Apparatus, system and method of performing mail message thread searches

• US 20040199590A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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
• Application Number:
  US10/406,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20040199590A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method that allow a user to perform a search for a thread (i.e., related messages) in a mailbox are provided. To do so, the message for which a search for related messages is to be performed is identified. Since each message has a header that includes a unique message identification number and since each message that is a reply to a previous message has a reference of the previous message in its header, a search may be performed by identifying each message in the mailbox that has a reference to the message identification number of the identified message. In many instances, the search may be performed recursively to obtain all messages that are upstream and downstream of the identified message. Upstream messages are messages that are chronologically before the identified message while downstream messages are chronologically after the identified message.

Claims

1. A method of performing a search for a thread of related messages in a mailbox comprising the steps of:

indicating a message for which a search for related messages is to be performed, the message having a message identification number in a header; and

performing, using the message identifier, the search by identifying each message in the mailbox related to the indicated message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the search is recursively performed such that when a message is identified as related to the indicated message, the message identification number of the identified message is searched for in the header of the messages in the mailbox to identify other messages.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the message identification number is referenced in an “

In-Reply-To”

field in the header.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the message identification number is referenced in a “

References”

field in the header.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the “

References”

field of the header includes the message identification number of all messages that are related to the indicated message, the search being recursively performed such that when a message is identified, the message identification number of the identified message is searched for in the header of the messages in the mailbox to identify other messages.

6. A computer program product on a computer readable medium for performing a search for a thread of related messages in a mailbox comprising:

code means for indicating a message for which a search for related messages is to be performed, the message having a message identification number in a header; and

code means for performing, using the message identifier, the search by identifying each message in the mailbox related to the indicated message.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the search is recursively performed such that when a message is identified, the message identification number of the identified message is searched for in the header of the messages in the mailbox to identify other messages.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the message identification number is referenced in an “

In-Reply-To”

field in the header.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the message identification number is referenced in a “

References”

field in the header.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the “

References”

field of the header includes the message identification number of all messages that are related to the indicated message, the search being recursively performed such that when a message is identified, the message identification number of the identified message is searched for in the header of the messages in the mailbox to identify other messages.

11. An apparatus for performing a search for a thread of related messages in a mailbox comprising:

means for indicating a message for which a search for related messages is to be performed, the message having a message identification number in a header; and

means for performing, using the message identifier, the search by identifying each message in the mailbox related to the indicated message.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the search is recursively performed such that when a message is identified, the message identification number of the identified message is searched for in the header of the messages in the mailbox to identify other messages.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the message identification number is referenced in an “

In-Reply-To”

field in the header.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the message identification number is referenced in a “

References”

field in the header.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the “

References”

field of the header includes the message identification number of all messages that are related to the indicated message, the search being recursively performed such that when a message is identified, the message identification number of the identified message is searched for in the header of the messages in the mailbox to identify other messages.

16. A computer system for performing a search for a thread of related messages in a mailbox comprising:

at least one storage system for storing code data; and

at least one processor processing the code data to indicate a message for which a search for related messages is to be performed, the message having a message identification number in a header, and to perform, using the message identifier, the search by identifying each message in the mailbox related to the indicated message.

17. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the search is recursively performed such that when a message is identified, the message identification number of the identified message is searched for in the header of the messages in the mailbox to identify other messages.

18. The computer system of claim 17 wherein the message identification number is referenced in an “

In-Reply-To”

field in the header.

19. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the message identification number is referenced in a “

References”

field in the header.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the “

References”

field of the header includes the message identification number of all messages that are related to the indicated message, the search being recursively performed such that when a message is identified, the message identification number of the identified message is searched for in the header of the messages in the mailbox to identify other messages.