Methods for creating and using electronic mailing groups

• US 7,953,805 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gupta, Namita, Gupta, Deepak
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Thu Ha T
• Application Number:
  US11/688,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709205-206, 715/752
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method for creating an electronic mailing group. The method is implemented via execution of computer readable program code on a processor of a computer system. A first input is stored in a computer-readable storage medium. The first input includes a first group name for distributing a first electronic mail message. The first group name is associated with a plurality of electronic mail addresses, based on a first set of received instructions. The first group name represents the addresses. After associating, information associated with the first group name is stored in the storage medium. The information is associated with each address of the addresses and designates each address of the addresses as a first recipient type selected from: To recipient, Carbon Copy recipient, and Blind Carbon Copy recipient. At least one address of the addresses is designated as a Carbon Copy recipient or a Blind Carbon Copy recipient.

Claims

1. A method for creating an electronic mailing group, said method comprising:

associating a first group name of a first electronic mailing group with a plurality of electronic mail addresses such that the first electronic mailing group comprises said addresses;

after said associating the first group name, designating each address in the first electronic mailing group as a first recipient type selected from the group consisting of a To recipient, a Carbon Copy recipient, and a Blind Carbon Copy recipient, wherein said designating each address in the first electronic mailing group is performed independently for each address in the first electronic mailing group and results in one or more addresses in the first electronic mailing group being designated as said To recipient and at least one address in the first electronic mailing group being designated as said Carbon Copy recipient or said Blind Carbon Copy recipient;

after said designating is performed for all addresses in the first electronic mailing group, a processor of a computer system storing in a computer readable storage medium first information pertaining to the first electronic mailing group, wherein the computer readable storage medium is a storage device of the computer system, wherein the first information comprises the first group name, the addresses in the first electronic mailing group, and the designated first recipient type of each address in the first electronic mailing group, and wherein the first information stored in the computer readable storage medium is configured to be subsequently retrieved from the computer readable storage medium for specifying the addresses in the first electronic mailing group as first recipients of a first electronic mail message to be sent to said first recipients in accordance with the designated first recipient type of each address in the first electronic mailing group; and

creating a child electronic mailing group of the first electronic mailing group to generate a link between the child electronic mailing group and the first electronic mailing group, wherein the child electronic mailing group comprises addresses which are identical to the addresses in the first electronic mailing group, and wherein a common address of said addresses has a first recipient type in the first electronic mailing group and a different recipient type in the child electronic mailing group.

2. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

associating a second group name of a second electronic mailing group with said addresses in the first electronic mailing group such that the second electronic mailing group comprises said addresses, resulting in the second electronic mailing group being a child group of the first electronic mailing group such that the addresses in the second electronic mailing group are identical to the addresses in the first electronic mailing group;

after said associating the second group name, designating each address in the second electronic mailing group as a second recipient type selected from the group consisting of said To recipient, said Carbon Copy recipient, and said Blind Carbon Copy recipient, wherein said designating each address in the second electronic mailing group is performed independently for each address in the second electronic mailing group and results in one or more addresses in the second electronic mailing group being designated as said To recipient and at least one address in the second electronic mailing group being designated as said Carbon Copy recipient or said Blind Carbon Copy recipient, and wherein the first recipient type and the second recipient type of at least one address of said plurality of addresses differ from each other;

after said designating is performed for all addresses in the second electronic mailing group, said processor storing in the computer readable storage medium second information pertaining to the second electronic mailing group, wherein the second information comprises the second group name, the addresses in the second electronic mailing group, and the designated second recipient type of each address in the second electronic mailing group, and wherein the second information stored in the computer readable storage medium is configured to be subsequently retrieved from the computer readable storage medium for specifying the addresses in the second electronic mailing group as second recipients of a second electronic mail message to be sent to said second recipients in accordance with the designated second recipient type of each address in the second electronic mailing group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first recipient type of a first address in the first electronic mailing group and the first recipient type of a second address in the first electronic mailing group differ from each other.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

changing the addresses in the first electronic mailing group to generate a revised set of addresses in the first electronic mailing group; and

responsive to said changing the addresses in the first electronic mailing group and to the link between the child electronic mailing group and the first electronic mailing group, changing the addresses in the child electronic mailing group in a manner that results in the addresses in the child electronic mailing group being identical to the revised set of addresses in the first electronic mailing group.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises:

after said changing the addresses in the child electronic mailing group, breaking the link between the child electronic mailing group and the first electronic mailing group; and

after said breaking the link, updating the addresses in the first electronic mailing group, wherein the addresses in the child electronic mailing group are not updated in response to said updating the addresses in the first electronic mailing group due to said breaking the link having been performed.

6. A computer program product, comprising a physically tangible computer readable storage unit, said storage unit being a storage device storing a computer readable program code that when executed on a processing unit implements the method of claim 1, wherein the processing unit consists of the processor of the computer system.

7. A process for deploying computing infrastructure, said process comprising integrating computer readable code into a computer system, wherein the code in combination with the computer system is capable of performing a method, said method comprising:

associating a first group name of a first electronic mailing group with a plurality of electronic mail addresses such that the first electronic mailing group comprises said addresses;

after said associating the first group name, designating each address in the first electronic mailing group as a first recipient type selected from the group consisting of a To recipient, a Carbon Copy recipient, and a Blind Carbon Copy recipient, wherein said designating each address in the first electronic mailing group is performed independently for each address in the first electronic mailing group and results in one or more addresses in the first electronic mailing group being designated as said To recipient and at least one address in the first electronic mailing group being designated as said Carbon Copy recipient or said Blind Carbon Copy recipient;

after said designating is performed for all addresses in the first electronic mailing group, a processor of the computer system storing in a computer readable storage medium first information pertaining to the first electronic mailing group, wherein the computer readable storage medium is a storage device of the computer system, wherein the first information comprises the first group name, the addresses in the first electronic mailing group, and the designated first recipient type of each address in the first electronic mailing group, and wherein the first information stored in the computer readable storage medium is configured to be subsequently retrieved from the computer readable storage medium for specifying the addresses in the first electronic mailing group as first recipients of a first electronic mail message to be sent to said first recipients in accordance with the designated first recipient type of each address in the first electronic mailing group; and

creating a child electronic mailing group of the first electronic mailing group to generate a link between the child electronic mailing group and the first electronic mailing group, wherein the child electronic mailing group comprises addresses which are identical to the addresses in the first electronic mailing group, and wherein a common address of said addresses has a first recipient type in the first electronic mailing group and a different recipient type in the child electronic mailing group.

8. The method of claim 7, said method further comprising associating a second group name of a second electronic mailing group with said addresses in the first electronic mailing group such that the second electronic mailing group comprises said addresses, resulting in the second electronic mailing group being a child group of the first electronic mailing group such that the addresses in the second electronic mailing group are identical to the addresses in the first electronic mailing group;

after said associating the second group name, designating each address in the second electronic mailing group as a second recipient type selected from the group consisting of said To recipient, said Carbon Copy recipient, and said Blind Carbon Copy recipient, wherein said designating each address in the second electronic mailing group is performed independently for each address in the second electronic mailing group and results in one or more addresses in the second electronic mailing group being designated as said To recipient and at least one address in the second electronic mailing group being designated as said Carbon Copy recipient or said Blind Carbon Copy recipient, and wherein the first recipient type and the second recipient type of at least one address of said plurality of addresses differ from each other;

after said designating is performed for all addresses in the second electronic mailing group, said processor storing in the computer readable storage medium second information pertaining to the second electronic mailing group, wherein the second information comprises the second group name, the addresses in the second electronic mailing group, and the designated second recipient type of each address in the second electronic mailing group, and wherein the second information stored in the computer readable storage medium is configured to be subsequently retrieved from the computer readable storage medium for specifying the addresses in the second electronic mailing group as second recipients of a second electronic mail message to be sent to said second recipients in accordance with the designated second recipient type of each address in the second electronic mailing group.

9. The process of claim 7, wherein the first recipient type of a first address in the first electronic mailing group and the first recipient type of a second address in the first electronic mailing group differ from each other.

10. The process of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

changing the addresses in the first electronic mailing group to generate a revised set of addresses in the first electronic mailing group; and

responsive to said changing the addresses in the first electronic mailing group and to the link between the child electronic mailing group and the first electronic mailing group, changing the addresses in the child electronic mailing group in a manner that results in the addresses in the child electronic mailing group being identical to the revised set of addresses in the first electronic mailing group.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

after said changing the addresses in the child electronic mailing group, breaking the link between the child electronic mailing group and the first electronic mailing group; and

after said breaking the link, updating the addresses in the first electronic mailing group, wherein the addresses in the child electronic mailing group are not updated in response to said updating the addresses in the first electronic mailing group due to said breaking the link having been performed.

12. A method for sending an electronic mail message, said method being implemented via execution of computer readable program code on a processor of a computer system, said method comprising:

receiving a group name of a first electronic mailing group into a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable storage medium is a storage device of the computer system, said group name representing a plurality of recipient electronic mail addresses associated with said group name and comprised by the first electronic mailing group, wherein each address of said addresses has a designation as a To recipient, a Carbon Copy recipient or a Blind Carbon Copy recipient, wherein at least one address of said addresses has a designation as a Carbon Copy recipient or a Blind Carbon Copy recipient;

receiving at least one instruction, into said computer readable storage medium, to send said message to said group name; and

responsive to said receiving said at least one instruction, sending automatically said message to each address of said addresses, wherein said message is sent according to said designation for each address of said addresses, wherein each said To recipient is disclosed to all recipients of said message, wherein each said Carbon Copy recipient is disclosed to all recipients of said message, wherein each said Blind Carbon Copy recipient is not disclosed to any other recipients of said message; and

creating a child electronic mailing group of the first electronic mailing group to generate a link between the child electronic mailing group and the first electronic mailing group, wherein the child electronic mailing group comprises addresses which are identical to the addresses in the first electronic mailing group, and wherein a common address of said addresses has a first recipient type in the first electronic mailing group and a different recipient type in the child electronic mailing group.

13. A computer program product, comprising a physically tangible computer readable storage unit, said storage unit being a storage device storing a computer readable program code that when executed on a processing unit implements the method of claim 12, wherein the processing unit consists of the processor of the computer system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the designation of a first address of said addresses in said first electronic mailing group differs from the designation of a second address of said addresses in said first electronic mailing group.

15. A method for creating an electronic mailing group, said method being implemented via execution of computer readable program code on a processor of a computer system, said method comprising:

storing a first input in a computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable storage medium is a storage device of the computer system, wherein said first input comprises a first group name for distributing a first electronic mail message;

associating said first group name with a plurality of electronic mail addresses, based on a first set of received instructions, wherein said first group name represents a first electronic mailing group comprising said addresses; and

after said associating, storing information associated with said first group name in said computer readable storage medium, wherein said information is associated with each address of said addresses and designates each address of said addresses as a first recipient type selected from the group consisting of To recipient, Carbon Copy recipient, and Blind Carbon Copy recipient, wherein at least one address of said addresses is designated as a Carbon Copy recipient or a Blind Carbon Copy recipient;

after said storing said information, storing a second input in said computer readable storage medium, wherein said second input comprises a second group name for distributing a second electronic mail message;

associating said second name with said plurality of electronic mail addresses, based on a second set of received instructions, wherein said second group name represents said addresses;

after said associating said second name, storing information associated with said second group name in said computer readable storage medium, wherein said information associated with said second group name is associated with each address of said addresses and designates each address of said addresses as a second recipient type selected from the group consisting of To recipient, Carbon Copy recipient, and Blind Carbon Copy recipient, wherein at least one address of said addresses is designated as a Carbon Copy recipient or a Blind Carbon Copy recipient, wherein, for at least one address of said addresses, said second recipient type designated by said information associated with said second group name is different from said first recipient type designated by said information associated with said first group name; and

creating a child electronic mailing group of the first electronic mailing group to generate a link between the child electronic mailing group and the first electronic mailing group, wherein the child electronic mailing group comprises addresses which are identical to the addresses in the first electronic mailing group, and wherein a common address of said addresses has a first recipient type in the first electronic mailing group and a different recipient type in the child electronic mailing group.