Method and system for distributing e-mail messages to recipients

• US 20060143278A1
• Filed: 12/17/2005
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Drouet, Francois-Xavier, Marmigere, Gerard, Bauchot, Frederic
• Application Number:
  US11/311,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143278A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

In a data processing system (100) supporting electronic mail (e-mail) messaging, a method, apparatus and software for distributing an e-mail message from a sender mail user agent (315a) to recipients mail user agents (315b-315f). The method comprises: providing a remote directory (305), located remotely (310) with respect to the sender mail user agent, including recipients e-mail addresses; providing a mailbox (335) associated with a distribution list building agent (340) adapted to interact with the directory so as to perform queries and obtain in reply lists of recipients'"'"' e-mail addresses; including in the e-mail message directives for performing a query on the directory, and addressing the e-mail message to the mailbox, whereby the distribution list building agent builds a list of recipients e-mail addresses; and propagating the e-mail message from the mailbox to the recipients whose e-mail addresses are in the list.

Claims

1. In a data processing system supporting electronic mail (e-mail) messaging, a method of distributing an e-mail message from a sender mail user agent to recipients mail user agents, comprising:

providing a remote directory of recipients'"'"' contacts including recipients e-mail addresses, said remote directory being located remotely with respect to the sender mail user agent;

providing a mailbox associated with a distribution list building agent adapted to interact with the directory so as to perform queries on the directory and obtain in reply lists of recipients'"'"' e-mail addresses;

including in the e-mail message directives for performing a query on said directory, addressing the e-mail message to said mailbox, and having the distribution list building agent build a list of recipients e-mail addresses based on said directives; and

propagating the e-mail message from said mailbox to the recipients whose e-mail addresses are in the list.

2. The method according to claim 1, in which said including in the e-mail message directives for performing a query on said directory includes:

defining at least one dedicated, optional e-mail message header field for including said directives, and

putting at least part of said directives in the at least one dedicated e-mail message header field.

3. The method according to claim 1, in which said including in the e-mail message directives for performing a query on said directory includes enabling a user of the sender mail user agent to specify said directives.

4. The method according to claim 1, in which said propagating the e-mail message includes placing in at least one e-mail message address header field the addresses in the list, and the address of said mailbox.

5. The method according to claim 1, in which said directory is accessible through at least one directory server.

6. The method according to claim 1, in which said directory is compliant to the X.500 ITU-T recommendation.

7. The method according to claim 1, in which said directory is accessible using the LDAP protocol.

9. A computer program directly loadable in a working memory of a data processing apparatus for implementing when executed, the method according to claim 1.

10. A computer program product comprising the computer program of claim 9 stored in a computer readable media.

8. A data processing system supporting an electronic mail (e-mail) messaging service, comprising:

a remote directory of recipients'"'"' contacts including recipients e-mail addresses;

a mailbox associated with a distribution list building agent for interacting with the directory so as to perform queries and to retrieve lists of recipients'"'"' e-mail addresses;

a sender mail user agent located remotely with respect to said remote directory for including in the e-mail message directives for performing a query on said directory, and to address the e-mail message to said mailbox; and

a mail transfer agent for propagating the e-mail message received from the sender mail user agent to recipients whose e-mail addresses are in a distribution list built by the distribution list building agent.

11. A mail user agent comprising a computer program directly loadable into a working memory of a data processing apparatus, the computer program, when executed, allowing a user to include in an e-mail message directives for performing a query on a remote directory of recipients'"'"' contacts, including e-mail addresses of recipients, so as to cause said remote directory to build a list of recipients addresses based on said directives.

12. A method for operating a directory so as to provide e-mails to multiple recipients, comprising:

receiving, in a mailbox of said directory, an e-mail from a remote user of said directory, said e-mail having directives therein for performing queries on said directory, said directory including lists of potential recipients of the e-mail, said lists including e-mail addresses of said recipients;

providing, associated with said mailbox, a distribution list building agent adapted to interact with the directory so as to perform said queries on the directory and obtain in reply at least one list of e-mail addresses of recipients, in accordance with said instructions; and

propagating the e-mail message from said mailbox to the recipients whose e-mail addresses are in said at least one list obtained in accordance with said instructions.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

reading at least one dedicated, optional e-mail message header field for including said directives, at least a part of said directives being in the at least one dedicated e-mail message header field.

14. The method according to claim 12, in which said propagating the e-mail message includes placing in at least one e-mail message address header field the addresses in the list, and the address of said mailbox.

15. The method according to claim 12, in which said directory is accessible through at least one directory server.

16. The method according to claim 12, in which said directory is compliant to the X.500 ITU-T recommendation.

17. The method according to claim 12, in which said directory is accessible using the LDAP protocol.

18. A data processing system for providing an electronic mail (e-mail) messaging service, comprising:

a directory of contacts of recipients including e-mail addresses of said recipients;

a mailbox associated with a distribution list building agent, said distribution list building agent interacting with the directory so as to perform queries and to retrieve lists of e-mail addresses of recipients based on directives in said e-mail; and

a mail transfer agent for propagating the e-mail message received in the mailbox to recipients whose e-mail addresses are in a distribution list built by the distribution list building agent.

19. A computer program directly loadable in a working memory of a data processing apparatus for implementing when executed, the data processing system according to claim 18.

20. The computer program of claim 19, having code which when executed includes, in said distribution list built by the distribution list building agent, an e-mail address for said mailbox.