US2009182655A1PendingUtilityA1

Method and apparatus for prioritized delivery of electronic mail messages

55
Assignee: SONY ELECTRONICS INCPriority: Feb 1, 1999Filed: Dec 31, 2008Published: Jul 16, 2009
Est. expiryFeb 1, 2019(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:David WangP. Robert Hsu
H04L 51/226G06Q 30/04
55
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

A system allows users to send electronic mail messages having prioritized delivery. A server receives an electronic mail message that contains a specified priority or a specified time frame for delivery. The server determines a time frame for delivery and selects procedures to ensure delivery of the electronic mail message within the determined time frame. The server then provides the electronic mail message to the receiving account within the determined time frame.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method for providing prioritized delivery of content, comprising:
 receiving the content;   receiving a corresponding delivery time frame for the content, wherein the corresponding delivery time frame is specified by a sender of the content;   selecting procedures sufficient for delivering the content within the specified time frame; and   delivering the content within the specified time frame using the selected procedures.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the delivery time frame is specified by the sender of the content. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising receiving a priority tag associated with the content. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein receiving a corresponding delivery time frame for the content comprises receiving content that contains a priority level, and wherein the content is delivered within the delivery time frame associated with the content based on the priority level. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising recording billing information for the content. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the billing information is based on the selected procedures. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the content includes audio content. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the content includes video content. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the content includes audio-video content. 
     
     
         29 . A method for sending prioritized content, comprising:
 preparing the content;   assigning a delivery time frame to the content; and   transmitting the content having the delivery time frame, wherein the delivery time frame prioritizes delivery of the content within the delivery time frame.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein assigning a delivery time frame to the content further comprises generating a priority tag associated with the content. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein assigning a delivery time frame to the content further comprises a sender specifying a delivery priority level. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein assigning a delivery time frame to the content further comprises a sender specifying a time period within which the content will be delivered. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the content includes audio content. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the content includes video content. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the content includes audio-video content. 
     
     
         36 . A method for receiving prioritized content, comprising:
 receiving content from a server, wherein the content is delivered according to a delivery time frame set by a sender of the content;   storing the content; and   selectively displaying the stored content.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the delivery time frame is indicated by a priority tag associated with the content. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the content includes audio content. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the content includes video content. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the content includes audio-video content. 
     
     
         41 . A computer readable medium providing instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform a method for providing prioritized delivery of content, the method comprising:
 receiving the content;   receiving a corresponding delivery time frame for the content, wherein the corresponding delivery time frame is specified by a sender of the content;   selecting procedures sufficient for delivering the content within the specified time frame, and   delivering the content within the specified time frame using the selected procedures.   
     
     
         42 . The computer readable medium of  claim 41 , wherein the delivery time frame is specified by the sender of the content. 
     
     
         43 . The computer readable medium of  claim 41 , further comprising instructions for receiving a priority tag associated with the content. 
     
     
         44 . The computer readable medium of  claim 41 , wherein receiving a corresponding delivery time frame for the content comprises receiving content that contains a priority level, and wherein the content is delivered within the delivery time frame associated with the content based on the priority level. 
     
     
         45 . The computer readable medium of  claim 41 , further comprising instructions for recording billing information for the content. 
     
     
         46 . The computer readable medium of  claim 45 , wherein the billing information is based on the selected procedures. 
     
     
         47 . The computer readable medium of  claim 41 , wherein the content includes audio content. 
     
     
         48 . The computer readable medium of  claim 41 , wherein the content includes video content. 
     
     
         49 . The computer readable medium of  claim 41 , wherein the content includes audio-video content. 
     
     
         50 . A computer readable medium providing instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform a method for providing prioritized delivery of content, the method comprising;
 preparing the content;   assigning a delivery time frame to the content; and   transmitting the content having the delivery time frame, wherein the delivery time frame prioritizes delivery of the content within the delivery time frame.   
     
     
         51 . The computer readable medium of  claim 50 , wherein assigning a delivery time frame to the content further comprises generating a priority tag associated with the content. 
     
     
         52 . The computer readable medium of  claim 50 , wherein assigning a delivery time frame to the content further comprises a sender specifying a delivery priority level. 
     
     
         53 . The computer readable medium of  claim 50 , wherein assigning a delivery time frame to the content further comprises a sender specifying a time period within which the content will be delivered. 
     
     
         54 . The computer readable medium of  claim 50 , wherein the content includes audio content. 
     
     
         55 . The computer readable medium of  claim 50 , wherein the content includes video content. 
     
     
         56 . The computer readable medium of  claim 50 , wherein the content includes audio-video content. 
     
     
         57 . A computer readable medium providing instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform a method for receiving prioritized content, comprising:
 receiving content from a server, wherein the content is delivered according to a delivery time frame set by a sender of the content;   storing the content; and   selectively displaying the stored content.   
     
     
         58 . The computer readable medium of  claim 57 , wherein the delivery time frame is indicated by a priority tag associated with the content. 
     
     
         59 . The computer readable medium of  claim 57 , wherein the content includes audio content. 
     
     
         60 . The computer readable medium of  claim 57 , wherein the content includes video content. 
     
     
         61 . The computer readable medium of  claim 57 , wherein the content includes audio-video content. 
     
     
         62 . An apparatus for providing prioritized delivery of content, comprising:
 at least one memory having program instructions; and   at least one processor configured to execute the program instructions to perform the operations of:
 receiving the content; 
 receiving a corresponding delivery time frame for the content, wherein the corresponding delivery time frame is specified by a sender of the content; 
 selecting procedures sufficient for delivering the content within the specified time frame; and 
 delivering the content within the specified time frame using the selected procedures. 
   
     
     
         63 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the content includes audio content. 
     
     
         64 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the content includes video content. 
     
     
         65 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the content includes audio-video content. 
     
     
         66 . An apparatus for providing prioritized delivery of content, comprising:
 at least one memory having program instructions; and   at least one processor configured to execute the program instructions to perform the operations of:
 preparing the content; 
 assigning a delivery time frame to the content; and 
 transmitting the content having the delivery time frame, wherein the delivery time frame prioritizes delivery of the content within the delivery time frame. 
   
     
     
         67 . The apparatus of  claim 66 , wherein the content includes audio content. 
     
     
         68 . The apparatus of  claim 66 , wherein the content includes video content. 
     
     
         69 . The apparatus of  claim 66 , wherein the content includes audio-video content. 
     
     
         70 . An apparatus for receiving prioritized content, comprising:
 at least one memory having program instructions; and   at least one processor configured to execute the program instructions to perform the operations of:
 receiving content from a server, wherein the content is delivered according to a delivery time frame set by a sender of the content; 
 storing the content; and 
 selectively displaying the stored content. 
   
     
     
         71 . The apparatus of  claim 70 , wherein the content includes audio content. 
     
     
         72 . The apparatus of  claim 70 , wherein the content includes video content. 
     
     
         73 . The apparatus of  claim 70 , wherein the content includes audio-video content.

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