SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY IDENTIFYING AND ATTACHING RELATED DOCUMENTS

• US 20020107924A1
• Filed: 12/24/1998
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: WALSH, THOMAS E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,296,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A system and method for attaching a related document to a primary document which includes at least one word. The system includes a processor determining whether the plurality of words in the primary document includes an indicator that the related document should be attached to the primary document. If an indicator is detected, the related document is then attached to the primary document for further processing. The processor may also identify at least one of a filename and a location of the related document to provide further functionality. Thus, the present invention substantially reduces the likelihood of the primary document being unintentionally processed without the related document attached thereto.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a secondary document relative to a primary document comprising:

determining if said primary document includes an indicator; and

identifying said secondary document if said primary document includes said indicator.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising attaching said secondary document to said primary document if said primary document includes said indicator.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said secondary document has a filename and a location, the method further comprising determining at least one of said filename and said location of said secondary document.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said secondary document has a filename and a location, the method further comprising determining at least one of said filename and said location of said secondary document as a function of a user input.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said primary document includes at least one word, and wherein determining at least one of said filename and said location of said secondary document is performed as a function of said at least one word.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein said primary document includes a plurality of words, and wherein determining at least one of said filename and said location of said secondary document is performed as a function of said plurality of words within a predetermined proximity of said indicator included in said plurality of words.

7. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

associating a predetermined word with at least one of said filename and said location of said secondary document,

wherein said primary document includes said predetermined word, and

wherein identifying at least one of said filename and said location of said secondary document is performed as a function of said predetermined word.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said indicator includes at least one of a plurality of predetermined words, a plurality of predetermined characters, and a plurality of predetermined phrases.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining if said at least one word includes one of said indicator is performed using syntactic processing.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein said primary document includes an e-mail message.

11. The method according to claim 12, further comprising sending said e-mail message and said secondary document attached thereto to a recipient via a communications device.

12. The method according to claim 2, further comprising sending said primary document and said secondary document attached thereto to a printing device.

13. The method according to claim 2, further comprising said primary document and said secondary document attached thereto to a recipient via facsimile.

14. The method according to claim 2, wherein said secondary document is attached to said primary document at a first instance, said first instance being determined as a function of a user input.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adding at least one additional indicator to said indicator as a function of a user input.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said processor attaches said secondary document to said primary document if said primary document includes said indicator.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said secondary document has a filename and a location, and wherein said processor determines at least one of said filename and said location of said secondary document as a function of at least one of a user input and said at least one word.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein a predetermined word is associated with at least one of said filename and said location of said secondary document, wherein said primary document includes said predetermined word, and wherein said processor identifies at least one of said filename and said location of said secondary document as a function of said predetermined word.

20. The system according to claim 16, wherein said indicator includes at least one of a plurality of predetermined words, a plurality of predetermined characters, and a plurality of predetermined phrases.

21. The system according to claim 16, wherein said processor determines if said primary document includes said indicator using syntactic processing.

16. A system for identifying a secondary document related to a primary document comprising:

a first storage device storing said primary document;

a second storage device storing said secondary document;

a third storage device storing an indicator;

a processor coupled to said first storage device, said second storage device and said third storage device, said processor determining if said primary document includes said indicator and identifying said secondary document if said primary document includes said indicator.

22. A system comprising:

a storage device;

a set instructions stored on the storage device;

a processor executing said set of instructions to identify a secondary document relative to a primary document by;

determining if said primary document includes an indicator, and

identifying said secondary document if said primary document includes said indicator.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said processor attaches said secondary document to said primary document if said primary document includes said indicator.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein said secondary document has a filename and a location, wherein said primary document includes at least one word, and wherein said processor determines at least one of said filename and said location of said secondary document as a function of at least one of a user input and said at least one word.

25. The system according to claim 22, wherein said indicator includes at least one of a plurality of predetermined words, a plurality of predetermined characters, and a plurality of predetermined phrases.

26. The system according to claim 22, wherein said processor determines if said processor determines if said primary document includes said indicator using syntactic processing.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said indicator includes at least one of a plurality of predetermined words, a plurality of predetermined characters, and a plurality of predetermined phrases.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein said primary document includes a list of at least one address corresponding to at least one recipient to receive said primary document, further comprising attaching said address of said recipient to said list of said at least one address.

27. A method for identifying an address of a recipient of a primary document comprising:

determining if said primary document includes an indicator; and

identifying said address of said recipient if said primary document includes said indicator.

30. A system comprising:

a storage device storing a set of instructions;

a processor executing said set of instructions to identify an address of a recipient of a primary document, said primary document including a list of at least one address corresponding to at least one recipient to receive said primary document, by;

determining if said primary document includes an indicator,

identifying said address of said recipient if said primary document includes said indicator, and

attaching said address of said recipient to said list of said at least one address.