Method, Apparatus and Computer Program for Identifying any Discrepancies in an Email Distribution List

• US 20070250588A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sinclair, David Adam, Menadue, Andrew John Emry, Hogan, Natalie Sian
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,970 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

Disclosed is a method, apparatus and computer program for identifying any discrepancies in an email distribution list. An email addressed to a list of recipients is received from an originating client. The list is examined to identify one or more possibly amendments to the list of recipients. The originating client is then informed of any identified amendments.

Claims

1. A method for identifying any discrepancies in an email distribution list, the method comprising:

receiving from an originating client an email addressed to a list of recipients; and

examining the list of recipients to identify one or more possible amendments to the list of recipients; and

informing the originating client of any identified amendments.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of informing the originating client of any identified amendments comprises:

suggesting an addition and/or a deletion to the list of recipients.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of examining the list of recipients comprises:

comparing the recipient list with one or more trusted lists in order to identify one or more possible amendments to the list of recipients.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of examining the list of recipients comprises:

comparing the recipient list with a directory including the recipients to identify those recipients missing a common attribute; and

identifying one or more possible amendments to the list of recipients on the basis of which recipients are missing the common attribute.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of examining the list of recipients comprises:

comparing the recipient list with a directory including the recipients to identify an attribute common to all the recipients;

determining if other names in the directory, yet absent from the recipient list, also share the common attribute; and

identifying one or more possible amendments to the list of recipients on the basis of such absent names.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

grouping names according to various criteria; and

using grouped names in performance of the examining step.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of grouping names according to various criteria comprises:

comparing the recipient list with grouped names to identify partial matches which indicate potential omissions from the recipient list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of grouping names according to various criteria comprises:

comparing the recipient list with grouped names to identify partial matches which indicate potential incorrect additions to the recipient list.

9. An apparatus for identifying any discrepancies in an email distribution list, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver that receives an email addressed to a list of recipients from an originating client; and

an examiner that examines the list of recipients to identify one or more possible amendments to the list of recipients; and

an informer that informs the originating client of the identified amendments.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the informer suggests an addition and/or a deletion to the list of recipients.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the examiner compares the recipient list with one or more trusted lists in order to identify one or more possible amendments to the list of recipients.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the examiner compares the recipient list with a directory including the recipients to identify those recipients missing a common attribute and identifies one or more possible amendments to the list of recipients on the basis of which recipients are missing the common attribute.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the examiner compares the recipient list with a directory including the recipients to identify an attribute common to all the recipients, determines if other names in the directory, yet absent from the recipient list, also share the common attribute, and identifies one or more possible amendments to the list of recipients on the basis of such absent names.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 comprising:

means for grouping names according to various criteria, wherein grouped names are used by the examining means.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for grouping names compares the recipient list with grouped names to identify partial matches which indicate potential omissions from the recipient list.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for grouping names compares the recipient list with grouped names to identify partial matches which indicate potential incorrect additions to the recipient list.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 comprising:

means for determining that the originating client has sent previous emails, the emails including a keyword common to the received email;

means for using any differences identified between the recipient list for the previous emails and the recipient list for the received email to identify one or more possible amendments.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 comprising:

means for associating a trustworthiness with the originating client;

means for using the trustworthiness to decide whether to examine the list of recipients.

19. A computer program product for enabling a computer to identify discrepancies in an email distribution list comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to perform a method comprising the steps of;

receiving from an originating client an email addressed to a list of recipients;

examining the list of recipients to identify one or more possible amendments to the list of recipients, wherein examining the list of recipients comprises;

comparing the recipient list with one or more trusted lists in order to identify one or more possible amendments to the list of recipients; and

informing the originating client of any identified amendments, wherein informing the originating client of any identified amendments comprises;

suggesting an addition and/or a deletion to the list of recipients.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the computer readable program code means for causing a computer to perform the method further comprising the steps of:

grouping names according to various criteria.