METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FUTURE DEFINED EMAIL RECIPIENT

• US 20100011064A1
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mabry, Joseph S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,886,015 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

Methods, systems and devices are provided for automatically sending e-mail to a future-designated recipient. E-mail servers accordingly send an e-mail categorized with respect to a target project group to each of a plurality of e-mail clients associated with each defined member of the target project group; add the sent e-mail or a copy thereof to a future-designated role recipient e-mail batch in a storage means, wherein the batch is categorized with respect to the group; define an identity of an undefined role member of the target project group, the defining providing an e-mail address; and automatically forward the categorized e-mail batch to an e-mail client associated with the provided e-mail address in response to the identity defining. Service methods are also provided, for example, by a service provider who offers to implement, deploy, and/or perform functions for others.

Claims

1. A method for automatically sending e-mail to a future-designated recipient, comprising:

an e-mail server means sending an e-mail categorized with respect to a target project group to each of a plurality of e-mail clients associated with each defined member of the target project group;

the e-mail server means adding the sent e-mail or a copy thereof to a future-designated role recipient e-mail batch in a storage means, wherein the batch is categorized with respect to the group;

defining an identity of an undefined role member of the target project group, the defining providing an e-mail address; and

automatically forwarding the categorized e-mail batch to an e-mail client associated with the provided e-mail address in response to the identity defining.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the target project group with a plurality of roles, wherein defining a member of the target project group comprises assigning personal identity indicia to the defined member role, the indicia comprising an e-mail address.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising accumulating all previous project emails intended for the undefined role member into the e-mail batch.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising categorizing the e-mail with respect to a task of the target project group associated with the future-designated role;

and

wherein the e-mail server means sending the categorized e-mail comprises selecting a subset at least one e-mail of the e-mail batch associated with the task and sending the subset at least one e-mail to a subset of the plurality of e-mail clients associated with an each defined member associated with the task.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein defining the identity of the undefined role member comprises revising an identity of a previously identified group role member.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the role of the undefined role member is a placeholder for an undefined role.

7. A service for automatically sending e-mail to a future-designated recipient, comprising:

providing an e-mail server infrastructure configured to;

send an e-mail categorized with respect to a target project group to each of a plurality of e-mail clients associated with each defined member of the target project group;

add the sent e-mail or a copy thereof to a future-designated role recipient e-mail batch in a storage means, wherein the batch is categorized with respect to the group; and

automatically forward the categorized e-mail batch to an e-mail client associated with a provided e-mail address in response to defining an identity of an undefined role member of the target project group, the defining providing an e-mail address.

8. The service of claim 7, wherein the e-mail server infrastructure is further configured to form the target project group with a plurality of roles, wherein defining a member of the target project group comprises assigning personal identity indicia to the defined member role, the indicia comprising an e-mail address.

9. The service of claim 8, wherein the e-mail server infrastructure is further configured to accumulate all previous project emails intended for the undefined role member into the e-mail batch.

10. The service of claim 9, wherein the e-mail server infrastructure is further configured to:

categorize the e-mail with respect to a task of the target project group associated with the future-designated role; and

send the categorized e-mail by selecting a subset at least one e-mail of the e-mail batch associated with the task and sending the subset at least one e-mail to a subset of the plurality of e-mail clients associated with an each defined member associated with the task.

11. The service of claim 9 wherein the e-mail server infrastructure is further configured to define the identity of the undefined role member by revising an identity of a previously identified group role member.

12. A method for automatically sending e-mail to a future-designated recipient, comprising:

producing computer executable program code;

storing the code on a computer readable medium;

providing the program code to be deployed and executed on a computer system, the program code causing the computer system to;

send an e-mail categorized with respect to a target project group to each of a plurality of e-mail clients associated with each defined member of the target project group;

add the sent e-mail or a copy thereof to a future-designated role recipient e-mail batch in a storage means, wherein the batch is categorized with respect to the group; and

automatically forward the categorized e-mail batch to an e-mail client associated with a provided e-mail address in response to defining an identity of an undefined role member of the target project group, the defining providing an e-mail address.

13. The method of claim 12, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to form the target project group with a plurality of roles, wherein defining a member of the target project group comprises assigning personal identity indicia to the defined member role, the indicia comprising an e-mail address.

14. The method of claim 13, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to accumulate all previous project emails intended for the undefined role member into the e-mail batch.

15. The method of claim 14, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to:

categorize the e-mail with respect to a task of the target project group associated with the future-designated role; and

send the categorized e-mail by selecting a subset at least one e-mail of the e-mail batch associated with the task and sending the subset at least one e-mail to a subset of the plurality of e-mail clients associated with an each defined member associated with the task.

16. The method of claim 14, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to define the identity of the undefined role member by revising an identity of a previously identified group role member.

17. A programmable device comprising:

a processing means;

a memory in communication with the processing means comprising a logic component; and

a network interface in communication with the processing means and the memory;

wherein the processing means is configured to;

send an e-mail categorized with respect to a target project group to each of a plurality of e-mail clients associated with each defined member of the target project group;

add the sent e-mail or a copy thereof to a future-designated role recipient e-mail batch in a storage means, wherein the batch is categorized with respect to the group; and

automatically forward the categorized e-mail batch to an e-mail client associated with a provided e-mail address in response to defining an identity of an undefined role member of the target project group, the defining providing an e-mail address.

18. The programmable device of claim 17, wherein the processing means is configured to:

form the target project group with a plurality of roles, wherein defining a member of the target project group comprises assigning personal identity indicia to the defined member role, the indicia comprising an e-mail address;

accumulate all previous project emails intended for the undefined role member into the e-mail batch;

categorize the e-mail with respect to a task of the target project group associated with the future-designated role; and

send the categorized e-mail by selecting a subset at least one e-mail of the e-mail batch associated with the task and sending the subset at least one e-mail to a subset of the plurality of e-mail clients associated with an each defined member associated with the task.

19. The programmable device of claim 18, wherein the processing means is configured to define the identity of the undefined role member by revising an identity of a previously identified group role member.

20. The programmable device of claim 19 wherein the role of the undefined role member is a placeholder for an undefined role.