Automated creation of e-mail distribution lists

• US 20070050456A1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc. (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Korah, Sarah, Vuong, John
• Application Number:
  US11/216,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050456A1
• 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 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

A system and method enhance the performance of e-mail distribution list related functionality. A software application facilitates the automatic creation and/or modification of e-mail distribution lists. An e-mail distribution list may be automatically created or modified before or after the e-mail is sent, or after the e-mail is received. The software application may automatically create and/or modify a distribution list using all of the recipient e-addresses or one or more selected recipient e-addresses located in an addressee field of an e-mail, such as the “to” and/or “cc” fields. The automatic creation and/or modification of a distribution list may be accessed via an icon, button, drop down menu, or other input means. The software application may automatically create and/or modify the title of the e-mail distribution list. Additionally, the software application may automatically create and/or modify contact information associated with the e-mail distribution list.

Claims

1. A data processing system for performing functionality related to an e-mail distribution list, the system comprising:

a display screen operable to display an e-mail, the e-mail having an addressee field including an e-address; and

a processing unit operable to create an e-mail distribution list from the e-address located in the addressee field.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the e-mail distribution list includes a plurality of e-addresses, the processing unit being operable to automatically create contact information for each of the plurality of e-addresses.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically name the e-mail distribution list.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically modify the e-mail distribution list.

5. The system of claim 4, comprising a user interface operable to select an e-address from the addressee field, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically add the e-address selected to the e-mail distribution list.

6. The system of claim 4, comprising a user interface operable to select an e-address from the addressee field, wherein the processing unit automatically replaces an outdated e-address in the e-mail distribution list with the e-address selected, the e-address selected being a current e-address of the recipient.

7. The system of claim 4, comprising a user interface operable to select an e-address from the addressee field, wherein the processing unit automatically removes the e-address selected from the e-mail distribution list.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically create the e-mail distribution list.

9. A data processing system for performing functionality related to an e-mail distribution list, the system comprising:

a display screen operable to display an e-mail, the e-mail having an addressee field including an e-address; and

a processing unit operable to modify an e-mail distribution list from the e-address located in the addressee field.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically modify the e-mail distribution list.

11. The system of claim 9, comprising a user interface operable to select the e-address, wherein the e-mail includes the e-mail distribution list to be modified as another addressee located in the addressee field.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically add the e-address to the e-mail distribution list.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically remove the e-address from the e-mail distribution list.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically replace an outdated e-address in the e-mail distribution list with the e-address, the e-address being a current e-address of a recipient.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically modify the title of the e-mail distribution list.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically modify contact information associated with the e-mail distribution list.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically create a new distribution list using a plurality of e-addresses associated with the e-mail.

18. A method for performing functionality related to an e-mail distribution list, the method comprising:

displaying an e-mail on a display screen, the e-mail including an e-address located in an addressee field; and

creating an e-mail distribution list from the e-address located in the addressee field.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising:

automatically creating a title for the e-mail distribution list; and

automatically adding the title of the e-mail distribution list to a list of available e-addresses.

20. The method of claim 18, comprising automatically creating contact information for the e-mail distribution list.

21. The method of claim 18, comprising selecting the e-address from a plurality of e-addresses associated with the e-mail, wherein the e-mail distribution list is created by automatically modifying an existing e-mail distribution list by adding the e-address selected to the existing e-mail distribution list.

22. The method of claim 18, comprising selecting the e-address from a plurality of e-addresses associated with the e-mail, the e-address selected being a current e-address for a recipient, wherein the e-mail distribution list is created by modifying the e-mail distribution list by replacing an outdated e-address in the e-mail distribution list with the current e-address.

23. A computer-readable medium having instructions executable on a computer stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

generating an e-mail having an e-address located within an addressee field; and

creating, modifying, or creating and modifying an e-mail distribution list using the e-address located within the addressee field.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the address field is a “

to”

field or a “

cc”

field.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, comprising automatically creating or automatically modifying a title associated with the e-mail distribution list.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, comprising automatically creating or automatically modifying contact information associated with the e-mail distribution list.