Method and apparatus for adding recipients to sent email

• US 20040254989A1
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hulu LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vallabhaneni, Vasu, Jain, Vinit, Fernandes, Lilian Sylvia, Baratakke, Kavitha Vittal Murthy
• Granted Patent: US 7,430,580 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

A data processing system for resending a previously sent email message. A new recipient for the previously sent email message is selected. The new recipient of the previously sent email message is added in response to selecting the new recipient, wherein the previously sent email message is directed to the new recipient and a previous recipient. An indicator to the previously sent email message is added in response to selecting the new recipient, wherein the indicator indicates that the new recipient has been added to a form a new version of the previously sent email message. The new version of the previously sent email message is sent in response to adding the indicator, wherein the indicator causes the new version of the previously sent email message to replace the previously sent email message at an email program of the previous recipient.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for resending a previously sent email message, the method comprising:

selecting a new recipient for the previously sent email message;

responsive to selecting the new recipient, adding the new recipient to the previously sent email message, wherein the previously sent email message is directed to the new recipient and a previous recipient;

responsive to selecting the new recipient, adding an indicator to the previously sent email message, wherein the indicator indicates that the new recipient has been added to form a new version of the previously sent email message; and

responsive to adding the indicator, sending the new version of the previously sent email message, wherein the indicator causes the new version of the previously sent email message to replace the previously sent email message at an email program of the previous recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator causes display of a graphical indicator by the email program of the previous recipient in association with the new version of the previously sent email message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a tag located in a header of the new version of the previously sent email message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of selecting, adding a new recipient, adding an indicator, and sending are located in an email message program.

5. A method in a data processing system for handling receipt of an email message, the method comprising:

receiving the email message;

determining whether an indicator is present in the email message, wherein the indicator indicates that the email message is a new version of a prior email message; and

replacing the prior email message with the new version of the email message if the indicator is present in the email message and if the prior email message is present.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

If the prior email message has been deleted by the previous recipient, placing the new version of the email message in a mail box.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

displaying a graphical indicator in association with the new version of the email message.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the indicator is a tag located in a header of the email message.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the receiving, determining, and replacing steps are implemented in an email program.

10. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for resending a previously sent email message, the method comprising:

first instructions for selecting a new recipient for the previously sent email message;

second instructions, responsive to selecting the new recipient, for adding the new recipient to the previously sent email message, wherein the previously sent email message is directed to the new recipient and a previous recipient;

third instructions, responsive to selecting the new recipient, for adding an indicator to the previously sent email message, wherein the indicator indicates that the new recipient has been added to form a new version of the previously sent email message; and

fourth instructions, responsive to adding the indicator, for sending the new version of the previously sent email message, wherein the indicator causes the new version of the previously sent email message to replace the previously sent email message at an email program of the previous recipient.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the indicator causes display of a graphical indicator by the email program of the previous recipient in association with the new version of the previously sent email message.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the indicator is a tag located in a header of the hew version of the previously sent email message.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the first, second, third and fourth instructions are located in an email message program.

14. A computer program product in a computer readable medium in a data processing system for handling receipt of an email message, the method comprising:

first instructions for receiving the email message;

second instructions for determining whether an indicator is present in the email message, wherein the indicator indicates that the email message is a new version of a prior email message; and

third instructions for replacing the prior email message with the new version of the email message if the indicator is present in the email message and if the prior email message is present.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

fourth instructions for placing the new version of the email message in a mail box if the prior email message has been deleted by the previous recipient.

16. A computer program product in a computer readable medium of claim 14 further comprising:

displaying a graphical indicator in association with the new version of the email message.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the indicator is a tag located in a header of the email message.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the first, second and third instructions are implemented in an email program.

19. A method in a data processing system for resending a previously sent email message, the data processing system comprising:

selecting means for selecting a new recipient for the previously sent email message;

first adding means, responsive to selecting the new recipient, for adding the new recipient to the previously sent email message, wherein the previously sent email message is directed to the new recipient and a previous recipient;

second adding means for in response to selecting the new recipient for adding an indicator to the previously sent email message, wherein the indicator indicates that the new recipient has been added to a form a new version of the previously sent email message; and

sending means, responsive to adding the indicator, for sending the new version of the previously sent email message, wherein the indicator causes the new version of the previously sent email message to replace the previously sent email message at an email program of the previous recipient.

20. A means in a data processing system for handling receipt of an email message, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving the email message;

determining means for determining whether an indicator is present in the email message, wherein the indicator indicates that the email message is a new version of a prior email message; and

replacing means for replacing the prior email message with the new version of the email message if the indicator is present in the email message and if the prior email message is present.

21. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to add a new recipient to a previously sent email message in response to selecting the new recipient, wherein the previously sent email message is directed to the new recipient and a previous recipient;

add an indicator to the previously sent email message in response to selecting the new recipient, wherein the indicator indicates that the new recipient has been added to form a new version of the previously sent email message; and

send the new version of the previously sent email message in response to adding the indicator, wherein the indicator causes the new version of the previously sent email message to replace the previously sent email message at an email program of the previous recipient.

22. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive an email message;

determine whether an indicator is present in the email message, wherein the indicator indicates that the email message is a new version of a prior email message; and

replace the prior email message with the new version of the email message if the indicator is present in the email message and if the prior email message is present.