Dynamic information selection based on associated data

• US 7,478,134 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HCL Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kulczar, David, Saenz, Leonel III, Doan, Christopher Hoang, Tran, Thanh K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daftuar; Saket K
• Application Number:
  US11/014,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20060168027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709206-207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A method for dynamic information selection based on associated is presented. A user configures a plurality of endnotes in order to assign one of the endnotes to a recipient address. Each endnote may include signature text (e.g., name, phone number, etc.), as well as images, web page links, and/or animation, which add to the aesthetics and personalization of a constructed email message. When a user creates an email message that includes one or more email recipient addresses, an endnote manager analyzes each email recipient address and automatically selects one of the configured endnotes based on the email recipient'"'"'s assigned endnote category. In addition, a user may configure the endnote manager to select an endnote to include in an email messages based upon the time at which the email is created.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving an email request, the email request including one or more recipient addresses;

selecting a first recipient address from the recipient addresses;

detecting that a default flag is enabled;

assessing whether the first recipient address corresponds to an endnote category from a plurality of endnote categories in response to the detecting;

determining that the first recipient address does not correspond to one of the endnote categories in response to the assessment;

retrieving a current time in response to receiving the email request, wherein the current time is based upon a time at which the email message is sent to the first recipient address;

identifying a first endnote from a plurality of endnotes that correspond to the current time;

automatically including the first endnote in an email message;

sending the email message to the first recipient address;

selecting a second recipient address from the recipient addresses;

identifying an endnote category from the plurality of endnote categories that corresponds to the second recipient address;

automatically selecting a second endnote from a plurality of endnotes, wherein the selected second endnote corresponds to the identified endnote category;

automatically including the second endnote in a subsequent email message; and

sending the subsequent email message to the second recipient address.