Data processing system and method for archiving and accessing electronic messages

• US 7,047,248 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1997
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tycast, Robert Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Uyen
• Application Number:
  US08/974,573
• Time in Patent Office: 3,100 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/1, 707/9, 707/513, 707/523, 707100-102, 707/104.1, 707/204, 707/205, 379/87, 379/88, 395/200.3, 715/513, 715/523
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A data processing system and method archive, retrieve, and store electronic messages in a communication system, such as the Internet. The data processing system and methodology convert electronic mail messages to HTML documents, or web pages to provide greater flexibility for users of the communication system. By storing electronic mail messages as web pages, each of the mail messages may become a page or a group of pages in a “web” using the HTML format. Alternatively, only a portion of the mail messages could be converted to an alternate format. During operation of the data processing system and methodology, individual pieces of electronic mail are assigned to a corresponding URL. The mail messages are then organized into categories of web pages, that may be accessed using the full capabilities of currently available and evolving network tools, such as browsers.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of organizing electronic messages comprising the steps of:

parsing each message to determine a presence of one or more network communication link identifiers;

adding a detected one of said one or more network communication links to a user accessible stored in the computer memory index; and

adding one or more network communication links corresponding to one or more message subsections in said index, said one or more subsections being selectively generated in response to user input, said network communication links being operable for accessing a corresponding message information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

automatically generating said one or more subsections in response to a predetermined user input signal having a first value; and

manually generating said one or more subsections in response to said predetermined user input signal having a second value.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of automatically generating said one or more subsections comprises the steps of:

scanning a selected message;

detecting a presence of one or more predetermined subsection identifiers; and

inserting a link corresponding to a detected one of said subsection identifiers in said selected message.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of generating a first one said one or more network communication links corresponding to one or more message subsections, wherein said first one of said network communication links includes said link corresponding to said detected one of said subsection identifiers.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said link conforms to a preselected document formatting language.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

determining if each message is in said preselected document formatting language; and

if a message is not in said preselected document formatting language, formatting said message in said document formatting language.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of automatically generating said one or more subsections comprises the steps of:

selecting a portion of text of a selected message in response to user input;

displaying a user interface having a user alterable field operable for receiving subsection information;

inserting a subsection link in said portion of text corresponding to subsection information entered in said user alterable field.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of generating a first one said one or more network communication links corresponding to one or more message subsections, wherein said first one of said network communication links includes said subsection link.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said subsection link conforms to a preselected document formatting language.

10. A data processing system for organizing electronic messages comprising:

circuitry operable for parsing each message to determine a presence of one or more network communication link identifiers;

circuitry operable for adding a detected one of said one or more network communication links to a user accessible index; and

circuitry operable for adding one or more network communication links corresponding to one or more message subsections in said index, said one or more subsections being selectively generated in response to user input said network communication links being operable for accessing a corresponding message information.

11. The data processing system of claim 10 further comprising:

circuitry operable for automatically generating said one or more subsections in response to a predetermined user input signal having a first value; and

circuitry operable for manually generating said one or more subsections in response to said predetermined user input signal having a second value.

12. The data processing system of claim 11 wherein said circuitry operable for automatically generating said one or more subsections comprises:

circuitry operable for scanning a selected message;

circuitry operable for detecting a presence of one or more predetermined subsection identifiers; and

circuitry operable for inserting a link corresponding to a detected one of said subsection identifiers in said selected message.

13. The data processing system of claim 12 further comprising circuitry operable for generating a first one said one or more network communication links corresponding to one or more message subsections, wherein said first one of said network communication links includes said link corresponding to said detected one of said subsection identifiers.

14. The data processing system of claim 12 wherein said link conforms to a preselected document formatting language.

15. The data processing system of claim 14 further comprising:

circuitry operable for determining if each message is in said preselected document formatting language; and

circuitry operable for, if a message is not in said preselected document formatting language, formatting said message in said document formatting language.

16. The data processing system of claim 11 wherein said circuitry operable for automatically generating said one or more subsections comprises:

circuitry operable for selecting a portion of text of a selected message in response to user input;

circuitry operable for displaying a user interface having a user alterable field operable for receiving subsection information;

circuitry operable for inserting a subsection link in said portion of text corresponding to subsection information entered in said user alterable field.

17. The data processing system of claim 16 further comprising circuitry operable for generating a first one said one or more network communication links corresponding to one or more message subsections, wherein said first one of said network communication links includes said subsection link.

18. The data processing system of claim 16 wherein said subsection link conforms to a preselected document formatting language.

19. A program product embodied in a tangible storage medium, the program product including a program of instructions for organizing electronic messages, the program of instructions for performing the steps of:

parsing each message to determine a presence of one or more network communication link identifiers;

adding a detected one of said one or more network communication links to a user accessible index; and

adding one or more network communication links corresponding to one or more message subsections in said index, said one or more subsections being selectively generated in response to user input, said network communication links being operable for accessing a corresponding message information.

20. The program product of claim 19 further comprising instructions for performing the steps of:

automatically generating said one or more subsections in response to a predetermined user input signal having a first value; and

manually generating said one or more subsections in response to said predetermined user input signal having a second value.

21. The program product of claim 20 wherein said instructions for performing the step of automatically generating said one or more subsections comprises instructions for performing the steps of:

scanning a selected message;

detecting a presence of one or more predetermined subsection identifiers; and

inserting a link corresponding to a detected one of said subsection identifiers in said selected message.

22. The program product of claim 21 further comprising instructions for performing the step of generating a first one said one or more network communication links corresponding to one or more message subsections, wherein said first one of said network communication links includes said link corresponding to said detected one of said subsection identifiers.

23. The program product of claim 21 wherein said link conforms to a preselected document formatting language.

24. The program product of claim 23 further comprising instructions for performing the steps of:

determining if each message is in said preselected document formatting language; and

if a message is not in said preselected document formatting language, formatting said message in said document formatting language.

25. The program product of claim 20 wherein said instructions for performing step of automatically generating said one or more subsections comprises instructions for performing the steps of:

selecting a portion of text of a selected message in response to user input;

displaying a user interface having a user alterable field operable for receiving subsection information;

inserting a subsection link in said portion of text corresponding to subsection information entered in said user alterable field.

26. The program product of claim 25 further comprising instructions for performing the step of generating a first one said one or more network communication links corresponding to one or more message subsections, wherein said first one of said network communication links includes said subsection link.

27. The program product of claim 25 wherein said subsection link conforms to a preselected document formatting language.