E-Mail Response Time Estimation on Compose or Send

• US 20100017484A1
• Filed: 07/21/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Harney, Patrick, Accapadi, Jos Manuel
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,840 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 e-mail application calculates a dynamic estimate of an e-mail response time. A recipient address module, a status module, a processing module, and a presentation module interact to generate a first and a second estimated response time. The first estimated response time is determined from sender side data. The second estimated response time is generated using recipient mailbox status data after the e-mail is received by the recipient. The second estimated response time is used to dynamically update the estimated response time displayed to the sender.

Claims

1. A computer program product for providing a sender of an e-mail with a dynamic estimate of a response time interval, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium;

a program stored in the computer readable storage medium comprising;

a recipient address module for accessing a recipient e-mail address from an address field of an e-mail during a composition of the e-mail;

a status module in communication with the recipient address module for accessing a first status data corresponding to the recipient e-mail address, wherein the first status data includes a past recipient e-mail response time stored on a sender-side server;

a processing module in communication with the status module for calculating a first estimated response time using the first status data, appending a status inquiry to the e-mail, and transmitting the e-mail, and the status inquiry, to a recipient server, wherein a delivery of the e-mail causes a second status data to be generated and communicated to the processing module for calculating a second estimated response time, wherein the second status data includes a current recipient unread message count received from the recipient server; and

a presentation module in communication with the processing module for presenting the first estimated response time to the sender prior to the e-mail being sent by the sender, and for displaying the second estimated response time to the sender after the e-mail has been delivered to the recipient, wherein the sender may use the first estimated response time, and the second estimated response time to determine whether to send a follow up message, or to use an alternative form of communication with the recipient;

wherein the computer readable storage medium, so configured by the program, causes the computer to provide the sender of the e-mail with the dynamic estimate of the response time interval.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the first estimated response time is transmitted to the sender as a pop-up window, or as a message, prior to a composition of the e-mail by the sender.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein using the first status data, the processing module calculates a minimum response time estimate, a maximum response time estimate, and an average response time estimate for a particular recipient.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein using the second status data, the processing module calculates a minimum response time estimate, a maximum response time estimate, and an average response time estimate for a particular recipient.

5. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the processing module includes information contained in a CC field, a BCC field, a Subject field, or a body of the e-mail.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the processing module includes information contained in a CC field, a BCC field, a Subject field, or a body of the e-mail.

7. A programmable apparatus for providing a sender of an e-mail with a dynamic estimate of a response time interval, comprising:

a programmable hardware connected to a memory;

a program stored in the memory comprising;

a recipient address module for storing a recipient e-mail address and a recipient cumulative e-mail response time;

a status module in communication with the recipient address module for accessing a first status data, the status data comprising a previously stored e-mail response time for the recipient;

a processing module in communication with the status module for calculating a first estimated response time using the first status data, for measuring a response time interval after an e-mail response is received from the recipient, and for updating the recipient cumulative e-mail response time in the address module; and

a presentation module in communication with the processing module for displaying the first estimated response time to the sender prior to the e-mail being sent by the sender;

wherein the program directs the programmable hardware to provide the sender of the e-mail with the dynamic estimate of the response time interval.

8. The programmable apparatus of claim 7, wherein using the first status data, the processing module calculates a minimum response time estimate, a maximum response time estimate, and an average response time estimate for a particular recipient.

9. The programmable apparatus of claim 7, wherein the program further contains instructions for causing the programmable hardware to perform steps comprising:

appending a status inquiry to the e-mail, and transmitting the e-mail, and the status inquiry, to a recipient server, wherein the status inquiry requests a second status data from the recipient server, and wherein the second status data comprises an unread message count for the recipient e-mail address;

receiving the second status data from the recipient server, using the second status data to calculate a second estimated response time, and displaying the second estimated response time to the sender; and

receiving an e-mail response from the recipient, and calculating an actual response for the e-mail response; and

updating the cumulative e-mail response time with the actual response time;

wherein the sender uses the first estimated response time and the second estimated response time to determine whether to send a follow up message or to use alternative form of communication with the recipient.

10. The programmable apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program contains instructions for causing the programmable hardware to perform steps comprising:

using the second status data, the processing module calculates estimates for a minimum, a maximum, and an average response time for a particular recipient.

11. The programmable apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first status data further comprises an information contained in a CC field, a BCC field, a Subject field, or a body of the e-mail.

12. A computer implemented process for providing a sender of an e-mail with a dynamic estimate of a response time interval, comprising:

using a computer, performing the following steps;

opening a compose e-mail window;

entering a recipient e-mail address;

accessing a first status data stored in a memory, the first status data comprising a saved recipient e-mail address and a cumulative e-mail response time associated with the saved recipient e-mail address;

calculating a first estimated response time using the first status data, and displaying to the sender the saved recipient e-mail address and the first estimated response time;

when the e-mail is sent, appending a status inquiry to the e-mail and transmitting the e-mail and the status inquiry to a recipient server, wherein the status inquiry requests a second status data from the recipient server, the second status data comprising an unread message count associated with the recipient e-mail address;

receiving the second status data from the recipient server, using the second status data to calculate a second estimated response time, and displaying the second estimated response time to the sender;

receiving an e-mail response from the recipient, and calculating an actual response time for the e-mail response; and

updating the cumulative e-mail response time with the actual response time;

wherein the sender may use the first estimated response time and the second estimated response time to determine whether to send a follow up message or to use an alternative form of communication with the recipient.

13. The computer implemented process of claim 12, wherein the first status data further comprises information contained in a CC field, a BCC field, a Subject field, or a body of the e-mail.