System for email messages wherein the sender designates whether the recipient replies or forwards to addresses also designated by the sender
First Claim
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1. A method of routing a message in an electronic mail system from a sender to a first recipient and then to a reply recipient, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. displaying to the sender, in a window on a display screen, a menu including a plurality of user selectable action items, each action item representing a function;
b. displaying in the window to the sender a user selectable function defining at least one reply address of a first recipient;
c. displaying in the window to the sender a user selectable function defining at least one forwarding address of a reply recipient;
d. providing to the sender the option of selecting between reply addresses and forwarding addresses to designate whether the first recipient is to reply or forward the message; and
e. designating by the sender at least one address of a reply recipient.
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Abstract
An electronic mail network, comprising a plurality of nodes or computer stations, permits an E-mail message originator to control down stream routing of the message. The system enables the sender of a message to specify which addresses should automatically be set when a recipient of the message replies to or forwards the message.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of routing a message in an electronic mail system from a sender to a first recipient and then to a reply recipient, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. displaying to the sender, in a window on a display screen, a menu including a plurality of user selectable action items, each action item representing a function; b. displaying in the window to the sender a user selectable function defining at least one reply address of a first recipient; c. displaying in the window to the sender a user selectable function defining at least one forwarding address of a reply recipient; d. providing to the sender the option of selecting between reply addresses and forwarding addresses to designate whether the first recipient is to reply or forward the message; and e. designating by the sender at least one address of a reply recipient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An electronic mail system comprising:
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a. a plurality of computer stations coupled through a communication network; and b. an operating system for control of electronic mail from one of the plurality of computer stations, the operating system including originator selectable means of sending a message from the originator to a recipient, the operating system further including originator selectable means of specifying the automatic relay of the message from the recipient to a computer station other than that of the originator without action from the recipient, specifying whether the recipient is to reply to or forward the message, and specifying the address of the computer station other than that of the originator. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 11. In a data processing system, a method of electronic mail routing comprising the steps of enabling the generation of a mail distribution by a sender to a first recipient and allowing the sender of the mail distribution to specify one or more reply recipients downstream of the first recipient, and allowing the sender to specify whether the first recipient is to replay to or forward the electronic mail.
- 17. An electronic mail subsystem in a data processing system comprising means for generating a mail distribution by a sender to a first recipient and means for specifying the automatic relay of the mail distribution to one or more downstream recipients from the first recipient without intervention from the first recipient, specifying whether the first recipient is to reply to or forward the message, and specifying the address of the downstream recipient.
Specification