Apparatus and method for advanced attachment filtering within an integrated messaging platform

• US 20060031340A1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Catalystweb LLC
• Original Assignee: Catalystweb LLC
• Inventors: Mathew, Boban, John, Thomas, Evans, Dagny
• Application Number:
  US10/931,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031340A1
• 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: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A method comprising: receiving an electronic message containing an attachment; performing an analysis of the attachment to identify one or more characteristics of the attachment based on a set of attachment analysis rules; and filtering the attachment in a specified manner based on the one or more attachment characteristics.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an electronic message containing an attachment;

performing an analysis of the attachment to identify one or more characteristics of the attachment based on a set of attachment analysis rules; and

filtering the attachment in a specified manner based on the one or more attachment characteristics.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the characteristics of the attachment comprise the attachment type.

3. The method as in claim 2 wherein filtering comprises automatically detaching the attachment and storing the attachment within a specified folder based on the attachment type.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the characteristics of the attachment comprise the attachment sender.

5. The method as in claim 4 wherein filtering comprises automatically detaching the attachment and storing the attachment within a specified folder based on the attachment sender.

6. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

generating a view including the attachment and one or more additional attachments having similar characteristics associated with the view.

7. The method as in claim 6 wherein the similar characteristics comprise the type of attachment.

8. The method as in claim 7 wherein the type of attachment comprises all spreadsheet documents.

9. The method as in claim 6 wherein the similar characteristics comprise the identity of the attachment sender.

10. The method as in claim 6 wherein the view is generated without physically detaching the attachments from the electronic messages.

11. The method as in claim 1 wherein the electronic message comprises an email message.

12. The method as in claim 1 wherein the electronic message comprises an instant message.

17. The system as in claim 4 wherein filtering comprises automatically detaching the attachment and storing the attachment within a specified folder based on the attachment sender.

13. A system comprising:

an electronic messaging platform to receive an electronic message containing an attachment;

attachment analysis logic to perform an analysis of the attachment to identify one or more characteristics of the attachment based on a set of attachment analysis rules; and

filtering logic to filter the attachment in a specified manner based on the one or more attachment characteristics.

14. The system as in claim 13 wherein the characteristics of the attachment comprise the attachment type.

15. The system as in claim 14 wherein filtering comprises automatically detaching the attachment and storing the attachment within a specified folder based on the attachment type.

16. The system as in claim 13 wherein the characteristics of the attachment comprise the identity of the attachment sender.

18. The system as in claim 13 further comprising:

view generation logic to generate a view including the attachment and one or more additional attachments having similar characteristics associated with the view.

19. The system as in claim 18 wherein the similar characteristics comprise the type of attachment.

20. The system as in claim 19 wherein the type of attachment comprises all spreadsheet documents.

21. The system as in claim 18 wherein the similar characteristics comprise the sender of the attachment.

22. The system as in claim 18 wherein the view is generated without physically detaching the attachments from the electronic messages.

23. The system as in claim 13 wherein the electronic message comprises an email message.

24. The system as in claim 13 wherein the electronic message comprises an instant message.

25. A machine readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the operations of:

receiving an electronic message containing an attachment;

performing an analysis of the attachment to identify one or more characteristics of the attachment based on a set of attachment analysis rules; and

filtering the attachment in a specified manner based on the one or more attachment characteristics.

26. The method as in claim 25 wherein the characteristics of the attachment comprise the attachment type.

27. The method as in claim 26 wherein filtering comprises automatically detaching the attachment and storing the attachment within a specified folder based on the attachment type.

28. The method as in claim 25 wherein the characteristics of the attachment comprise the attachment sender.

29. The method as in claim 28 wherein filtering comprises automatically detaching the attachment and storing the attachment within a specified folder based on the attachment sender.

30. The method as in claim 25 comprising additional program code to cause the machine to perform the operations of:

generating a view including the attachment and one or more additional attachments having similar characteristics associated with the view.

31. The method as in claim 30 wherein the similar characteristics comprise the type of attachment.

32. The method as in claim 31 wherein the type of attachment comprises all spreadsheet documents.

33. The method as in claim 30 wherein the similar characteristics comprise the identity of the attachment sender.

34. The method as in claim 30 wherein the view is generated without physically detaching the attachments from the electronic messages.

35. The method as in claim 25 wherein the electronic message comprises an email message.

36. The method as in claim 25 wherein the electronic message comprises an instant message.