Method for automatically modifying electronic distribution lists using predefined rules

• US 7,895,278 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: O'Connell, Brian Marshall, Williams, Susan Marie, Walker, Keith Raymond, Li, Jenny S., Hamilton, Rick Allen II
• Primary Examiner(s): Neurauter, Jr.; George C
• Application Number:
  US12/013,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20090182820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

An initial distribution list is dynamically modified using criteria determined from the current entries in the list. After an originator generates a distribution list and prior to submission of the message to entries on the generated list, the method of the present invention examines the entries in the created distribution list. From this list, the invention identifies features of the entries. From these features, the method generates criteria that can be used to generate additional entries that may be included in the list. In one approach, the generated criteria are presented to the user for review and approval. If the originator approves the criteria, the generated list is modified to add additional entries to the distribution based on the generated criteria. If the originator rejects the criteria, the initially generated list is submitted and the message is sent to the entries on the initial list.

Claims

1. A method for automatically modifying an electronic distribution list using predefined rules, said method comprising:

detecting a submitted electronic message that includes an initial distribution list consisting of at least one entry to which the electronic message is to be transmitted;

intercepting the detected electronic message;

examining the at least one entry in the initial distribution list included in the intercepted electronic message;

responsive to said examining, ascertaining that a rules database comprises at least one rule that is applicable to the at least one entry in the initial distribution list;

responsive to said ascertaining, generating a modified distribution list from the initial distribution list by applying the at least one rule to the at least one entry in the initial distribution list, said modified distribution list resulting from said applying the at least one rule consisting of a plurality of entries, said plurality of entries consisting of at the least one entry and at least one additional entry to which the electronic message is to be transmitted; and

after said generating the modified distribution list, transmitting the electronic message to each entry of the plurality of entries in the modified distribution list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each entry of the plurality of entries is in the modified distribution list is a member of a plurality of members of a project of a company, wherein each member of the plurality of members of the project is an employee of the company.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the project comprises a plurality of groups, wherein the plurality of members of the project are distributed into the plurality of groups such that each member of the project is a member of only one group of the plurality of groups, wherein each member of each group is a member of the plurality of members of the project, and wherein at least one member of each group is a group leader of said each group.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each entry of the at least one entry in the initial distribution list is a member of a first group of the plurality of groups, and wherein each entry of the at least one additional entry is a member of the first group.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein no entry of the at least one entry in the initial distribution list is a group leader of the first group, and wherein said applying the at least one rule results in the at least one additional entry consisting of each group leader of the first group.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the members of each group consists of at least one group leader, at least one engineer, and at least one programmer, wherein the at least one programmer in the first group consists of at least a first programmer and at least one additional programmer, wherein the at least one entry in the initial distribution list comprises the at least a first programmer and does not comprise the least one additional programmer, and wherein said applying the at least one rule results in the at least one additional entry consisting of the least one additional programmer.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of groups consists of at least two groups and at least one additional group, wherein each entry of the at least one entry in the initial distribution list is a group leader of a respective group of the at least two groups, and wherein said applying the at least one rule results in the at least one additional entry consisting of all group leaders of the at least one additional group.

8. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable memory device having a program instructions stored therein, said program instructions configured to be executed by a processor of a computer system to implement a method for automatically modifying an electronic distribution list using predefined rules, said method comprising:

detecting a submitted electronic message that includes an initial distribution list consisting of at least one entry to which the electronic message is to be transmitted;

intercepting the detected electronic message;

examining the at least one entry in the initial distribution list included in the intercepted electronic message;

responsive to said examining, ascertaining that a rules database comprises at least one rule that is applicable to the at least one entry in the initial distribution list;

responsive to said ascertaining, generating a modified distribution list from the initial distribution list by applying the at least one rule to the at least one entry in the initial distribution list, said modified distribution list resulting from said applying the at least one rule consisting of a plurality of entries, said plurality of entries consisting of at the least one entry and at least one additional entry to which the electronic message is to be transmitted; and

after said generating the modified distribution list, transmitting the electronic message to each entry of the plurality of entries in the modified distribution list.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein each entry of the plurality of entries is in the modified distribution list is a member of a plurality of members of a project of a company, wherein each member of the plurality of members of the project is an employee of the company.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the project comprises a plurality of groups, wherein the plurality of members of the project are distributed into the plurality of groups such that each member of the project is a member of only one group of the plurality of groups, wherein each member of each group is a member of the plurality of members of the project, and wherein at least one member of each group is a group leader of said each group.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein each entry of the at least one entry in the initial distribution list is a member of a first group of the plurality of groups, and wherein each entry of the at least one additional entry is a member of the first group.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein no entry of the at least one entry in the initial distribution list is a group leader of the first group, and wherein said applying the at least one rule results in the at least one additional entry consisting of each group leader of the first group.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the members of each group consists of at least one group leader, at least one engineer, and at least one programmer, wherein the at least one programmer in the first group consists of at least a first programmer and at least one additional programmer, wherein the at least one entry in the initial distribution list comprises the at least a first programmer and does not comprise the least one additional programmer, and wherein said applying the at least one rule results in the at least one additional entry consisting of the least one additional programmer.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the plurality of groups consists of at least two groups and at least one additional group, wherein each entry of the at least one entry in the initial distribution list is a group leader of a respective group of the at least two groups, and wherein said applying the at least one rule results in the at least one additional entry consisting of all group leaders of the at least one additional group.

15. A computer system, comprising a processor and a computer readable memory device coupled to the processor, said memory device containing program instructions configured to be executed by the processor to implement a method for automatically modifying an electronic distribution list using predefined rules, said method comprising:

detecting a submitted electronic message that includes an initial distribution list consisting of at least one entry to which the electronic message is to be transmitted;

intercepting the detected electronic message;

examining the at least one entry in the initial distribution list included in the intercepted electronic message;

responsive to said examining, ascertaining that a rules database comprises at least one rule that is applicable to the at least one entry in the initial distribution list;

responsive to said ascertaining, generating a modified distribution list from the initial distribution list by applying the at least one rule to the at least one entry in the initial distribution list, said modified distribution list resulting from said applying the at least one rule consisting of a plurality of entries, said plurality of entries consisting of at the least one entry and at least one additional entry to which the electronic message is to be transmitted; and

after said generating the modified distribution list, transmitting the electronic message to each entry of the plurality of entries in the modified distribution list.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein each entry of the plurality of entries is in the modified distribution list is a member of a plurality of members of a project of a company, wherein each member of the plurality of members of the project is an employee of the company.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the project comprises a plurality of groups, wherein the plurality of members of the project are distributed into the plurality of groups such that each member of the project is a member of only one group of the plurality of groups, wherein each member of each group is a member of the plurality of members of the project, and wherein at least one member of each group is a group leader of said each group.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein each entry of the at least one entry in the initial distribution list is a member of a first group of the plurality of groups, and wherein each entry of the at least one additional entry is a member of the first group.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein no entry of the at least one entry in the initial distribution list is a group leader of the first group, and wherein said applying the at least one rule results in the at least one additional entry consisting of each group leader of the first group.

20. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of groups consists of at least two groups and at least one additional group, wherein each entry of the at least one entry in the initial distribution list is a group leader of a respective group of the at least two groups, and wherein said applying the at least one rule results in the at least one additional entry consisting of all group leaders of the at least one additional group.