Methods, systems, and computer program products for operating an electronic mail or messaging system in which information associated with an attachment is sent to a destination for evaluation before sending the attachment

• US 7,996,478 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2009
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aaron, Jeffrey A., Alin, Jun-Gang
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Julian
• Application Number:
  US12/622,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20100070601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

An electronic mail/messaging system is operated by compiling information associated with an attachment for an electronic mail at a source. The information includes initial information and descriptive information. The initial information is sent to a destination. A determination is made whether the destination has a file that matches the attachment based on the initial information. The attachment is sent to the destination if the destination does not have the file. The descriptive information is sent to the destination if the destination has the file. A determination is made whether the file matches the attachment based on the descriptive information. The attachment is sent to the destination if the file does not match the attachment based on the descriptive information.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic mail messaging system, comprising:

compiling information associated with an attachment for an electronic mail at a source, the information comprising initial information and descriptive information;

sending the initial information to a destination to determine if the destination has a file that matches the attachment; and

sending the descriptive information to the destination when the destination appears to have the file that matches the attachment based on the initial information to confirm that the destination has the file that matches the attachment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the attachment to the destination when the destination does not have the file that matches the attachment based on the initial information and the descriptive information;

receiving the attachment at the destination;

deleting the file responsive to receiving the attachment if the attachment is more current than the file; and

sending the file to the source if the file is more current than the attachment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein deleting the file comprises deleting the file responsive to receiving the attachment if the attachment is more current than the file and deletion of the file has been authorized, the method further comprising:

saving the attachment at the destination if the attachment is more current than the file and if saving the attachment has been authorized.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

invoking an alert at the source if a number of times that the file is sent to the source because it is more current than the attachment per a unit of time exceeds a threshold; and

invoking an alert at the destination if it cannot be determined which is more current between the file and the attachment.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

invoking an alert at the destination if transmissions from the source per a first unit of time exceed a first threshold, if a number of times that the attachment is received per a second unit of time exceeds a second threshold, and if a number of times that the attachment is received per a third unit of time exceeds a third threshold and the file is more current than the attachment.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

invoking an alert at the source if a number of times that the attachment is not sent to the destination per a unit of time exceeds a threshold.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

logging events associated with sending the attachment from the source to the destination and determining if the file matches the attachment.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the attachment to the destination when the destination does not have the file that matches the attachment based on the initial information and the descriptive information;

receiving the attachment at the destination; and

saving the file as a backup responsive to receiving the attachment if the attachment is more current than the file.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

deleting the file as the backup upon a lapse of a pre-configured time period.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a no match message from the destination to the source if the destination does not have the file based on the initial information.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an inexact match message from the destination to the source if the destination has the file based on the initial information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial information comprises a file descriptor and a size.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptive information comprises a checksum, an owner, a creator, a creation date, a modification history, a transmission history, a transmission acknowledgement, and a processing notification.

14. An electronic mail messaging system, comprising:

a memory having computer readable program code stored in the memory; and

a source system that is configured to execute the computer readable program code to compile information associated with an attachment for an electronic mail, the information comprising initial information and descriptive information, to send the initial information to a destination system to determine if the destination system has a file that matches the attachment, and to send the descriptive information to the destination system when the destination system appears to have the file that matches the attachment based on the initial information to confirm that the destination has the file that matches the attachment.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the initial information comprises a file descriptor and a size and wherein the descriptive information comprises a checksum, an owner, a creator, a creation date, a modification history, a transmission history, a transmission acknowledgement, and a processing notification.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the source system is further configured to send the attachment to the destination system when the destination system does not have the file that matches the attachment based on the initial information and the descriptive information;

and

wherein the destination system is configured to invoke an alert if transmissions from the source system per a first unit of time exceed a first threshold, if a number of times that the attachment is received per a second unit of time exceeds a second threshold, and if a number of times that the attachment is received per a third unit of time exceeds a third threshold and the file is more current than the attachment.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the source system is further configured to send the attachment to the destination system when the destination system does not have the file that matches the attachment based on the initial information and the descriptive information;

and

wherein the source system is further configured to log events associated with sending the attachment from the source system to the destination system and determining if the file matches the attachment.

18. A computer program product for operating an electronic mail messaging system, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the computer readable storage medium, the computer readable program code, when executed by a processor, being configured to carry out a method comprising;

compiling information associated with an attachment for an electronic mail at a source, the information comprising initial information and descriptive information;

sending the initial information to a destination to determine if the destination has a file that matches the attachment; and

sending the descriptive information to the destination when the destination appears to have the file that matches the attachment based on the initial information to confirm that the destination has the file that matches the attachment.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the initial information comprises a file descriptor and a size and wherein the descriptive information comprises a checksum, an owner, a creator, a creation date, a modification history, a transmission history, a transmission acknowledgement, and a processing notification.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

sending the attachment to the destination when the destination does not have the file that matches the attachment based on the initial information and the descriptive information; and

invoking an alert at the destination if transmissions from the source per a first unit of time exceed a first threshold, if a number of times that the attachment is received per a second unit of time exceeds a second threshold, and if a number of times that the attachment is received per a third unit of time exceeds a third threshold and the file is more current than the attachment.