Method and system for managing locally initiated electronic mail attachment documents

• US 20050060375A1
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Seaman, James Wesley, Ernest, Leslie Mark, Fellenstein, Craig, Hamilton, Rick A II
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Abstract

The present invention introduces unique functionality whereby there is a substantial reduction in the storage and replication requirements for the locally initiated electronic mail messages, which include locally sourced attachments. In the method of the present invention, at the origination location of an electronic message, there is an identification of electronic messages containing locally sourced attachment documents. During the storage of the transmitted message, there is determination of whether any attachment to the message was a locally sourced attachment. If the attachment was a locally sourced attachment, the attachment may not be stored with the message. Instead a pointer or link can be created to the original or locally sourced document. This approach will reduce the storage space required by electronic messages.

Claims

1. A method for managing the storage of attachments for electronic mail messages comprising the steps of;

receiving an electronic mail message at a destination location;

determining the origin of an attachment to the electronic message;

deleting an attachment that originated at the destination location of the electronic message; and

creating a link to the original document located at the destination location of the electronic message.

2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the destination location of the electronic message is the location of the sender of the electronic message.

3. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising before said origin determination step the step of determining whether the received electronic message has an attachment.

4. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising after said attachment deleting step, the step of saving the electronic message.

5. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said attachment origin determination step further comprises determining whether the attachment was created at the location of the sender of the electronic message.

6. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising before said link creation step, the step of updating the received message to reflect the deleted attachment.

7. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising before said attachment origin determination step, the step of determining whether the recipient of an electronic message desires to save the electronic message.

8. A method for managing the storage of attachments for electronic mail messages comprising the steps of;

receiving an electronic mail message at a destination location;

determining the origin of an attachment to the electronic message;

determining whether the electronic mail recipient desires to modify an attachment that originated at the destination location of the electronic message; and

creating a link to the original document located at the destination location of the electronic message.

9. The method as described in claim 8 further comprising after said modification determination step, the step of modifying the attachment.

10. The method as described in claim 8 further comprising before said origin determination step the step of determining whether the received electronic message has an attachment.

11. The method as described in claim 9 further comprising after said modification determination step, the step of deleting the attachment when there is a determination that the recipient does not want to modify the attachment.

12. The method as described in claim 8 wherein said attachment origin determination step further comprises determining whether the attachment was created at the location of the sender of the electronic message.

13. The method as described in claim 8 further comprising before said link creation step, the step of updating the received message to reflect the modified attachment.

14. The method as described in claim 8 further comprising before said attachment origin determination step, the step of determining whether the recipient of an electronic message desires to save the electronic message.

15. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for notifying a recipient of an electronic message of message reply requirements comprising:

instructions for receiving an electronic mail message at a destination location;

instructions for determining the origin of an attachment to the electronic message;

instructions for deleting an attachment that originated at the destination location of the electronic message; and

instructions for creating a link to the original document located at the destination location of the electronic message.

16. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising before said origin determination instructions, instructions for determining whether the received electronic message has an attachment.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising after said attachment deleting instructions, instructions for saving the electronic message.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 15 wherein said attachment origin determination instructions further comprise instructions for determining whether the attachment was created at the location of the sender of the electronic message.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising before said link creation instructions, instructions for updating the received message to reflect the deleted attachment.

20. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising before said attachment origin determination instructions, instructions for determining whether the recipient of an electronic message desires to save the electronic message.

21. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for notifying a recipient of an electronic message of message reply requirements comprising:

instructions for receiving an electronic mail message at a destination location;

instructions for determining the origin of an attachment to the electronic message;

instructions for determining whether the electronic mail recipient desires to modify an attachment that originated at the destination location of the electronic message; and

instructions for creating a link to the original document located at the destination location of the electronic message.

22. The computer program product as described in claim 21 further comprising after said modification determination instructions, instructions for modifying the attachment.

23. The computer program product as described in claim 21 further comprising before said origin determination instructions, instructions for determining whether the received electronic message has an attachment.

24. The computer program product as described in claim 22 further comprising after said modification determination instructions, instructions for deleting the attachment when there is a determination that the recipient does not want to modify the attachment.

25. The computer program product as described in claim 21 wherein said attachment origin determination instructions further comprise instructions for determining whether the attachment was created at the location of the sender of the electronic message.

27. The computer program product as described in claim 21 further comprising before said link creation instructions, instructions for updating the received message to reflect the modified attachment.

28. The computer program product as described in claim 21 further comprising before said attachment origin determination instructions, instructions for determining whether the recipient of an electronic message desires to save the electronic message.