SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONDITIONED DELIVERY OF ELECTRONIC MAIL

• US 20080288601A1
• Filed: 07/20/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Keohane, Susann Marie, McBrearty, Gerald Francis, Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han, Mullen, Shawn Patrick, Murillo, Jessica
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,556 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 system and method for conditioned distribution of e-mail is provided. Delivery of an e-mail message to selected second recipients (equivalently addressees) may be conditioned on a set of preselected conditions, in particular to a set of conditions associated with the delivery of the e-mail to a set of first recipients. In response to message delivery notifications corresponding to the set of first recipients, a determination is made if the delivery conditions are satisfied, and delivery to the set of second recipients made accordingly. Delivery to a set of third recipients may be likewise conditioned on another set of conditions.

Claims

1. A method for conditional delivery of e-mail comprising:

transmitting a first e-mail message to one or more first addressees;

receiving one or more return receipts, the return receipts corresponding to a receipt status of said first e-mail message with respect to corresponding ones of said one or more addressees;

determining, in response to said return receipts, if a first preselected set of conditions for delivery of a second e-mail message to one or more second addressees is satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if said first preselected set of conditions is satisfied, sending said second e-mail message to said one or more second addressees.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising queuing said second e-mail message for delivery to said one or more second addressees.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving said first preselected set of conditions for delivery of said second e-mail message to one or more second addressees in response to user input.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining if said first preselected set of conditions is overridden.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said one or more first addressees comprises a plurality of addressees, and said first preselected set of conditions comprises receipt of said first e-mail message by a first specified fraction of said plurality of first addressees.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said first preselected set of conditions further comprises display of said first e-mail message by a second specified fraction of said plurality of first addressees.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising if, in response to one or more return receipts for said second e-mail message, a second preselected set of conditions for delivery of a third message to one or more third addressees is satisfied, sending a third e-mail message to said one or more third addressees.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein a content of said second e-mail message differs from a content of said first e-mail message.

10. A computer program product embodied in a tangible storage medium, the program product for conditional delivery of e-mail comprising programming instructions for:

transmitting a first e-mail message to one or more first addressees;

receiving one or more return receipts, the return receipts corresponding to a receipt status of said first e-mail message with respect to corresponding ones of said one or more addressees;

determining, in response to said return receipts, if a first preselected set of conditions for delivery of a second e-mail message to one or more second addressees is satisfied.

11. The program product of claim 10 further comprising programming instructions for, if said first preselected set of conditions is satisfied, sending said second e-mail message to said one or more second addressees.

12. The program product of claim 10 further comprising programming instructions for queuing said second e-mail message for delivery to said one or more second addressees.

13. The program product of claim 12 further comprising programming instructions for receiving said first preselected set of conditions for delivery of said second e-mail message to one or more second addressees in response to user input.

14. The program product of claim 13 further comprising programming instructions for determining if first preselected set of conditions is overridden.

15. The program product of claim 13 wherein said one or more first addressees comprises a plurality of addressees, and said first preselected set of conditions comprises receipt of said first e-mail message by a specified fraction of said plurality of first addressees.

16. The program product of claim 15 wherein said first preselected set of conditions further comprises display of said first e-mail message by a second specified fraction of said plurality of first addressees.

17. The program product of claim 11 further comprising if, in response to one or more return receipts for said second e-mail message a second preselected set of conditions for delivery of a third e-mail message to one or more third addressees is satisfied, sending said third e-mail message to said one or more third addressees.

18. The program product of claim 11 wherein a content of said second e-mail message differs from a content of said first e-mail message.

19. A data processing system for conditional delivery of e-mail comprising:

circuitry operable for transmitting a first e-mail message to one or more first addressees;

circuitry operable for receiving one or more return receipts, the return receipts corresponding to a receipt status of said first e-mail message with respect to corresponding ones of said one or more addressees;

circuitry operable for determining, in response to said return receipts, if a first preselected set of conditions for delivery of a second e-mail message to one or more second addressees is satisfied.

21. The data processing system of claim 19 further comprising circuitry operable for queuing said second e-mail message for delivery to said one or more second addressees.

22. The data processing system of claim 21 further circuitry operable for receiving said first preselected set of conditions for delivery of said second e-mail message to one or more second addressees in response to user input.

23. The data processing system of claim 22 further comprising circuitry operable for determining if the first preselected set of conditions is overridden.

24. The data processing system of claim 22 wherein said one or more first addressees comprises a plurality of addressees, and said first preselected set of conditions comprises receipt of said first e-mail message by a specified fraction of said plurality of first addressees.

25. The data processing system of claim 24 wherein said first preselected set of conditions further comprises display of said first e-mail message by a second specified fraction of said plurality of first addressees.

20. The data processing system of claim 20 further comprising circuitry operable for, if said first preselected set of conditions is satisfied, sending said second e-mail message to said one or more second addressees.

26. The data processing system of claim 20 further comprising circuitry operable for, in response to one or more return receipts for said second e-mail message if a second preselected set of conditions for delivery of a third e-mail message to one or more third addressees is satisfied, sending said third e-mail message to said one or more third addressees.

27. The data processing system of claim 20 wherein a content of said second e-mail message differs from a content of said first e-mail message.