KR100372874B1 - Method of executing attached file in email by sensing user's behavior - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sender mail agent for transmitting an e-mail through a computer, a portable telephone, or the like, wherein the setting information relating to a file attached together with the original mail is set to set the number of operations of the file and the waiting time for each operation. Perform the steps; Completing a program script for automatically operating the attached file using the setting information as an input variable; Sending the mail original, attachments and program script together to the recipient's email address; In the recipient mail agent that receives the e-mail through a computer or a mobile phone, the program script detects an operation such as a mouse click or a keyboard press performed by the recipient on the mail agent, and the operation of the receiver for a specified time is performed. If this does not occur, the file attached to the e-mail is operated sequentially up to the set number of times; The present invention provides a method of operating an attached file in consideration of a usage pattern of a user in an e-mail, wherein when the receiver performs an operation while the attached file is in operation.

Description

How an attached file works in e-mail with the user's usage pattern {METHOD OF EXECUTING ATTACHED FILE IN EMAIL BY SENSING USER'S BEHAVIOR}

The present invention relates to a method of operating an attached file in consideration of a user's usage pattern in an e-mail, and more particularly, to detect an event such as a mouse or keyboard input generated by a recipient while reading the mail, and to input the receiver for a predetermined time. If it doesn't exist, it provides a way to automatically operate the attached file.

As the Internet spreads rapidly, its field of use is expanding day by day. E-mail is a representative use of the Internet, and the offline mail function is partially replaced by e-mail. In particular, the electronic mail has been in the spotlight as a means for transmitting and receiving files, in that not only the original mail but also various files can be attached and transmitted to the mail.

A mail user agent (hereinafter referred to as MUA) that allows a user to compose, send, and receive mail in e-mail can be largely divided into using a mail-only program and using a web mail on a website.

1 is a flowchart illustrating a general transmission process of an electronic mail using a mail-only program.

As the mail agent 11, the sender creates an e-mail using a mail-only program such as Outlook Express. The MUA delivers the mail created by the user to the Mail Transport Agent (hereinafter referred to as MTA). That is, the created e-mail is sent to the MTA 13 of the sender's mail transmission server using the SMTP protocol 12. The MTA looks at the header of an email message received from the MUA and delivers the message to the designated host's MTA (13 '). The receiving MTA (13') forwards the email to another system or resolves the address. It is then delivered to the user. Meanwhile, the e-mail stored in the mailbox 14 is transmitted by the POP or IMAP server 15 to the recipient's MUA 17. In the case of the Post Office Protocol (POP) 16, the mail is physically transmitted from the server to the recipient. In the case of the Internet Message-Access Protocol (IMAP) 16, only the header of the mail is transmitted to the recipient.

In the case of web mail, the mail is created on a website without a mail-only program, which is different from the e-mail creation process shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 2, a user drives a web browser 21 to a MUA 23 based on a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) application residing on a remote web mail server using an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) 22. You will be connected. The process of transmitting the e-mail between the servers is the same as in FIG. 1 and will be omitted. On the other hand, the receiver also receives the web mail sent by accessing the MUA 27 based on the remote CGI application using the HTTP protocol 26 using the browser 25.

In an e-mail, the sender can write the original text of the mail to the recipient and additionally insert an image, video or sound file into the mail and send it together. In the case of web mail, a process of sending an e-mail with an attached file is illustrated in FIG. 3.

The user accesses the webmail site through login (30). After the connection, a web mail system (web page providing a web mail service) is opened (31). Designate a mail sender, that is, a sender (32) on a web page, create a mail original (33), and attach a file (34) if there is a file to be inserted into the mail and sent with the mail. Attachments are often chosen from storage accessible on your PC or network. When the file is attached, the mail is sent (35) and the connection to the webmail site is terminated (36).

Recipients will check their e-mail in their mail-only program or webmail site. If the file inserted in the e-mail is an image, it can be inserted below or in the middle of the mail text, so that the recipient can receive the e-mail as if it were a single document. Alternatively, the downloaded image can be downloaded to the receiver's PC and a separate SW can be operated to drive the attached file. In the case of a sound file, a method of listening by driving a separate SW capable of driving the corresponding sound file is mainstream. When an executable file is received from the sender, the receiver is followed by a separate user task to run the file. Most of the files received in addition to these e-mails are driven by the user's primary action (downloading) and the secondary action (acting as a driving program).

As described above, the method of operating a file added to an e-mail often requires intentional intervention of a user, and there is no method of operating automatically or recognizing a user's usage pattern.

In addition, most e-mails are composed of text-based static elements, which means that there is a lack of a way for a user to actively interact with e-mails other than simply reading e-mails.

An object of the present invention is to automate and intelligent the method of viewing or operating a file attached to an e-mail recipient in addition to the e-mail original text, and to implement such a method from the sender's point of view. In addition, it is to implement an e-mail capable of strong interaction between the e-mail and the user.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an e-mail transmission and reception process.

2 is a schematic diagram showing a process of transmitting and receiving webmail.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a general web mail creation process.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a mail creation process according to the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a mail receiving process according to the present invention.

6A and 6B are schematic diagrams illustrating a mail reading process in a mail-only program. FIG. 6A shows an initial screen and FIG. 6B shows an operation screen of an attached file.

7A and 7C are actual operation screens according to the present invention.

FIG. 7A shows an initial screen, FIG. 7B shows an operation screen of an attached file, and FIG. 7C shows a screen moved to a third site.

The present invention relates to a sender mail agent for transmitting an e-mail through a computer, a portable telephone, or the like, wherein the setting information relating to a file attached together with the original mail is set to set the number of operations of the file and the waiting time for each operation. Perform the steps; Completing a program script for automatically operating the attached file using the setting information as an input variable; Sending the mail original, attachments and program script together to the recipient's email address; Taking steps

In the recipient mail agent that receives the e-mail through a computer or a mobile phone, the program script detects an operation such as a mouse click or a keyboard press performed by the recipient on the mail agent. Operating the file attached to the mail sequentially up to the set number of times; The present invention provides a method of operating an attached file in consideration of a usage pattern of a user in an e-mail, wherein when the receiver performs an operation while the attached file is in operation.

In the present invention, the attached file includes not only a file physically attached to the mail but also an attachment concept of location information on the Internet for the file. Hereafter referred to as attachment file.

The mail agent may be a mail-only program or a web mail site. The setting information setting step may include setting a specific operation during an operation performed by the recipient on the mail agent, in which case, if the specific operation set on the recipient mail agent does not occur, the file attached to the e-mail is designated. If the receiver performs the specific operation while the attachment is being operated, the operation of the attachment is stopped.

For example, if the recipient's specific action is selecting a specific button on the mail agent screen, the attachment's action will stop if the recipient selects it (clicks on the keyboard or moves it with the mouse) while the attachment is active. do.

In addition, the setting information setting step may include setting a specified operation related to an attachment. In this case, when the recipient performs the specified operation while the attachment is operating on the recipient mail agent, If the specified operation is performed and the receiver performs an unspecified operation in relation to the attachment, the operation of the attached file is stopped.

For example, if the specified action associated with an attachment is pressing a specific keyboard (spacebar) on the screen on which the attachment is running and pressing that particular keyboard, then the attachment will go to a third-party site. When the attachment is running, the screen on the mail agent changes to the third site. However, if the mouse is pressed while the attachment is in operation, the attachment will stop working.

The present invention can be applied not only to mails sent by individuals, but also to mails sent collectively by an organization.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications and applications are possible within the following claims.

4 shows a process of transmitting a webmail based on the present invention. The mail sender accesses the web mail server 41 using a browser and logs in a user. After logging in, the user opens a web mail screen (42) to access a remote web mail server. The sender who wants to compose a new mail inputs the recipient's e-mail address (43) in a new letter. The sender completes the original text of the e-mail through text input on the transmission screen. The sender may select 45 a file provided by his PC or a web mail server to attach the file separately from the original text of the e-mail.

The selectable file may be any file that can be attached, such as an image file such as a picture, a sound file, a video file, a flash file, an executable file, or a file for various OA programs.

When the file to be transmitted is selected, the sender may select a waiting time for the attachment to operate after the file is last input by the mouse or the keyboard. For example, if the sender selects his photo file in jpg and selects a waiting time of 10 seconds, the recipient who receives the e-mail receives a mouse or keyboard input for 10 seconds while reading the e-mail. If not, the sender's picture will be displayed on the mail. And if the receiver makes a re-entry using the keyboard or mouse on the mail agent, the sender's picture disappears and the receiver can see the original text again. If there are multiple attachments, the waiting time can be set independently for each file. For example, if there are two attachments, the attachment 1 can be automatically operated 10 seconds after the last input of the recipient, and the attachment 2 can be specified to be operated 20 seconds after the last input.

If the sender wants, it can be shown 47 with the attached file in addition to the original e-mail text. For example, if you insert the phrase "If you press the keyboard when you see my picture, you will be directly connected to my homepage." The recipient will see the above text on the sender's picture. Is generated to allow access to the sender's home page. Of course, the sender must specify 48 specific URL address link information corresponding to a specific keyboard input.

As a final procedure, the sender can specify the number of operations of the file to be shown on the recipient's mail program (49). The number of operations of a file can be specified independently of the file operation latency. Therefore, when the number of file operations is two or more times, it is possible to specify a different waiting time for each operation. For example, when the attached file is designated to operate three times in total, the one-time standby time is 30 seconds, the two-time operation time is 15 seconds, and the three-time operation time may be specified differently.

On the other hand, the sender can also specify the operation position and operation size of the file on the mail agent screen during the operation of the attached file. For example, the attached file may be operated in the entire screen of a web browser or a mail-only program, or the file may be operated and displayed only in a part of the screen. In addition, when the web mail site screen is divided into frames, a frame in which the attached file is operated may be designated.

When this series of tasks is completed, the sender will send the mail.

The web mail server completes the program script that automatically executes the attached file by using the sender's operation waiting time, the number of times, and the text to be inserted into the attached file as input variables. The completed program script is included in the e-mail with the attachment and sent to the recipient's e-mail address or in the form of a link indicating the physical location of the attachment.

In the above, the present invention has been described mainly on the web mail, but the method of operating the attached file in the e-mail according to the present invention is performed by the same process in the mail-only program. In the mail-only program, add the function on the screen of the mail-only program or add an external program from the sender's point of view so that the setting information input by the sender can be automatically generated in association with the program script for the attachment operation. The present invention can be implemented.

Figure 5 shows the process of receiving and using e-mail sent based on the present invention from the perspective of the recipient (recipient mail agent). When the e-mail arrives, the recipient selects the e-mail and opens the original mail text (51). Through this process, the specific e-mail is maintained in an open state 52 that the recipient can read. When the e-mail prepared based on the present invention is switched to the open state, the receiver automatically detects the mouse or keyboard event 53 continuously.

The e-mail according to the present invention continuously checks the idle period of the receiver by the attached program script to check whether the receiver has reached the deadline and the set time (54). If the period from the last event occurrence time of the receiver to the present time reaches the pause time set by the sender, the file attached by the sender (or the physical location information of the file attached) is operated on the original text of the email (55). do. In this state in which the separately attached file is automatically operated, the e-mail according to the present invention detects the user's event 56. When a simple mouse event is detected, the operation of the attached file is stopped, and the e-mail returns to the open 52 state. When the event of the receiver presses a specific keyboard or an event to drive a separate program (57), a separate program is driven to operate the attached file. For example, if the phrase "My personal homepage (www.me.pe.kr) is displayed" is inserted on the sender's image driven by the present invention on the recipient's e-mail screen, the receiver's keyboard If a press is detected, the receiver's PC will launch a browser and display www.me.pe.kr, the sender's personal home page.

6A and 6B show actual examples in which an attached file is automatically operated on a mail-only program according to the present invention. When the recipient selects the newly transmitted mail 62 using a mail-only program 61 such as Outlook Express, the e-mail text 63 can be viewed on the wide screen directly below (FIG. 6A). If the sender's attached file is an image and the waiting time is set to 10 seconds, the sender's attached picture 64 will be visible on the original text if the recipient's mouse or keyboard input is not detected for 10 seconds (Figure 6b). ). If the recipient's mouse movement is detected while the attached picture is being shown, the original e-mail text can be viewed again (FIG. 6A).

7A and 7C show actual examples of operation in web mail. This example consists of a scenario where a recipient receives an ad mail. The sender attached the image file to the advertisement mail. The recipient connects to the web mail server using a browser. In the web mail server, the recipient can move to the mail receiver and view the newly received e-mail on the web mail screen 71 (FIG. 7A). Recipients who receive the advertisement e-mail will see the advertisement content text shown on the text 72. While reading the text related to the advertisement, if the receiver's mouse or keyboard input is not detected at a specific time, the file attached to the mail is automatically operated so that the advertisement image 73 appears on the screen (FIG. 7B). In the lower portion 74 of the image, a notice is introduced, "Press the keyboard to go to this site." According to this guide phrase, when the recipient presses the keyboard, the advertiser's site 75 appears on the browser (FIG. 7C).

According to the present invention, the usage environment of the attached file transmitted along with the e-mail is improved, so that the recipient can automatically view or use the attached file without any additional work. In addition, according to the present invention, the e-mail can be interacted with by responding to the recipient through the attached file. The present invention can also be applied to commercial advertising mail. For example, the advertiser provides the recipient with an image of a text, such as a product, in the text form by the method of the present invention, or to move directly to the advertiser's site in the state of the attachment on the mail agent screen, the advertising effect Can be maximized. In addition, the present invention will be based on many applications because it provides an easy way of interaction between the recipient and the sender over e-mail.

Claims (7)

In a sender mail agent that sends an e-mail through a computer or a mobile phone, Setting information related to a file attached with an original mail message, the setting of an operation waiting time and an operation frequency of the file; Completing a program script for automatically operating the attached file using the setting information as an input variable; Sending the mail original, the attachment, the location information of the attachment and the program script together to the recipient's email address; Taking steps In a recipient mail agent that receives an e-mail through a computer or a mobile phone, Detects an operation such as a mouse click or a keyboard press performed on a mail agent and sequentially operates a file attached to the e-mail up to a specified number of times if the operation of the receiver does not occur for a specified time; Stopping the operation of the attachment when the receiver performs an operation while the attachment is in operation; A method of operating an attached file in consideration of a user's usage pattern in an e-mail. The method of claim 1, wherein the mail agent is a mail-only program. The method according to claim 2, wherein the mail-only program has a separate function of receiving a file designated by the sender and setting information of the file and completing a program script. Behavior of archived files. The method of claim 1, wherein the mail agent is a webmail site. The method of claim 4, wherein the program script is completed on a web server. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting information setting step includes setting a specific operation among operations performed by the recipient on the mail agent. Operating the file attached to the e-mail a specified number of times if the specified specific operation on the recipient mail agent does not occur; Stopping the operation of the attachment when the recipient performs the specific operation while the attachment is in operation; A method of operating an attached file in consideration of a user's usage pattern in an e-mail. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting information setting step includes setting a designated operation related to an attached file. If the recipient performs the specified action while the attachment is running on the recipient mail agent, the specified action of the attachment is performed. If the recipient performs an unspecified action related to the attachment, the attachment is stopped. A method of operating an attached file in consideration of a user's usage pattern in an e-mail.