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Abstract

A method for providing a graphical display, called an e-envelope, for an Internet e-mail message. This is performed by adding formatting information to the header of the e-mail message, preferably by the use of special header fields called 'Form Headers', which provide formatting specifications, in one aspect related to data carried in either the header or the body of the e-mail message. During creation of an e-mail message, a sender can choose formatting specifications for the e-envelope. These formatting specifications are then stored in Form Headers which are inserted into the header of e-mail message along with the existing conventional headers. An e-mail program receiving such an Internet e-mail message reads the Form Headers as well as the data to be formatted, if any. The e-mail program then merges the formatting specifications and linked data, if any, to create graphical interface elements corresponding to the formatted e-envelope specified by the sender for presentation to a recipient of the e-mail message.

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First Claim