SHARING EMAIL

• US 20100169429A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Terlizzi, Daniel, Zimmet, Carol Sue, O'Sullivan, Patrick Joseph, Harpur, Liam, Raguillat, Fred
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,514 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A trust relationship may be established between a first email user and at least a second email user. At least one email message received by the second user is automatically propagated to the first user based upon, at least in part, the trust relationship.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a trust relationship between a first email user and at least a second email user; and

automatically propagating at least one email message received by the second user to the first user based upon, at least in part, the trust relationship.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a trust relationship includes:

receiving a request that the at least a second user grant permission for the at least one email message to be automatically propagated to the first user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing a trust relationship further includes:

allowing the at least a second user to grant permission for the at least one email message to be automatically propagated to the first user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a trust relationship includes:

transmitting an offer to the first user for the at least one email message to be automatically propagated from the at least a second user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein establishing a trust relationship further includes:

receiving an acceptance from the first user for the at least one email message to be automatically propagated from the at least a second user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a trust relationship includes:

defining at least one propagation preference, and automatically propagating the at least one email based upon, at least in part, the at least one propagation preference.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one preference is based upon, at least in part, an attribute of an original sender of the at least one email message.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one preference is based upon, at least in part, an attribute of the at least one email message.

9. The method of claim 1, further including determining if the at least one email message is a duplicate email.

10. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

establishing a trust relationship between a first email user and at least a second email user; and

automatically propagating at least one email message received by the second user to the first user based upon, at least in part, the trust relationship.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein establishing a trust relationship includes:

receiving a request that the at least a second user grant permission for the at least one email message to be automatically propagated to the first user.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein establishing a trust relationship further includes:

allowing the at least a second user to grant permission for the at least one email message to be automatically propagated to the first user.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein establishing a trust relationship includes:

transmitting an offer to the first user for the at least one email message to be automatically propagated from the at least a second user.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein establishing a trust relationship further includes:

receiving an acceptance from the first user for the at least one email message to be automatically propagated from the at least a second user.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein establishing a trust relationship includes:

defining at least one propagation preference, and automatically propagating the at least one email is based upon, at least in part, the at least one propagation preference.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the at least one preference is based upon, at least in part, an attribute of an original sender of the at least one email message.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the at least one preference is based upon, at least in part, an attribute of the at least one email message.

18. The computer program product of claim 10, further including determining if the at least one email message is a duplicate email.

19. A computing system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory architecture coupled with the at least one processor;

a first software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the first software module is configured to establish a trust relationship between a first email user and at least a second email user; and

a second software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the second software module is configured to automatically propagate at least one email message received by the second user to the first user based upon, at least in part, the trust relationship.

20. The computing system of claim 19, further comprising a third software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the third software module is configured to receive a request that the at least a second user grant permission for the at least one email message to be automatically propagated to the first user.