Determining user information from automated replies
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorChristopher Alan Wheeler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Automated reply messages such as “out-of-office” messages or “away” messages are messages that have been programmed for delivery on behalf of a user upon the receipt of another message intended for the user. An automated reply message typically includes relevant information regarding the user, such as supplemental contact information for the user, a duration of his or her unavailability, and an agent or other contact who may be reached on his or her behalf while he or she is unavailable. The information contained therein may be harvested and utilized for any means, including to protect the user against fraudulent attempted actions on his or her behalf that are not authorized by the user or an agent identified in the reply message.
Claims26
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon,
- wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a computer having at least one computer processor to perform a method for determining information regarding a customer from an out-of-office reply message, the method comprising:
- identifying a customer profile stored in a data store using the at least one computer processor, the profile comprising a primary E-mail address, a primary telephone number and a primary delivery address of the customer;
- transmitting an original message to the primary E-mail address of the customer over a network;
- receiving the out-of-office reply message on behalf of the customer, the out-of-office reply message including the information regarding the customer over the network;
- parsing the information regarding the customer from the out-of-office reply message, using the at least one computer processor;
- and
- storing the information regarding the customer in the customer profile, using the at least one computer processor,
- wherein the information regarding the customer comprises at least one of a secondary E-mail address of the customer, a secondary telephone number of the customer, a secondary delivery address of the customer, or a date of availability of the customer;
- identifying a subsequent message scheduled to be transmitted to the customer over the network prior to the date of availability, using the at least one computer processor;
- and
- transmitting the subsequent message to the primary E-mail address of the customer over the network after the date of availability.
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving a reply message from a user over a network, wherein the reply message comprises information associated with the user, and wherein the information associated with the user identifies at least one of an agent authorized to act on behalf of the user, a location of the agent, a telephone number of the agent, an E-mail address of the agent or a secondary location of the user;
- parsing the information associated with the user from the reply message using at least one computer processor;
- adding the information associated with the user to a profile of the user in at least one data store;
- receiving an order for at least one item on behalf of the user over the network, wherein the order specifies a destination for the item;
- determining whether the destination is one of the location of the agent, the secondary location of the user, or a primary location listed in the profile of the user;
- and
- in response to determining that the destination is one of the location of the agent, the secondary location of the user, or the primary location listed in the profile of the user,
- causing a delivery of the at least one item to the destination,
- wherein the reply message is automatically transmitted on behalf of the user in response to a receipt of an origination message sent to the user.
A computer system comprising at least one computer processor and at least one data store,
- wherein the computer system is adapted to execute a computer program causing the computer system to perform a method comprising:
- receiving an automated reply message on behalf of the customer over a network, wherein the automated reply message comprises information regarding an unavailability of the customer, and wherein the information regarding the unavailability of the customer comprises a duration of the unavailability of the customer, secondary contact information for the customer during the unavailability of the customer, and an indication of an agent authorized to act on behalf of the customer during the unavailability of the customer;
- receiving an order for at least one item over the network, wherein the order specifies a destination for the at least one item;
- determining whether the order for the at least one item is authorized by the customer based at least in part on the information regarding the unavailability of the customer, using the at least one computer processor;
- in response to determining that the order for the at least one item is authorized by the customer based at least in part on the information regarding the unavailability of the customer,
- processing the order for the at least one item, using the at least one computer processor;
- and
- causing a delivery of the at least one item to the destination specified in the order.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.