WO2006034934A1

WO2006034934A1 - Method and communication server for transmitting an electronic message

Info

Publication number: WO2006034934A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/054243
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rainer Uecker
Original assignee: Cycos Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2004-09-27
Filing date: 2005-08-29
Publication date: 2006-04-06
Also published as: DE102004047125A1; DE102004047125B4

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a communication server (KS) for creating and transmitting an electronic message (EN1). In a first step, the electronic message (EN1) is written, in a second step said message (EN1) is addressed to at least one recipient (EM1, EM2, EM3), in a third step the electronic message (EN1) is provided with the address of the sender (ABS1) and in a fourth step said message (EN1) is transmitted to the recipient (EM1, EM2, EM3). Prior to the fourth step, the electronic message (EN1) is provided with the address (ABS2, ABS3) of at least one other sender, to whom the electronic message (EN1) is transmitted. An acknowledgement (OK, N-OK) of the electronic message (EN1) is then requested from the other sender or senders (ABS2, ABS3).

Description

description

Method and communication server for sending an electronic message

The invention relates to a method for creating and sending an electronic message according to the Oberbe¬ handle of claim 1, and a communication server for sending an electronic message according to the Ober¬ concept of claim 9.

Electronic messages are often used for communication between individuals and groups of persons, for which the e-mail messages are a well-known example.

With the electronic messages texts, images, audio and video content, in short: multimedia information, can be transmitted quickly and efficiently.

The electronic messages, in particular the e-mail messages mentioned, are usually written on a PC or a similar data processing device (PDA, "smartphone", etc.) by means of a suitable editor, frequently also called an e-mail client In this case, a sender or several senders is determined by assigning their communication addresses (eg e-mail addresses) to the authored electronic message, as communication addresses (in short: addresses) frequently also called "alias names". be used. At the same time, the electronic message is provided with a sender address or name. The electronic message thus completed is then transmitted to the receiver or the recipients, by the usual way the electronic message first from the editor (e-mail client) to a server (e-mail server, unified messaging system , etc.) is transmitted. If alias names were used for addressing, they will be sent to a generally valid communication address (e-mail address) in the server at the latest. Address, URL, Telefaxnurtimer, phone number, etc.) implemented and to the or the receivers or their Kommunikationsend¬ devices (computers, smart phones, PDAs, fax machines, etc.) über¬ wear. While a copy of the sent electronic message usually in a designated mailbox ("sent emails") of the sending device remains, received electronic messages are stored accordingly in Ein¬ gangs mailboxes of the respective communication terminals or data processing equipment and to retrieve or "Le - sen ".

Often it is not individual persons who communicate with one another, but groups of persons, for example work groups and departments of companies, user groups, groups of customers, etc. For this it is known to use one and the same electronic message as described The use of a single alias name ("group name") by means of the described address conversion can be used to address a virtually unlimited number of different recipients in a simple manner can be easily created by a single sender and sent to a variety of recipients, has proved in the known methods for sending electronic messages as disadvantageous that in cases where a group consisting of several people an elekt¬ ronic message this usually a single member wants to ship this he must do group acting on behalf of the remaining members of the group. If the sending member of the group wishes to vote the content of the electronic message to be sent with the other group members, this member usually sends in a first step the electronic message to another group member requesting the content of the electronic message Check the message and correct it if necessary. This additional group member then sends the verified, possibly corrected electronic message to the next group member continue and so on until the last group member has reviewed the message and then transmits it to the recipient or the recipients. It is disadvantageous that the original author of the electronic message has difficult control over the course of the electronic message and the final version of the (corrected) electronic message. Although it is customary to address all members of the sending group as well when finally sending the (corrected) electronic message; For this purpose, a so-called CC address field is often set up (CC = "carbon copy") In addition to the lack of control over the final course and the final version of the electronic message, this procedure is disadvantageous in that it is used for information purposes Group members who have received the electronic message find the sent, definitive version of the electronic message in their inboxes, even though, as the (co-) author of the electronic message, they have the status of a sender rather than a recipient.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to simplify the sending of an electronic message processed by several senders and to improve the workflow when using electronic messages.

The object is achieved for the method by the features of the independent claim 1 and for the communication server by the features of the independent claim 9.

The solution provides a method for creating and sending an electronic message, wherein in a first step the electronic message is written, in a second step the electronic message is addressed to at least one receiver, in a third step the electronic message with a Address of a sender is provided, and in a fourth step, the electronic message is transmitted to the recipient. It will be before the fourth step provides the electronic message with the address of at least one further sender, the electronic message being transmitted to the at least one further transmitter and an acknowledgment of the electronic message being requested by the at least one further sender. This procedure ensures that, in addition to the original author of the electronic message, another sender also receives the electronic message for checking before it is sent to the final recipient or the final recipients.

The solution further provides a communication server for sending an electronic message, with an interface to an authoring device for writing and

Editing the electronic message, and with a Sende¬ device for sending the electronic message. In this case, the transmission device is designed to manage a plurality of sender addresses for the electronic message, the communication server has an interrogation device for sending an acknowledgment request message, the communication server has a receiving device for receiving an acknowledgment response message, and the communication server is for evaluation the acknowledgment response message and for linking the acknowledgment response message with a respective one of the sender addresses. A communication server designed in this way makes it possible to obtain acknowledgment from the sender prior to the final sending of an electronic message to the final recipient, this acknowledgment being linked to the sender address (communication address, alias name) of the respective acknowledgment person.

Advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention are specified in the subclaims 2 to 8. The features and advantages specified in the subclaims of the method Ie apply analogously to the communication server according to the invention.

The final sending of the electronic message can be returned to the acknowledgment by the further sender by executing the fourth step only after the acknowledgment.

A recipient quickly obtains an overview of all the sender of the electronic message if the sender and the other sender with the electronic message are displayed to the recipient.

If the electronic message is processed by the other sender before the fourth step, corrections and additions can be made by the other sender. In this case, advantageously, a further acknowledgment, now more, can be obtained from the (original) sender in order to ensure that the changes and additions made by the further sender are in agreement with the (original) sender or with all other sender.

With the method, it is possible to transmit the electronic message to the recipient even if the acknowledgment of the further sender has not yet been received, or the other sender has documented his non-agreement by means of a negative acknowledgment reply message. For this purpose, the acknowledgment at the receiver is advantageously displayed together with the address of the other sender, so that the status of the acknowledgment for the recipient of the electronic message is visible. Advantageously, in the case of a subsequent positive acknowledgment of the electronic message by the further sender, the corresponding display of the acknowledgment can also be subsequently changed at the receiver. On the other hand, in the cases in which the consent of all senders is assumed, the fourth Step executed only after a positive acknowledgment of all senders.

The sender and the other sender keep a good overview of the sent and received electronic messages by each of the sender is assigned a mailbox for sent electronic messages and the electronic message sent in the fourth step is stored in each of these mailboxes.

The clarity is improved both for the sender and for the recipient, if the address of the sender, the other sender and as an indication for the recipient je¬ Weil a communication address and / or a unique and associated with a communication address name is used ver¬. As a result, either completely or mixedly, either complete communication addresses or corresponding unique designations ("alias names") can be used.

Exemplary embodiments of a method according to the invention for creating and sending an electronic message are explained below with reference to the drawings and serve at the same time to explain exemplary embodiments of inventive communication servers.

Showing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a written electronic message to which several senders are assigned, and

2 shows a schematic representation of the sending of an electronic message with the acknowledgment of the electronic message by two further senders. In the figure 1 is shown in a schematic representation as an example of a written electronic message ENI an e-mail message. It consists of a text body TK, which here stands for all imaginable useful contents (text, audio, video, data, etc.), a subject "subject", and three address labels "FROM:", "TO:", " CC: ". In the address fields "TO:", "CC:" the receivers EMI, EM2, EM3 are specified, the receivers EMI, EM2, EM3 being defined by a unique designation "EMI", "EM2", "EM3" assigned to them, where, as explained later on, each of these designations is assigned a unique communication address (e-mail address) Analogous to the designations of the recipients EMI, EM2, EM3, in the address field "FROM:" the Name of the sender ABSl and the other sender ABS2, ABS3 specified, each of the sender ABSl, ABS2, ABS3 an acknowledgment OK, N-OK is assigned, which is assigned to the respective sender ABSl, ABS2, ABS3 displayed.

In the following, the sending of the electronic message ENI to the receivers EMI, EM2, EM3 is explained in a schematic representation with reference to FIG. Thus, the electronic message ENI is first created by means of an application program MCl ("mail client 1") which is installed on a computer (not shown) 1, so that the state described with reference to FIG. 1 results, with the exception of the acknowledgment OK, N-OK shown there, which is not yet displayed at this stage or-alternatively-is displayed as an indifferent status ABSl) adjusts the application program MCl such that an acknowledgment of the further senders ABS2, ABS3 is necessary for sending the electronic message ENI In the present exemplary embodiment, this is the default setting ("default setting") of the application program MCl; Of course, for each new electronic message ENI and for each of the senders ABSl, ABS2, ABS3 are set separately, whether before the final sending of the electronic message ENI an acknowledgment OK, N-OK is to be obtained, whether the final sending the e- electronic message ENI to the recipients EMI, EM2 a positive acknowledgment OK ("consent" ) or whether the electronic message ENI should also be sent in the event of a negative acknowledgment N-OK ("non-approval") or in the event of an unsuccessful acknowledgment OK, N-OK after the expiry of a previously defined period of time. Furthermore, the application program MCl in the present exemplary embodiment is set in such a way that no acknowledgment OK, N-OK should be obtained for sending the message to the recipient EM3 in the address field CC (CC = Carbon Copy), because the Empfän¬ ger EM3 only about the electronic message ENI relevant facts is to be informed. The Ver¬ sand of the electronic message ENI to the receiver EM3 thus takes place without delay.

By entering the "Send" command, the application program MCl is caused to transmit the electronic message ENI to the communication server KS, in this case an e-mail server so-called unified messaging system, a voice or fax server or-depending on the nature of the message to be sent-another communication node can be used.Figure 2 shows the process of the transmission by the arrow SU ("Server Upload "). In the communication server KS, the designations used in the address fields "FROM:", "TO:", "CC:" as addresses ABS1, ABS2, ABS3, EMI, EM2, EM3 are now converted into full-fledged communication addresses (e-mail addresses ) is converted (revaluated) by accessing a central address directory (directory) This process is known from the prior art and is not considered in any more detail here. The communication server KS now sends to the further transmitters ABS2, ABS3 acknowledgment request messages AN1, AN2, which each comprise the transmitted draft of the electronic message ENI together with the request for a positive or negative acknowledgment. In this case, the further senders ABS 2, ABS 3 are informed of a maximum processing time defined by the sender ABS 1 - this is the time span defined for the acknowledgment - after which the electronic message ENI is also received without an acknowledgment OK, N -OK is sent. These and other details can be freely set by the (original) sender ABSl by means of the application program MCl, wherein in the present exemplary embodiment a program-controlled input dialog, a so-called "rule assistant" (frequently also called "wizard") is used.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the further senders ABS 2, ABS 3 are allowed to change the design of the electronic message ENI, for which purpose the electronic message ENI remains stored on the communication server KS and during the processing by one of the further senders ABS 2, ABS 3 for the respective ones other sender ABSl, ABS2, ABS3 is temporarily blocked. For the alternately processing of centrally stored documents by several processors, different approaches are known in particular from the technical field of software development, for example CVS systems (CVS = concurrent version systems), so that this detail will not be dealt with further here.

In the following it is assumed that the other Absen¬ the ABS2 - in contrast to the sender ABS3 - has processed the electronic message ENI and consequently the edited version by means of a positive (sender ABS2) or negati¬ ven (sender ABS3) acknowledgment response message QNl, QN2 is enabled at the communication server KS. The communication server KS is set by the sender ABSl instructions (settings) so that an acknowledgment of the read by the other sender ABS2, ABS3 or modified (edited) electronic message ENI itself is not required. Accordingly, the names of the senders ABS1, ABS2, ABS3 are assigned the respective acknowledgment OK, N-OK by the communication server KS as status information. The acknowledgments OK, N-OK - the status is of course not limited to the two states shown here by way of example - is shown in the embodiment shown here in the form of a text ("OK", "N-OK"); Of course, a display in the form of symbols (icons) or based on color distinctions (for example green for OK, red for non-OK) is possible. The thus acknowledged electronic message ENI is now transmitted by the communication server KS to the application programs of the receivers EMI, EM2, EM3, the application program MC2 of the receiver EMI being illustrated by way of example in FIG. The transmission of the electronic message ENI is shown in FIG. 2 by means of the arrow SD ("server download").

On a data processing device (computer) of the recipient EMI, the electronic message ENI is now represented by means of an application program MC2 in the manner described with reference to FIG. 1, whereby it is clear from the sender specification ABS1 on the basis of an underline that the sender ABSl is the original author of the electronic message ENI. Furthermore, the senders ABS1, ABS2, ABS3 are assigned the acknowledgments OK, N-OK.

Analogous to the transmission of the electronic message ENI to the recipients EMI, EM2, EM3, a copy of the electronic message ENI together with the statuses of the acknowledgment OK, N-OK is stored in those mailboxes of the senders ABS1, ABS2, ABS3, in which are copies of all sent messages. In many cases, as in the present embodiment, it is customary that received electronic messages ENI are not stored (archived) on a data processing device (computer, mobile phone, PDA or the like) of the respective recipient EMI, EM2, EM3. but remain stored for repeated retrieval on the communication server KS. In these cases, it is possible for a delayed (subsequent) acknowledgment response message QN1, QN2, the status and the acknowledgment OK, N-OK of the electronic message ENI displayed with it to change subsequently and to be accessed again. repeated reading of the electronic message ENI in always updated form. In principle, such a "subsequent" update of the status display is also possible if the electronic message ENI is stored on the data processing device of the respective recipient EMI, EM2, EM3, provided that this at least temporary (data or network) connection to the Communication server KS has.

Analogously to a communication server known from the prior art, the communication server KS has an interface (data connection, network connection) to an editing device, in this case formed by the application program MCl. The transmission device of the communication server, which is used to transmit the electronic messages ENI both to the receivers EMI, EM2, EM3, and to the other senders ABS2, ABS3, is also known in prin ciple.

The communication server KS differs from the known devices by the interrogator for the transmission of the acknowledgment request messages AN1, AN2 and the receiving device for receiving, evaluating and for linking the acknowledgment reply messages QN1, QN2 with the names of the senders ABS2, ABS3 , This additional functionality is achieved by using a known com- munikationsServer with additional modules, so-called software "plug-ins", is extended. Analogously thereto, known application programs (e-mail clients) are modified by means of other extensions (also advantageously implemented as plug-ins) such that, on the one hand, an electronic message ENI has multiple senders (sender ABS1; further senders ABS2 , ABS3), and on the other hand, the status of an assigned acknowledgment (OK, N-OK, etc.) can be assigned to each of the senders and can be displayed therewith.

In the present embodiment, no distinction is made between transmitters and their designations and the complete communication addresses assigned to them (and only used "in the background" by the communication server KS), of course, the mixed use of complete communication addresses and identifiers , as already known from the prior art, possible.

Claims

claims

1. A method for creating and sending an electronic message (ENI), wherein in a first step the electronic message (ENI) is written, addressed in a second step, the electronic message (ENI) to at least one receiver (EMI, EM2, EM3) in a third step, the electronic message (ENI) is provided with an address of a sender (ABSl), and in a fourth step the electronic message (ENI) is transmitted to the recipient (EMI, EM2, EM3), characterized that before the fourth step

The electronic message (ENI) is provided with the address (ABS2, ABS3) of at least one other sender,

• the electronic message (ENI) is transmitted to the at least one further sender (ABS2, ABS3), and • from the at least one further sender (ABS2, ABS3) ei¬ ne acknowledgment (OK, N-OK) of the electronic message (ENI ) is queried.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the fourth step is executed only after the acknowledgment (OK, N-OK).

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sender (ABSl) and the other sender (ABS2, ABS3) with the electronic message (ENI) at the Empfän¬ ger (EMI, EM2, EM3) are displayed.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic message (ENI) before the fourth step by the further sender (ABS2, ABS3) is processed.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the acknowledgment (OK, N-OK) at the receiver (EMI, EM2, EM3) is displayed together with the address (ABS2, ABS3) of the other Ab¬ transmitter.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fourth step after a positive acknowledgment (OK, N-OK) of all senders (ABSl, ABS2, ABS3) is executed.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the sender (ABSl, ABS2, ABS3) is assigned in each case a Post¬ fold for sent electronic messages (ENI) and sent in the fourth step electronic message (ENI) in each the mailboxes is saved.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that as the address (ABSl) of the sender, the further sender (ABS2, ABS3) and as an indication of the recipient (EMI, EM2) je¬ Weils a communication address and / or a unique and a name associated with a communication address is used.

9. communication server (KS) for sending a elektroni¬'s message (ENI), with an interface to an editing device for Ver¬ summarize and edit the electronic message (ENI), and with a transmitting device for sending the electronic message (ENI), characterized characterized in that the transmitting device is designed to manage a plurality of senders (ABS1, ABS2, ABS3) to the electronic message (ENI), the communication server has an interrogator for sending an acknowledgment request message (AN1, AN2), the communication server has a receiving device for Receiving an acknowledgment response message (QNl, QN2), and the communication server for evaluating the Quittierungsant¬ word message (QNl, QN2) and for linking the Acknowledgment response message (QNl, QN2) with a respective the sender (ABS2, ABS3) is set up ,