Method and system for sequencing of electronic mail to derive a specified response trajectory

• US 7,774,417 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Denner, Gary, O'Sullivan, Patrick J., Callanan, Sean, Lyle, Ruthie D., Zimmet, Carol
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Zarni
• Application Number:
  US11/854,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A method for electronic mail (email) distribution and collaboration, the method includes: composing an email message; designating one or more recipients for the email message; assigning a status to each of the one or more recipients; specifying an order of delivery of the email message to the one or more recipients; specifying a required response time period to the email message by the one or more recipients; and specifying a priority order of responses to the email message by the one or more recipients.

Claims

1. A method for electronic mail (email) distribution and collaboration, wherein the method comprises:

composing an email message;

designating, in an address field of the email message, two or more recipients for the email message;

assigning a status to each of the two or more recipients as part of the email message;

specifying an order of delivery of the email message to the one or more recipients as part of the email message;

specifying a required response time period to the email message by the two or more recipients; and

specifying a priority order of responses to the email message by the one or more recipients, wherein the priority order of responses is based on the assigned status of the two or more recipients as assigned by a composer of the email.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the order of email message delivery is based on the assigned status of the one or more recipients.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning of a status divides the one or more recipients into primary and secondary recipients.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the email message is not sent to the secondary recipients until the one or more primary recipients have responded.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising revising the email message prior to sending the email message to the secondary recipients based on the responses of the primary recipients.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a graphical user interface indicates the status of the one or more recipients, and the required response time periods.

7. An article comprising one or more computer-readable storage media containing instructions that when executed by a computer enables electronic mail (email) distribution and collaboration;

wherein the method further comprises;

receiving an email message from an originating composer;

the received email message having two or more designated recipients and

wherein a status has been assigned to the two or more designated recipients;

and a specified order of delivery, a required response time period, and a priority order of responses has been assigned to the two or more designated recipients by a composer of the message;

distributing the email message based on the assigned status and specified order of delivery to the two or more designated recipients; and

relaying email message responses from the two or more designated recipients to the originating composer based on the assigned priority order;

wherein the priority order of responses is based on the assigned status of the two or more recipients as assigned by the composer of the email.

8. The article of claim 7, wherein the order of email message distribution is based on the assigned status of the one or more designated recipients.

9. The article of claim 7, wherein the assigning of a status divides the one or more recipients into primary and secondary recipients.

10. The article of claim 9, wherein the email message is not distributed to the secondary recipients until the one or more primary recipients have responded.

11. The article of claim 9, wherein the email message is sent to the originating composer for revision, prior to sending the email to the secondary recipients.

12. The article of claim 7, wherein a graphical user interface is provided to indicate the status of the one or more recipients, and the required response time periods.