Email Server Cooperative Management for Automatic Routing of Emails Based on Preferences

• US 20090265435A1
• Filed: 04/16/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Walker, Keith R., Morgan, Fabian F., White Eagle, Sarah V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,805,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

Methods, systems, and media are disclosed for managing the routing of an email at the server level to an email client by preferences set in a routing application located on the server. One embodiment includes querying, by a routing application located on a server and associated with an email system, the email by comparison to conditions for each preference set in the routing application, wherein a preference comprises a routing action. Further, the method includes identifying, based on the querying and by the routing application, a match between the email and at least one of the conditions. Further still, the method includes performing, based on the match and by the routing application, the preference associated with the at least one of the conditions of the email, whereby the email is transmitted to an email client.

Claims

1. A method for managing routing of an email, the method comprising:

querying, by a routing application located on a server and associated with an email system, the email by comparison to conditions for each preference set in the routing application, wherein a preference comprises a routing action;

identifying, based on the querying and by rerouting application, a match between the email and at least one of the conditions;

performing, based on the match and by the routing application, the preference associated with the at least one of the conditions of the email; and

whereby, the email is transmitted to an email client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the preferences.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing management instructions by the email system to another email system in communication with the email system, wherein the management instructions permit invoking the method on another server on the another email system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the preference comprises notifying a sender of a preferred email address for a person for the email among more than one email address for the person associated with the email before routing the email to the person.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the preference comprises sending a set of preferences for a user, on the email system, to a sender on another email system and in communication with the email system of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the preference comprises automatically routing the email to the email address preferred by a user on the email system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the querying comprises comparing one or more portions of the email to one or more of the conditions associated with each preference set in the routing application.

8. A system for managing routing of an email, the system comprising:

an interrogation module for querying, by a routing application located on a server and associated with an email system, the email by comparison to conditions for each preference set in the routing application, wherein a preference comprises a routing action;

an identification module for identifying, based on the querying and by the routing application, a match between the email and at least one of the conditions;

a performance module for performing, based on the match and by the routing application, the preference associated with the at least one of the conditions of the email; and

whereby, the email is transmitted to an email client.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a configuration module for selecting the preferences.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a compatibility module for providing management instructions by the email system to another email system in communication with the email system, wherein the management instructions permit invocation of the system on another server on the another email system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the performance module comprises notifying a sender of a preferred email address for a person for the email among more than one email address for the person associated with the email before routing the email to the person.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the performance module comprises sending a set of preferences for a user to another email system associated with a sender and in communication with the email system of the user.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the performance module comprises automatically routing the email to the email address preferred by a user on the email system.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein interrogation module comprises comparing one or more portions of the email to one or more of the conditions associated with each preference set in the routing application.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the routing application is a web service in communication with the email system and optionally another email system compatible with the email system.

16. A machine-accessible storage medium containing instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations managing routing of an email, comprising:

querying, by a routing application located on a server and associated with an email system, the email by comparison to conditions for each preference set in the routing application, wherein a preference comprises a routing action;

identifying, based on the querying and by the routing application, a match between the email and at least one of the conditions;

performing, based on the match and by the routing application, the preference associated with the at least one of the conditions of the email; and

whereby, the email is transmitted to an email client.

17. The machine-accessible storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further comprise operations for providing management instructions by the email system to another email system in communication with the email system, wherein the management instructions permit invoking the method on another server on the another email system.

18. The machine-accessible storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions for performing the preference comprise notifying a sender of a preferred email address for a person for the email among more than one email address for the person associated with the email before routing the email to the person.

19. The machine-accessible storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions for performing the preference comprise sending a set of preferences for a user, on the email system, to a sender on another email system and in communication with the email system of the user.

20. The machine-accessible storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions for performing the preference comprise automatically routing the email to the email address preferred by a user on the email system.