Virtual mail storage for mail distributed using corporate distribution lists

• US 20070180033A1
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Singhai, Prashant, Singh, Satyesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,166,112 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]

Abstract

A method for distributing email includes receiving an email generated by a sender and addressed to a plurality of intended recipients. The generated email is stored in a designated location. A virtual email is sent to the plurality of intended recipients. The virtual email contains information for viewing the stored email from the designated location.

Claims

1. A method for distributing email, comprising:

receiving an email generated by a sender and addressed to a plurality of intended recipients;

storing the generated email in a designated location; and

sending a virtual email to the plurality of intended recipients, wherein the virtual email contains information for viewing the stored email from the designated location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the email is a text document or an HTML document.

3. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

receiving the virtual email at a client-side;

displaying the virtual email in an inbox, wherein the virtual email is displayed in the inbox as if it were a conventional email; and

opening the virtual email by displaying the body of the generated email from the desired location without making a permanent copy of the email body at the client-side.

4. The method of claim 3, additionally comprising forwarding the virtual email, the forwarding of the virtual email comprising copying the body of the generated email from the desired location to a new email addressed to a forwarding email address.

5. The method of claim 3, additionally comprising replying to the virtual email, the replying to the virtual email comprising copying the body of the generated email from the desired location to a new email addressed to the sender of the generated email.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the email is addressed to a plurality of intended recipients using a distribution list.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the desired location is associated with the distribution list.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired location is associated with a mailbox of an email account used to generate the email.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the desired location is the outbox of the mailbox of the email account used to generate the email.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual email comprises header information and information for locating the original email at the designated location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual email comprises an email id number.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of opening the virtual email is performed by the recipient using a client email application, the client email application configured to present the virtual email to the recipient as if it were a conventional email such that the handling of the virtual email is transparent to the recipient.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual email comprises a link to the stored email in the designated location.

14. A system for distributing email, comprising:

a server-side receiving unit for receiving an email generated by a sender and addressed to a plurality of intended recipients;

a storing unit for storing the generated email in a designated location; and

a sending unit for sending a virtual email to the plurality of intended recipients, wherein the virtual email contains information for viewing the stored email from the designated location.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the email is a text document or an HTML document.

16. The system of claim 14, additionally comprising:

a client-side receiving unit for receiving the virtual email at a client-side;

a displaying unit for displaying the virtual email in an inbox, wherein the virtual email is displayed in the inbox as if it were a conventional email; and

an opening unit for opening the virtual email by displaying the body of the generated email from the desired location without making a permanent copy of the email body at the client-side.

17. The system of claim 16, additionally comprising a forwarding unit for forwarding the virtual email, the forwarding of the virtual email comprising copying the body of the generated email from the desired location to a new email addressed to a forwarding email address.

18. The system of claim 16, additionally comprising a replying unit for replying to the virtual email, the replying to the virtual email comprising copying the body of the generated email from the desired location to a new email addressed to the sender of the generated email.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the email is addressed to a plurality of intended recipients using a distribution list.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the desired location is associated with the distribution list.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the desired location is associated with a mailbox of an email account used to generate the email.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the desired location is the outbox of the mailbox of the email account used to generate the email.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the virtual email comprises header information and information for locating the original email at the designated location.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the virtual email comprises an email id number.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the step of opening the virtual email is performed by the recipient using a client email application, the client email application configured to present the virtual email to the recipient as if it were a conventional email such that the handling of the virtual email is transparent to the recipient.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the virtual email comprises a link to the stored email in the designated location.

27. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a program storage device readable by the computer system, embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for distributing email, the method comprising;

receiving an email generated by a sender and addressed to a plurality of intended recipients;

storing the generated email in a designated location; and

sending a virtual email to the plurality of intended recipients, wherein the virtual email contains information for viewing the stored email from the designated location.

28. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the email is a text document or an HTML document.

29. The computer system of claim 27, additionally comprising:

receiving the virtual email at a client-side;

displaying the virtual email in an inbox, wherein the virtual email is displayed in the inbox as if it were a conventional email; and

opening the virtual email by displaying the body of the generated email from the desired location without making a permanent copy of the email body at the client-side.

30. The computer system of claim 29, additionally comprising forwarding the virtual email, the forwarding of the virtual email comprising copying the body of the generated email from the desired location to a new email addressed to a forwarding email address.

31. The computer system of claim 29, additionally comprising replying to the virtual email, the replying to the virtual email comprising copying the body of the generated email from the desired location to a new email addressed to the sender of the generated email.

32. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the email is addressed to a plurality of intended recipients using a distribution list.

33. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the desired location is associated with the distribution list.

34. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the desired location is associated with a mailbox of an email account used to generate the email.

35. The computer system of claim 34, wherein the desired location is the outbox of the mailbox of the email account used to generate the email.

36. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the virtual email comprises header information and information for locating the original email at the designated location.

37. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the virtual email comprises an email id number.

38. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the step of opening the virtual email is performed by the recipient using a client email application, the client email application configured to present the virtual email to the recipient as if it were a conventional email such that the handling of the virtual email is transparent to the recipient.

39. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the virtual email comprises a link to the stored email in the designated location.