PATENTING E-MAIL FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE: One company has launched a new service that allows people to send a will or messages to their loved ones by e-mail in the event of sudden death. Digital Media, Korea’s peripheral computer equipment vendor, said Monday it had started the posthumous e-mail services in June at www.goodbyemail.com.

To check whether a customer is alive, Digital Media sends e-mail twice a month that must be answered within 30 days. If a customer fails to send a reply for one month, the firm will then ask a pre-specified trustee about the client’s status.

When a trustee confirms the death of a customer, the parting messages will be delivered to the pre-chosen receivers, be they family members, relatives or friends, through the Internet or by post. Digital Media has acquired a patent for the new offering and is looking to apply for international patents soon.