Method and system for distributing e-mail messages to recipients
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10)
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8. A data processing system supporting an electronic mail (e-mail) messaging service, comprising:
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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.
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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.
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12. A method for operating a directory so as to provide e-mails to multiple recipients, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A data processing system for providing an electronic mail (e-mail) messaging service, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification