Method, system and software for dynamically extracting content for integration with electronic mail
The invention is a system and method, with implementing computer program code, that automatically and dynamically formats an electronic mail (e-mail) message by extracting selected text and graphical components of a web page and “wrapping” the extracted computer data about the e-mail message. Thus the extracted data forms a border about the e-mail message. The invention provides for the use of company designs and trademarks in e-mail messages without the addition of local software components resident on the user's computer, and without compromising the functionality of standard e-mail software programs. The invention wraps the e-mail received through a gateway server and sends out the wrapped e-mail to the destination (recipient) designated by the sender in the original, unwrapped message.
1. A method of wrapping e-mail, comprising the steps of:
smarthost forwarding an e-mail to a co-located server;
using the co-located server to receive a selected message body and a header comprising a plurality of header elements wherein the message body and the header are associated with the e-mail;
separating at least one of the header elements from the selected message body;
selecting a template to wrap the e-mail on the basis of a predetermined e-mail count limiting the template from being applied to a number of e-mails greater than the predetermined e-mail count, the template being selected from a data source;
extracting a set of content items from a website based at least in part on the template selected;
a step for dynamically populating the template with the set of content items from the website to create a populated template;
assembling the selected message body, the populated template and the header to create a wrapped e-mail wherein assembling includes searching threading information for proper display of an e-mail thread;
sending the wrapped e-mail to a recipient.
2. The method of wrapping e-mail of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting a template further comprises the step of:
selecting the template to form a border on at least one side of the selected message body.
3. The method of wrapping e-mail of claim 1 , wherein a server receives the e-mail, the server being installed on an internal network.
4. The method of wrapping e-mail of claim 1 , wherein a server receives the e-mail, the server being installed on an external network.
5. The method of wrapping e-mail of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting the template further comprises the steps of:
a user creating a plurality of profiles in an e-mail client, each profile having an e-mail address unique to that profile; the user selecting the profile for use in determining the template.
6. The method of wrapping e-mail of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting the template further comprises the steps of:
creating a template list; the template list having a plurality of template names;
creating a sender list; the sender list having a plurality of sender e-mail addresses;
assigning the sender e-mail addresses from the sender list to a template name in the template list.
7. The method of wrapping e-mail in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
creating a report based on the e-mail;
writing the report to a file on a computer;
storing the report in a database;
sending the report to a manager.
8. The method of wrapping e-mail in claim 1 , wherein the selected message body and the header are received in a RAW image format and a MIME standard.
9. The method of wrapping e-mail in claim 1 , wherein the selected message body, the header and the populated template are sent using a RAW image format and a MIME standard.
10. A method of wrapping an e-mail, comprising the steps of:
a computer receiving the e-mail, the e-mail having a selected message body and a header; the header having a plurality of header elements;
separating at least one of the header elements from the selected message body;
selecting a template to wrap the e-mail on the basis of a predetermined e-mail count limiting the template from being applied to a number of e-mails greater than the predetermined e-mail count, the template being selected from a data source;
extracting a set of content from a website;
populating the template with the set of content from the website to create a populated template;
assembling the selected message body, the populated template and the header to create a wrapped e-mail wherein assembling includes searching threading information for proper display of an e-mail thread;
sending the wrapped e-mail to a recipient.
11. The method of wrapping e-mail of claim 10 , wherein the step of selecting a template further comprises the step of:
selecting the template to form a border on at least one side of the selected message body.
12. The method of wrapping e-mail of claim 10 , wherein a server receives the e-mail, the server being installed on an internal network.
13. The method of wrapping e-mail of claim 10 , wherein a server receives the e-mail, the server being installed on an external network.
14. The method of wrapping e-mail of claim 10 , wherein the step of selecting the template further comprises the steps of:
a user creating a plurality of profiles in an e-mail client, each profile having an e-mail address unique to that profile;
the user selecting the profile for use in determining the template.
15. The method of wrapping e-mail of claim 10 , wherein the step of selecting the template further comprises the steps of:
creating a template list; the template list having a plurality of template names;
creating a sender list; the sender list having a plurality of sender e-mail addresses;
assigning the sender e-mail addresses from the sender list to a template name in the template list.
16. The method of wrapping e-mail in claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
creating a report based on the e-mail;
writing the report to a file on a computer;
storing the report in a database;
sending the report to a manager.
17. The method of wrapping e-mail in claim 10 , wherein the selected message body and the header are received in a RAW image format and a MIME standard.
18. The method of wrapping e-mail in claim 10 , wherein the selected message body, the header and the populated template are sent using a RAW image format and a MIME standard.
19. A web based application system for wrapping an e-mail, comprising:
a computer having a user interface, the user interface having a customer control panel;
the customer control panel having an e-mail composer, a template manager, and a plurality of settings to configure a message processor;
the customer control panel further comprising a really simple syndication (RSS) trigger for dynamically populating a template from a data source;
the message processor applying the settings of the customer control panel to the e-mail;
the template manager having at least one template, the template having an associated set of content items;
a computer receiving the e-mail, the e-mail having a selected message body and a header; the header having a plurality of header elements;
separating at least one of the header elements from the selected message body;
selecting a template to wrap the e-mail on the basis of a predetermined e-mail count limiting the template from being applied to a number of e-mails greater than the predetermined e-mail count, the template being selected from a data source;
assembling the selected message body, the template and the header to create a wrapped e-mail wherein assembling includes searching threading information for proper display of an e-mail thread.
20. The web based application system of claim 19 , wherein the customer control panel further comprises a website control for populating the template in the template manager from a web site.
21. The web based application system of claim 19 , wherein the customer control panel further comprises a means for extracting the associated set of content items associated with the template from a web site.
22. The web based application system of claim 19 wherein the customer control panel further comprises a bill paying module to pay an invoice online.
23. The web based application system of claim 19 wherein the customer control panel further comprises a means for bill paying.
24. The web based application system of claim 19 wherein the customer control panel further comprises a means for reporting a history of e-mail transactions.