Method, system, and computer program product for electronic messaging mail list management

• US 20030043201A1
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Abdelhadi, Sanaa, Rojas, Hypatia
• Granted Patent: US 6,910,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

According to one aspect of the invention, sending an electronic message to two or more sets of recipients includes associating a first portion of an electronic message with a first set of one or more recipients. A second portion of the electronic message is associated with a second set of one or more recipients. The electronic message is sent to the recipients such that the first set of recipients receives the first portion of the electronic message and the second set of recipients receives the second portion of the electronic message.

Claims

1. A method for electronic messaging management, comprising the steps of:

displaying a message interface for composing and sending an electronic message;

receiving a first portion of the message in the message interface;

receiving, in the message interface, a first set of one or more recipients for the first portion;

receiving a second portion of the message in the message interface;

receiving, in the message interface, a second set of one or more recipients for the second portion; and

sending the message, wherein both the first and second portions are sent to the respective recipients responsive to a single send command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the message interface comprises the steps of:

displaying a first data entry area for the message; and

displaying a second data entry area in the same message interface for receiving the second set of one or more recipients.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second data entry area includes an area for receiving the message of the second message portion.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second message portions are both received in the first data entry area, the method comprising the step of:

receiving a selection of the second message portion in the first data entry area.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the second data entry area is displayed responsive to a certain user action sequence, the user action sequence comprising i) entering a certain combination on a data entry device, ii) selecting a menu item, using a pointing device, a data entry device, or a pointing device and data entry device combination, or iii) selecting an icon using a pointing device.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of receiving a selection of whether one of the message portions is to be sent exclusively to its own set of recipients, or is also to be sent to the set of recipients indicated for the other one of the message portions.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of receiving a selection of whether one of the sets of recipients is to be sent an indication of the existence of the other one of the message portions.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising the step of receiving a selection of whether one of the sets of recipients is to be sent the identity of the one or more recipients of the other one of the message portions.

9. A computer program product for electronic messaging management comprising:

first instructions for displaying a message interface for composing and sending an electronic message;

second instructions for receiving a first portion of the message in the message interface;

third instructions for receiving, in the message interface, a first set of one or more recipients for the first portion;

fourth instructions for receiving a second portion of the message in the message interface;

fifth instructions for receiving, in the message interface, a second set of one or more recipients for the second portion; and

sixth instructions for sending the message, wherein both the first and second portions are sent to the respective recipients responsive to a single send command.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the first instructions comprise:

instructions for displaying a first data entry area for the message; and

instructions for displaying a second data entry area in the same message interface for receiving the second set of one or more recipients.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the second data entry area includes an area for the message of the second message portion.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the first and second message portions are both received in the first data entry area, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for receiving a selection of the second message portion in the first data entry area.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the second data entry area is displayed responsive to a certain user action sequence, the user action sequence comprising i) entering a certain combination on a data entry device, ii) selecting a menu item, using a pointing device, a data entry device, or a pointing device and data entry device combination, or iii) selecting an icon using a pointing device.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, comprising instructions for receiving a selection of whether one of the message portions is to be sent exclusively to its own set of recipients, or is also to be sent to the set of recipients indicated for the other one of the message portions.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, comprising instructions for receiving a selection of whether one of the sets of recipients is to be sent an indication of the existence of the other one of the message portions.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, comprising instructions for receiving a selection of whether one of the sets of recipients is to be sent the identity of the one or more recipients of the other one of the message portions.

17. A system comprising:

a processor connected a network;

a storage device connected to the processor and the network, wherein the storage device is for storing a program for controlling the processor, and wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing the steps of;

displaying a message interface for composing and sending an electronic message;

receiving a first portion of the message in the message interface;

receiving, in the message interface, a first set of one or more recipients for the first portion;

receiving a second portion of the message in the message interface;

receiving, in the message interface, a second set of one or more recipients for the second portion; and

sending the message, wherein both the first and second portions are sent to the respective recipients responsive to a single send command.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein displaying the message interface comprises the steps of:

displaying a first data entry area for the message; and

displaying a second data entry area in the same message interface for receiving the second set of one or more recipients.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the second data entry area includes an area for receiving the message of the second message portion.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second message portions are both entered in the first data entry area, and wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing the step of:

receiving a selection of the second message portion in the first data entry area.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the second data entry area is displayed responsive to a certain user action sequence, the user action sequence comprising i) entering a certain combination on a data entry device, ii) selecting a menu item, using a pointing device, a data entry device, or a pointing device and data entry device combination, or iii) selecting an icon using a pointing device.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing the step of:

receiving a selection of whether one of the message portions is to be sent exclusively to its own set of recipients, or is also to be sent to the set of recipients indicated for the other one of the message portions.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing the step of:

receiving a selection of whether one of the sets of recipients is to be sent an indication of the existence of the other one of the message portions.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing the step of:

receiving a selection of whether one of the sets of recipients is to be sent the identity of the one or more recipients of the other one of the message portions.

25. A method of sending an electronic message to two or more sets of recipients, the method comprising the steps of:

associating a first portion of an electronic message with a first set of one or more recipients;

associating a second portion of the electronic message with a second set of one or more recipients; and

sending the electronic message to the recipients, such that the first set of recipients receives the first portion of the electronic message and the second set of recipients receives the second portion of the electronic message.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein both the first and second portions of the electronic message are sent to the respective sets of recipients responsive to a single send command.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of associating of the first portion of the electronic message with the first set of one or more recipients comprises the step of receiving the first portion of the electronic message in a first data entry area of a message interface, and the step of associating the second portion of the electronic message with the second set of one or more recipients comprises the step of receiving the second portion of the electronic message in a second data entry area of the message interface.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the first and second message portions are both received in a single data entry area, and the step of associating the second portion of the electronic message with the second set of one or more recipients comprises receiving a selection of the second message portion in the first data entry area.

29. A computer program product for sending an electronic message to two or more sets of recipients, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for associating a first portion of an electronic message with a first set of one or more recipients;

second instructions for associating a second portion of the electronic message with a second set of one or more recipients; and

third instructions for sending the electronic message to the recipients, such that the first set of recipients receives the first portion of the electronic message and the second set of recipients receives the second portion of the electronic message.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein both the first and second portions of the electronic message are sent to the respective sets of recipients responsive to a single send command.

31. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the associating of the first portion of the electronic message with the first set of one or more recipients comprises receiving the first portion of the electronic message in a first data entry area of a message interface, and the associating of the second portion of the electronic message with the second set of one or more recipients comprise receiving the second portion of the electronic message in a second data entry area of the message interface.

32. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the first and second message portions are both received in a single data entry area, and the associating of the second portion of the electronic message with the second set of one or more recipients comprises receiving a selection of the second message portion in the first data entry area.

33. A system comprising:

a processor connected a network;

a storage device connected to the processor and the network, wherein the storage device is for storing a program for controlling the processor, and wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing the steps of;

associating a first portion of an electronic message with a first set of one or more recipients;

associating a second portion of the electronic message with a second set of one or more recipients; and

sending the electronic message to the recipients, such that the first set of recipients receives the first portion of the electronic message and the second set of recipients receives the second portion of the electronic message.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein both the first and second portions of the electronic message are sent to the respective sets of recipients responsive to a single send command.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the associating of the first portion of the electronic message with the first set of one or more recipients comprises receiving the first portion of the electronic message in a first data entry area of a message interface, and the associating of the second portion of the electronic message with the second set of one or more recipients comprise receiving the second portion of the electronic message in a second data entry area of the message interface.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the first and second message portions are both received in a single data entry area, and the associating of the second portion of the electronic message with the second set of one or more recipients comprises receiving a selection of the second message portion in the first data entry area.