METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY MODIFYING ELECTROINIC DISTRIBUTION LISTS USING PREDEFINED RULES

• US 20090182820A1
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: O'Connell, Brian Marshall, Williams, Susan Marie, Walker, Keith Raymond, Li, Jenny S., Hamilton, Rick Allen II
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,278 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

An initial distribution list is dynamically modified using criteria determined from the current entries in the list. After an originator generates a distribution list and prior to submission of the message to entries on the generated list, the method of the present invention examines the entries in the created distribution list. From this list, the invention identifies features of the entries. From these features, the method generates criteria that can be used to generate additional entries that may be included in the list. In one approach, the generated criteria are presented to the user for review and approval. If the originator approves the criteria, the generated list is modified to add additional entries to the distribution based on the generated criteria. If the originator rejects the criteria, the initially generated list is submitted and the message is sent to the entries on the initial list.

Claims

1. A method for automatically modifying an electronic distribution list using predefined rules comprising the steps of:

creating a distribution rules database;

detecting a submitted electronic message;

intercepting the detected submitted electronic message;

examining a list of entries in an initial distribution list contained in the detected electronic message;

identifying features of entries in the distribution list; and

determining whether there are any rules in the rules database that are applicable to the entries in the distribution list.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising after said rules applicability determination step, the step of transmitting the message to entries in the initial distribution list when the determination is that none of the rules in the rules database apply to the entries in the distribution list.

3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said distribution rules database creating step further comprises the step of:

creating initial lists entries with each entry having an identifier that describes a feature of that entry;

identifying and designating a unique feature of each initially created list and any relationship of one list to other distribution lists; and

storing each initial entry in a repository.

4. The method as described in claim 3 wherein said identifying features step further comprises:

identifying from a message description field in the message a description feature of the message;

comparing the message description feature with entry lists stored in the database in order to generate a set of potentially effected lists;

identifying sets of rules that may be applicable to the potentially effected lists; and

examining the entries in the initial distribution list to determine whether a rule from the set of identified rules is applicable to the list of entries.

5. The method as described in claim 4 further comprising after said rules determination step, the step of generating a modified distribution list containing additional entries based on the application and transmitting the message to entries in the modified distribution list.

6. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising after said rules applicability determination step, the step of determining whether there is more than one rule that applies to the initial generated list.

7. The method as described in claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

generating a modified distribution list based on the one applicable rule; and

transmitting the message to the entries in the modified distribution list.

8. The method as described in claim 6 further comprising after the step of determining whether multiple rules applies the steps of:

establishing a priority of the applicable rules;

modifying the initial distribution list based on the established priority of the applicable rules; and

transmitting the message to the list of entries in the modified list.

9. The method as described in claim 8 wherein said modifying the initial distribution list step further comprises the steps of:

modifying the initial list based on the highest priority rule;

modifying the modified list based on the next highest priority rule;

determining whether there are additional applicable rules; and

repeating said steps of modifying the modified list and determining there are additional applicable rules, when there is a determination that there are more applicable rules.

10. The method as described in claim 8 wherein said modifying the initial distribution list step further comprises the steps of:

modifying the initial list based on the highest priority rule;

modifying the modified list based on the next highest priority rule;

determining whether there are additional applicable rules; and

transmitting the message to the most recent modified distribution list when there is a determination that there are no more applicable rules.

11. A computer program product stored in a computer-readable storage medium for automatically modifying an electronic distribution list using predefined rules comprising:

instructions creating a distribution rules database;

instructions detecting a submitted electronic message;

instructions intercepting the detected submitted electronic message;

instructions examining a list of entries in an initial distribution list contained in the detected electronic message;

instructions identifying features of entries in the distribution list; and

instructions determining whether there are any rules in the rules database that are applicable to the entries in the distribution list.

12. The computer program product as described in claim 11 further comprising after said rules applicability determination instructions, instructions transmitting the message to entries in the initial distribution list when the determination is that none of the rules in the rules database apply to the entries in the distribution list.

13. The computer program product as described in claim 11 wherein said distribution rules database creating instructions further comprise:

instructions creating initial lists entries with each entry having an identifier that describes a feature of that entry;

instructions identifying and designating a unique feature of each initially created list and any relationship of one list to other distribution lists; and

instructions storing each initial entry in a repository.

14. The computer program product as described in claim 13 wherein said identifying features instructions further comprise:

instructions identifying from a message description field in the message a description feature of the message;

instructions comparing the message description feature with entry lists stored in the database in order to generate a set of potentially affected lists;

instructions identifying sets of rules that may be applicable to the potentially effected lists; and

instructions examining the entries in the initial distribution list to determine whether a rule from the set of identified rules is applicable to the list of entries.

15. The computer program product as described in claim 14 further comprising after said rules determination instructions, instructions generating a modified distribution list containing additional entries based on the application and transmitting the message to entries in the modified distribution list.

16. The computer program product as described in claim 11 further comprising after said rules applicability determination instructions, instructions for determining whether there is more than one rule that applies to the initial generated list.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 16 further comprising:

instructions generating a modified distribution list based on the one applicable rule; and

instructions transmitting the message to the entries in the modified distribution list.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 16 further comprising after the instructions determining whether multiple rules applies:

instructions establishing a priority of the applicable rules;

instructions modifying the initial distribution list based on the established priority of the applicable rules; and

instructions transmitting the message to the list of entries in the modified list.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 18 wherein said instructions modifying the initial distribution list step further comprise:

instructions modifying the initial list based on the highest priority rule;

instructions modifying the modified list based on the next highest priority rule;

instructions determining whether there are additional applicable rules; and

instructions repeating said steps of modifying the modified list and determining there are additional applicable rules, when there is a determination that there are more applicable rules.

20. The computer program described in claim 18 wherein said instructions modifying the initial distribution list further comprise:

instructions modifying the initial list based on the highest priority rule;

instructions modifying the modified list based on the next highest priority rule;

instructions determining whether there are additional applicable rules; and

instructions transmitting the message to the most recent modified distribution list when there is a determination that there are no more applicable rules.