Apparatus, system and method of performing mail message searches across multiple mail servers

• US 20040199589A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Keohane, Susann Marie, McBrearty, Gerald Francis, Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han, Murillo, Jessica Kelley, Mullen, Shawn Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,603 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, apparatus and method of performing e-mail message searches across multiple mailboxes are provided. The system, apparatus and method perform the e-mail message searches across multiple mailboxes by launching a search feature of a currently accessed mailbox where at least one search term for a search is entered. Then, if multiple mailboxes are to be simultaneously searched, each mailbox is identified. The mailboxes are identified by their address, the username and password that are used to access them. Each mailbox is then accessed using the provided address, username and password. After accessing the mailbox, its search feature is launched and the search criteria passed to each launched search feature in order to perform the search. The mailboxes may be further identified by a particular name.

Claims

1. A method of performing a search across multiple mailboxes comprising the steps of:

launching a search feature of a currently accessed mailbox;

entering at least one search term for a search;

indicating whether the search is to be performed across multiple mailboxes;

identifying, if multiple mailboxes are to be simultaneously searched, each mailbox by providing an address, a username and a password;

accessing each mailbox using a provided address, username and password;

launching the search feature of each accessed mailbox;

passing the search criteria to each launched search feature; and

performing the search.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each mailbox is further identified by a name.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein search results of the mailboxes are collected and displayed.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the search result of each mailbox is displayed under the name of the mailbox.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the identifying step includes the step of displaying a table that includes multiple mailboxes that have been searched before if a search across multiple mailboxes has once been performed.

6. A computer program product on a computer readable medium for performing a search across multiple mailboxes comprising:

code means for launching a search feature of a currently accessed mailbox;

code means for entering at least one search term for a search;

code means for indicating whether the search is to be performed across multiple mailboxes;

code means for identifying, if multiple mailboxes are to be simultaneously searched, each mailbox by providing an address, a username and a password;

code means for accessing each mailbox using a provided address, username and password;

code means for launching the search feature of each accessed mailbox;

code means for passing the search criteria to each launched search feature; and

code means for performing the search.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein each mailbox is further identified by a name.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein search results of the mailboxes are collected and displayed.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the search result of each mailbox is displayed under the name of the mailbox.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the identifying code means includes code means for displaying a table that includes multiple mailboxes that have been searched before if a search across multiple mailboxes has once been performed.

11. An apparatus for performing a search across multiple mailboxes comprising:

means for launching a search feature of a currently accessed mailbox;

means for entering at least one search term for a search;

means for indicating whether the search is to be performed across multiple mailboxes;

means for identifying, if multiple mailboxes are to be simultaneously searched, each mailbox by providing an address, a username and a password;

means for accessing each mailbox using a provided address, username and password;

means for launching the search feature of each accessed mailbox;

means for passing the search criteria to each launched search feature; and

means for performing the search.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each mailbox is further identified by a name.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein search results of the mailboxes are collected and displayed.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the search result of each mailbox is displayed under the name of the mailbox.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the identifying means includes means for displaying a table that includes multiple mailboxes that have been searched before if a search across multiple mailboxes has once been performed.

16. A computer system for performing a search across multiple mailboxes comprising:

at least one storage system for storing code data;

at least one processor for processing the code data to launch a search feature of a currently accessed mailbox, to enter at least one search term for a search, to indicate whether the search is to be performed across multiple mailboxes, to identify, if multiple mailboxes are to be simultaneously searched, each mailbox by providing an address, a username and a password, to access each mailbox using a provided address, username and password, to launch the search feature of each accessed mailbox, to pass the search criteria to each launched search feature, and to perform the search.

17. The computer system of claim 16 wherein each mailbox is further identified by a name.

18. The computer system of claim 17 wherein search results of the mailboxes are collected and displayed.

19. The computer system of claim 18 wherein the search result of each mailbox is displayed under the name of the mailbox.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the code data is further processed to display a table that includes multiple mailboxes that have been searched before if a search across multiple mailboxes has once been performed.