System, method and apparatus for updating electronic mail recipient lists

• US 20030037114A1
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yada, Toshio, Nishio, Takeshi, Ogasawara, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

The e-mail system includes a responsible person terminal holding a plurality of recipient addresses to which given e-mail is sent, and a reference list editor terminal connected to the responsible person terminal through a network for editing a reference list consisting of one or more recipient addresses to be updated from among the recipient addresses. The reference list includes recipient addresses to be replaced, recipient addresses to be deleted, and recipient addresses to be added. The reference list and a program or tool that references the reference list to update an e-mail recipient address list are recorded/stored on a server. The reference list editor terminal and the responsible person terminal access the server 100 to cause the update function to be performed.

Claims

1. an e-mail system, comprising:

e-mail transmitter having a plurality of recipient addresses; and

terminal connected to said e-mail transmitter through a network for editing a reference list including one or more recipient addresses to be updated among said plurality of recipient addresses,

said e-mail system includes an update function for updating said recipient addresses by referencing said reference list edited by said terminal.

2. The e-mail system according to claim 1, wherein said e-mail transmitter includes said update function.

3. The e-mail system according to claim 1, further comprising a server for performing said update function based on a request sent from said e-mail transmitter.

4. The e-mail system according to claim 1, wherein said reference list contains at least one new recipient address to replace at least one of said plurality of recipient addresses held by said e-mail transmitter.

5. The e-mail system according to claim 1, wherein said reference list contains at least one recipient address to be deleted from among said plurality of recipient addresses held by said e-mail transmitter.

6. The e-mail system according to claim 1, wherein said reference list contains at least one recipient address to be added to said plurality of recipient addresses held by said e-mail transmitter.

7. A method of updating an recipient address list including a plurality of addresses to which information is sent, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a difference list consisting of differences between a first recipient address list before an update and a second recipient address list after the update; and

said first recipient address list by referencing said difference list.

8. The recipient address list updating method according to claim 7, wherein said update of said first recipient address list is performed by referencing said difference list on a regular basis.

9. The recipient address list updating method according to claim 7, wherein said update of said first recipient address list is performed in response to an indication of the generation of said difference list.

10. The recipient address list updating method according to claim 7, wherein said difference list includes at least one of (i) at least one address to replace, (ii) at least one address to be deleted from, and (iii) at least one address to be added to, the plurality of addresses contained in said first recipient address list;

and

said step of updating said first recipient address list comprises at least one of (i) the replacement of the at least one address to be replaced, (ii) the deletion of the at least one address to be deleted, and (iii) the addition of the at least one address to be added.

11. The recipient address list updating method according to claim 7, wherein said difference list is edited, and said first recipient address list is updated by referencing said edited difference list.

12. A computer apparatus for updating a recipient address list containing a plurality of recipient addresses to which given information is sent, comprising:

replacement module for replacing a recipient address contained in said recipient address list with a different recipient address;

deletion module for deleting a given recipient address from among the plurality of recipient addresses contained in said recipient address list;

addition module for adding a new recipient address to said recipient address list; and

reference list storage for storing a reference list containing said different recipient address to be replaced, said recipient address to be deleted, and said new recipient address to be added.

13. The computer apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said reference list storage stores said reference list in response to the input of said reference list created on another computer apparatus.

14. The computer apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a recipient address list storage for storing said recipient address list.

15. The computer apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said recipient address list stored in said recipient address list storage is updated by at least one of said replacement module, said deletion module, and said addition module.

16. The computer apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an input module for obtaining said recipient address list stored on a computer apparatus other than said computer apparatus.

17. The computer apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said obtained recipient address list is updated by at least one of said replacement module, said deletion module, and said addition module and said computer apparatus further comprises an output module for outputting said updated recipient address list to said another computer apparatus.

18. A computer apparatus for updating a recipient address list containing recipient addresses to which given information is sent, comprising:

storage module for storing a difference list consisting of addresses that are differences between a first recipient address list before an update and a second recipient address list after the update; and

display module for displaying said difference list.

19. The computer apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said storage stores at least one of (i) at least one new recipient address to replace one of the recipient addresses contained in said recipient address list, (ii) at least one recipient address to be deleted from among the recipient addresses contained in said recipient address list, and (iii) at least one recipient address to be added.