Method and apparatus for managing e-mail attachments
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer implemented method for managing e-mail attachments, the computer implemented method comprising:
- uploading a file for use as an e-mail attachment from a client to an e-mail server, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment is uploaded independent of any particular e-mail message;
storing the file for use as an e-mail attachment, wherein a unique identifier is associated with the file for use as an e-mail attachment;
presenting, at the client, a list of e-mail attachments stored on an e-mail server in communication with the particular client through a communications link;
responsive to a selection at the client of the file for use as an e-mail attachment from the list of e-mail attachments, placing the unique identifier associated with the file for use as an e-mail attachment in the particular e-mail message before the e-mail message is sent from the client to the e-mail server, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment was previously uploaded from the client;
sending a particular e-mail message from the client to the e-mail server, for subsequent delivery to a recipient, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment is absent from the e-mail message sent from the client to the e-mail server;
responsive to receiving the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server, operating the e-mail server to determine whether the unique identifier is present in the received e-mail message;
responsive to the unique identifier being present, attaching the file for use as an e-mail attachment to the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server;
further operating the e-mail server to send the particular e-mail message with the file for use as an e-mail attachment from the e-mail server to the recipient; and
removing the unique identifier from the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server, before sending the particular e-mail message to the recipient.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for managing e-mail attachments. A determination is made as to whether a unique identifier is present in an e-mail message, wherein the unique is associated with an e-mail attachment in response to receiving the e-mail message from a client for delivery to a recipient. The e-mail attachment is attached to the e-mail message in response to the unique identifier being present. The e-mail message is sent with the e-mail attachment to the recipient.
84 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for managing e-mail attachments, the computer implemented method comprising:
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uploading a file for use as an e-mail attachment from a client to an e-mail server, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment is uploaded independent of any particular e-mail message; storing the file for use as an e-mail attachment, wherein a unique identifier is associated with the file for use as an e-mail attachment; presenting, at the client, a list of e-mail attachments stored on an e-mail server in communication with the particular client through a communications link; responsive to a selection at the client of the file for use as an e-mail attachment from the list of e-mail attachments, placing the unique identifier associated with the file for use as an e-mail attachment in the particular e-mail message before the e-mail message is sent from the client to the e-mail server, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment was previously uploaded from the client; sending a particular e-mail message from the client to the e-mail server, for subsequent delivery to a recipient, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment is absent from the e-mail message sent from the client to the e-mail server; responsive to receiving the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server, operating the e-mail server to determine whether the unique identifier is present in the received e-mail message; responsive to the unique identifier being present, attaching the file for use as an e-mail attachment to the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server; further operating the e-mail server to send the particular e-mail message with the file for use as an e-mail attachment from the e-mail server to the recipient; and removing the unique identifier from the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server, before sending the particular e-mail message to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer program product for managing e-mail attachments comprising:
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a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer usable program code for executing instructions, the computer program medium comprising; computer usable program code for uploading a file for use as an e-mail attachment from a client to an e-mail server, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment is uploaded independent of any particular e-mail message; computer usable program code for storing the file for use as an e-mail attachment, wherein a unique identifier is associated with the file for use as an e-mail attachment; computer usable program code for presenting, at the client, a list of e-mail attachments stored on an e-mail server in communication with the client through a communications link; computer usable program code for responsive to a selection at the client of the file for use as an e-mail attachment from the list of e-mail attachments, placing the unique identifier associated with the file for use as an e-mail attachment in the particular e-mail message before the e-mail message is sent from the client to the e-mail server, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment was previously uploaded from the client; computer usable program code for sending a particular e-mail message from the client to the e-mail server, for subsequent delivery to a recipient, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment is absent from the e-mail message sent from the client to the e-mail server; computer usable program code, responsive to receiving the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server , for operating the e-mail server to determine whether the unique identifier is present in the received e-mail message; computer usable program code, responsive to the unique identifier being present, for attaching the file for use as an e-mail attachment to the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server; computer usable program code for operating the e-mail server to send the particular e-mail message with the file for use as an e-mail attachment from the e-mail server to the recipient; and computer usable program code for removing the unique identifier from the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server before sending the particular e-mail message to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A data processing system comprising:
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a bus; a communications unit connected to the bus; a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device includes computer usable program code; and a processor unit connected to the bus, wherein the processor unit executes the computer usable program code to upload a file for use as an e-mail attachment from a client to an e-mail server, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment is uploaded independent of any particular e-mail message;
store the file for use as an e-mail attachment, wherein a unique identifier is associated with the file for use as an e-mail attachment;
present, at the client, a list of e-mail attachments stored on an e-mail server in communication with the client through a communications link, responsive to a selection at the client of the file for use as an e-mail attachment from the list of e-mail attachments, place the unique identifier associated with the file for use as an e-mail attachment in the particular e-mail message before the e-mail message is sent from the client to the e-mail server, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment was previously uploaded from the client, send a particular e-mail message from the client to the e-mail server, for subsequent delivery to a recipient, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment is absent from the e-mail message sent from the client to the e-mail server;
responsive to receiving the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server, to operate the e-mail server to determine whether the unique identifier is present in the e-mail message;
responsive to the unique identifier being present, to attach the file for use as an e-mail attachment to the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server;
to operate the e-mail server to send the particular e-mail message with the file for use as an e-mail attachment from the e-mail server to the recipient; and
to remove the unique identifier from the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server, before sending the particular e-mail message to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A data processing system for managing e-mail attachments, the data processing system comprising:
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means for uploading a file for use as an e-mail attachment from a client to an e-mail server, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment is uploaded independent of any particular e-mail message; means for storing the file for use as an e-mail attachment, wherein a unique identifier is associated with the file for use as an e-mail attachment; means for presenting, at the particular client, a list of e-mail attachments stored on an e-mail server in communication with the particular client through a communications link; means for responsive to a selection at the client of the file for use as an e-mail attachment from the list of e-mail attachments, placing the unique identifier associated with the file for use as an e-mail attachment in the particular e-mail message before the e-mail message is sent from the client to the e-mail server, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment was previously uploaded from the client; means for sending a particular e-mail message from the client to the e-mail server, for subsequent delivery to a recipient, wherein the file for use as an e-mail attachment is absent from the e-mail message sent from the client to the e-mail server; means responsive to receiving the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server, for operating the e-mail server to determine whether the unique identifier is present in the received e-mail message; means responsive to the unique identifier being present, for attaching the file for use as an e-mail attachment to the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server; means for operating the e-mail server to send the particular e-mail message with the file for use as an e-mail attachment from the e-mail server to the recipient; and means for removing the unique identifier from the particular e-mail message at the e-mail server, before sending the particular e-mail message to the recipient.
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Specification