Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR FACILITATING THE
PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF CONTENT
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the publication of content
and more specifically
to: the management, assembly and distribution of content on an electronic
network and to
the establishment of a hierarchy of administrators to manage, assemble and
distribute
content on an electronic network.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Many different businesses use newsletters as a means of communicating
with their
customers. Newsletters may be periodic in nature, for example monthly or
quarterly, or
released upon the occurrence of a particular event of interest. Such
newsletters provide
businesses with an opportunity to stay in touch with, market to and provide
current and
useful information to existing customers.
[0003] In fact, it has been estimated that in the calendar year 2005, U.S,
businesses will spend
approximately $7.3 billion (U.S.) on the generation and distribution of
electronic
newsletters.
[0004] Many different processes exist for the creation and distribution of
newsletters.
Traditionally newsletters were created by hand, for example through typing,
reproduced
using presses or other electro-mechanical reproduction equipment and mailed by
postal
service to recipients. More recently, computers are being used extensively in
the creation
of newsletters. For example, U.S. patent number 6,026,417 to Ross et al. shows
a
desktop publishing system that enables a user to change the format of a
publication
without re-entering content information. U.S. patent number 6,356,903 B 1 to
Baxter et
al, shows systems and methods for organizing and presenting content from a
variety of
sources in a unified format.
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[0005] In addition to the use of computers to create newsletters, alternative
electronic methods of
distribution have become available for the transmission of newsletters.
Newsletters today
may be distributed electronically, through private networks and/or through
public
networks such as the Internet. Electronically distributed newsletters may be
communicated in a variety of ways, for example by posting for readers to view
or by
electronic mailing to recipient electronic mail (email) addresses. See, for
example,
published U.S, patent application 2003/00886334/A1 to Friedman showing methods
and
systems for generating and distributing electronic newsletters and ezines
based upon
viewer interest. Other methods of distribution include facsimile machines and
portable
electronic equipment such as portable digital assistants (PDAs) and even
mobile
telephones.
[0006] Despite advances afforded through the use of computers, the assembly
and distribution of
newsletters and similar content communications between businesses and
customers still
presents a process ripe with challenges. Initially, there is the challenge of
collecting
content of interest. Content collection is expensive and time-consuming.
Following the
collection of content, there is the challenge of selecting and assembling
content of interest
for particular recipients. Different customer sets likely have different
interests. Even
after content is identified and assembled, transmitting the newsletter to
customers
requires the assembly and ongoing maintenance of customer distribution
information, for
example mailing addresses, email addresses, facsimile telephone numbers and
other
customer contact information.
[0007] There thus exists the need for methods and systems that facilitate the
creation and
distribution of content, for example of newsletters by businesses for
distribution to
customers. Such methods and systems would desirably facilitate and simplify
the process
of content creation, content assembly and distribution to recipients.
Summary of the Invention
[0008] The present invention provides new and improved methods and systems for
the
production and distribution of communications, for example of newsletters
distributed by
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businesses to customers. In accordance with the present invention, content is
assembled
in a hierarchical process, the participants at each level of the hierarchy
able to select from
existing content established and assigned to be available at higher levels in
the hierarchy,
add new content and manage the distribution of the assembled content to
selected
customers
[0009] In accordance with one embodiment of the invention there are provided
methods and
systems for assembling communications for distribution to subscribers, one
method
comprising the steps of: establishing at least one level one administrator
with the
authorizations to establish a plurality of level two administrators, establish
a plurality of
level one content items, and identify from the plurality of level one content
items
distributed level one content items for distribution to level two
administrators; and
establishing, by the one level one administrator, at least one level two
administrator, with
the authorizations to establish a group of level two subscribers, establish a
plurality of
level two content items, and select from the plurality of level two content
items and the
distributed level one content items to assemble a communication for
distribution to the
level two subscribers.
[0010] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention there are
provided methods and
systems to establish a network of operators for assembling communications, one
method
comprising the steps of: identifying at least one level one administrator; and
granting to
the level one administrator the authorizations to establish at least one level
two
administrator, establish a plurality of level one content items, and identify
from the
plurality of level one content items at least one restricted level one content
item for use
by the level one administrator in assembling a first communication and at
least one
distributed level one content item for use by the level two administrator in
assembling a
second communication.
[0011] In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention there are
provided methods
and systems for establishing a network of geographically diverse
administrators to
assemble and distribute communications to geographically diverse customers
sharing a
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common business interest, one method comprising the steps of establishing a
first
plurality of global administrators authorized to establish a plurality of
content items
including first restricted content items for local use and first distributed
content items for
use by others; establishing a second plurality of global administrators
authorized to
establish a plurality of content items including second restricted content
items for local
use, the first distributed content items for use by others and second
distributed content
items for use by others; establishing a plurality of local administrators
authorized to
establish a list of subscribers and to establish a plurality of third
restricted content items
for local use; enabling the second plurality of global administrators to
identify from the
first distributed content items and the second distributed content items
identified
distributed content items for use by the local administrators whereby the
local
administrators have access to the third restricted content items and the
identified
distributed content items for assembling communications; and enabling the
local
administrators to assemble communications for distribution to the subscribers.
[0012] In another embodiment of the invention there are provide methods and
systems to
establish a network of administrators for assembling communications, one
method
comprising the steps of identifying at least one global administrator; and
granting to the
at least one global administrator the authorizations to establish at least one
local
administrator, establish a plurality of content items, identify from the
plurality of content
items at least one restricted global content item for use only by the global
administrator
and at least one distributed content item usable by the local administrator,
establish a list
of subscribers, and select from the plurality of content items including the
global content
item and the distributed content item to assemble a communication for
distribution to the
subscribers.
[0013] In another embodiment of the invention there are provide methods and
systems for
assembling and distributing communications, one method comprising the steps
of:
establishing at least one local administrator; establishing a plurality of
content items;
identifying from the plurality of content items at least one restricted
content item not
usable by the local administrator and at least one distributed content item
usable by the
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local administrator; establishing a list of subscribers; and selecting from
the plurality of
content items including the restricted content item and the distributed
content item to
assemble a communication for distribution to the subscribers.
[0014] In yet another embodiment of the invention there are provided methods
and systems for
assembling and distributing a communication, one method comprising the steps
of:
receiving from an upper-level administrator access to at least one distributed
content item
from a plurality of content items; establishing a plurality of local content
items;
establishing a list of subscribers; and selecting from the plurality of local
content items
and the at least one distributed content item to assemble a communication for
distribution
to the subscribers.
[0015] The present invention provides many advantages over the prior art,
including the abilities
to: easily add and share content of interest to both distributors and
subscribers; maintain
at a local level subscriber information including subscriber distribution
information;
select, edit and assemble at a local level content items of particular
interest to local
subscribers; and administer distributor and subscriber functionality at global
and local
levels.
Brief Description of the Drawing Features
[0016] These and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will be apparent
from a reading of the detailed description of the invention when considered
with the
drawing Figures, in which:
[0017] Figure 1 is a bloclc diagram of a publication management system in
accordance with the
invention;
[0018] Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating an overview of the operation of
the system of Figure
1;
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[0019] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the functional interaction between
administrators,
content and publications in accordance with the present invention;
[0020] Figure 4 is a bloelc diagram illustrating the creation of content
collections such as
newsletters in accordance with the present invention;
[0021] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating a console management screen of
a system
administrator operable to assemble and distribute content; and
[0022] Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a process of assembling and
distributing content in
accordance with the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Invention
[0023] There will now be provided publication management systems and methods
that enable
the fast and cost-effective assembly of shared content, in a hierarchical
environment, into
various communications for transmission to subscribers.
[0024] As used herein, the term 'content' and variants thereof include all
media that is
communicable to and understandable by a recipient. Content thus includes but
is not
limited to: text, graphics, audio, video and other human-perceptible
communications. As
described herein, content is delivered to recipients in an electronic
communication.
However, the invention is not thus limited but contemplates all methods of
delivery
including but not limited to: hardcopy, audio transmissions, video
transmissions,
electronic distribution as described and all other transmission formats
perceptible to
recipients, typically but not limited to human recipients.
[0025] With reference now to Figure 1, there is shown a system 20 including a
publication
management system 22 comprising a data server 24 and an application & mail
server 26.
Connected to each of data server 24 and application & mail server 26 are
databases
including a publication content database 28, an administrative database 30, an
application
database 32 and a subscriber database 34. A plurality of content providers,
indicated at
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36A-36N, are connected to publication management system 22 in a manner
enabling the
transmission of content into publication content database 28, for example
directly or
through an appropriate electronic network. An operator interface, for example
in the
form of a user terminal 38, is connected to publication management system to
facilitate
the operation of the system.
[0026] Continuing with reference to Figure 1, application server 26 is
connected in a
conventional manner to a public network, for example the Internet 40. A
plurality of
administrators 42A-42N and subscribers 44A-44N, the identities and functions
of which
are described in detail below, are connected to publication management system
22
through Internet 40.
[0027] In operation, the details of which are described below, publication
management system
22 receives content from content providers 36A-36N for management by
administrators
42A-42N and distribution to subscribers 44A-44N. The databases 28, 30, 32, 34
are
managed by data server 24, publication content database 28 storing content,
administration database 30 storing administrative data including
administrative
authorizations described below, application database 32 storing instructions
to operate
system 22 as described below and subscriber database 34 storing communications
recipient data including address data. Application & mail server 26 functions
as the
interface between administrators 42A-42N, subscribers 44A-44N and publication
management system 22.
[0028] It will be understood that the hardware and software components of
publication
management system 22 comprise conventional computer components connected and
programmed to operate in accordance with the present invention as described
herein. In
one embodiment, data server 24 and application mail server 26 each comprise a
Wintel-
compatible computer system running Windows 2000~Server. The various databases
28,
30, 32 and 34 comprise Sequel Server 2000~ databases stored in a conventional
storage
system comprising an appropriate combination of semiconductor, magnetic and
optical
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memory. Numerous other configurations of system 22 operative to perform the
present
invention will now be apparent to the reader.
[0029] With reference now to Figure 2, an overview 50 of the operation of the
invention is
shown wherein initially administrative roles are established (step 52). As
described in
detail below, the establishment of administrative roles includes establishing
a hierarchical
distribution of global, or 'level one' administrators and local, or 'level
two'
administrators. A super administrator may be established to in turn establish
the global
administrators. Likewise, global administrators may establish both other
global
administrators as well as local administrators. In addition to the above-
described
authorizations to establish administrators granted to the super and global
administrators,
each of the various administrators is granted, based on their level, a group
of other
authorizations on publication management system 22, enabling them to perform
necessary functions.
[0030] More particularly, the super administrator and global administrators
each have the
authority to select content for distribution to other global administrators
and to local
administrators. Each of the super administrator, global administrators and
local
administrators have the authority to establish local lists of subscribers and
to assemble
communications and distribute communications to their subscribers. Local
administrators are not authorized to establish any other type of
administrator. As used
herein, a "subscriber" and variants thereon are recipients of communications.
Subscribers may actively subscribe to receive communications or may be
selected by an
administrator to receive communications.
[0031] Continuing with reference to Figure 2, once established, administrators
set up local
subscriber information (step 54) including sufficient details as are necessary
to transmit
communications to subscribers, for example email addresses if communications
are to be
transmitted by electronic networks. Many different methods and systems are
lcnown for
collecting and managing such data, including in one embodiment the use of the
Microsoft
Excel~ spreadsheet program.
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[0032] Administrators assemble and distribute communications (step 56) to
subscribers in the
manner described in detail below. Administrators also perform necessary system
maintenance and management (step 58), pertinent examples of which are
described
herein.
[0033] With reference now to Figure 3, the hierarchical relationship and
interaction of
administrators and subscribers is shown in block diagram 60, including a super
administrator 42B associated with the operation of publication management
system 22
(Figure 1). Various other administrators, described below, are associated with
a first
entity 62 and a second entity 64. Entities 62 and 64 may comprise, for
example,
companies who are clients, procuring the services of publication management
system 22.
For purposes of explanation, it will be understood that all references to
content in Figure
3 comprise content available from publication content database 28 in
publication
management system 22 and are appropriately numbered. As described in detail
below,
the content may, in various instances, be imported from 3rd-party sources,
created locally
and/or received by assignment from an administrator. All references to
administrators
comprise various administrators as show at 42A-42N and are appropriately
numbered.
All references to subscriber lists comprise subscriber sets from subscriber
database 34
and are also appropriately numbered. As described below, subscriber lists are
typically
created and maintained locally for use by an administrator.
[0034] As used here, the term 'locally' and variants thereof is indicative of
a function performed
directly by a party under discussion, typically an administrator, as opposed
to a function
performed by another. 'Local' is not indicative of a geographic location. As
is well
known in the art, computer networking technology generally enables any user of
a system
to worlc from any geographical location.
[0035] Continuing with reference to Figure 3, super administrators such as 42B
are noted above
to have certain authorizations in accordance with the present invention,
including the
authorizations to: i) establish global administrators, ii) establish content
in publication
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content database 28, iii) select content from database 28 for assembly and
communication
to global and local administrators, iv) establish subscriber lists for global
and/or local
administrators, and v) perform certain administrative functions with respect
to
publication management system 22 such as a) setting up customer-companies to
use the
system and b) establishing one or more global administrators within each newly
established company. In the described embodiment, super administrators are
associated
directly with the ownership and operation of publication management system 22
and do
not establish their own subscriber lists.
[0036] As shown in Figure 3, super administrator 42B has established a global
administrator 42C
within entity 62 and a global administrator 42D within entity 64. As noted
above, global
administrators have certain authorizations in accordance with the present
invention,
including the authorizations to: i) establish other global administrators, ii)
establish local
administrators, iii) establish subscriber lists, iv) establish content in
publication content
database 28, v) select content from database 28 for assembly and communication
to
subscribers, vi) add subscribers to local administrator subscriber lists, and
vii) select
content from accessible content to assign and thereby make available to other
global
administrators and to local administrators. Global administrator 42C has
access to
content 28B and has established a local administrator 42E and another global
administrator 42F. Global administrator 42C has also established a subscriber
list 34B.
[0037] Within entity 62, global administrator42F has established three local
administrators
indicated at 42G, 42H and 42I. As noted above, local administrators have
authorizations
to i) establish subscriber lists, ii) establish content in publication content
database 28, iii)
select content from established content for assembly and communication to
subscribers,
and iv) select content from content assigned by higher-level super and global
administrators to make available to local administrators for assembly and
communication
to subscribers. In comparison to global administrators, local administrators
may only
access content established by them and content to which access has been
granted by one
or more super or global administrators. Local administrators do not have
access to
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broader ranges of content in publication content database 28. Neither do local
administrators have authorization to establish other administrators.
[0038] It will be understood that, as used herein, the phrases 'establish
content' and 'have access
to content' and variants thereon are used to describe three methods of
accessing content:
i) the actual creation of content, for example the drafting of a text article,
ii) accessing
content assigned by higher-level administrators, and iii) the procurement of
content from
a content provider 36A-36N. The phrase 'establish a [global or local]
administrator' and
variants thereon are used to describe the process of creating on publication
management
system 22 a computer user identity with the appropriate administrator
authorizations,
accesses and permissions as described herein.
[0039] Continuing with reference to Figure 3 and particularly within entity
62, global
administrator 42F is seen to have access to content 28C and have created
subscriber list
34C. Local administrator 42E is seen to have access to content 28I and to have
created
subscriber list 34E. Local administrators 42G, 42H and 42I are seen to have
access to
content 28D, 28E and 28F, respectively, and to have created subscriber lists
34F, 34G
and34H, respectively.
[0040] Within entity 64, global administrator 42D is seen to have established
one local
administrator 42K and to have access to content 28G to assemble communications
for
distribution to subscribers 34I. Local administrator 42K is seen to have
access to content
28H to assemble communications for distribution to subscribers 34J.
[0041] With reference now to Figure 4, a console 70, or operator screen, is
shown of the type
used by super, global and local administrators to manage content. Console 70,
typically
displayed on a computer terminal of the type used by an administrator,
displays multiple
categories of manageable content, three of which are shown for purposes of
explanation
at 72, 74 and 76. It will be seen that the category areas 72, 74, 76 are
separated by
dashed lines. It will be understood that any number of content categories may
be
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displayed as will fit on one screen of the terminal displaying console 70,
with multiple
screens or pages used to display more content category areas and more
articles.
[0042] Within each content category area 72, 74, 76 is displayed a short
category description,
one of which is shown in each category area, and a list of available content,
herein
described as articles. Two articles are displayed in content category area 72
as indicated
by Article Description I and Article Description II. Associated with each
article are a
series of administrator-operable switches, typically in the form of computer
screen radio
buttons to the right of and in-line with each article description. Several
switches are
indicated generally at 80. One each of the operator switches are provided for
functions
associated with managing articles, in the illustrated embodiment labeled
switches are
provided for: editing the article, deleting the article, previewing the
article, setting the
position of the article, that is one button to raise the position within the
associated
category list and one button to lower the position whereby to affect the
location of the
article in the assembled communication, and enabling the article for inclusion
within a
communication. Articles that are not enabled will remain manageable on console
70 but
will not be included in a subsequently generated communication.
[0043] Many different commercially available methods and systems are known in
the art for
creating console 70 and providing the described functionality, including but
not limited to
most conventional spreadsheet and database programs. It is desirable that
publication
management system 22 provide the functionality, through console 70, to add,
edit,
preview and otherwise work with all commercially known content formats and
their
processor-editors, including text editors, graphic editors, audio editors and
video editors.
[0044] Continuing with reference to Figure 4, content category area 72 is seen
to include two
articles while category area 74 includes one article, Article III Description,
and category
area 76 includes no articles. The upper left corner of operator screen 70
includes a switch
labeled "Add New Content Category" which enables an administrator to create a
new
content area and insert a content description. Each of content category areas
72, 74 and
76 contain a switch labeled "Add Article" which enables an administrator to
insert a new
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article within the content area, thereby establishing content for use in
communications in
accord with the various methods described herein.
[0045] With reference now to Figures 5 and 6, together with above-described
Figures 3 and 4, a
process 82 (Figure 6) will now be described by which administrators can
assemble and
distribute communications. It will be recalled that an administrator has
created and is
managing a subscriber list (step 54 of Figure 2) indicating recipients of
communications.
[0046] To assemble and distribute cormnunications to the subscribers, the
administrator
establishes local content for management through console 70. Any desired new
content
may be established by adding it into publication management system 22 using
operator
console 70 as described above (step 84). As noted above, content may be
imported from
content providers 36A-36N or created by an administrator. Further through the
use of the
'Add New Content Category', 'Add Article' and 'enable' functions on console
70, the
administrator selects from amongst newly added content and existing content
for
management and inclusion in a communication (step 86). As described elsewhere
herein,
existing content includes both content added by the administrator as well as
content
selected for his or her access by assignment of a global administrator.
[0047] With reference to Figure 5, it will be seen that super administrator
42B has access only to
content which they have entered into the system, identified herein as Level A
content. It
will be understood that Level A content may include many different types of
sub-content,
that is text, graphics, audio, video, etc. in many different formats, for
example articles,
pictures, audio files, video files, graphics, audio and video embedded in
text, etc. Shown
in Figure 5 is an exemplary communication 100 assembled by super administrator
42B
comprising two items: Level A, sub-content A and Level A, sub-content B, for
example
an article containing text and a graphical illustration.
[0048] Continuing with reference to Figure 6, the administrator may again use
the various
switches on console 70 to edit content (step 88) as well as to position and/or
delete and/or
preview content (step 90). Super and global administrators may assign content
available
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to him or her, that is the Level A content, to lower-level global and/or local
administrators. This may be done, for example, through console 70 or through
another
operator screen designed to receive and associate assigned administrators with
particular
content. Further, super administrators have the ability to place content into
pre-defined
categories within pre-defined communications whereby to automatically assign
and make
such content available to all global and local administrators having access to
such
communications.
[0049] Once content is selected, assembled, positioned and otherwise edited
into the desired
communication such as an article, the communication is transmitted to the list
of
subscribers associated with the administrator (step 94). Many different
methods can be
used to facilitate this transmission, including but not limited to: i)
providing a control
screen by which the administrator who assembled the communication may initiate
the
transmission, and ii) providing a mechanism whereby the administrator may
assign or
request another party, such as the super administrator, to initiate the
transmission. While
in the described embodiment, the transmission is done electronically through e-
mail, any
other appropriate distribution method including but not hardcopy, radio-
frequency or
video-frequency transmission or others may be used. Subscribers may receive
transmission on any appropriate reception device including but not limited to
a computer
terminal, mobile personal digital assistant, mobile phone, facsimile or other
appropriate
apparatus.
[0050] As discussed in detail above, a super administrator and all global
administrators may
assign content 'down' to other global and local administrators, selecting that
content for
distribution to and availability for use by the assigned administrators.
Considering now a
global administrator such as global administrators 42C and 42D, each may
import or
otherwise establish, in the manner described above, their own content,
described herein
as Level B content, the 'Level B' label indicating there is a higher level
administrator in
the publication management system hierarchy who may assign access to content
down to
level B administrators.
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[0051] For purposes of illustration it is assumed that super administrator 42B
has assigned
access to Level A content to global administrator 42C but not to global
administrator
42D. With reference back to Figure 5, communication 102 is illustrative of a
communication that can be assembled by global administrator 42D. With no
access to
Level A content, global administrator 42D may assemble a communication from
Level B
content only, communication 102 shown to include three content items Level B:
sub-
content A, sub-content B and sub-content C.
[0052] In comparison to global administrator 42D, global administrator 42C
having access to
Level A and his or her own Level B content, this global administrator may
assemble a
communication of the type shown at 104, including content items from both
Level A and
Level B content.
[0053] For purposes of further explanation, a similar assumption is made that
global
administrator C has assigned access to Level A and Level B content to global
administrator 42F but not to local administrator 42G. With reference again to
Figure 5,
communication 106 is illustrative of a communication that may be assembled and
distributed by local administrator 42E. With no access assigned to Level A or
Level B
content, local administrator 42E may assemble communication 106 to contain
only
locally established, Level C content. In contrast to local administrator 42G,
because
global administrator 42F has been assigned access to both Level A and Level B
content,
this global administrator may create a communication such as that shown at
108,
including content items from each of Levels A, B, and C.
[0054] It will be understood that super and global administrators may assign
access to content
'down' to both global and local administrators by individual content item,
content
category, and/or the totality of a particular level of content.
[0055] From a consideration of the above, it will be seen that the present
invention enables the
hierarchical sharing of content between multiple levels of users, typically
all of whom
share a common interest in subject matter, across multiple organizations. As
an example
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of a commercial implementation of the present invention, its use will now be
illustrated
in the creation of periodic newsletters for distribution by parties in the
insurance industry.
In such operation, publication management system 22 (Figure 1) may be operated
by an
independent operator or by an insurance company. Entities 60 and 64 (Figure 3)
each
comprise an independent insurance company such as State Farm or Mutual of
Omaha or
another. The global and local administrators within each entity 60 and 64
comprise
various branch office agents and agent-managers.
[0056] To assemble a newsletter for use by the insurance agency, super
administrator 42B will
establish Level A articles of general interest in the insurance industry,
generally assigning
all customer-companies access to the Level A content. Level A content of
particular
interest only to one or several companies may only be assigned to those one or
several
companies.
[0057] Within each company, global administrators will establish Level B
articles of general
interest to all agents and of specific interest to specific agents, either
procuring them from
outside content providers 36A-36N or creating them themselves. Assigned access
of
both the Level A and Level B content will be provided to other global and
local
administrators as relevant. Access will be withheld from administrators to
which the
Level A and Level B content is not relevant. It will be understood that the
establishment
of new content and the assignment of new and higher-level content may continue
downwards through an unlimited number of levels of global administrators
within each
organization. Local administrators may establish new content and selects from
assigned
content, but may not assign content access to others.
[0058] Each insurance agent/administrator interested in sending a newsletters)
to clients will,
through selecting, assembling and editing assigned and/or locally established
content,
create a newsletter. Each agent may preview their completed newsletter and
then initiate
the transmission of that newsletter to their subscribers.
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[0059] It will thus be seen that the present invention enables the sharing of
articles of interest in
a hierarchical manner across the entire insurance industry for purposes of
assembling
newsletters. The applicability of the invention to essentially limitless other
industries or
environments will now be apparent to the reader.
[0060] As noted above, various administrative functions are performed by
various parties having
access to publication management system 22. Administrative functions include:
the
management of subscriber lists, management of administrative accounts
including
identities and authorizations, updating and management of content, updating
and
management of various user screens and interfaces and other administrative
functions as
are pertinent to the operation of the publication management system.
[0061] It will be noted that there is generally centralized maintenance of
data on publication
management system 22, including administrator data, subscriber data and
content. It will
further be noted that the transmission of communications is handled through
the
publication management system. Because these functions are provided within
publication management system 22, the invention provides the advantage of
being able to
track pertinent statistical data and generate reports for use by the
administrators. In
particular, the system provides the ability to track and report on, amongst
other statistics:
i) subscriber statistics, including new subscribers, terminated subscribers
and total
subscribers at any level within the system, ii) based on e-mail management,
the number
of times any given piece of content was reviewed, including the number of
times it was
viewed by any individual subscriber, and iii) statistics relating to the
number and
particular ones of undeliverable emails.
[0062] There has thus been provided new and improved methods and systems for
managing the
formation and transmission of communications that permits the establishment
and sharing
of content in a hierarchical environment, whereby various administrators can
establish
content for sharing with others 'below' them. The invention provides numerous
tools
including computer operations and user interfaces that facilitate the easy
establishment of
various user identities, authorizations and permissions. The invention further
provides
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18
numerous tools facilitating the importation and sharing of content, the
assembly of
content into communications and the transmission of communications to parties
on
manageable subscriber lists. As has been described, the invention dramatically
simplifies
the efforts and costs associated with generating communications between
business and
customers across entire industries. The invention has substantial application
in the
communications industry.
[0063] While the invention has been shown and described with respect to
particular
embodiments, it is not thus limited. Numerous modifications, changes and
improvements
will now occur to the reader that fall within the scope of the claims.
