METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING ELECTRONIC MAIL

• US 20100146059A1
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DellaFera, Ciaran A., Rojahn, Tom O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,965 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

A method and system for managing email between a sender and a recipient wherein the method and system provide the recipient with control over routing an email message, wherein the control includes predefining directions to be executed upon the receipt of an email message, and wherein the directions are dependent upon the properties of the email message. The recipient may enable or disable the control at any time.

Claims

1. A method for managing email between a sender and a recipient comprising:

providing the recipient with control over routing an email message;

wherein the control comprises predefining directions to be executed upon the receipt of an email message; and

wherein the directions are dependent upon the properties of the email message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the properties of the email message comprise recipient'"'"'s position in the addressee fields, a word or words in the subject field, and/or whether the recipient is the sole recipient of the email or is one or many recipients of the email.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the addressee fields comprise “

To;

,”

“

Cc;

,” and

“

Bcc;

.”

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the word or words in the subject field comprise(s) a word or words that match(es) a word or words preselected by the recipient.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the word comprises “

urgent,”

“

confidential,”

or “

fyi.”

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the recipient may enable or disable the control at any time.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the directions comprise providing one or more options to the sender of the email.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the one or more options comprise:

(a) allowing the sender to send the email message;

(b) allowing the sender to retract the email message;

(c) allowing the sender to forward the email message to a different media predefined by the recipient; and

/or

(d) allowing the sender to forward the email message to a second recipient.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the different media comprise a private email address, short message service (SMS), voice mail, or virtual private network (VPN).

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the directions are executed upon receipt of the email message at the recipient'"'"'s email server.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending an out-of-office message to the sender.

12. A system for managing email between a sender and a recipient comprising:

at least one server for sending and receiving email;

wherein the server is structured and programmed to provide the recipient with control over routing an email message, wherein the control comprises predefining directions to be executed upon the receipt of an email message, and wherein the directions are dependent upon the properties of the email message.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the properties of the email message comprise recipient'"'"'s position in the addressee fields, a word or words in the subject field, and/or whether the recipient is the sole recipient of the email or is one or many recipient of the email.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the addressee fields comprise “

To;

,”

“

Cc;

,” and

/or “

Bcc;

” and

the wherein the word or words in the subject field comprise(s) a word or words that match(es) a word preselected by the recipient.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the directions comprise providing one or more options to the sender of the email.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more options comprise:

(a) allowing the sender to send the email message;

(b) allowing the sender to retract the email message;

(c) allowing the sender to forward the email message to a different media predefined by the recipient; and

/or

(d) allowing the sender to forward the email message to a second recipient.

17. A computer program product encoded in a computer readable medium for instructing a system to manage email between a sender and a recipient, the program code configured to cause the computer to perform the method comprising:

providing the recipient with control over routing an email message;

wherein the control comprises predefining directions to be executed upon the receipt of an email message; and

wherein the directions are dependent upon the properties of the email message.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the properties of the email message comprise recipient'"'"'s position in the addressee fields, a word or words in the subject field and/or whether the recipient is the sole recipient of the email or is one or many recipients of the email.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the addressee fields comprise “

To;

,”

“

Cc;

,” and

/or “

Bcc;

” and

the wherein the word or words in the subject field comprise(s) a word or words that match(es) a word or words preselected by the recipient.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the directions comprise providing one or more options to the sender of the email, wherein the one or more options comprise:

(a) allowing the sender to send the email message;

(b) allowing the sender to retract the email message;

(c) allowing the sender to forward the email message to a different media predefined by the recipient; and

/or

(d) allowing the sender to forward the email message to a second recipient.