EMAIL ATTACHMENT STORAGE METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20100057765A1
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dispensa, Jean-Claude, Rossi-Chevrel, Dominique
• Application Number:
  US12/202,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057765A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]

Abstract

An email method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system, an email addressed to a recipient. The computing system retrieves from an internal table of files, a file link and an ID associated with an attached file attached to the email. The file link points to a location within the computing system for the attached file. The computing system removed the attached file from the email. The computing system generates a copy of the email and places the file link and the ID in the copy of the email. The computing system retrieves and stores identification data for the recipient. The computing system determines a total file size for all files being accessed by the recipient. The computing system determines if the file total size exceeds a file size threshold. The computing system transmits the copy of the email comprising the file link and the ID.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, an email addressed to a first recipient, wherein said first recipient is a main recipient for said email;

determining, by said computing system, that said email comprises an attached file;

retrieving, by said computing system from an internal table of files, a file link and an ID associated with said attached file, wherein said file link points to a location within said computing system for said attached file;

removing, by said computing system, said attached file from said email;

after said removing, generating by said computing system, a first copy of said email;

placing, by said computing system in said first copy of said email, said file link and said ID;

retrieving, by said computing system from said email, first identification data associated with said first recipient;

storing, by said computing system in a first portion of an internal table of recipients, said first identification data, wherein said first portion of said internal table of recipients is reserved for said first recipient;

determining, by said computing system, a number of users for said attached file;

storing, by said computing system in said internal table of files, said first link and a file size for said attached file;

determining, by said computing system, a first total size for all files being accessed by said first recipient, wherein said determining said first total size comprises adding said file size to all additional file sizes for additional files being accessed by said first recipient;

determining, by said computing system, if said first total size exceeds a first file size threshold; and

transmitting, by said computing system to said first recipient, said first copy of said email comprising said file link and said ID.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said email is addressed to a second recipient, wherein said second recipient is a carbon copy recipient for said email, and wherein said method further comprises:

after said removing, generating by said computing system, a second copy of said email;

placing, by said computing system in said second copy of said email, said file link, and said ID;

retrieving, by said computing system from said email, second identification data associated with said second recipient;

storing, by said computing system in a second portion of said internal table of recipients, said second identification data, wherein said second portion of said internal table of recipients is reserved for said second recipient;

determining, by said computing system, a second total size for all files being accessed by said second recipient, wherein said determining said second total size comprises adding said file size to all additional file sizes for additional files being accessed by said second recipient;

determining, by said computing system, if said second total size exceeds said first file size threshold; and

transmitting, by said computing system to said second recipient, said second copy of said email comprising said file link and said ID.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining if said first total size exceeds said first file size threshold determines that said first total size exceeds said first file size threshold, and wherein said method further comprises;

determining, by said computing system, that said first total size exceeds a second file size threshold;

setting, by said computing system, a first congestion flag associated with said first recipient to a first specified setting;

monitoring, by said computing system, said first congestion flag;

determining, by said computing system based on said monitoring said first congestion flag, that said first congestion flag is set to said first specified setting;

generating, by said computing system, a first message indicating instructions for removing specified files of said additional files being accessed by said first recipient from said computing system; and

transmitting, by said computing system, said first message to said first recipient.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said determining if said second total size exceeds said first file size threshold determines that said first total size exceeds said first file size threshold, and wherein said method further comprises;

determining, by said computing system, that said second total size exceeds said second file size threshold;

setting, by said computing system, a second congestion flag associated with said second recipient to said first specified setting;

monitoring, by said computing system, said second congestion flag;

determining, by said computing system based on said monitoring said second congestion flag, that said second congestion flag is set to said first specified setting;

generating, by said computing system, a second message indicating instructions for removing specified files of said additional files being accessed by said second recipient from said computing system; and

transmitting, by said computing system, said second message to said second recipient.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said carbon copy recipient is a blind carbon copy recipient.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

before said retrieving said file link and said ID, generating by said computing system, an entry position in said internal table of files;

storing, by said computing system, said attached file;

generating, by said computing system, said file link; and

storing, by said computing system in said entry position, said file link and said ID.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before said storing said first identification data, generating by said computing system, an entry position in said internal table of recipients.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining if said first total size exceeds a first file size threshold determines that said first total size exceeds said first file size threshold, and wherein said method further comprises;

generating, by said computing system, a warning message indicating that said first total size exceeds said first file size threshold; and

transmitting, by said computing system, said warning message to said first recipient.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, by said computing system, that said first total size exceeds a second file size threshold;

generating, by said computing system, instructions for decreasing said first total size; and

transmitting, by said computing system, said instructions to said first recipient.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, by said computing system from said first recipient in response to said instructions, a command for removing said email and said attached file from said computing system;

removing, by said computing system from said internal table of files, said file link, said ID, said first identification data, and said file size;

determining, by said computing system, a second total size for all files being accessed by said first recipient, wherein said determining said second total size comprises removing said file size from all additional file sizes for all additional files being accessed by said first recipient;

determining, by said computing system, if said second total size exceeds said first file size threshold; and

removing, by said computing system, said email.

11. A computer program product, comprising a computer storage medium comprising a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code configured to perform the method of claim 1 upon being executed by a processor of said computing system.

12. A computing system comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the processor implements an email method, said method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, an email addressed to a first recipient, wherein said first recipient is a main recipient for said email;

determining, by said computing system, that said email comprises an attached file;

retrieving, by said computing system from an internal table of files, a file link and an ID associated with said attached file, wherein said file link points to a location within said computing system for said attached file;

removing, by said computing system, said attached file from said email;

after said removing, generating by said computing system, a first copy of said email;

placing, by said computing system in said first copy of said email, said file link and said ID;

retrieving, by said computing system from said email, first identification data associated with said first recipient;

storing, by said computing system in a first portion of an internal table of recipients, said first identification data, wherein said first portion of said internal table of recipients is reserved for said first recipient;

determining, by said computing system, a number of users for said attached file;

storing, by said computing system in said internal table of files, said first link and a file size for said attached file;

determining, by said computing system, a first total size for all files being accessed by said first recipient, wherein said determining said first total size comprises adding said file size to all additional file sizes for additional files being accessed by said first recipient;

determining, by said computing system, if said first total size exceeds a first file size threshold; and

transmitting, by said computing system to said first recipient, said first copy of said email comprising said file link and said ID.

13. The computing system of claim 12, wherein said email is addressed to a second recipient, wherein said second recipient is a carbon copy recipient for said email, and wherein said method further comprises:

after said removing, generating by said computing system, a second copy of said email;

placing, by said computing system in said second copy of said email, said file link, and said ID;

retrieving, by said computing system from said email, second identification data associated with said second recipient;

storing, by said computing system in a second portion of said internal table of recipients, said second identification data, wherein said second portion of said internal table of recipients is reserved for said second recipient;

determining, by said computing system, a second total size for all files being accessed by said second recipient, wherein said determining said second total size comprises adding said file size to all additional file sizes for additional files being accessed by said second recipient;

determining, by said computing system, if said second total size exceeds said first file size threshold; and

transmitting, by said computing system to said second recipient, said second copy of said email comprising said file link and said ID.

14. The computing system of claim 13, wherein said determining if said first total size exceeds said first file size threshold determines that said first total size exceeds said first file size threshold, and wherein said method further comprises:

determining, by said computing system, that said first total size exceeds a second file size threshold;

setting, by said computing system, a first congestion flag associated with said first recipient to a first specified setting;

monitoring, by said computing system, said first congestion flag;

determining, by said computing system based on said monitoring said first congestion flag, that said first congestion flag is set to said first specified setting;

generating, by said computing system, a first message indicating instructions for removing specified files of said additional files being accessed by said first recipient from said computing system; and

transmitting, by said computing system, said first message to said first recipient.

15. The computing system of claim 14, wherein said determining if said second total size exceeds said first file size threshold determines that said first total size exceeds said first file size threshold, and wherein said method further comprises:

determining, by said computing system, that said second total size exceeds said second file size threshold;

setting, by said computing system, a second congestion flag associated with said second recipient to said first specified setting;

monitoring, by said computing system, said second congestion flag;

determining, by said computing system based on said monitoring said second congestion flag, that said second congestion flag is set to said first specified setting;

generating, by said computing system, a second message indicating instructions for removing specified files of said additional files being accessed by said second recipient from said computing system; and

transmitting, by said computing system, said second message to said second recipient.

16. The computing system of claim 13, wherein said method further comprises:

before said retrieving said file link and said ID, generating by said computing system, an entry position in said internal table of files;

storing, by said computing system, said attached file;

generating, by said computing system, said file link; and

storing, by said computing system in said entry position, said file link and said ID.

17. The computing system of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

before said storing said first identification data, generating by said computing system, an entry position in said internal table of recipients.

18. The computing system of claim 12, wherein said determining if said first total size exceeds a first file size threshold determines that said first total size exceeds said first file size threshold, and wherein said method further comprises;

generating, by said computing system, a warning message indicating that said first total size exceeds said first file size threshold; and

transmitting, by said computing system, said warning message to said first recipient.

19. The computing system of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

determining, by said computing system, that said first total size exceeds a second file size threshold;

generating, by said computing system, instructions for decreasing said first total size; and

transmitting, by said computing system, said instructions to said first recipient.

20. The computing system of claim 19, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, by said computing system from said first recipient in response to said instructions, a command for removing said email and said attached file from said computing system;

removing, by said computing system from said internal table of files, said file link, said ID, said first identification data, and said file size;

determining, by said computing system, a second total size for all files being accessed by said first recipient, wherein said determining said second total size comprises removing said file size from all additional file sizes for all additional files being accessed by said first recipient;

determining, by said computing system, if said second total size exceeds said first file size threshold; and

removing, by said computing system, said email.