Actions on auto-generated emails from the inbox

• US 7,555,526 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jerrard-Dunne, Stanley Kieran, Heidloff, Niklas, Beckley, Kristina
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quang N.
• Application Number:
  US12/172,011
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206, 709/224, 709/225, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

The example embodiments relate to a method for handling and analyzing emails. In accordance with at least one example embodiment, a control character specifying a computer application may be determined to be included in an email message. The control character in the email may be compared to a library of control characters, such that each control character in the library corresponds to a command. If the control character in the email corresponds to a control character in the library, the command associated with the character may be executed, which may display a user interface in the email program, the user interface including at least two user-selectable actions specific to the computer application. The user may select an action from the user interface, which may execute the computer application in accordance with the selected action and automatically authenticate the user onto the computer application.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing at least one password of a user on a computer;

receiving, in an email program in said computer, an email message for the user from a network;

determining whether said email message includes a control character, said control character specifying a computer application requiring a password;

if said email message includes said control character, comparing said control character to a library of control characters, each of said control characters in said library of control characters corresponding to a command;

if said control character in said email message corresponds to a control character in said library of control characters, executing said corresponding command, wherein said corresponding command displays a user interface in the email program, the user interface including at least two user-selectable actions specific to the computer application;

selecting, by the user, an action from the at least two user-selectable actions specific to the computer application available from the user interface;

executing the computer application in accordance with the selected action; and

automatically authenticating the user onto said computer application by matching at least one of the passwords of the user stored on said computer to the password required by said computer application.