LEVERAGING POINT-IN-TIME KNOWLEDGE TO RESPOND TO E-MAIL

• US 20110087740A1
• Filed: 10/12/2009
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: RAGUILLAT, FRED, STERN, EDITH H., O'SULLIVAN, PATRICK J., HARPUR, LIAM, WILLNER, BARRY E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,959,158 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

Point-in-time actions are leveraged between computers that receive the same asynchronous electronic message. A point-in-time action is performed at a first receiving computer in response to receipt of an asynchronous electronic message. The point-in-time action results in an action alert, which is transmitted to a second receiving computer that also received the asynchronous electronic message.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of leveraging point-in-time actions, the computer-implemented method comprising:

generating an action alert at a first receiving computer, wherein the action alert is generated in response to a point-in-time action being performed at the first receiving computer, and wherein the point-in-time action is performed in response to receiving an asynchronous electronic message; and

transmitting the action alert to a second receiving computer that also receives the asynchronous electronic message.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the action alert comprises instructions to force the second receiving computer to automatically delete the asynchronous electronic message from the second receiving computer.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the action alert comprises instruction to force details of the action alert to be displayed on the second receiving computer.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer is opening a database that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer is performing an Internet search for subjects that are related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer is opening an existing local folder that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an e-mail that has a topic described in a subject line, wherein a descriptor term in the subject line describes the topic of the e-mail, wherein a name of the existing local folder comprises the descriptor term, and wherein the existing local folder is identified as being related to the topic of the asynchronous electronic e-mail if the name of the local folder comprises the descriptor term.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer is creating a new document that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an e-mail that has a topic identified in a subject line, wherein a descriptor term in the subject line describes the topic of the e-mail, wherein a name of the new document comprises the descriptor term, and wherein the new document is identified as being related to the topic of the e-mail if the name of the new document comprises the descriptor term.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer is adding an entry to a “

to do”

list on the first receiving computer, wherein the entry on the “

to do”

list is logically related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an original e-mail that has a subject line, and wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer is creating a new e-mail that shares a common term with the subject line from the original e-mail.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an original e-mail that has a subject line, wherein the point-in-time action taken by the first user is retrieving a prior e-mail that shares a common term with the subject line from the original e-mail, and wherein the prior e-mail was previously received by the first user.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer is creating a time entry in a billing calendar, and wherein the time entry is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an original e-mail, and wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer is saving a draft of a response e-mail to the original e-mail.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer is printing the asynchronous electronic message.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an original e-mail, and wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer is copying a portion of the original e-mail.

17. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit; and

a computer readable memory coupled to the central processing unit, wherein the computer readable memory comprises software which, when executed, causes the central processing unit to implement;

generating an action alert, wherein the action alert is generated in response to a point-in-time action being performed at the computer system, and wherein the point-in-time action is performed in response receiving an asynchronous electronic message; and

transmitting the action alert to another computer system that also receives the asynchronous electronic message.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein modifying the response comprises transmitting a message to a sending computer that the first receiving computer is in a process of creating a reply e-mail to the asynchronous electronic message.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium embodied therewith, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

computer readable program code configured for generating an action alert, wherein the action alert is generated in response to a point-in-time action being performed at a first receiving computer, and wherein the point-in-time action is performed in response receiving an asynchronous electronic message; and

computer readable program code for transmitting the action alert to a second receiving computer that also receives the asynchronous electronic message.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the action alert forces details of the action alert to be displayed on the second receiving computer.