Dynamic E-mail signature manager

• US 8,086,968 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McCaffrey, Corey S., Lu, Fang, Kuo, Elaine I.
• Primary Examiner(s): PITARO, RYAN F
• Application Number:
  US12/060,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 715/860, 715/810, 715/866
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A dynamic electronic mail signature manager for managing a user'"'"'s electronic mail signatures inserted into electronic mail messages. An electronic mail signature is displayed within a message composition user interface such that each component of the electronic mail signature is displayed in either an “include” display state or a visually distinct “omit” display state. Electronic mail signature components that are in the “omit” display state at the time the user indicates that the electronic mail message is to be sent are not included in the transmitted message. The user can toggle signature components between the “include” and “omit” display states by selecting individual objects. The initial state of each component when the user begins to compose a message (e.g. a new message, a reply message, etc.) may be automatically determined based on user configuration information, and/or based on message history information with respect to an indicated destination.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically managing an electronic mail signature for messages in an electronic mail communication system, comprising:

displaying said electronic mail signature within a message composition user interface, wherein said message composition user interface is for composing an electronic mail message to be transmitted through said electronic mail communication system;

changing, in response to user selection of at least one component of said electronic mail signature in said message composition user interface, a display state of said at least one component of said electronic mail signature from a first display state to a second display state;

responsive to receiving a send message user command, transmitting, within said electronic mail message, components of said electronic mail signature that are in said first display state at the time said send message user command is received, and omitting from said electronic mail message components of said electronic mail signature that are in said second display state at the time said send message user command is received; and

said displaying said electronic mail signature within said message composition user interface including determining at least one component of said electronic mail signature to be initially displayed in said second display state, and initially displaying said at least one component of said electronic mail signature determined to be initially displayed in said second display state in said second display state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one component of said electronic mail signature comprises a line of text.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying said line of text in italicized format when said line of text is in said second display state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one component of said electronic mail signature comprises a graphical object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying components of said electronic mail signature that are in said second display state in proximity to a textual indication that said components of said electronic mail signature in said second display state will not be transmitted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said user selection of said at least one component of said electronic mail signature in said message composition user interface that causes said at least one component of said electronic mail signature to change from said first display state to said second display state comprises a mouse click on said at least one component of said electronic mail signature in said message composition user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining said at least one component of said electronic mail signature to be initially displayed in said second display state comprises:

generating a user preferences user interface display object; and

determining said at least one component of said electronic mail signature to be initially displayed in said second display state responsive to user selection of said at least one component through said user preferences user interface display object.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving, through said user preferences user interface display object, user indication to remove said electronic mail signature from messages being sent with history.

9. The method of claim 8, determining said at least one component of said electronic mail signature to be initially displayed in said second display state responsive to said user indication to remove said electronic mail signature from messages sent with history.

10. The method of 1 wherein said determining said at least one component of said electronic mail signature to be initially displayed in said second display state comprises:

generating a user preferences user interface display object; and

receiving, through said user preferences user interface display object, user indication of at least one electronic mail signature rule, wherein said electronic signature rule indicates at least one component of said electronic signature to be initially displayed in said second display state responsive to detecting an associated destination address within the destination field of the message composition user interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said associated destination address is an individual user electronic mail address.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said associated destination address is a domain name.

13. The method of 1 wherein said determining said at least one component of said electronic mail signature to be initially displayed in said second display state comprises:

determining a destination address indicated in a destination field of said message composition user interface;

comparing a total number of messages previously sent to said destination address within a predetermined time period to a frequency threshold value; and

responsive to determining that said total number of messages previously sent to said destination address within said predetermined time period is at least as large as said frequency threshold value, initially displaying all components of said electronic mail signature in said second display state.

14. The method of 13 wherein said determining said at least one component of said electronic mail signature to be initially displayed in said second display state comprises:

comparing an amount of time since a last message was previously sent to said destination address with a recency threshold value; and

responsive to determining both that said total number of messages previously sent to said destination address within said predetermined time period is at least as large as said frequency threshold value, and that said amount of time since said last message was previously sent to said destination address is not larger than said recency threshold value, initially displaying all components of said electronic mail signature in said second display state.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating a user preferences user interface display object; and

receiving user indication of said frequency threshold value and said recency threshold value through said user preferences user interface display object.

16. A system including at least one processor and a computer readable memory storing program code executable on said at least one processor to dynamically manage an electronic mail signature for messages in an electronic mail communication system, said program code comprising:

program code operative when executed on said at least one processor to display said electronic mail signature within a message composition user interface, wherein said message composition user interface is for composing an electronic mail message to be transmitted through said electronic mail communication system;

program code operative when executed on said at least one processor to change, in response to user selection of at least one component of said electronic mail signature in said message composition user interface, a display state of said at least one component of said electronic mail signature from a first display state to a second display state;

program code operative when executed on said at least one processor to, responsive to receiving a send message user command, transmit, within said electronic mail message, components of said electronic mail signature that are in said first display state at the time said send message user command is received, and omit from said electronic mail message components of said electronic mail signature that are in said second display state at the time said send message user command is received; and

said program code operative to display said electronic mail signature within said message composition user interface including program code operative to determine at least one component of said electronic mail signature to be initially displayed in said second display state, and to initially display said at least one component of said electronic mail signature determined to be initially displayed in said second display state in said second display state.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

program code stored on said computer readable medium for dynamically managing an electronic mail signature for messages in an electronic mail communication system by

displaying an electronic signature within a message composition user interface, wherein said message composition user interface is for composing an electronic mail message to be transmitted through said electronic mail communication system,

changing, in response to user selection of at least one component of said electronic mail signature in said message composition user interface, a display state of said at least one component of said electronic mail signature from a first display state to a second display state,

transmitting, responsive to receiving a send message user command, within said electronic mail message, components of said electronic mail signature that are in said first display state at the time said send message user command is received, and omitting from said electronic mail message components of said electronic signature that are in said second display state at the time said send message user command is received, and

said displaying said electronic mail signature within said message composition user interface including determining at least one component of said electronic mail signature to be initially displayed in said second display state, and initially displaying said at least one component of said electronic mail signature determined to be initially displayed in said second display state in said second display state.