Delivery confirmation for e-mail

US7836132B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Imran Qureshi · Sunnyvale, US
• Thomas Leung · Seattle, US
• Pablo M. Stern · San Francisco, US
• William R. Hoffman · Berkeley, US
• Eliot C. Gillum · Mountain View, US
• Omar H. Shahine · Menlo Park, US
• Michael D. Schackwitz · Pleasanton, US
• Roberto Figueroa · Redondo Beach, US
• Vikram Sardesai · San Jose, US
• Robin L. Boyea · Sunnyvale, US
• Charles Reeves Little, II · Bellevue, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 13, 2005
• Grant date: Nov 16, 2010
• Expiry date: Dec 7, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L51/234
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A delivery confirmation is provided to the sender of an e-mail message. When the e-mail message is composed, a link, such as a hyperlink, is inserted into the e-mail message, such as in the body or header. The link can include information such as a message identifier and identifiers of the sender and the recipient, which are provided as a query string of the link, while a host field of the link includes the address of an e-mail/web server. When the recipient receives the e-mail message and opens it, the link is displayed along with text that instructs the user to use the link to confirm delivery. The confirmation can include displaying indicia for the e-mail message in a folder view on an interface of the sender, or sending a confirmation e-mail message to the sender, for instance. Voting by e-mail can also be provided.