WO2016051310A1 - An electronic messaging system and method - Google Patents

An electronic messaging system and method Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2016051310A1
WO2016051310A1 PCT/IB2015/057290 IB2015057290W WO2016051310A1 WO 2016051310 A1 WO2016051310 A1 WO 2016051310A1 IB 2015057290 W IB2015057290 W IB 2015057290W WO 2016051310 A1 WO2016051310 A1 WO 2016051310A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
user
sending
send
code
electronic message
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2015/057290
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Shoket Latief
Hasmat Bibi LATIEF
Original Assignee
Shoket Latief
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 Shoket Latief filed Critical Shoket Latief
Publication of WO2016051310A1 publication Critical patent/WO2016051310A1/en

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Classifications

    • 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]
    • 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
    • H04L51/07—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail characterised by the inclusion of specific contents
    • H04L51/18—Commands or executable codes

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an electronic messaging system for sending electronic messages.
  • the invention also relates to a method of sending electronic messages and furthermore to a computer device having a client application executable thereon for implementing the method.
  • any reference in this specification to an "electronic message” must be interpreted to mean a reference to an electronic mail (“email”) message or a text message capable of being sent via a computer device such as a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, personal digital assistant (“PDA”), desktop computer or the like.
  • a computer device such as a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, personal digital assistant (“PDA”), desktop computer or the like.
  • the Applicant has identified a problem with the sending of electronic messages via existing electronic messaging systems which typically require a user to input a single send instruction by clicking or touching a send button which causes the electronic message to be sent via the user's computer device to the recipient(s) identified in the electronic message. More specifically, the Applicant is aware of a relatively high incidence of electronic messages being sent which contain errors or are sent to incorrect recipients due to over-hasty sending of electronic messages without properly checking that the correct recipients are cited and/or the content of the message is accurate and does not contain errors and/or that attachments are correctly attached to the electronic message as intended by the user.
  • an electronic messaging system for sending electronic messages, which comprises: a send initiation component which can be selected by a user for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient; a code generation component for generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message; and a send finalization component which can be selected by a user for finalizing the sending of the electronic message, the send finalization component providing for user input of the code in order to finalize the sending of the electronic message.
  • the electronic messaging system in accordance with the invention, allows a user to check that the electronic message correctly reflects the user's intentions before the electronic message is sent to a recipient(s). More specifically, the electronic messaging system provides a user with an opportunity to check that the email address(es) of the recipient(s) is/are correct and furthermore to check the content of the electronic message for accuracy and that all attachments to the electronic message are correctly attached, before sending the electronic message to the intended recipient(s). In this manner, the Applicant believes that inadvertent errors associated with sending electronic messages to incorrect recipients or the sending of electronic messages with inaccurate or incomplete content or attachments will be reduced.
  • the code generation component may be operable to generate a different unique code each time the send initiation component is selected by a user.
  • a method of sending an electronic message using a computer device including: prompting a user to input a send initiation instruction for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient; in response to the user inputting a send initiation instruction, the computer device generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message; and prompting the user to input a send finalisation instruction together with the code in order to finalise the sending of the electronic message.
  • the method may include generating a different unique code each time a user inputs a send initiation instruction.
  • a computer device having a client application executable thereon, the client application including: a send initiation component for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient; a code generation component for generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message in response to the user inputting a send initiation instruction via the send initiation instruction component; and a send finalization component for prompting the user to input a send finalization instruction together with the code and for finalizing the sending of the electronic message in response to the user inputting the code.
  • the code generation component of the client application may be operable to generate a different unique code each time a user inputs a send initiation instruction.
  • the client application may constitute the electronic message system as described and defined hereinabove in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.
  • the client application may be operable to implement the method described and defined hereinabove in accordance with the second aspect of the invention.
  • the invention extends to the client application described and defined hereinabove in accordance with the third aspect of the invention.
  • Figure 1 shows a computer device in accordance with the invention having a client application executable thereon, enabled for sending electronic messages over the Internet to computer devices of a number of recipients of the electronic messages;
  • FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of an electronic messaging system for sending electronic messages, in accordance with the invention.
  • Figures 3a - 3c show a number of display screens of the computer device of Figure 1 , illustrating, in sequence, the implementation and operation of the method and electronic messaging system in accordance with the invention, on the computer device. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
  • a computer device in accordance with the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10.
  • the computer device 10 in this example is in the form of a smart phone having an Android® operating system executable thereon which is enabled for sending and receiving emails and SMS text messages. More specifically, the computer device 10 is enabled for sending emails over the internet.
  • the computer device 10 includes the electronic messaging system in accordance with the invention which is in the form of a client application executable on the computer device, the client application comprising, broadly, a send initiation component 14 for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient 12, a code generation component 16 for generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message via the send initiation instruction component, and a send finalization component 18 for prompting a user of the computer device 10 to input a send finalization instruction and for sending the email.
  • a send initiation component 14 for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient 12
  • a code generation component 16 for generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message via the send initiation instruction component
  • a send finalization component 18 for prompting a user of the computer device 10 to input a send finalization instruction and for sending the email.
  • the code generation component is operable to automatically randomly generate the unique code in the form of a one time password in response to the user inputting a send initiation instruction via the send initiation component 14.
  • the one time password may be an alpha code, a numeric code or an alphanumeric code comprising any number of characters.
  • the send finalization component 18 is operable to prompt the user to input a send finalization instruction together with the unique code and to finalize the sending of the electronic message in response to the user inputting the code.
  • a user in order to send an email from the computer device 10 to a recipient 12, a user will be required to open a screen generated by the client application, entitled “Account settings” and select the menu option “Sending mail” (item 20) displayed on the screen.
  • the client application then generates a further screen as shown in Figure 3b entitled “Compose” which includes a message header in which the email address of each intended recipient of the email is inserted in the appropriate field (item 26), optionally together with information in the subject header field (item 28). Text may also be inserted in the message body (item 30) of the email.
  • the code generation component 16 of the client application automatically and randomly generates a one-time password (referred to as a "Verification Code") "254" (item 32) which is displayed in a display window (item 34) entitled “Attention! overlaying the message body and providing the user with a user-selectable "Send Now” button (item 36) (see Figure 3c).
  • a "Cancel” button (37) is also displayed which upon selection, allows a user to return to the previous screen.
  • the user is now provided with an opportunity to check that the email address(es) of the recipient(s) is/are correct, check the content of the subject field of the message header and the text in the message body for accuracy and also to check that any attachments to the email are correctly attached, before sending the email to the intended recipient(s).
  • the display of the window containing the one time password will force the user to pause, directing his/her attention to the email prior to the sending of the email in order to obviate or at least reduce the possibility of the email being sent to incorrect recipients or being sent with inaccurate or incomplete content or attachments. More specifically, the window displays the following message to a user: "Verify Email Address and Content of Mail" together with the recipient's email address: "sos@live.com".
  • the user is provided a further opportunity to verify the correctness of the recipient's email address before sending the email.
  • the user After checking the email as described above and if the user is satisfied with the correctness of the email address and email content, in response to being prompted by the window to enter the one time password, the user enters the one time password in the field provided therefor (item 38) and clicks on the "Send Now” button which causes the email to be sent from the user's computer device to each recipient. It will be appreciated that the functionality of the "Send Now” button will be activated only if the one time password displayed in the window 34 is correctly entered by the user in the field 38.

Abstract

A method of sending an electronic message using a computer device, includes prompting a user to input a send initiation instruction for initiating the sending of the electronic message, the computer device generating a unique code in response to the user inputting the send initiation instruction and prompting the user to input a send finalization instruction together with the code in order to finalize the sending of the message. The computer device includes client application having a send initiation component (14) for initiating sending of the message, a code generation component (16) for randomly generating the code and a send finalization component (18) for prompting the user to enter the code if satisfied that the message does not contain errors. The user is required to input the code prior to the message being sent thereby providing the user with an opportunity to check the message before it is sent.

Description

AN ELECTRONIC MESSAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to an electronic messaging system for sending electronic messages. The invention also relates to a method of sending electronic messages and furthermore to a computer device having a client application executable thereon for implementing the method.
Any reference in this specification to an "electronic message" must be interpreted to mean a reference to an electronic mail ("email") message or a text message capable of being sent via a computer device such as a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, personal digital assistant ("PDA"), desktop computer or the like.
BACKGROUND TO INVENTION
The Applicant has identified a problem with the sending of electronic messages via existing electronic messaging systems which typically require a user to input a single send instruction by clicking or touching a send button which causes the electronic message to be sent via the user's computer device to the recipient(s) identified in the electronic message. More specifically, the Applicant is aware of a relatively high incidence of electronic messages being sent which contain errors or are sent to incorrect recipients due to over-hasty sending of electronic messages without properly checking that the correct recipients are cited and/or the content of the message is accurate and does not contain errors and/or that attachments are correctly attached to the electronic message as intended by the user.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an electronic messaging system for sending electronic messages, which comprises: a send initiation component which can be selected by a user for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient; a code generation component for generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message; and a send finalization component which can be selected by a user for finalizing the sending of the electronic message, the send finalization component providing for user input of the code in order to finalize the sending of the electronic message.
In use, the electronic messaging system in accordance with the invention, allows a user to check that the electronic message correctly reflects the user's intentions before the electronic message is sent to a recipient(s). More specifically, the electronic messaging system provides a user with an opportunity to check that the email address(es) of the recipient(s) is/are correct and furthermore to check the content of the electronic message for accuracy and that all attachments to the electronic message are correctly attached, before sending the electronic message to the intended recipient(s). In this manner, the Applicant believes that inadvertent errors associated with sending electronic messages to incorrect recipients or the sending of electronic messages with inaccurate or incomplete content or attachments will be reduced. The code generation component may be operable to generate a different unique code each time the send initiation component is selected by a user.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of sending an electronic message using a computer device, the method including: prompting a user to input a send initiation instruction for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient; in response to the user inputting a send initiation instruction, the computer device generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message; and prompting the user to input a send finalisation instruction together with the code in order to finalise the sending of the electronic message.
The method may include generating a different unique code each time a user inputs a send initiation instruction. According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a computer device having a client application executable thereon, the client application including: a send initiation component for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient; a code generation component for generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message in response to the user inputting a send initiation instruction via the send initiation instruction component; and a send finalization component for prompting the user to input a send finalization instruction together with the code and for finalizing the sending of the electronic message in response to the user inputting the code. The code generation component of the client application may be operable to generate a different unique code each time a user inputs a send initiation instruction.
The client application may constitute the electronic message system as described and defined hereinabove in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.
The client application may be operable to implement the method described and defined hereinabove in accordance with the second aspect of the invention.
The invention extends to the client application described and defined hereinabove in accordance with the third aspect of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further features of the invention are described hereinafter by way of a non-limiting example of the invention with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:
Figure 1 shows a computer device in accordance with the invention having a client application executable thereon, enabled for sending electronic messages over the Internet to computer devices of a number of recipients of the electronic messages;
Figure 2 shows a schematic block diagram of an electronic messaging system for sending electronic messages, in accordance with the invention; and
Figures 3a - 3c show a number of display screens of the computer device of Figure 1 , illustrating, in sequence, the implementation and operation of the method and electronic messaging system in accordance with the invention, on the computer device. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An electronic messaging system and method for sending electronic messages via a computer device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The invention also extends also to a computer device which includes the electronic messaging system.
With reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, a computer device in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The computer device 10 in this example is in the form of a smart phone having an Android® operating system executable thereon which is enabled for sending and receiving emails and SMS text messages. More specifically, the computer device 10 is enabled for sending emails over the internet. The computer device 10 includes the electronic messaging system in accordance with the invention which is in the form of a client application executable on the computer device, the client application comprising, broadly, a send initiation component 14 for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient 12, a code generation component 16 for generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message via the send initiation instruction component, and a send finalization component 18 for prompting a user of the computer device 10 to input a send finalization instruction and for sending the email.
The code generation component is operable to automatically randomly generate the unique code in the form of a one time password in response to the user inputting a send initiation instruction via the send initiation component 14. The one time password may be an alpha code, a numeric code or an alphanumeric code comprising any number of characters. The send finalization component 18 is operable to prompt the user to input a send finalization instruction together with the unique code and to finalize the sending of the electronic message in response to the user inputting the code. With reference to Figures 3a to 3c of the drawings, a number of display screens of the computer device 10 are shown, illustrating, in sequence, the operation of the electronic messaging system in accordance with the invention, on the computer device. With reference to Figure 3a, in order to send an email from the computer device 10 to a recipient 12, a user will be required to open a screen generated by the client application, entitled "Account settings" and select the menu option "Sending mail" (item 20) displayed on the screen. The client application then generates a further screen as shown in Figure 3b entitled "Compose" which includes a message header in which the email address of each intended recipient of the email is inserted in the appropriate field (item 26), optionally together with information in the subject header field (item 28). Text may also be inserted in the message body (item 30) of the email.
After composing the email and completing all of the intended fields, the user will be required to select a send button which forms part of the send initiation instruction component 14, for initiating the sending of the email to the intended recipient(s). In response to the user inputting the send initiation instruction via the send button, the code generation component 16 of the client application automatically and randomly generates a one-time password (referred to as a "Verification Code") "254" (item 32) which is displayed in a display window (item 34) entitled "Attention!" overlaying the message body and providing the user with a user-selectable "Send Now" button (item 36) (see Figure 3c). A "Cancel" button (37) is also displayed which upon selection, allows a user to return to the previous screen.
The user is now provided with an opportunity to check that the email address(es) of the recipient(s) is/are correct, check the content of the subject field of the message header and the text in the message body for accuracy and also to check that any attachments to the email are correctly attached, before sending the email to the intended recipient(s). It will be appreciated that the display of the window containing the one time password will force the user to pause, directing his/her attention to the email prior to the sending of the email in order to obviate or at least reduce the possibility of the email being sent to incorrect recipients or being sent with inaccurate or incomplete content or attachments. More specifically, the window displays the following message to a user: "Verify Email Address and Content of Mail" together with the recipient's email address: "sos@live.com". This serves to alert a user to the necessity to check the email address of the recipient and the content of the email. By displaying the email address of the recipient in the form as it was entered by the user, the user is provided a further opportunity to verify the correctness of the recipient's email address before sending the email.
After checking the email as described above and if the user is satisfied with the correctness of the email address and email content, in response to being prompted by the window to enter the one time password, the user enters the one time password in the field provided therefor (item 38) and clicks on the "Send Now" button which causes the email to be sent from the user's computer device to each recipient. It will be appreciated that the functionality of the "Send Now" button will be activated only if the one time password displayed in the window 34 is correctly entered by the user in the field 38.
Should the user wish to correct the email address or add additional email addresses or correct the content of the email, the user will select the "Cancel" button (40).
By generating a different one time password each time a user inputs a send initiation instruction, the user will not be able to memorize a code which is used repeatedly and will be forced to use cognitive thought processes to view and enter the one time password in the required field in the display window 34. This will ameliorate the problem of emails being inadvertently sent as an instinctive or automatic response by a user simply sending the email without giving due thought to the email address(es) to which the email is being sent or the accuracy and/or correctness of the content of the email.

Claims

An electronic messaging system for sending electronic messages, which comprises: a send initiation component which can be selected by a user for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient; a code generation component for generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message; and a send finalization component which can be selected by a user for finalizing the sending of the electronic message, the send finalization component providing for user input of the code in order to finalize the sending of the electronic message.
The electronic messaging system as claimed in Claimi , wherein the code generation component is operable to generate a different unique code each time the send initiation component is selected by a user.
A method of sending an electronic message using a computer device, the method including: prompting a user to input a send initiation instruction for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient; in response to the user inputting a send initiation instruction, the computer device generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message; and prompting the user to input a send finalisation instruction together with the code in order to finalise the sending of the electronic message.
The method as claimed in Claim 3, which includes generating a different unique code each time a user inputs a send initiation instruction.
A computer device having a client application executable thereon, the client application including: a send initiation component for initiating the sending of an electronic message to a recipient; a code generation component for generating a unique code associated with the sending of the electronic message in response to the user inputting a send initiation instruction via the send initiation instruction component; and a send finalization component for prompting the user to input a send finalization instruction together with the code and for finalizing the sending of the electronic message in response to the user inputting the code.
The computer device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the code generation component of the client application is operable to generate a different unique code each time a user inputs a send initiation instruction.
PCT/IB2015/057290 2014-10-01 2015-09-22 An electronic messaging system and method WO2016051310A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ZA201407136 2014-10-01
ZA2014/07136 2014-10-01

Publications (1)

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WO2016051310A1 true WO2016051310A1 (en) 2016-04-07

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1087315A2 (en) * 1999-09-23 2001-03-28 Lucent Technologies Inc. Electronic mail attachment verification
US6460074B1 (en) * 2000-02-10 2002-10-01 Martin E. Fishkin Electronic mail system
US20050135681A1 (en) * 2003-12-22 2005-06-23 Schirmer Andrew L. Methods and systems for preventing inadvertent transmission of electronic messages
US20100313028A1 (en) * 2007-02-08 2010-12-09 Tendyron Corporation Electronic Signature Method and Electronic Signature Tool
WO2012135869A2 (en) * 2011-04-01 2012-10-04 Jjscb, Llc Application for communication control in cell phones

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1087315A2 (en) * 1999-09-23 2001-03-28 Lucent Technologies Inc. Electronic mail attachment verification
US6460074B1 (en) * 2000-02-10 2002-10-01 Martin E. Fishkin Electronic mail system
US20050135681A1 (en) * 2003-12-22 2005-06-23 Schirmer Andrew L. Methods and systems for preventing inadvertent transmission of electronic messages
US20100313028A1 (en) * 2007-02-08 2010-12-09 Tendyron Corporation Electronic Signature Method and Electronic Signature Tool
WO2012135869A2 (en) * 2011-04-01 2012-10-04 Jjscb, Llc Application for communication control in cell phones

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