FR2910764A1 - Acknowledgement receipt transmitting method for e.g. personal computer, involves recognizing responses associated to event, and transmitting acknowledgement receipt of event when minimum number of responses is reached - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves processing an event at a level of a computer (A) comprising a reproducible document, a list of receivers and a minimum number of responses. The event is transmitted to an electronic mail server (S), and the reproducible content such as text, is transmitted to a personal computer (B1). The responses associated to the event from the personal computer (B1) are recognized. An acknowledgement receipt of the event is transmitted when the minimum number of the responses is reached. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) an electronic apparatus connected to a communication network (2) an electronic mail server connected to a communication network.

Description

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation and management of a

  messaging event transmitted to a plurality of recipients connected to a network, an apparatus and a server for carrying out the method.

  There are so far messengers to invite interlocutors to an event. Each interlocutor has a personal computer connected to servers, each computer and server communicating with each other via a network. Communication in a network is through layers specified in the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model, layers 1 and 2 are PHYSICAL and LINK, and layers 3 through 7 are logical levels. There are two examples of layer 2 standards: ETHERNET II and IEEE802.3. Layer 3 relates to the NETWORK level which specifies the type of protocol used. A widely used and well-adapted protocol for home networks is IP (Internet Protocol), in which each recipient has a specific address within the network. Each device has an operating system and executable programs for managing input and outputting messages and receiving messages. At power up, the user launches his communication software which displays a menu. The received messages and the sent messages are visible in a box of reception and a box of emission. By activating a tab, a user brings up an event creation menu, an event consists of a message sent to several recipients and intended to be read and for which a response may be required. For example, an event is used to invite multiple people to an appointment in a certain place and with a specified subject. To create an event, the user enters a list of recipients, content that can be read by them, and optionally selects options. Once the event is completed, it is transmitted to a server that directs it to the recipients. The recipient devices receive the same information content and their respective users can then read it. Depending on the 2910764 2 event scheduling settings, an acknowledgment may be sent when the event is opened. Once a recipient has read the informative content, it validates a tab indicating whether he accepts the event or rejects it. The validation of the tab triggers the transmission of an acknowledgment to the issuer of the event, in this way, the latter becomes aware successively of the eventual reading and the acceptance or not of the event. In this way, the sender of the event is informed each time that a recipient has validated the event and provided an answer. If the recipients answer for a long time, the sender will not easily know who did not answer, who answered by accepting the event and who answered by refusing. In some messengers, the user can access a menu presenting each recipient and the messaging information. But access to this menu is long, and the display is not synthetic. In addition, if the event is intended for a large number of recipients, the messaging of the sender will be overloaded with messages of return. If several events are issued at close moments, the sender will have difficulty in summarizing the answers. The object of the present invention is a simple method of transmitting an event to a plurality of recipients allowing the sender to be easily notified of the responses of said recipients. The object of the present invention is a method of transmitting an acknowledgment following the transmission of an event transmitted to a plurality of networked apparatuses; characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - development of an event by an issuer comprising a reproducible document, a list of recipients and a minimum number of responses, - transmission of the event to a server 30 - transmission of the content reproducible to each recipient device - accounting for responses to said event from each device, 2910764 3 -transmission of an acknowledgment of said event when a minimum number of responses is reached. In this way, the sender of the event is not notified at each read by a recipient but when a significant number of recipients have responded. Its inbox is not cluttered by a multitude of messages from each recipient. According to a first improvement, the acknowledgment receipt includes for each respondent who has responded, a time indication of the time of issue of the response. In this way, the user can see when the message is read by the recipient. According to another improvement, during the event development step, the sender indicates whether the responses emitted by the plurality of devices are made when the recipient reads the document, or when the recipients actually respond. , for example by returning a text. In this way, the sender can set the server to count the responses based on the number of times the event is read or the number of responses actually made by the recipients.

According to another improvement, the transmitter specifies a plurality of minimum numbers of responses, an acknowledgment is issued each time one of the minimum numbers of responses is reached. In this way, the emitter of the event can be kept informed of the evolution of the answers without that cluttering his inbox too much.

According to another improvement, the transmitter specifies at the moment of the creation of the event a date during which the acknowledgment is transmitted even if the minimum number of replies is not reached. In this way, even if many recipients are slow to read the event 30 or to formulate a response, an acknowledgment is still sent to the sender who is thus informed of the status of the responses. According to another improvement, the sender can send a request to receive from the server a current state of the responses sent by the recipients. In this way, the issuer can at any time know the answers given to the event he has emitted. According to another improvement, the transmitter at the time of creation of the event, specifies a reminder and a recall period. Thus, as long as the recipient has not read the event or formulated a response, the server sends him at each indicated period a reminder message to indicate that he has not responded to this event. The object of the present invention also consists of an electronic apparatus intended to be connected to a communication network comprising means of bi-directional communication with said network, characterized in that it comprises means for creating an event comprising a reproducible document, a list of recipients and a minimum number of replies, said event being designed to be sent to each recipient of the list, the bi-directional communication means transmitting the event thus created to the network and receiving from said network an accused reception comprising information associated with the responses to this event, said information being formulated by a number of recipients at least equal to that indicated in the event, and means 20 for displaying at least said response information contained in the acknowledgment. The object of the present invention also consists of a messaging server connected to a communication network comprising bi-directional communication means with said network, characterized in that it comprises means for receiving an event comprising a reproducible document , a list of recipients and a minimum number of responses, said event being designed to be sent to each recipient of the list, the bi-directional communication means transmitting the event to each recipient and receiving a response from these recipients, a means 30 of accounting for the responses associated with this event, said bi-directional communication means transmitting to the sender of the event an acknowledgment containing the information associated with the responses 2910764 5 when the number of responses formulated by the recipients of this event is at least equal to that indicated in the event. The invention, with its features and advantages, will emerge more clearly from a reading of the description of a particular nonlimiting exemplary embodiment made with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a diagram of a network comprising several apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the different elements of a terminal using the address generation method according to the present embodiment; FIG. 3 represents a detailed flowchart of the address generation method according to the present embodiment; FIG. 4 shows an example of a screen appearance displaying an acknowledgment on the display means of the event sender. FIG. 1 schematically represents a communication network enabling a first computer called A to communicate using the IP protocol with a messaging server S in order to transmit an event to a plurality of so-called computers Bi. The term event 20 designates a message sent to a plurality of recipients, containing an informative document intended to be read by said recipients. Other devices than computers can connect to this network, for example digital television decoders, individual organizers, etc. The communication channel is made by an ETHERNET cable 10 or 100. On an ETHERNET type network (based on an ETHERNET II or IEEE802.3 layer 2 protocol), each terminal has a physical address, called MAC, which is defined by the manufacturer, and permanently registered in the electronic card. This address is at level 30 LIAISON. A configuration server makes sure to assign a specific INTERNET address to each terminal, so that it is possible to identify each terminal by this address. The messaging server S uses the addresses defined by the configuration server to transmit the messages and the different events which concerns a plurality of recipients. We will first describe an example of apparatus A, Bi according to a first embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 shows a central unit 1 connected to a display device 2 such as a display screen. The central unit 1 is for example a personal computer or an audiovisual terminal equipped with communication means 3 through a bidirectional network 4. The central unit 1 comprises a CPU 5 connected to another memory 6 containing executable programs, means for transmitting audiovisual signals to a screen. The central unit 1 is also connected to a keyboard 7. The audiovisual signals are transmitted to the screen 2 via an audio / video interface 8. The messaging software for sending events is typically a program written in memory 6 , but it can also be realized in the form of specialized circuits (ASIC or DSP for example). In the form of a program, the means for calculating an address is privilegedly stored in the ROM of the apparatus. This module can also be downloaded from a medium (floppy disk or CD 20 ROM), or transmitted to the device via a broadcast network. After having detailed the principal elements for the implementation of the invention, we will now explain how these cooperate.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary flowchart of the main steps of the method of constructing and managing a messaging event. At first, the user launches his messaging software in his apparatus A. A menu appears on the screen presenting the various functions, such as display of the sent messages, display of the received messages, management of the spots in a calendar, creation of a new message, search of message, .... These functions generally appear as icons selectable by a mouse, the navigation keys also provide access to the functions. An icon called 2910764 7 creating an event allows the user to access a creation menu. This menu is composed of a plurality of windows for introducing text or graphic symbols. According to a simple example embodiment, the messaging software displays the following windows: - Recipient area: the user enters the different addresses of the recipients. - Content Area: The user introduces textual or graphical content for recipients. io - Minimum number of answer before return, the user introduces the minimum number of answers returned by the recipients before receiving an acknowledgment of the event. Option: for example, the user sets whether a response from a recipient consists of a simple opening of the event or a read followed by a response from the recipient. In step 3.1, the user constructs the event by first introducing its informative content. This content may be simply a text, it may also be accompanied by a graphic animation, a video sequence or an audio sequence. The user then enters the list of recipients, each recipient is identified by his Internet address. For each recipient, the user checks a box indicating whether the actual response to this event is a simple read or a read followed by a response from the recipient. Finally, the user specifies the minimum number of returns before receiving a first acknowledgment of the event. Once the event has been validated, the messaging software formats the elements introduced in a data packet and transmits this packet to the messaging server S (step 3.2).

The server S records the transmitted event and processes the information received in step 3.3. The server configures in its memory a specific ZP zone for managing the event. This zone ZP contains a control zone ZC containing general data at the event and a destination management zone ZG containing as many sub-areas as there are recipients. The control zone typically contains: the entirety of the data composing the event as it was sent by the sender, and in particular its address, time information such as the date and the time of transmission of the event, - the number of recipients, the number of recipients who answered in the affirmative, and the number of recipients who answered negatively. With this information, the mail server determines at any time the number of recipients that have not yet responded. Each sub-area of the ZG management area contains: - the address of the recipient as it appears in the event, - the IP address allowing the network to route it, 15 - the status of the recipient's reply : event not read, event not accepted, event accepted, - a field possibly containing a textual answer of the recipient. Then, the server S sends the informative content of the event to each recipient in the form of a conventional message (step 3.4). The Bi devices of each recipient receive the same message by the messaging software. When a recipient reads his message, a message return is sent to the server if this option is chosen. Otherwise, the return is sent to the server only if the recipient responds in one way or another. At any time, the server centralizes the information received from the recipients associated with a given event (step 3.5). On each return of a recipient, the server S increments the return counter, and in step 3.6 tests whether this counter reaches the minimum value of responses before sending an acknowledgment. If this value is reached, then the server issues the acknowledgment to the sender corresponding to that event by recalling the number of recipients that actually responded (step 3.7). If recipients have answered, then the acknowledgment contains them. The transmitter is thus warned after a certain time that the message sent has been read and possibly processed by a minimum number of people. When all the recipients have sent a response, the server S sends a second (and last) acknowledgment and erases the entire ZP area. At any time, the sender can send a command to the server to clear the event, even before all the recipients have responded. In response to this erase command and as an acknowledgment of the command, the server sends the current state of the memory ZG to inform recipients who have responded. Figure 4 shows a screen appearance appearing on the display means of the event sender when the server S sends an acknowledgment thereof. The screen appearance has two main areas, the first contains information that reminds the sender of the event. This field contains the information entered by the user during the creation of the event. The second zone contains the information related to the different responses of the recipients, it is typically the data contained in the zone ZG of the server. It contains the total number of responses at the time of sending the acknowledgment, and for each recipient: 20 - the identifier of the recipient (typically his INTERNET address), - the indication that he has or not answered - if he answered, the type of answer (a simple reading of the event, or a reading and a reply text) - if he answered, the date and time of the answer to the server.

If the recipient has responded with text, the read + text indication is underlined, indicating that it is possible to select these terms, and by pressing the return key on the keyboard 7, the recipient's response appears in a locket.

One improvement is that the sender of an event can at any time call the server to request the status of its event. The server then returns the content of the second zone displayed in FIG. 4, that is to say: 2910764 - the number of recipients having at least read the informative content of the event and possibly answered to said event, - the list recipients, indicating for each of them whether a reading and possibly an answer is made, and when this response was formulated. Advantageously, the computer A of the transmitter presents in the form of a time graph the number of returns per unit of time. The graph can be displayed at the arrival of the acknowledgment sent by the server or when the issuer requests the state of its event, by activating an option. io A last column on the right expresses the number of recipients who have not yet opened the event. An improvement consists in the transmitter specifying in its event several minimum numbers of responses. For example, the recipient list has 80 addresses, the emitter introduces 50, 70 and 80 as the minimum numbers. The server S keeps these numbers in memory ZP. When the first number is reached, then the server S sends the acknowledgment to the issuer of the event. Similarly, when the second number is reached, the server sends a second acknowledgment, as well as the third. In this way, the emitter of the event can be kept informed of the evolution of the answers without that cluttering his inbox too much. An improvement consists in the fact that the issuer specifies in its event a date when, at the latest, it wants to receive the acknowledgment of receipt. This improvement is implemented by an additional line in the menu of elaboration of the event marked for example by the deadline to receive the acknowledgment of receipt, and the introduction of a date. The server S keeps the date in memory ZP. When the date is reached and even if the minimum number of responses is not reached, then the server S sends the acknowledgment to the issuer of the event. When the minimum number is reached, the server sends a second acknowledgment. Another improvement is that the issuer specifies in its event the existence of periodic reminder for the recipients 2910764 11 who did not respond. For example, the sender specifies that every 3 days S server sends a reminder of the event to all recipients who have not yet responded. The issuance of a reminder is noted in the acknowledgment and in the event status menu for each recipient.

The transmitter of the event can thus know those who do not respond despite repeated reminders. The present embodiments should be considered by way of illustration but may be modified in the field defined by the scope of the appended claims. In particular, the invention is not limited to laptops but can be applied to any communications device connected to a bidirectional digital network.

Claims (9)

claims   A method of transmitting an acknowledgment following the transmission of an event transmitted to a plurality of networked devices; characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - generating (3.1) an event at a sending device (1; A) having a reproducible document, a list of recipients and a minimum number of responses, - transmission (3.2) of the event to a server (S), io -transmission (3.4) of the reproducible content to each destination device (Bi), - accounting (3.6) of the responses to said event from each destination device (Bi), - transmission (3.7) of an acknowledgment of said event when a minimum number of responses is reached.   2. Method of transmitting an acknowledgment according to claim 1; characterized in that the acknowledgment comprises for each respondent respondent a time indication of the time of issue of the response.   A method of transmitting an acknowledgment according to claim 1 or 2; characterized in that during the event development step, the sender indicates whether the responses from the plurality of apparatus are made when the recipient reads the document, or when the recipient responds by A content.   4. Method of transmitting an acknowledgment according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized in that during the step (3.1) of generating the event, the transmitter specifies a plurality of minimum numbers of responses, a step of transmitting (3.7) an acknowledgment of receipt of said event being performed each time one of the minimum number of answers is reached.   An acknowledgment transmission method according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized in that during the step (3.1) of generating the event, the sender specifies a date during which the acknowledgment is transmitted even if the minimum number of responses is not reached .   6. Acknowledgment transmission method according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized in that it comprises a step of transmitting the server to the emitter of the event of the current state of the responses sent by the recipients, said step being triggered by a request from said sender.   7. Acknowledgment transmission method according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized in that during the generation step (3.1) of the event, the transmitter specifies a callback and a callback period, the method comprising a step of periodically sending a callback message to a recipient to indicate that they did not respond to this event.   An electronic apparatus (1; A) for connection to a communication network (4) comprising bi-directional communication means (3) with said network, characterized in that it comprises means for creating an event ( 5, 6) comprising a reproducible document, a list of recipients and a minimum number of responses, said event being designed to be sent to each addressee of the list, the bi-directional communication means (3) transmitting the event thus created to the network and receiving from said network an acknowledgment receipt comprising information associated with the responses to this event, said information being formulated by a number of recipients at least equal to that indicated in the event 2910764 14 and a means for displaying (5, 6 , 8) at least said response information contained in the acknowledgment.   9. Messaging server (S) connected to a communication network (4) comprising bi-directional communication means with said network, characterized in that it comprises means for receiving an event comprising a reproducible document, a list of recipients and a minimum number of responses, said event being designed to be sent to each recipient of the list, the means of bi-directional communication transmitting the event to each recipient and receiving a response from these recipients, a means of accounting responses associated with this event, said bi-directional communication means transmitting to the sender of the event an acknowledgment receipt including the information associated with the responses when the number of responses formulated by the recipients of this event is at least equal to the one indicated in the event.