Method and system for future defined email recipient

• US 7,886,015 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mabry, Joseph S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nawaz; Asad M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Biagini; Christopher D
• Application Number:
  US12/169,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20100011064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Methods, systems and devices are provided for automatically sending e-mail to a future-designated recipient. E-mail servers accordingly send an e-mail categorized with respect to a target project group to each of a plurality of e-mail clients associated with each defined member of the target project group; add the sent e-mail or a copy thereof to a future-designated role recipient e-mail batch in a storage means, wherein the batch is categorized with respect to the group; define an identity of an undefined role member of the target project group, the defining providing an e-mail address; and automatically forward the categorized e-mail batch to an e-mail client associated with the provided e-mail address in response to the identity defining. Service methods are also provided, for example, by a service provider who offers to implement, deploy, and/or perform functions for others.

Claims

1. A method for automatically sending e-mail to a future-designated recipient, comprising:

setting a future-designated role recipient capable of identification and sending an e-mail categorized with respect to a target project group to each of a plurality of e-mail clients associated with each defined member of the target project group;

forming the target project group with a plurality of roles, wherein defining a member of the target project group comprises assigning personal identity indicia to the defined member role, the indicia comprising an e-mail address;

adding the sent e-mail or a copy thereof to a future-designated role recipient e-mail batch, wherein the batch is categorized with respect to the group;

revising a role for a current member of the target project group;

automatically forwarding previous e-mails for which the member with the revised role is defined to the member of the target project group with the revised role;

defining an identity of an undefined role member of the target project group with the e-mail address of the future designated role recipient; and

automatically forwarding the categorized e-mail batch to an e-mail client associated with the e-mail address of the future designated role recipient in response to the identity defining;

accumulating all previous project emails intended for the undefined role member into the e-mail batch;

selecting a subset of previously held emails for the revised role; and

storing task background information of the target project group for later forwarding to the undefined role member of the target project group.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising categorizing the e-mail with respect to a task of the target project group associated with the future-designated role;

and

sending the categorized e-mail comprises selecting a subset at least one e-mail of the e-mail batch associated with the task and sending the subset at least one e-mail to a subset of the plurality of e-mail clients associated with an each defined member associated with the task.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein defining the identity of the undefined role member comprises revising an identity of a previously identified group role member.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the role of the undefined role member is a placeholder for an undefined role.

5. A service for automatically sending e-mail to a future-designated recipient, comprising:

providing an e-mail server infrastructure configured to;

set a future-designated role recipient capable of identification and send an e-mail categorized with respect to a target project group to each of a plurality of e-mail clients associated with each defined member of the target project group;

form the target project group with a plurality of roles, wherein defining a member of the target project group comprises assigning personal identity indicia to the defined member role, the indicia comprising an e-mail address;

add the sent e-mail or a copy thereof to a future-designated role recipient e-mail batch in a storage means, wherein the batch is categorized with respect to the group;

revise an identity of an existing member of the target project group;

revise a role for a current member of the target project group;

automatically forward previous e-mails for which the member with the revised role is defined to the member of the target project group with the revised role;

forward held group batch emails to the member of the target project group with the newly revised identity; and

automatically forward the categorized e-mail batch to an e-mail client associated with a provided e-mail address in response to defining an identity of an undefined role member of the target project group, the defining providing an e-mail address of the future designated role recipient;

accumulate all previous project emails intended for the undefined role member into the categorized e-mail batch;

select a subset of previously held emails for the revised role; and

store task background information of the target project group for later forwarding to the undefined role member of the target project group.

6. The service of claim 5, wherein the e-mail server infrastructure is further configured to:

categorize the e-mail with respect to a task of the target project group associated with the future-designated role; and

send the categorized e-mail by selecting a subset at least one e-mail of the e-mail batch associated with the task and sending the subset at least one e-mail to a subset of the plurality of e-mail clients associated with an each defined member associated with the task.

7. The service of claim 5, wherein the e-mail server infrastructure is further configured to define the identity of the undefined role member by revising an identity of a previously identified group role member.

8. A method for automatically sending e-mail to a future-designated recipient, comprising:

producing computer executable program code;

storing the code on a computer readable medium;

providing the program code to be deployed and executed on a computer system, the program code causing the computer system to;

set a future-designated role recipient capable of identification and send an e-mail categorized with respect to a target project group to each of a plurality of e-mail clients associated with each defined member of the target project group;

form the target project group with a plurality of roles, wherein defining a member of the target project group comprises assigning personal identity indicia to the defined member role, the indicia comprising an e-mail address;

add the sent e-mail or a copy thereof to a future-designated role recipient e-mail batch, wherein the batch is categorized with respect to the group;

revise a role for a current member of the target project group;

automatically forward previous e-mails for which the member with the revised role is defined to the member of the target project group with the revised role;

automatically forward the categorized e-mail batch to an e-mail client associated with a provided e-mail address in response to defining an identity of an undefined role member of the target project group, the defining providing an e-mail address of the future designated role recipient;

accumulate all previous project emails intended for the undefined role member into the categorized e-mail batch;

select a subset of previously held emails for the revised role; and

store task background information of the target project group for later forwarding to the undefined role member of the target project group.

9. The method of claim 8, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to:

categorize the e-mail with respect to a task of the target project group associated with the future-designated role; and

send the categorized e-mail by selecting a subset at least one e-mail of the e-mail batch associated with the task and sending the subset at least one e-mail to a subset of the plurality of e-mail clients associated with an each defined member associated with the task.

10. The method of claim 8, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to define the identity of the undefined role member by revising an identity of a previously identified group role member.

11. A programmable device comprising:

a processing means;

a memory in communication with the processing means comprising a logic component; and

a network interface in communication with the processing means and the memory;

wherein the processing means is configured to;

set a future-designated role recipient capable of identification and send an e-mail categorized with respect to a target project group to each of a plurality of e-mail clients associated with each defined member of the target project group;

form the target project group with a plurality of roles, wherein defining a member of the target project group comprises assigning personal identity indicia to the defined member role, the indicia comprising an e-mail address;

add the sent e-mail or a copy thereof to a future-designated role recipient e-mail batch in a storage means, wherein the batch is categorized with respect to the group;

automatically forward the categorized e-mail batch to an e-mail client associated with a provided e-mail address in response to defining an identity of an undefined role member of the target project group, the defining providing an e-mail address of the future designated role recipient;

revise a role for a current member of the target project group;

automatically forward previous e-mails for which the member with the revised role is defined to the member of the target project group with the revised role;

revise the identity of an existing member of the target project group; and

forward held group batch emails to the member of the target project group with the newly revised identity;

accumulate all previous project emails intended for the undefined role member into the categorized e-mail batch;

select a subset of previously held emails for the revised role; and

store task background information of the target project group for later forwarding to the undefined role member of the target project group.

12. The programmable device of claim 11, wherein the processing means is configured to:

categorize the e-mail with respect to a task of the target project group associated with the future-designated role; and

send the categorized e-mail by selecting a subset at least one e-mail of the e-mail batch associated with the task and sending the subset at least one e-mail to a subset of the plurality of e-mail clients associated with an each defined member associated with the task.

13. The programmable device of claim 12, wherein the processing means is configured to define the identity of the undefined role member by revising an identity of a previously identified group role member.

14. The programmable device of claim 13, wherein the role of the undefined role member is a placeholder for an undefined role.