Method, system and program product for verifying an attachment file within an e-mail

• US 20050238147A1
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Carro, Fernando Incertis
• Granted Patent: US 7,412,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.130
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems

Abstract

System, method and program product for managing a file attached to an e-mail. Added to a file name of the attached file is an address or derivation of the address from which a voice message associated with the attached file can be accessed. The file name with the address are displayed in the e-mail adjacent to an icon for the attached file. The address or derivation of the address can be merged with the file name. The voice message can describe a content of the file. Also, a voice of the voice message can be compared to a voice signature to determine authenticity of the voice message.

Claims

1. A method for managing a file attached to an e-mail, said method comprising the steps of:

adding to a file name of the attached file, an address or derivation of the address from which a voice message associated with said attached file can be accessed; and

displaying in said e-mail adjacent to an icon for said attached file, said file name with said address.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a recipient of said e-mail downloading and playing said voice message.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said address or derivation of said address is merged with said file name.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said address or derivation of said address is merged with said file name by inserting said address in front of an extension dot of said file name.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said derivation of said address differs syntactically from said address from which said message can be accessed.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said voice message describes a content of said file.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said derivation of said address is formed by the steps of:

identifying character(s) in said address or syntax of said address which are incompatible with file naming rules of a computer to receive said file; and

replacing said incompatible character(s) or syntax with corresponding character(s) or syntax which are compatible with file naming rules of said computer to receive said file.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of comparing a voice of said voice message to a voice signature to determine authenticity of said voice message.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the comparing step comprises the step of downloading a voice authentication program and a voice signature to a computer of a recipient of said e-mail.

10. A system for managing a file attached to an e-mail, said system comprising:

means for adding to a file name of the attached file, an address or derivation of the address from which a voice message associated with said attached file can be accessed; and

means for displaying in said e-mail adjacent to an icon for said attached file, said file name with said address.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising:

means, responsive to request by a recipient of said e-mail, for downloading and playing said voice message.

12. A system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising means for merging said address or derivation of said address with said file name.

13. A system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the merging means inserts said address in front of an extension dot of said file name.

14. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said derivation of said address differs syntactically from said address from which said message can be accessed.

15. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said voice message describes a content of said file.

16. A system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising means for forming said derivation of said address, and wherein the forming means comprises:

means for identifying character(s) in said address or syntax of said address which are incompatible with file naming rules of a computer to receive said file; and

means for replacing said incompatible character(s) or syntax with corresponding character(s) or syntax which are compatible with file naming rules of said computer to receive said file.

17. A system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising means for comparing a voice of said voice message to a voice signature to determine authenticity of said voice message.

18. A system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the comparing means comprises means for downloading a voice authentication program and a voice signature to a computer of a recipient of said e-mail.

19. A computer program product for managing a file attached to an e-mail, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions to add to a file name of the attached file, an address or derivation of the address from which a voice message associated with said attached file can be accessed; and

second program instructions to display in said e-mail adjacent to an icon for said attached file, said file name with said address; and

wherein

said first and second program instructions are stored on said medium.

20. A computer program product as set forth in claim 19 further comprising third program instructions to merge said address or derivation of said address with said file name;

and wherein said third program instructions are stored on said medium.