Method for filtering mail messages for a plurality of client computers connected to a mail service system

• US 6,092,101 A
• Filed: 06/16/1997
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wobber, Edward P., Birrell, Andrew D., Schroeder, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Application Number:
  US08/876,630
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.36, 395/200.37, 379/93.24, 707/3, 707/10, 709/206, 709/207, 709/240
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A computer implemented method for filtering mail messages in a distributed computer system. The distributed mail service system includes a plurality of client computers connected to a mail service system via a network. Mail messages are stored in message files of the mail service system. Each mail message is parsed and indexed to generate a full-text index of the mail service system. A query is composed, the query includes terms and operators. The query is stored in the mail service system as a named filter query. A new mail message received by the mail service system is parsed, indexed and searched to determine if the content of the new mail message does not match on the named filter query, in which case an inbox label and an unread label to the new mail message.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for filtering mail messages in a distributed computer system, the distributed computer system including a plurality of client computers connected to a mail service system via a network, comprising:

storing mail messages in message files of the mail service system;

parsing and indexing each mail message to generate a full-text index of the mail messages in a memory of the mail service system;

composing a query including terms and operators;

storing the query in the mail service system as a named filter query;

storing, parsing, and indexing a new mail message received by the mail service system from a particular one of the plurality of client computers; and

adding an in box label and an unread label to the new mail message if a content of the new mail message does not match on the named filter query.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the in box label causes a notification of a receipt of the new mail message to the particular one of the client computers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the unread label is added to the new message if the content of the new mail message matches the named filter query without causing a notification of receipt of the new mail message.