Method and apparatus for receiving electronic mail

• US 5,826,022 A
• Filed: 04/05/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Jakob
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ellis B.
• Application Number:
  US08/628,441
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.79, 395/200.36, 395/200.37, 340/422, 340/825.07, 340/825.46, 379/57
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

Apparatus, methods, and computer program products are disclosed to simplify a computer user'"'"'s handling of electronic mail messages. The invention provides the computer user with a mechanism for ignoring a particular ongoing e-mail discussion until that ongoing discussion terminates.

Claims

1. A computer system having a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM) coupled to said CPU, a communications mechanism for receiving a message, a message storage mechanism and a message management mechanism;

said message management mechanism further comprising;

an ignored discussion database configured to store information relating to a recipient selected discussion;

a database management mechanism configured to manage said ignored discussion database; and

a message classification mechanism configured to determine whether said message is associated with said recipient selected discussion.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises:

a core subject determination mechanism configured to determine a core subject of said message; and

a recipient determination mechanism configured to produce a list of recipients of said message;

said core subject and said list of recipients comprising a message discussion.

3. The computer system of claim 2 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises:

an overlap determination mechanism configured to determine whether said message discussion is associated with said recipient selected discussion.

4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises:

an ignore discussion command mechanism configured to determine a message discussion relating to a selected message and to add said message discussion to said ignored discussion database by using said database management mechanism.

5. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises:

an ignored discussion database maintenance mechanism configured to;

(a) update an ignored discussion database record during processing of an ignored message to reset an inactivity related field; and

(b) delete said ignored discussion database record after said inactivity related field indicates that said record has been inactive for a suitable period of time.

6. An apparatus for receiving electronic-mail messages comprising:

(a) a computer having a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM) coupled to said CPU, a communications mechanism for receiving a message, and a message storage mechanism; and

(b) a message management mechanism within said computer comprising;

an ignored discussion database configured to store information relating to a recipient selected discussion;

a database management mechanism configured to manage said ignored discussion database;

a message classification mechanism configured to determine whether said message is associated with said recipient selected discussion; and

a message save mechanism configured to save said message using said storage mechanism if said message is not associated with said recipient selected discussion.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises:

a core subject determination mechanism configured to determine a core subject of said message; and

a recipient determination mechanism configured to produce a list of recipients of said message;

said core subject and said list of recipients comprising a message discussion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises:

an overlap determination mechanism configured to determine whether said message discussion is associated with said recipient selected discussion.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises:

an ignore discussion command mechanism configured to determine a message discussion relating to a selected message and to add said message discussion to said ignored discussion database by using said database management mechanism.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises:

an ignored discussion database maintenance mechanism configured to;

(a) update an ignored discussion database record during processing of an ignored message to reset an inactivity related field; and

(b) delete said ignored discussion database record after said inactivity related field indicates that said record has been inactive for a suitable period of time.

11. A computer controlled method of receiving electronic mail messages, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing information relating to a recipient selected discussion into an ignored discussion database;

(b) managing said ignored discussion database;

(c) receiving a message;

(d) determining whether said message is associated with said recipient selected discussion; and

(e) saving said message if said message is not associated with said recipient selected discussion.

12. The computer controlled method of claim 11 wherein step (d) further comprises the steps of:

(d1) determining a core subject of said message; and

(d2) producing a list of recipients of said message;

said core subject and said list of recipients comprising a message discussion.

13. The computer controlled method of claim 12 wherein step (d) further comprises the step of:

determining whether said message discussion is associated with said recipient selected discussion.

14. The computer controlled method of claim 11 wherein step (b) further comprises the steps of:

(b1) determining a message discussion relating to a selected message; and

(b2) adding said message discussion to said ignored discussion database.

15. The computer controlled method of claim 11 wherein step (b) further comprises the steps of:

(b3) updating an ignored discussion database record during processing of an ignored message to reset an inactivity related field, and

(b4) deleting said ignored discussion database record after said inactivity related field indicates that said record has been inactive for a suitable period of time.

16. A computer program product comprising:

(a) a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for causing a computer to receive electronic mail, said computer program product comprising;

(b) computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an ignored discussion database configured to store information relating to a recipient selected discussion;

computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a database management mechanism configured to manage said ignored discussion database;

computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a message classification mechanism configured to determine whether said message is associated with said recipient selected discussion; and

computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a message save mechanism configured to save said message using a storage mechanism if said message is not associated with said recipient selected discussion.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises:

computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a core subject determination mechanism configured to determine a core subject of said message; and

computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a recipient determination mechanism configured to produce a list of recipients of said message;

said core subject and said list of recipients comprising a message discussion.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises:

computer readable code devices configured to cause a computer to effect an overlap determination mechanism configured to determine whether said message discussion is associated with said recipient selected discussion.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises:

computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an ignore discussion command mechanism configured to determine a message discussion relating to a selected message; and

computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to add said message discussion to said ignored discussion database by using said database management mechanism.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises:

computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an ignored discussion database maintenance mechanism configured to;

update an ignored discussion database record during processing of an ignored message to reset an inactivity related field; and

delete said ignored discussion database record after said inactivity related field indicates that said record has been inactive for a suitable period of time.