SYSTEM FOR ADDING NEW RECIPIENTS TO E-MAIL THREAD

• US 20080098070A1
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: O'Sullivan, Patrick J., Heidloff, Niklas, Kumar, Shruti, O'Brien, Michael R.
• Application Number:
  US11/551,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20080098070A1
• 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 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

A system for adding new recipients to an e-mail thread. The system includes a server device configured to administer an electronic mail (E-MAIL) application. At least one client device being operably associated via a network with the server device. The at least one client device configured to add new E-MAIL recipients to the E-MAIL thread of the distributed E-MAIL message via a user interface (UI) having a menu selection for adding recipients to the thread. The UI being operably associated with the client device and the server device. The client device is further configured to add the identity of the new E-MAIL recipient to a persistent store table located on the client device.

Claims

1. A system for adding new recipients to an e-mail thread, comprising:

a server device configured to administer an electronic mail (E-MAIL) application;

at least one client device operably associated via a network with the server device, the at least one client device configured to add new E-MAIL recipients to the E-MAIL thread of the distributed E-MAIL message via a user interface (UI) having a menu selection for adding recipients to the thread, the UI operably associated with the client device and the server device; and

wherein the client device is further configured to add the identity of the new E-MAIL recipient to a persistent store table located on the client device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the persistent store table is configured to contain all the recipients that may be involved on new responses to the thread.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the persistent store table includes two forms of data, (i) the thread id, and (2) the recipients that should be involved on the E-MAIL.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the client device is further configured to check whether all the desired recipients are incorporated in the thread that should be incorporated predicated upon the persistent store table.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the client device is further configured to prompt the user that some desired recipient in the thread wanted to add another recipient to the thread provided the client device determines that certain recipients are missing.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the sender of the thread may choose at least one of, (i) to add the missing desired recipient to the thread, and (ii) send the thread without adding the desired recipient.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the persistent store table is updated whenever a new e-mail arrives on the client device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the thread includes at least one of, (i) e-mail, and (ii) calendaring.