historically, recipients have been limited in their ability to control any aspects of the mail.

First, the costs of generating and delivering messages is always increasing.

Second, senders must compete for the recipient's attention due to the large number of messages that are typically received.

Although this service generally works well, it suffers from certain drawbacks and disadvantages.

As an example, delays are typically involved in redirecting the mail.

Furthermore, the sender is typically unaware of the new address and may continue to send subsequent mail to the old address.

This delay has potential negative consequences for both the sender and the recipient.

As another example, delivery costs for the postal authority are increased because the mail is often routed to the old address before being forwarded to the new address.

Therefore, due to all of the above, the sender and the recipient suffer a loss in quality of service while cost for the postal authority increase.

However, this is time consuming and generally not very effective since it may only pertain to physical mail.

Although this service generally works well, it suffers from certain drawbacks and disadvantages.

As an example, mail tends to collect at the postal authority facilities and this increases storage and handling costs for the postal authority.

Furthermore, the sender is typically unaware of the hold that has been placed on delivery and may continue to send subsequent mail believing that the recipient is receiving mail.

This compounds the storage problem for the postal authority and the timeliness issue for the sender and the recipient.

Therefore, due to all of the above, the sender and the recipient suffer a loss in quality of service while costs for the postal authority are generally increased.

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