Method for parsing emails

• US 20070027954A1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Handy-Bosma, John, Walker, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,954,510 B2
• 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: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A method of parsing an email includes receiving an email and determining whether the email includes a response history. Based on the response history, the email is parsed. A computer usable medium including computer readable code and a system including means for accomplishing similar actions is also disclosed

Claims

1. A method of parsing an email, the method comprising:

receiving an email;

determining whether the email includes a response history; and

parsing the email based on the response history.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the email includes a response history comprises locating a top indicator and at least one sub indicator.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein parsing the email based on the response history comprises determining whether the top indicator comprises a larger number of tags than the at least one sub indicator.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the tags are a series of non-alphanumeric symbols.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an email comprises determining a format of the email.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein determining whether the email includes a response history comprises searching for at least one line within the email that begins with a number of symbols that is not followed by at least one line that begins with fewer symbols based on a determination that the email is a text format email.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein determining whether the email includes a response history comprises searching for at least one tag configured to generate a number of reply indicators that is not followed by at least one tag configured to generate a fewer number of reply indicators based on a determination that the email is a markup language format email.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the reply indicator is selected from the group consisting of a vertical line, a blockquote tag and a non-alphanumeric character.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein determining whether the email includes a response history comprises searching for a close blockquote tag that is not followed by an open blockquote tag.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein determining whether the email includes a response history comprises searching for a first class indicator that is not followed by a second class indicator prior to a close class indicator associated with the first class indicator.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein determining whether the email includes a response history comprises offering a user a manual parsing function based on a determination that the email includes at least tag configured to generate a first non-default text color that is followed by at least one tag configured to generate a second non-default text color that differs from the first non-default text color based on a determination that the email is a markup language format email.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the parsed email, wherein the storing comprises storing a count of the number of response histories and at least one character position for each response history.

14. The medium of claim 1 wherein computer readable code for receiving an email comprises computer readable code for determining a format of the email.

15. The medium of claim 5 wherein computer readable code for determining whether the email includes a response history comprises computer readable code for searching for at least one line within the email that begins with a number of symbols that is not followed by at least one line that begins with fewer symbols based on a determination that the email is a text format email.

16. The medium of claim 5 wherein computer readable code for determining whether the email includes a response history comprises computer readable code for searching for at least one tag configured to generate a number of reply indicators that is not followed by at least one tag configured to generate a fewer number of reply indicators based on a determination that the email is a markup language format email.

17. The medium of claim 5 wherein computer readable code for determining whether the email includes a response history comprises computer readable code for searching for a close blockquote tag that is not followed by an open blockquote tag.

18. The medium of claim 5 wherein computer readable code for determining whether the email includes a response history comprises computer readable code for searching for a first class indicator that is not followed by a second class indicator wherein the first class indicator and the second class indicator are the same indicator.

19. The medium of claim 1 further comprising computer readable code for storing the parsed email, wherein the computer readable code for storing comprises computer readable code for storing a count of the number of response histories and at least one character position for each response history.

13. A computer usable medium including computer readable code for parsing an email, the medium comprising:

computer readable code for receiving an email;

computer readable code for determining whether the email includes a response history; and

computer readable code for parsing the email based on the response history.

20. A system for parsing an email, the medium comprising:

means for receiving an email;

means for determining whether the email includes a response history; and

means for parsing the email based on the response history.