WO2005055095A1

WO2005055095A1 - Enhanced electronic messages

Info

Publication number: WO2005055095A1
Application number: PCT/DK2004/000839
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jens BJØRNKJÆR; Christian Bonke; Jacob Gurevitsch
Original assignee: Superstar Records & Production
Priority date: 2003-12-02
Filing date: 2004-12-02
Publication date: 2005-06-16
Also published as: WO2005055095A8

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a computer system and method for branding and/or promoting products, services, people business entities etc. through electronic messages. In particular it relates to an electronic device, system and method for enhancing electronic messages by attaching a payload to the message. The payload is preferably displayed to a receiving user immediately upon receiving or opening the message. Furthermore invention relates to a business method for increasing revenues for business entities participating in a campaign.

Description

ENHANCED ELECTRONIC MESSAGES

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and a system of providing enhanced electronic messages comprising at least an advisory statement and possibly also data to a recipient. The present invention further relates to a method of doing business comprising the distribution of enhanced electronic messages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the last few years companies have realised the importance and the superiority of Internet as a medium for reaching customers. The Internet has spread rapidly over the last 10 years and the Internet and the corresponding electronic communication form has become the preferred means of communication within many areas such as in Business to Business communication, Business to Customer communication or Customer to Customer communication.

Companies use the Internet in order to promote themselves, their services and products. Due to the very hard competition for attracting customer's attention on the Internet, more effort and time is utilized on a company's Internet strategy, for the purpose of positioning the company on the Internet and thus in the mind of potential customers. From a company point of view branding is of great importance because, consumers view a brand as an important part of a company, product or service, and a professionally managed brand adds value to the entity it belongs to. Branding, thus, adds among other things something that can be called the look-and-feel of a product. Branding, however, takes a lot of time and effort, and furthermore tend to be expensive due to the cost of for example advertisement time in TV or radio. In order to achieve a fast and powerful and long-lasting effect of a branding effort, companies have to expose the brand to customers often and also for a long time. This is where the recent development in Internet technology and the trend where people spend more and more time on the Internet, has opened up new opportunities for companies.

This recent and increasing trend of people spending more and more time on the Internet, increases the usage of electronic communication which provides yet another option for companies to brand themselves and their products and services. However, the electronic communication, such as emails are, typically, not differentiated as is usually other means of communications such as web pages, ordinary letters, business cards etc. Emails on the other hand provide an active communication channel, which have great potential for branding and marketing. However, emails today are typically still very informal and unprofessional and without clear branding of the sender identity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide differentiated electronic messages.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide profiling of a business entity or person through electronic messages.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the above and other objects are fulfilled by providing an enhancement network device for enhancing electronic messages (such as emails) the enhancement network device comprises: receiving means for receiving an electronic messages from a sending user address, - enhancing means for enhancing the electronic messages by embedding at least an advisory statement in the electronic message, and forwarding means for forwarding the enhanced electronic messages to a destination user address.

In a second aspect of the invention, the above and other objects are fulfilled by a method of enhancing electronic messages, the method comprising the steps of providing an electronic message from a sending user to an enhancement network device, enhancing the electronic message by embedding at least an advisory statement in the electronic message, forwarding the enhanced electronic message from the enhancement network device to a destination user address.

Furthermore, in a third aspect of the invention, a computer network for enhancing electronic messages is provided, the computer network comprises: at least one sender computer comprising means for sending an electronic message, an enhancement network device comprising : receiving means for receiving an electronic message from a sending user address, enhancing means for enhancing the electronic messages by embedding at least an advisory statement in the electronic message, and forwarding means for forwarding the enhanced electronic message to a destination user address, at least one database for storing of the advisory statement, at least one recipient computer comprising: receiving means for receiving the enhanced electronic message, reading means for reading the advisory statement, and utility means for interpreting data referred to by the advisory statement immediately upon receipt and/or opening of the electronic message.

The electronic message may be further enhanced by embedding data in the electronic message, so that preferably the data referred to by the advisory statement is also embedded in the electronic message.

Thus, the sending user may use his usual electronic message program to send electronic messages through the network to a destination user address. However, before the electronic message is provided to the destination user, the electronic message is provided to an enhancement network device wherein the electronic message is enhanced to further comprise at least an advisory statement and possibly also data. Preferably, when the electronic messages are emails, the advisory statement, and in some embodiments also data, are provided in an HTML part of the email message. When the electronic message is forwarded from the enhancement network device to a destination user, the normal route in a network environment may be followed. The destination user will, thus, receive an electronic message comprising the original electronic message and further comprising at least an advisory statement. In one embodiment, the electronic message also comprises data embedded in the electronic message.

The message may comprise both textual based information and audio based information, so that the audio or audio based information is an addition to the standard electronic message.

Furthermore, in a fourth aspect of the invention, the above and other objects are fulfilled by providing an enhancement network device for enhancing attachments to electronic messages (such as e.g. VCards attached to emails) by at least an advisory statement, the enhancement network device comprises: receiving means for receiving electronic messages from a sending user address, enhancing means for enhancing the attachment in the electronic messages by embedding at least an advisory statement in the attachment, and forwarding means for forwarding the enhanced electronic messages to a destination user address.

Furthermore, a fifth aspect of the invention, the above and other objects are fulfilled by a method of enhancing attachments to electronic messages, the method comprising the steps of: providing an electronic message comprising an attachment from a sending user to an enhancement network device, enhancing the attachment in the electronic message by embedding at least an advisory statement in the attachment, 5 - forwarding the enhanced electronic message from the enhancement network device to a destination user address.

The attachment may be further enhanced by embedding also data in the attachment or the electronic message, so that preferably the data referred to by the advisory statement is 10 also embedded in the attachment or the electronic message.

The data may be any kind of data, such as data comprising advertisement information, such as banners, preferably such as sound trademarks, sensory marks, etc.

15 In a preferred embodiment, the data are audio data, such as audio data having any suitable audio file formats,. The audio file formats may comprise MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG- 3 or MPEG-4 Audio Layer 3, e.g. the MP3 file format, Windows Media Audio, Ogg Vobis, RealAudio, QuickTime, Raw, AAC, law, Alaw, GSM, PCM, WAV, AIFF, etc.

20 Preferably, a compressed file format is used for the data referred to by the advisory statement, and, preferably, the data is compressed by a method appropriate to the destination user handling system. Thus, preferably a common and well known compression method is used, so that the data format is supported by a significant part of the destination user handling systems. By using a compressed file format for the data, the

25 data does not use excessive bandwidth, neither by increasing the size of an electronic message if data is embedded in the electronic message, neither by increasing the use of bandwidth on retrieval of the data. Furthermore, by using a compressed file format for the data, the increase of the size of an electronic message wherein also data are embedded may be kept below a predetermined value. For example by using audio data having an

30 MP3 format, the increase of a standard email message may be between 1000% and 6000%.

By embedding e.g. audio data in an email message, the size of a typical email may be increased by 100% to 10000 %, such as from 500 % to 6000%, preferably such as from 35 1000% - 5000% by inclusion of an audio file.

It is envisaged that the increase in size of electronic messages and/or any attachments depends on the data embedded in the electronic message or the attachments, and furthermore, electronic messages wherein the data is not embedded in the electronic message but merely retrieved via a network system, such as e.g. an internet system, the increase of size of the electronic message by embedding the advisory statement may be very low, and preferably in this case, the size increase is almost insignificant.

The advisory statement may be coded in any language, thus, the statement may be coded in a declarative language, such as SGML, HTML, XML, DHTML, etc., or in any suitable language, such as Java script, Java, Java 2, C++, Basic, etc. Preferably, the advisory statement is coded in a declarative language since most electronic message handling systems tend to accept statements in these languages whereas handling of procedural language is more susceptible to be blocked by the destination user electronic message handling system. It is furthermore preferred to use a language which is widely accepted by electronic message handling systems.

The advisory statement may be a request to the electronic message handling system handling the destination users electronic messages. The electronic messages may be emails sent via a network, such as the Internet, and the electronic message handling system may be any email handling system, such as Outlook™, Outlook Express ™, Hotmail™, Yahoo mail™ or any other email handling system. Alternatively, the electronic message handling system may be a handling system handling messages send via a wireless or mobile network, such as a GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, Wireless LAN, TETRA, 3G, etc. The electronic messages may thus be sent to and/or from stationary or mobile or handheld devices, such as computers, mobile phones, cellular phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's), etc.

The electronic messages may be emails as mentioned above, messages using Short Messaging Services (SMS) or Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS), etc. Thus, the electronic messages may be provided by any service providing for person-to-person mobile messaging, mobile-to-mobile, mobile-to-Internet and/or Internet-to-mobile messaging, mobiie-to-stationary, stationary-to-mobile, stationary-to-Internet, Internet-to-stationary messaging, and any combination of these messaging methods, etc. and thus be handled by any system provided by any operator, such as by any mobile operator, such as Nokia, Ericsson, Siemens, etc. or any mobile and/or stationary network operator, such as Telekom, etc.

The advisory statement is preferably a request to the electronic message handling program handling the destination users electronic messages to handle the data referred to immediately upon receipt and/or opening of the electronic messages by the destination user. That is, the data is preferably automatically interpreted on the basis of the advisory statement upon destination user receipt and/or opening of the electronic message. Typically, such a request will comprise information to the electronic message handling programme as to which type of data is referred to in the advisory statement whereby the handling programme will know how to and with which software to handle the data. Thus, the utility means being the software with which the data are to be handled may form part of the destination user electronic message handling program.

As an example of data handling immediately upon receipt of an electronic message, the receipt of e.g. an sms or an mms may be exemplified, It is for example advantageous to handle the data immediately upon receipt of an sms or an mms so that for example the receiving users "receipt of message"-sound is replaced by data provided with the electronic message, either data provided as inclusions or data as referred to by the advisory statement.

The advisory statement may comprise a reference to data which are to be received via the network. Thus, the advisory statement may comprise identification of a web site or a URL from where the data may be retrieved. The retrieval of data is typically completed within 2 to 10 seconds after opening of an electronic message. However, the retrieval time is very much dependent on the network connection and the available bandwidth. For example, a user opening an email via an ADSL, IDSN or similar connection with a wide band width, such as e.g. at, up to or above 256 kbit/s, such as at, above or up to 2 Mbit/s, such as at, above or up to 4 Mbit/s, may experience an almost instant opening and/or interpretation of the data referred to by the advisory statement. However, a user connected to e.g. a mobile network with a limited bandwidth such as at or below 128 kbit/s, such as at or below 56 kbit/s, at or below 20 kbit/s, such as at or below 9,6 kbit/s, etc., or a user connected to e.g. the internet via a modem connection having a limited band width may experience a fairly slow opening of the electronic message where data are to be retrieved from a network address, thus a user may experience a delay of 5-10 seconds which are today often found unacceptable by the user.

Thus, alternatively, the data may be embedded with the electronic message and/or with any attachments. Hereby, the data will form part of the electronic message and the user will experience little or no delay on receipt and/or opening and/or interpretation of the data.

When the electronic message is received and upon receipt and/or opening of the electronic message, the data will typically be passed on to a subsystem of the handling programme capable of interpreting the data. By embedding the data in the electronic message, the data are accessible to a destination user even if the destination user is not connected to the entire network, such as the Internet, upon opening of the electronic message. Furthermore, by requesting the handling program or a subsystem thereof to handle the data, the data may be handled by a system or subsystem which is already executed and is, thus, already loaded on the machine. A destination user opening the enhanced electronic message will thus experience an almost instant provision of the data upon opening of the electronic message. Furthermore, the opening time for opening such electronic messages will not be much longer than the opening time for opening a standard electronic message.

Typically, when data are attached to an electronic message, it requires some action from the destination user to open, enable, handle, interpret, execute or in any other way activate the data. Thus, a destination user has a choice of whether to activate the attachment or not. Thus, by embedding an advisory statement in an electronic message and having the advisory statement comprising a request to the destination user handling system to activate data immediately upon receipt and/or opening of the electronic message, the destination user do not have a choice of whether to open the data or not. Hereby, the sending user is almost certain that the included data are activated immediately upon receipt and/or opening of the electronic message, so that the user does not have the choice of whether to see/hear the data or not, irrespective of whether the data are embedded with the electronic message and/or any attachments thereto or are to be retrieved from an external server via the network.

In a preferred embodiment, a sound, such as a trademark or sonary mark, is used as the data referred to by the advisory statement. It is an advantage of using such marks, that generally, on WebPages and in advertising emails, advertisement banners have been used so excessively that the normal user does not take particular notice of these advertisement banners anymore and, furthermore, does not necessarily relate them to the sending user. Thus, other means of branding and/or differentiation are needed so as to provide the recipient with a strong feeling of knowing the sending user even upon receipt and/or opening of the electronic message. Sonary or sound trademarks are ideal for this purpose. In a further preferred embodiment, the sound trademarks and/or sonary marks play immediately upon receipt and/or opening of the electronic message without requesting any action from the user. In a further preferred embodiment the data is embedded with the electronic message so that the data does not need to be retrieved from any external server.

In a preferred embodiment, the electronic message is in the MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) format and the advisory statement in the electronic message is coded in HTML. The advisory statement may be positioned in the head or the body portion of the HTML. It is an advantage of positioning the advisory statement in the head that the statement is read immediately upon opening of the electronic message, or even immediately upon receipt of the message.

The electronic messages may comprise any means of electronic messages, such as emails, wireless/mobile messaging services, such as short message services (sms), mms, etc.

The receiving means for receiving electronic messages from a sending user address may be referred to as a hardware or a software portion, i.e. the receiving means may comprise the physical input, such as an input port, of a server, and/or the receiving means may be a software part of an electronic message handling system receiving the electronic message , and the forwarding means may comprise the physical out port of a server and/or a software part of an electronic message handling system forwarding the electronic message. The receiving means and forwarding means may thus form part of a handling program for handling electronic messages. The enhancing means may comprise software for enhancing the electronic messages by embedding at least an advisory statement and possibly also data, preferably comprised in a database. The database may form part of the enhancing means.

The enhancement network device may comprise a storage, preferably in the form of at least one database. The at least one database may comprise the advisory statement preferably in a coded form and/or the data.

A user may determine which advisory statement and possibly also data are to be embedded in the outgoing emails in the enhancement network device. The data may thus be embedded according to at least a first criteria. The at least first criteria may comprise sender information, destination user identity, destination user information, time of day, message history, destination domain name, etc. Thus, the data may for example be selected from a database according to specific sender information. The specific sender information may be the identification of a specific business entity so that the data are provided according to this specific business entity to for example comprise advertisements for this specific business entity, such as an advertisement banner or, preferably, a sound, a sound trademark or sonary mark characterising this specific business entity, so that an overall recognition of the business entity is achieved on destination user receipt and/or opening of the emails or other electronic messages. As a further example, the data may be audio data, such as a sound, such as e.g. sounds representing music and the sound may be chosen between a number of sounds present on a database and the at least first criteria may comprise information about which sound is to be embedded in the email. The at least first criteria may be a predetermined criteria, so that the sender cannot alter which data is to be embedded. The at least first criteria may thus form part of a user profile of a business entity, and the user profile may be created on establishment of an agreement between the user and a provider of an embedding service. The profile may be stored on the network embedding database. This may be advantageously for e.g. business use.

Furthermore, the at least first criteria may be sender commands included in the sender's message, it may be included anywhere in the message such as in the subject line, body, header or the alike. The at least first criteria may also form part of the advisory statement.

At least the advisory statement and possibly also the data may furthermore be dependent on destination user identity, so that a sending user may use different data for different destination users, e.g. for destination users in different countries. The data may e.g. comprise a message in a language which is changed according to the destination user country or the advisory statement may refer to data according to the destination user country. The address from where to retrieve the data may thus be amended according to the specific destination user country or alternatively, the advisory statement may comprise a number of referred data, where only one is selected according to the destination user country. This option may also be included in the user profile.

Still further, the advisory statement and possibly also data may be embedded in an electronic message from a first sending user address to a first destination user address according to at least a second criteria. The second criteria being a criteria set to be able to decide when the electronic message should be enhanced, that is when the electronic messages should have advisory statement and possibly also data embedded.

The second criteria may comprise a request to embed advisory statement and possibly also data to a first electronic message from the first sending user address to the first destination user address, and thus select if further electronic messages between the first user address and the first destination user address should be enhanced. The at least second criteria may further be a time criteria, so that the decision on whether to enhance a specific mail is determined on the basis of sending user response time, destination user response time, number of sending user responses, server load, time of day, message history, destination domain name etc, and/or any combination of these.

Thus, the time criteria may control which electronic messages are to be enhanced, so that for example several communications back and forth on the same day are not enhanced every time. However, if another predetermined period of time has lapsed since the last message was sent from the sending user to the destination user, e.g. days or weeks, a respond back to the same destination user may be enhanced. Furthermore, it may also be selected to enhance several electronic messages to the same destination user within a limited period of time, so that the number of sending user responses are determining when the electronic message should be enhanced. Thus, for example, every third, 5th, 10th or 15th electronic message may be enhanced, irrespective of the time lapsed between the sending of the electronic messages.

The enhancement with advisory statement and possibly also data may furthermore be dependent on destination user identity, so that a registered user for example decides that close business partners should not receive enhanced electronic messages. Furthermore, specific destination users may choose not to receive enhanced electronic messages. This information is preferably stored in the database with the enhancement network device or the information may be stored with a sending user server handling the outgoing electronic messages so that this information is provided to the enhancement network device.

The second criteria may be a user defined criteria, so that for example, a sending user may be able to provide other criteria's to the enhancement network device. The user defined criteria may comprise a request to the enhancement network device, e.g. in the form of separate requests, requesting e.g. electronic messages to specific destination users to be excluded from enhancement or the request may comprise a request to exclude groups of destination user addresses for enhancement of the electronic message. Furthermore, a request may be included in an electronic message so as to exempt a specific email from being enhanced.

The second criteria may also comprise a request for enhancing the electronic message with specific data. These specific data may be in addition to or in substitution for the data to be embedded according to the first criteria. The sending user will need permission to overrule the data selected to be embedded by the first criteria in order to be able to substitute specific data selected by the first criteria.

The second criteria comprising a request to the network enhancement server may be sent from the destination user address, and preferably a user defined criteria is sent from the destination user address.

At least the advisory statement and possibly also the data may be attached according to the first and/or second criteria. The at least second criteria may thus be sender commands and may be included in the sender's message. It may be included anywhere in the message such as in the subject line, body, header or the alike. The at least first criteria may also form part of the advisory statement. Altematively, the at least first criteria may form part of a user profile.

The database may comprise the at least first and/or the at least second criteria. Furthermore, the database may comprise all information necessary for complying with the at least first and the at least second criteria.

The enhancement network device may be accessible through a user interface for setting up a user profile. The user profile may be stored in a database and may comprise data, the at least first and/or the at least second criteria, specific advisory statement issues, any limitations of user request's, etc. The user profile may, thus, comprise all the necessary information for setting up the procedure of handling electronic messages from a sending user to a destination user via the enhancement network device.

The at least first and/or second criteria(s) may form part of a user profile, such as a user profile created on establishment of an agreement between the user and a provider of an embedding service. The profile may be created via any type of user interface between the embedding service provider and the user. Thus, the user may request a specific user profile via telephone, fax, telex, any messaging service, such as sms, mms, etc., emails, etc. In a preferred embodiment the user may be able to create his own user profile via e.g. a web page on the Internet, so that the user interface comprises a web site, so that a sending user may register and set up a user profile using the web site. It is an advantage of using a web site that the registration is on-line and do not require much administration and, furthermore, that it is possible to register 24hrs a day.

A user may register through the user interface, such as via the web site, to be able to apply for using the facility of the enhancement network device, adapt, correct, adjust and amend a user profile, either at a given time interval, at a given price or as often as desired by the user. The profile may be stored on the enhancement network device database.

The user may be any type of user. The user may e.g. be a private user using the service e.g. as a means of personal branding, information to friends, as a way of creating fun messages either via the internet or via mobile networks, such as via cellular phones, via messaging services as sms, mms, etc. The user may furthermore be a business entity using the service as a way of branding the business entity via electronic messages. A user may register according to a number of predetermined schedules. The professional business entity may prefer to have only a single or a few registered user(s) who are authorized to alter the profile which typically will be relatively stable and not subject to change very often as it is important that clients of the business entity become familiar with the enhanced electronic messages branding the specific business entity. The private or personal user may prefer to alter the user profile on a more regular basis, it may be daily or weekly, and thus has a -higher demand to the efficiency of a user interface of the system.

The user interface, such as a web site, may comprise numerous features. For example, the web site may have a number of predefined data to select from. These data could include, but are not limited to, music files, such as top 10 hits, promotions for specific films, stage plays, recordings, etc.

Alternatively or additionally, the web site may provide user defined data to select from. These data could include, but are not limited to, music or other sound files such as voice or user composed music, user composed sounds, etc.

A registered user may thus have his own data stored in a public database of the web site. Alternatively, a registered user may choose to have his own data stored on the database with only limited access so as to provide access to these data only by authorized users. In a preferred embodiment, the data are sound trademarks or sonary marks providing a preferably instant recognition of the sending user and/or the sending user business entity via this mark.

The user interface, such as a web site, may further comprise a composers site where a user may compose his own sound and select to include the user composed sound either in the public database of predefined data or with the specific user profile. Furthermore, an option may be provided for storing of other files, such as other digital sound files already available on e.g. the internet or analogue data provided to the internet via any telecommunication network such as stationary, mobile and/or satellite based networks, such as via stationary or cellular phones. The analogue data may be any audio data, such as sound, such as voice recordings, music, etc.

The enhancement network device may form part of a network device such as a server, a gateway, a router, a hub, a switch, etc. That is, the network device may be selected from the group comprising : a server, a gateway, a router, a hub, and a switch. Preferably, an electronic message is converted from a plain text electronic message to a HTML language electronic message in the enhancement network device during the enhancement process . The use of HTML language electronic messages may enable the reading and compiling of the advisory statement upon destination user opening of the electronic message.

An electronic message may be sent from a sending user to a destination user through the network device whereas any reply messages from the destination user to the sending user is routed to the sending user without enhancing the electronic message. The reply message may be sent via the enhancement network device or it may be routed back to the sending user without passing the enhancement network device.

The enhancement network device may comprise further functions, so that the enhancement network device also checks for e.g. viruses. Both electronic messages, such as mails, to be enhanced and electronic messages, such as mails, not to be enhanced may be checked. Alternatively, only mails to be enhanced may be checked.

The enhancement network device may, furthermore, append a further message, a brand, an electronic business card, such as a VCard, further data, etc, to the electronic messages.

In the destination computer, the receiving means for receiving the enhanced electronic message, may form part of the destination user electronic message handling programme, and the reading means for reading the advisory statement may also, preferably, form part of the handling system.

Utility means for interpreting the data either referred to by the embedded advisory statement or data being embedded in the electronic message immediately upon receipt and/or opening may form part of the handling program, such as a presentation programme included in Microsoft Outlook, such as application defined presentation packages such as Internet Explorer, Java media player or any other appropriate application useable in this context.

Furthermore, a system for delivering electronic messages comprising advisory statement and possibly also data are provided, the system comprising a first sender connected to a computer network and being configured at least to send electronic messages, an enhancement network device connected to the network and being configured at least to receive, enhance sent electronic messages by advisory statement and possibly also data, and send the enhanced electronic message to a destination user computer connected to the computer network and being configured at least to receive electronic messages. The system thus facilitates the method of enhancing electronic messages as described above.

The present invention further relates to a business method for branding, e.g. for branding entities, services, products and/or people through a network, such as the Internet or a network supporting use of cellular phoning, such as an antenna based network or a satellite based network, or any mobile, satellite, or stationary network supporting electronic messages, the method comprising the steps of: receiving an order from a customer, the order comprising at least one customer criteria, enhancing electronic messages from the customer by at least an advisory statement comprising a reference to data, so that the referred data is automatically interpreted on the basis of the advisory statement upon destination user receipt and/or opening of the electronic message, wherein electronic messages from the customer are enhanced by at least the advisory statement according to the at least one customer criteria.

The electronic message may be further enhanced by embedding data in the electronic message, so that in a preferred embodiment the data referred to by the advisory statement is also embedded in the electronic message.

The customer may be registered via e.g. a web site, so as to set up the at least one customer criteria. The at least one customer criteria may comprise information about with which data electronic messages are to be enhanced, and furthermore, the at least one criteria may comprise information about the customer sending the electronic messages, i.e. for example which kind of customer is sending the message, which kind of subscription the customer has made for the enhancement feature, etc.

The data may be any kind of data, such as any data suitable for branding business entities, their services and products on the Internet, data suitable for personal branding, for providing a personal profile, for telling a personal story, such as data comprising advertisement information, such as banners, preferably such as sounds or audio files, such as sound trademarks, sensory marks, etc. Thus, the data may be picture files, video files or, preferably, audio files. The audio files may comprise elements or extracts from any hit list or any charts, audio files comprising audio or sound logos from sport clubs, firms, businesses, it may be sound or sonary effects, etc. Furthermore, the data may comprise multi-media files, such as a short video clip, such as a short clip or extract from a music video, etc.

In a preferred embodiment, the data comprises a sound trademark or sonary mark. It is an advantage of using such marks, that generally, on WebPages and in advertising emails, advertisement banners have been used so excessively that the normal user does not take particular notice of these advertisement banners anymore and, furthermore, does not necessarily relate them to the sending user. Thus, other means of branding and/or differentiation are needed so as to provide the recipient with a strong feeling of knowing the sending user even upon receipt and/or opening of the electronic message. Sonary marks or sound trademarks are ideal for this purpose and will provide the destination user with an instant identification of the sending user or customer.

In a further preferred embodiment, the data comprises a sound or an audio file so as to provide personal branding, a personal profile, for telling a personal story, etc. It is hereby possible for users to use electronic messages for signalling to their friends who they are by the use of sounds or audio's, and thus emphasize their image. Thus, for example, a hip- hopper may send electronic messages comprising at least an extract of the newest single with Puf Daddy to signal not only through clothes, habits, and consumer culture, but also through electronic messages, that they are hip-hoppers. The electronic messages may be a combination of sound/audio and text.

In a further preferred embodiment, audio files, the sound trademarks and/or sonary marks play immediately upon receipt and/or opening of the electronic message without requesting any action from the user and without having to retrieve data from any external server.

The customer may choose between a number of subscription packages. Through such subscription packages, the customer subscribes to a service which gives the customer access to the enhancement network device and provide a profile to be set up according to customer specific criteria's. The at least one customer criteria may comprise a reference to a specific subscription package which the user has subscribed to, and may thus, comprise a certain number of electronic messages, a time interval, etc.

A customer may choose between a number of subscription packages, for example so that in a trial period a free subscription is offered to curious users, casual users and/or small businesses, etc. In this package a brand mark is included in every altered message. The subscriber to this package has only access to limited features of the service.

Single users having e.g. an existing brand may use a subscription package wherein a payment is made for each mail being enhanced. For example a pre-purchase of 5-1000 mails may be made, such as preferably a pre-purchase of 500-1000 mails. In another example, medium sized companies may want to pay a license per user having access to the service. Each user may then get unlimited number of mails to be enhanced through the service.

For large customers a site license may be offered, so that an unlimited number of users affiliated with the customer may have access to the server and so that each user may get an un-limited number of mails to be enhanced through the service.

For the single user, using the service for e.g. personal branding , the customer may pay for the service for a certain time period such as for a week, a month, a year, etc. In this time period, the customer may be free to use some predefined services from the service provider.

Such a single user may want to change the embedded data fairly frequent, e.g. whenever a new single is released, a new feature is provided by the service provider, etc. Thus the subscription may include changing of the data as often as desired by the user.

Alternatively, a fee may be charged for each change of data, or a fee may be charged for each change of data exceeding e.g. 5 or 10 changes. If, for example, the user has paid a fixed amount for enhancing e.g. 100 messages, a change of data may be charged from the number of messages being enhanced, so that each change corresponds to 1 or e.g. 5 messages, and the number of remaining messages to be enhanced are correspondingly reduced by 1 or e.g. 5 messages for each change made.

The service may be combined with a purchase of e.g. phone time (including sending of electronic messages), so that when an amount of phone time is purchased, e.g. via the internet, the user may choose a specific audio to go with all electronic messages sent using this amount of phone time.

Furthermore, the payment may be made directly on sending of electronic messages, e.g. via a phone network using any phone based payment service, such as Onwire.

The selection of data, e.g. music, audio files, sounds, etc, may be done via a web site on the internet, and the payment for the service may be provided by using any recognized internet payment model. The selection of data may also be provided using a cellular phone, so that a message is sent from the phone to the service provider, the message comprising a code for the selected data. The recipient of this message is then charging the fee for the service via the cellular phone. It may be possible to have different categories of customers and in this way provide high service to "deluxe" customers and a lower service to "normal" customers. Of course it is possible to have many categories of service level in order to provide services to customers with different needs. The prise of the different categories may be differentiated reflecting the service level within the category.

A company, including e.g. a sport club, wanting customers to use the company's sound or music for e.g. personal branding may have to pay a fee to the service provider in order to have their music or sound file on the service providers web site.

Furthermore, a customer may call a phone service connected to the enhancement network device and record voice, music or sound through a telephone. The customer may then send an SMS (short message service), mms, or email wherein data in the form of the recorded voice, music or sound is attached to the sms, mms or email. The attached data may then be included in the users profile, so that the user may choose to embed this data with his electronic messages.

Of course other alternatives of subscribing to the service will be evident for persons skilled in the art.

A customer may subscribe to the service and have an external enhancement network device enhancing the emails, or alternatively, especially large companies, may want to install the service on an internal server, either an existing server or a separate enhancement server. This will be possible upon payment of a license to the service provider, preferably a site license type as mentioned above. An additional service agreement may be arranged for managing the server (or service software) once it is installed in the customer network.

The enhancement network device may comprise further functions, so that the enhancement network device also checks for e.g. viruses. Both mails to be enhanced and mails not to be enhanced may be checked. Alternatively, only mails to be enhanced may be checked. Furthermore, the service may provide attaching other data to the email, such as a disclaimer, a logo, a trademark, a VCard with contact information, etc.

Furthermore, the service may provide a back-up facility so that all mails having passed the enhancement network device are stored by a back-up facility.

The present invention further relates to adaptable module system for branding and/or promoting products, the module system comprises at least one back-end module and at least one management module, wherein the back-end module comprises at least one enhanced network device for enhancing electronic messages and the management module comprises a user interface for management of the enhanced network device.

By providing this module system for branding and/or promoting products/services it is possible to design a branding system that suits a company very well. Some companies may want an external company to update the database that is being used when electronic messages are enhanced with audio data. In this way the company is sure to have the newest possible audio in the database. Whereas other companies may prefer to manage the module system for branding by them selves.

It is envisaged that any part of the business method may also be provided in the network system described above, and likewise, any feature of the network system described above may be included in the described business method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Fig. 1 shows an overview of a network system,

Fig. 2 shows a flowchart for embedding advisory statement and possibly also data with an email,

Fig. 3 shows a flowchart for enhancement of a electronic message (email),

Fig. 4 shows an example of an ER diagram of a database for a functional system,

Fig. 5 shows the first step for setting up an email account that uses an enhanced, network device such as an email server, Fig. 6 shows the second step for setting up the email account,

Fig. 7 shows the third step for setting up the email account,

Fig. 8 shows the fourth step for setting up the email account,

Fig. 9 shows the fifth step for setting up the email account,

Fig. 10 shows the sixth step for setting up the email account, Fig. 11 shows the seventh step for setting up the email account,

Fig. 12 shows the eighth step for setting up the email account, and

Fig. 13 shows how to select the account before sending an email.

Fig. 14 shows how a product or services solution may be created by combining one or more of the different software and/or hardware modules. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1 shows a diagram describing the process of sending and altering/enhancing a message from point to point.

In the examples below an email is the most used example of electronic messages. However, it is envisaged that the invention is not restricted to emails but that the invention apply to any electronic messages.

The customer (user) uses the email client 1 they are most comfortable with, e.g.

Outlook™, Outlook Express™, Netscape™, Eudora™, etc., to send a mail which is received by the enhancement network device 2. The network device enhances the message and embeds an advisory statement and possibly also data to the message. Advisory statement and possible also data may be located in a database 2 of the network device.

The message is send as normal to the destination mail server POP/IMAP 4 and the message is read by the recipient or destination user using their email client 5 to read the message. The destination user will then upon opening of their mail experiences the embedded data, such as hearing an audio file, seeing an image, seeing and hearing a multi-media file, etc. A reply 6 to the mail will travel through the normal path back to the customer.

Fig. 2 shows a flowchart for embedding data with an electronic message, such as an email, wherein either the data to be embedded with the message or the data which an embedded advisory statement references, is selected from a web site, such as the web site

"sendasound.com". The flowchart starts with a potential customer entering the site 21. In the next step 22, the customer is provided with a list of options. In this example, the customer can choose between: Create your own sound - Hits Billboard Search for sounds Music Categories Sports Clubs Companies - Sound effects Members login The next step 23 of the flowchart shows the level the customer enters after a first selection. This level provides the customer with other choices, depending on the first selection made. In this example the customer can choose from: Listen - Select write compose depending on the selected option.

The customer can also fill in information such as password and login in order to enter a member area.

The next step 24 in the flowchart depends on the selection made in step 23. If for example "Music Categories" are selected, further options are provided as in this case a list of different music categories, such as: Funk Rock Pop

Also for the other options in step 23, further options may be provided, such as lists of different type of sports may be provided, and a further selection step may include a list of Danish, English, German or Italian football clubs.

It is envisaged that any hierarchy with more or less selection steps may be provided for finding and/or selecting specific data. When specific data are found a user may listen to the data and/or select the data. The specific data may be characterised by e.g. title and/or artist/company/sport club/sound effect, etc.

In the next step 25 where data have been selected, the details about the arrangements are specified. Thus, name and email information or phone numbers, particularly cellular phone numbers, are required from the user and information about the account, sms numbers or any recognized internet payment method to pay for subscription, etc are provided.

In step 26, a confirmation of the subscription/selection is provided, The confirmation may be provided by sending an electronic message to the subscribers address (being e.g. an email address or a phone number). Fig. 3 shows a flowchart for enhancement of an electronic message such as an email or sms or any other electronic message. In step 31 the message is received at the enhancement network device and in step 32 the message is read and a corresponding profile is loaded. The profile is checked in step 33 and if the profile is invalid, the message is forwarded directly to the destination user 44. If the profile is valid, the command(s) in the profile is read and handled in step 34. Step 35 is a check for more commands in the profile. If there are more commands, they are handled sequentially in step 34. When all commands have been handled step 36 checks if processing of rules has failed. If processing has failed, the message is forwarded directly to the destination user, step 44. Step 37 is a check for more rules, which, if present, are processed in step 36. In step 38, it is checked if the message has the right format. If it does not, the message is prepared in step 39. When the message has the right format, it is tested and extra message transformation is applied in dependency order, step 40. A transformation is anything that takes input, produces output and optionally changes the input along the way, thus transformation includes enhancement of messages. The transformation output may then be fed into another transformation to make a chain of transformations. The transformation step 40 is thus an extensible sub-system within the software describing that multiple transformations may take place. This includes but is not limited to HTML conversion, advisory statement inclusion, splitting the email into "enhanced" and "non-enhanced" versions for delivery based on the destination address, virus scanning, attachment compression, signature addition, mailing list expansion, etc. Some transformations may depend on other transformations, and the transformations should thus be applied in dependency order. For example, including the advisory statement depends on e.g. the email being converted to HTML first, so the transformation filters may need to be applied in a specific order.

Step 41 checks for more transformations. When all transformations have been made, payload or data may be embedded in the message in step 42. This step is optionally. Alternatively, the data may be referenced by the advisory statement, which is inserted in step 43. The enhanced message is forwarded in step 44.

Fig. 4 shows an example of an ER diagram of a database for a functional system. The diagram shows entities such as User, Log, Profile Account, Payment, Content, Code, Rule, and Filter. However, more entities may be added to this diagram. Furthermore, the diagram also displays examples of attributes of the entities and also examples of the relations between the entities.

Fig. 5 shows the first step for setting up an email account that uses an enhanced network device such as an email server. In this step the user should select the email accounts menu option. Figure 5 is an illustration from the microsoft outlook program wherein the Tools menu is chosen and thereafter the email accounts menu option is chosen marked with 51 in the figure.

Fig. 6 shows the second step for setting up the email account. In this example the user should choose to add a new email account 61. This account will be used preferably only for sending. The user continues to the next step by clicking the "Next" button 62.

Fig. 7 shows the third step for setting up the email account. In this example the user should select POP3 for the incoming server type 71. This is required even though it's a send only email account. The user continue to the next step by clicking the "Next" button 72.

Fig. 8 shows the fourth step for setting up the email account. In this example the user fills in information such as: 1. full name 81, 2. email address 81, 3. XXX.YYYY.dk for the incoming mail server 83, 4. mail.YYYYY.dk for the outgoing mail server 84, 5. Enter email for the logon information 85, 6. the password 86, 7. Click on "Remember password" 87,

The user continues to the next step by clicking "More Settings ..." 88.

Fig. 9 shows the fifth step for setting up the email account. In this example the user provides information such as:

ZZZZZZ as the email account name 91. This will appear later in Outlook The user continues to the next step by clicking on the "Advanced" tab 92.

Fig. 10 shows the sixth step for setting up the email account. In this example the user provides information such as: outgoing SMTP server port number 101. The user continues to the next step by clicking the "OK" button 102.

Fig. 11 shows the seventh step for setting up the email account. In this example the user only clicks the "Next" button 111.

Fig. 12 shows the eighth step for setting up the email account. In this example the user only clicks the "Finish" button. Fig. 13 shows how to select the account before sending an email. In this example the user: 1. Clicks on the "Accounts" button 131 and selects "ZZZZZZ" 2. Selects "HTML" as the message format 132. 3. Continue to fill out and send your mail as usual.

Figure 14 shows how a product or service solution may be created by combining software and/or hardware modules.

The module solution is developed in order to be able to create different business methods suitable to different customers having different kinds of business scenarios. A customer may choose one or more of the modules in order to be able to brand themselves or their products to their customers and in this way increase the sale and profit. Thus the module system may be referred to as an adaptable module system, where adaptable means that the system can be adapted to different scenarios, thus the module system can be expanded by adding more of the modules or the module system can become smaller by removing one or more of the modules.

The basic purposes of the solution is to promote branding and co-operations between different business entities, such as between content providers, for example a store selling CDs, music providers and so forth, and service providers such as a mail marketing company, phone company and so forth.

The main modules are: Monitoring module 141, Sound Bank module 142, Management module 143, Payment/invoice module 144, DRM/RM (Digital Rights Management/Rights Management) module 145, Voice module 146, Front-end Module 147, Back-end module 148, Composers forum module 149.

Monitoring Module The monitor module monitors different happenings and/or events in the system. Preferably it monitors number of emails sent, amount of bought content such as music files, movies etc. furthermore it monitors on which home page the content was bought, at what time and so forth.

An example of a scenario wherein the Monitor module may be used with advantage is when e.g. a company selling CDs (CD store) and company providing the service of sending enhanced electronic messages co-operates. The emails being used in this scenario are preferably enhanced emails comprising an advisory statement and/or data such as audio data according to the invention. Furthermore the enhanced email may comprise a link pointing to the CD stores homepage, or preferably directly to content being related to the data in the email. The data may be any kind of data that may be sold online such as music/movie.

Thus, a customer receiving the email hears for example a sound track upon opening or receiving the email. If the customer likes the sound track he/she may be tempted to use the link in order to buy the CD comprising the sound track.

In this way a CD store is able to promote a campaign related to new music or movies etc that has recently been released. Thus the CD store will experience an increase in sold albums or whatever product the campaign was aimed at.

The Monitoring Module 141 may in this business scenario keep track of the emails comprising the data related to a specific campaign by recording how many of the customers that has followed the link and bought the content.

Thus by using the information recorded by the Monitoring module a marketing fee may be calculated and sent in an invoice to the CD store.

Furthermore the Monitoring module may record customer behaviour, for example when a customer has logged in on a home page comprising content such as music files and movies etc. the Monitoring module may record what music/movies the user accesses, which news he/she reads etc.

The preferred purposes of the Monitoring module are to monitor sale and to monitor customer behaviour.

Composers Forum Module (CFM) The Composers Forum Module 149 provides a composer tool to customers that want to create/choose their own content or data to be attached to enhanced electronic messages such as emails. Preferably the CFM is in contact with a Sound Bank Module, as will be described below.

Sound Bank Module (SBM)

The Sound Bank Module 142 preferably relates both to software and hardware components. The module may comprise a device such as a server, router, hub, gateway etc wherein the device preferably comprises a database comprising data for being used when enhancing electronic messages according to the invention. A content provider may change the data in the database via a user interface.

Furthermore in another embodiment the database may be an online database accessible via the Internet.

The SBM may be hosted by a company managing the content on the database or it may be incorporated into a company's own IT infrastructure. Thus a company may choose to outsource this module or to have it in their own control.

The SBM may be accessed by other modules so that electronic messages can be enhanced with the data stored in the database.

Back-end Module The back-end module 148 may comprise both software and hardware. The hardware relates to support systems such as servers etc whereas the software relates to the methods/services according to the invention for enhancing electronic messages. Thus the Back-end module preferably relates to the infrastructure that comprises the necessary hardware for implementing the invention. For example it comprises an enhanced network device according to the invention, a database comprising data being used for enhancing electronic messages, the necessary connections and so forth.

Front-end Module

The Front-end Module 147 may also comprise both software and hardware. Preferably the module provides a web interface solution as described in figure 2, wherein a customer may access music and create/select content to be attached to an electronic message.

This module may be used with great advantage by companies that want to provide an extra service to their customers. One scenario could be a mobile provider company that want to give their customers the possibility to brand themselves by using enhanced electronic messages according to the invention.

Provider Module (PM)

The Provider Module 150 is closely related to the SBM module. However the PM module provides a service of updating the data in the database.

Management Module

The Management Module 143 is a software tool that facilitates the use of the system.

Preferably it is a user interface by which an administrator is able to manage the devices and database in the back-end module. Hence the user interface provides different functionality so that a user can upload files to a database, remove files from the database, input criteria that may be used by the enhanced network device for creating enhanced messages.

The Back-end Module and the Management Module may be sold as a "small package" solution. A customer buying this small package will be able to enhance electronic messages and to change the data in the database that is used for enhancing the messages. Furthermore the customer will be able to set up the at least first and at least second criteria according to the invention.

Thus the small package may comprise an enhanced network device for installation in a network and the necessary software on a CD so that a user is able to connect, set-up and control the enhanced network device.

Payment/Invoice module (PIM)

The PIM 144 may comprise a software solution for facilitating the payment for enhanced electronic messages. The payment may be done either by sms, via Internet bank, credit cards, or services such as paypal or the alike. Furthermore this module may also comprise software for creating invoices based on the information recorded by the Monitoring module.

Thus the Monitoring module may record information relating to number of times a specific data have been used for enhancement, or how many times an enhanced electronic message have caused a trade transaction for a business entity. Based on the recorded data and on user input the software in the PIM creates an invoice.

The user input may relate to a predetermined amount of money for each enhanced message and so forth.

Digital Rights Management/Rights Management Module (DRM/RM) The DRM/RM module manages at least three sub modules related to rights. The first module relates to the rights related to the system according to the invention. The second sub module relates to the rights related to the data being used for enhancing messages. The third sub module relates to digital rights management (DRM). This module may comprise the software and hardware that are being used in the system. The DRM solution protects against unauthorised copying and distribution online. It may be server software that enables the secure distribution of paid content over the Web, while disabling illegal distribution. Using encryption, content is encoded, and in order to get the key, a user must do something (such as pay money or provide an e-mail address). DRM module preferably delivers the protection tools, and content owners may set the conditions. A few examples are Windows Media DRM, Philips mobile DRM LifeVibes, Magic4 mobile DRM and so forth.

Voice Module

The Voice module may comprise both software and hardware for recording and storing voice. A customer may send a file comprising his/her voice to a database so that the file can be used for enhancing electronic messages according to the invention.

Furthermore in a second embodiment a customer may call to a phone service having an automatic recording function similar to an answering machine provided by phone companies. The recorded message/greeting is stored in a database for later retrieval and for being used when enhancing electronic messages according to the invention.

Examples of product or service solutions

Thus a company may choose to by the small packet solution. Preferably the small packet solution comprises the Back-end module and the Management Module. A company purchasing this module will be able to enhance electronic messages according to the invention and to manage the data to be attached to the enhanced messages, as described above in the text.

Other packet solutions may be designed by selecting one or more of the above-described modules. In this way it is possible to create a branding solutions that suits any company and its needs.

Claims

1. An enhancement network device for enhancing electronic messages, the enhancement network device comprises: - receiving means for receiving an electronic messages from a sending user address, enhancing means for enhancing the electronic messages by embedding at least an advisory statement in the electronic message, and forwarding means for forwarding the enhanced electronic messages to a destination user address.

2. An enhancement network device for enhancing attachments to electronic messages (such as e.g. VCards attached to emails) by embedding at least an advisory statement, the enhancement network device comprises: receiving means for receiving electronic messages from a sending user address, - enhancing means for enhancing the attachment in the electronic messages by embedding at least an advisory statement in the attachment, and forwarding means for forwarding the enhanced electronic messages to a destination user address.

3. A network device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the electronic message is further enhanced by embedding data in the electronic messages.

4. A network device according to claim 2, wherein the attachment is further enhanced by embedding data in the attachment.

5. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic messages comprises emails, wireless/mobile messaging services, such as short message services (sms), etc.

6. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one database.

7. A network device according to claim 6, wherein the enhancing means comprises the at least one database.

8. A network device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the database comprises the data.

9. A network device according to any of claims 1-8, wherein the data comprises audio data.

10. A network device according to any of claims 6-9, wherein the database further comprises advisory statement(s).

5 11. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the advisory statement is coded in a declarative language.

12. A network device according to any of claims 1-10, wherein the advisory statement is coded in procedural language.

10 13. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least the advisory statement is embedded in the electronic message according to at least a first criteria.

15 14. A network device according to claim 13, wherein also data is embedded in the electronic message according to the at least first criteria.

15. A network device according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the at least first criteria comprises sender information, destination user information.

20 16. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least the advisory statement is embedded in an electronic message from a first sending user address to a first destination user address according to at least a second criteria.

25 17. A network device according to claim 16, wherein also data is embedded in an electronic message from a first sending user address to a first destination user address according to the at least second criteria.

18. A network device according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the at least second criteria

30 comprises embedding at least an advisory statement in a first electronic message from the first sending user address to the first destination user address.

19. A network device according to claim 18, wherein the at least second criteria further comprises embedding data in a first electronic message from the first sending user address

35 to the first destination user address.

20. A network device according to any of claims 16-19, wherein the at least second criteria is a time criteria.

21. A network device according to claim 20, wherein the time criteria is determined on the basis of sending user response time, destination user response time, number of sending user responses, and/or any combination of these.

5 22. A network device according to any of claims 16-22, wherein the second criteria is a user defined criteria.

23. A network device according to claim 22, wherein the user defined criteria comprises a request to the enhancement network device.

10 24. A network device according to claim 23, wherein the request comprises a request for enhancing the electronic message with specific data.

25. A network device according to claim 23, wherein the request comprises a request for 15 excluding enhancement of the electronic message.

26. A network device according to claim 23, wherein the request comprises a request to exclude groups of destination user addresses for enhancement of the electronic message.

20 27. A network device according to claim 23, wherein the request is sent from the destination user address.

28. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, furthermore, at least the advisory statement is embedded according to the first and/or second criteria.

25 29. A network device according to any of claims 6-28, wherein the database comprises the first and/or second criteria.

30. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the network device 30 is accessible through a user interface.

31. A network device according to claim 30, wherein the user interface comprises a web browser.

35 32. A network device according to claim 30 or 31, wherein the user interface comprises means for altering the database contents.

33. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the enhancement network device forms part of a network device selected from the group comprising: a server, a gateway, a router, a hub, and 5 - a switch.

34. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the enhancement network device further comprises a storage.

10 35. A network device according to claim 34, wherein the storage comprises the data, the at least first criteria and/or the at least second criteria.

36. A network device according to claim 34 or 35, wherein the storage comprises a database.

15 37. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein an electronic message is sent from a sending user to a destination user through the network device and wherein a reply from the destination user to the sending user is routed to the sending user without enhancing the electronic message.

20 38. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein an electronic message is sent from a sending user to a destination user through the network device and wherein a reply from the destination user to the sending user is routed to the sending user without passing the enhancement network device.

25 39. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the enhancement network device converts a plain text electronic message to a HTML language electronic message.

30 40. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the enhancement network device further check electronic messages for viruses.

41. A network device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the enhancement network device further append a message, a brand, an electronic business card, such as a 35 VCard, etc,.

42. A method of enhancing electronic messages, the method comprising the steps of providing an electronic message to an enhancement network device, enhancing the electronic message by embedding at least an advisory statement in the electronic message, - forwarding the enhanced electronic message to a destination user address.

43. A method of enhancing attachments to electronic messages, the method comprising the steps of providing an electronic message comprising an attachment from a sending user to an enhancement network device, enhancing the attachment in the electronic message by embedding at least an advisory statement in the attachment, forwarding the enhanced electronic message from the enhancement network device to a destination user address.

44. A method according to claim 42 or 43, wherein the electronic messages are further enhanced by embedding data in the electronic messages.

45. A method according to claim 43, wherein the attachment is further enhanced by embedding data in the attachment.

46. A computer network for enhancing electronic messages, the computer network comprises: at least one sender computer comprising means for sending an electronic message, - an enhancement network device comprising: receiving means for receiving an electronic message from a sending user address, enhancing means for enhancing the electronic messages by embedding at least an advisory statement in the electronic message, and forwarding means for forwarding the enhanced electronic message to a destination user address. at least one database for storing of at least the advisory statement, at least one recipient computer comprising: receiving means for receiving the enhanced electronic message, reading means for reading the advisory statement, and utility means for interpreting data referred to by the advisory statement immediately upon receipt and/or opening of the electronic message.

47. A computer network according to claim 46, wherein the electronic message is further enhanced by embedding data in the electronic message.

48. A computer network according to claim 46 or 47, wherein the enhancement network device comprises a device chosen from a group of network devices, the group comprises: a server, 5 - a gateway, a router, a hub, and a switch.

10 49. A system for delivering electronic messages comprising at least an advisory statement, the system comprising a first sender connected to a computer network and being configured to send electronic messages.

50. A system according to claim 49, wherein the electronic messages further comprises 15 data.

51. A computer based method for branding through a network, the method comprises the steps of: receiving an order from a customer, the order comprises advisory statement and at

20 least one customer criteria, embedding the advisory statement in an electronic message, so that data referred to by the advisory statement is automatically interpreted on the basis of the advisory statement upon destination user receipt and/or opening of the electronic message, wherein the advisory statement is embedded in electronic messages according to the

25 customer criteria.

52. A computer based method according to claim 51, wherein the data referred to by the advisory statement is embedded in the electronic message.

30 53. A computer based method according to claim 51 or 52, wherein the network is the Internet or a network supporting electronic messaging and/or a network supporting cellular phoning.

54. A computer based method according to claim 51, wherein the at least one customer 35 criteria is a certain number of electronic messages.

55. A computer based method according to claim 51, wherein the at least one customer criteria is a time interval.

56. A computer based method according to claim 51, wherein the data is audio data.

57. An adaptable module system for branding and/or promoting products, the module system comprises at least one back-end module and at least one management module, wherein the back-end module comprises at least one enhanced network device for enhancing electronic messages and the management module comprises a user interface for management of the enhanced network device.

58. An adaptable module system according to claim 57 wherein the enhanced network device further comprises a database for storage of audio data.

59. A data carrier comprising a program for enhancing electronic messages.