System and method for searching, retrieving and displaying data from an email storage location

• US 20020184317A1
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Thankachan, Mathew
• Application Number:
  US09/867,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184317A1
• 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 method for searching, retrieving and displaying data from email storage locations is disclosed. The method of the present invention utilizes a search feature working with an email application to retrieve data from stored email messages. The search feature locates and retrieves data based upon a user-input search parameter. The retrieved data is inserted into a newly created document. The data is edited to redact any data that is duplicative.

Claims

1. In an electronic device, said electronic device executing an email application, a method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of storage locations for storing email messages, said email messages including a header and a body, said storage locations accessible by said email application, said email application designating one of said storage locations as an active storage location;

providing a search feature for use with said email application, said search feature including a user-input parameter, said search feature using said parameter to retrieve data from said email messages;

searching said designated active storage location with said search feature;

retrieving data indicated by said parameter from selected email messages in said active storage location; and

creating a new document containing data retrieved from said messages.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of:

forwarding said new document to a user of said electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said search feature searches all of said plurality of storage locations for storing email messages.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising the additional steps of:

searching the header of said email messages for data referenced by said parameter;

searching the body of said email messages for data referenced by said parameter; and

searching any email attachments for data referenced by said parameter.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said new document is in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said search feature is integrated with said email application.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said search feature is a stand-alone application.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the email data in said new document is sorted by date of creation of the email message from which the data was retrieved.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the email data in said new document is sorted by date of receipt of the email message from which the data was retrieved.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the email data in said new document is sorted by sender.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein said new document is forwarded to a user after deleting the email data that is duplicative.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising the additional steps of:

searching the header of said email messages for data referenced by said parameter;

searching the body of said email messages for data referenced by said parameter; and

searching any email attachments for data referenced by said parameter.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said new document is in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said search feature is integrated with said email application.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein said search feature is a stand-alone application.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein said new document is forwarded to a user after deleting the email data that is duplicative.

19. The medium of claim 18 wherein the method comprises the additional steps of:

searching a header of said email messages for data referenced by said parameter;

searching a body of said email messages for data referenced by said parameter; and

searching email attachments for data referenced by said parameter.

20. The medium of claim 18 wherein the document created by said method is in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format.

21. The medium of claim 18 wherein the method comprises the additional step of:

deleting duplicative data from said new document.

12. In an electronic device, said electronic device executing an email application, a method, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of storage locations for storing email messages, said email messages including a header and a body, said storage locations accessible by said email application;

providing a search feature for use with said email application, said search feature including a user-input parameter, said search feature using said parameter to reference data in said email messages;

searching said storage locations with said search feature, said search feature copying less than all the data in a selected email message containing data referenced by said parameter;

inserting the copied data from said selected email message and a hyperlink to said selected email message into a new document.

18. In an electronic device, a medium holding computer-executable instructions for a method, said method comprising the steps of:

executing an email application, said email application using a search feature, said search feature accepting a user-input parameter to reference data in email messages saved in a plurality of storage locations accessible to said email application, said email messages including a header and a body;

searching said storage locations with said search feature, said search feature copying less than all the data in a selected email message containing data referenced by said parameter;

inserting the copied data from said selected email message into a new document.

22. In an electronic device, said electronic device executing an email application, a method, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of storage locations for storing email messages, said email messages including a header and a body, said storage locations accessible by said email application;

providing a search feature for use with said email application, said search feature including a user-input parameter, said search feature using said parameter to reference data in said email messages;

searching said storage locations with said search feature, said search feature copying less than all the data in a selected email message containing data referenced by said parameter;

inserting the copied data from said selected email message into a new document; and

caching a copy of said new document; and

cross-referencing said new document copy and said search request in an index of cached documents.

23. The method of claim 22 comprising the additional steps of:

searching said index for cached documents cross-referenced to a search request;

retrieving a cached document responsive to said search request;

searching said storage locations for additional responsive data in email messages stored after a last modification date of said responsive cached document;

updating said cached document with said responsive data so that only non-duplicative data is inserted into said cached document; and

changing said modification date of said cached document to reflect the date of said search request.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said cached document is forwarded to a user.