On demand email response

• US 20060075043A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Walker, Keith Raymond, Handy-Bosma, John Hans, Chen, Yen-Fu
• Granted Patent: US 8,566,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

An improvement to an electronic mail program is disclosed. In particular, the improved electronic mail program enables a user to mark individual action items within a message and set attributes for each action item. In the preferred embodiment, attributes include priority, deadline, abstract, and responsibility. The electronic mail program stores the action items and associated attributes in a database and sends the message to one or more recipients. The electronic mail program then displays the message and action items to the recipients. Message recipients then navigate through the list of action items to read descriptions and to determine the priority and nature of the actions necessary. The responsibility attribute further indicates which recipient should respond to the action item. The improved electronic mail program updates the status of each action item in the database as recipients respond.

Claims

1. A demand-based messaging program encoded in a computer-readable memory, the demand-based messaging program comprising:

means for displaying a user interface on a first output device coupled to a first computer;

means for inserting message data into the user interface, the message data comprising a plurality of action items;

means for assigning an attribute to each action item;

means for transferring the message data over a communications medium to a second computer; and

means for displaying the message data on a second computer output device coupled to the second computer.

2. The demand-based messaging program of claim 1 wherein the attribute is a priority attribute.

3. The demand-based messaging program of claim 1 wherein the attribute is a deadline attribute.

4. The demand-based messaging program of claim 1 wherein the attribute is an abstract attribute.

5. The demand-based messaging program of claim 1 wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

a priority attribute, a deadline attribute, and an abstract attribute.

6. The demand-based messaging program of claim 1 further comprising means for assigning responsibility for each action item to a message recipient.

7. The demand-based messaging program of claim 2 further comprising means for assigning responsibility for each action item to a message recipient.

8. The demand-based messaging program of claim 3 further comprising:

means for assigning responsibility for each action item to a message recipient.

9. The demand-based messaging program of claim 4 further comprising:

means for assigning responsibility for each action item to a message recipient.

10. The demand-based messaging program of claim 5 further comprising:

means for assigning responsibility for each action item to a message recipient.

11. The demand-based messaging program of claim 3 further comprising means for inserting the deadline into a calendar of a message recipient.

12. The demand-based messaging program of claim 5 further comprising means for inserting the deadline into a calendar of a message recipient.

13. The demand-based messaging program of claim 3 further comprising means for inserting the deadline into a calendar of a message sender.

14. The demand-based messaging program of claim 5 further comprising means for inserting the deadline into a calendar of a message sender.

15. The demand-based messaging program of claim 1 further comprising:

means for storing each action item in a database coupled to the first computer through a communications medium;

means for replacing each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

means for displaying the link on the second output device.

16. The demand-based messaging program of claim 2 further comprising:

means for storing each action item in a database coupled to the first computer through a communications medium;

means for replacing each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

means for displaying the link on the second output device.

17. The demand-based messaging program of claim 3 further comprising:

means for storing each action item in a database coupled to the first computer through a communications medium;

means for replacing each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

means for displaying the link on the second output device.

18. The demand-based messaging program of claim 4 further comprising:

means for storing each action item in a database coupled to the first computer through a communications medium;

means for replacing each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

means for displaying the link on the second output device.

19. The demand-based messaging program of claim 5 further comprising:

means for storing each action item in a database coupled to the first computer through a communications medium;

means for replacing each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

means for displaying the link on the second output device.

20. The demand-based messaging program of claim 1 further comprising:

means for assigning a response status indicator to each action item;

means for responding to each action item; and

means for updating the response status indicator after responding to each action item.

21. The demand-based messaging program of claim 15 further comprising:

means for assigning a response status indicator to each action item;

means for responding to each action item; and

means for updating the response status indicator in the database after responding to each action item.

22. The demand-based messaging program of claim 16 further comprising:

means for assigning a response status indicator to each action item;

means for responding to each action item; and

means for updating the response status indicator in the database after responding to each action item.

23. The demand-based messaging program of claim 17 further comprising:

means for assigning a response status indicator to each action item;

means for responding to each action item; and

means for updating the response status indicator in the database after responding to each action item.

24. The demand-based messaging program of claim 18 further comprising:

means for assigning a response status indicator to each action item;

means for responding to each action item; and

means for updating the response status indicator in the database after responding to each action item.

25. The demand-based messaging program of claim 19 further comprising:

means for assigning a response status indicator to each action item;

means for responding to each action item; and

means for updating the response status indicator in the database after responding to each action item.

26. The demand-based messaging program of claim 1 further comprising:

means for granting an access right to each action item.

27. The demand-based messaging program of claim 26 wherein the access right is a read-only access right.

28. The demand-based messaging program of claim 26 wherein the access right is a read and write access right.

29. The demand-based messaging program of claim 26 wherein the access right is a read and track access right.

30. The demand-based messaging program of claim 26 wherein the access right is selected from a group consisting essentially of:

a read-only access right, a read and write access right, and a read and track access right.

31. The demand-based messaging program of claim 1 further comprising:

means for sorting the action items in the user interface.

32. The demand-based messaging program of claim 1 further comprising:

means for sorting the action items in the second computer and displaying the sorted action items on the second output device.

33. The demand-based messaging program of claim 3 further comprising:

means for sending a reminder that the deadline attribute is expiring.

35. The demand-based messaging system of claim 26 wherein the attribute is a priority attribute.

36. The demand-based messaging system of claim 26 wherein the attribute is a deadline attribute.

37. The demand-based messaging system of claim 26 wherein the attribute is an abstract attribute.

38. The demand-based messaging system of claim 26 wherein the attribute is a responsibility attribute.

39. The demand based messaging system of claim 26 wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

a priority attribute, a deadline attribute, an abstract attribute, and a responsibility attribute.

40. The demand-based messaging system of claim 28 wherein the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to:

insert the deadline attribute into a calendar of a message recipient using the second computer.

41. The demand-based messaging system of claim 31 wherein the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to:

insert the deadline attribute into a calendar of a message recipient using the second computer.

42. The demand-based messaging system of claim 28 wherein the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the first computer to:

insert the deadline attribute into a calendar of a message sender using the first computer.

43. The demand-based messaging system of claim 31 wherein the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the first computer to:

insert the deadline attribute into a calendar of a message sender using the first computer.

44. The demand-based messaging system of claim 26 further comprising:

a database coupled to the first computer and the second computer through the communications medium; and

wherein

the first demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the first computer to

store each action item in the database, and

replace each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

wherein

the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to display the link on the second output device.

45. The demand-based messaging system of claim 27 further comprising:

a database coupled to the first computer and the second computer through the communications medium; and

wherein

the first demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the first computer to

store each action item in the database, and

replace each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

wherein

the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to display the link on the second output device.

46. The demand-based messaging system of claim 28 further comprising:

a database coupled to the first computer and the second computer through the communications medium; and

wherein

the first demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the first computer to

store each action item in the database, and

replace each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

wherein

the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to display the link on the second output device.

47. The demand-based messaging system of claim 29 further comprising:

a database coupled to the first computer and the second computer through the communications medium; and

wherein

the first demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the first computer to

store each action item in the database, and

replace each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

wherein

the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to display the link on the second output device.

48. The demand-based messaging system of claim 30 further comprising:

a database coupled to the first computer and the second computer through the communications medium; and

wherein

the first demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the first computer to

store each action item in the database, and

replace each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

wherein

the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to display the link on the second output device.

49. The demand-based messaging system of claim 31 further comprising:

a database coupled to the first computer and the second computer through the communications medium; and

wherein

the first demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the first computer to

store each action item in the database, and

replace each action item in the message data with a link to the action item in the database; and

wherein

the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to display the link on the second output device.

50. The demand-based messaging system of claim 26 wherein the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to:

read a response to each action item from the second input device; and

insert a response status indicator into each action item.

51. The demand-based messaging system of claim 37 wherein the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to:

read a response to each action item from the second input device; and

insert a response status indicator into each action item in the database.

52. The demand-based messaging system of claim 38 wherein the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to:

read a response to each action item from the second input device; and

insert a response status indicator into each action item in the database.

53. The demand-based messaging system of claim 39 wherein the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to:

read a response to each action item from the second input device; and

insert a response status indicator into each action item in the database.

54. The demand-based messaging system of claim 40 wherein the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to:

read a response to each action item from the second input device; and

insert a response status indicator into each action item in the database.

55. The demand-based messaging system of claim 41 wherein the second demand-based messaging program further comprises instructions for causing the second computer to:

read a response to each action item from the second input device; and

insert a response status indicator into each action item in the database.

34. A demand-based messaging system comprising:

a first computer;

a first input device coupled to the first computer;

a first output device coupled to the first computer;

a second computer coupled to the first computer through a communications medium;

a second output device coupled to the second computer; and

a first demand-based messaging program operable on the first computer, the demand-based messaging program comprising instructions for causing the first computer to

display a user interface on the first output device,

read message data from the first input device, the message data comprising a plurality of action items,

display the message data in the user interface,

read an attribute for each action item from the first input device,

assign each attribute to the corresponding action item, and

transfer the message data over the communications medium to the second computer; and

a second demand-based messaging program operable on the second computer, the second demand-based messaging program comprising instructions for causing the second computer to display the message data on the second output device.