Method and system for preparing and replying to multi-party e-mails

• US 8,099,465 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HCL Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Daniels, Fonda J., Lyle, Ruthie D., Malone, Kelly, Ramseur, Demethria J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B
• Application Number:
  US11/147,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20060277263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,415 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

A method for preparing and replying to multi-party e-mails is provided. The method includes opening an e-mail composition window in an e-mail application for generating an e-mail, specifying one or more recipients from a plurality of recipient groups for the e-mail, creating one or more response sections, identifying at least one recipient for each of the response sections, and sending the e-mail. The creating step further includes creating a general section in the e-mail. The method further includes selecting a delivery option from a plurality of delivery options for the e-mail prior to sending the e-mail and receiving one or more return receipts based on the delivery option selected in the e-mail sent. The method further includes selecting a response section in a received e-mail, and generating a reply to the response section in a reply e-mail composition window containing the response section.

Claims

1. A method of processing an e-mail, said method comprising:

opening an e-mail composition window in an e-mail application for generating a new e-mail, said composition window comprising a menu bar;

creating a general message in a body section in the composition window;

specifying a plurality of recipients from a plurality of recipient groups for the new e-mail;

creating a first message in a first response section in the new e-mail;

identifying at least one first recipient for the first response section, wherein the plurality of recipients consists of the at least one first recipient and one or more other recipients; and

sending the new e-mail generated to each recipient of the plurality of recipients, wherein the general message and the first response section in the new e-mail are displayed to each recipient of the plurality of recipients, and wherein only the at least one first recipient may reply to the first message.

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

creating a second message in a second response section in the new e-mail;

identifying at least one second recipient for the second response section, wherein the one or more other recipients consist of the at least one second recipient and at least one other recipient, wherein the second response section in the new e-mail is displayed to each recipient of the plurality of recipients, and wherein only the at least one second recipient may reply to the second message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said creating the first message in the first response section and said identifying at least one first recipient comprises:

selecting first text consisting of the first message by highlighting the first text;

after said selecting first text, selecting a Create icon in the menu bar in the composition window, which results in a display of a pull-down menu that includes a Section sub-item;

selecting the Section sub-item from the pull-down menu, which results in a display of a Response Section window that includes a first section, a second section, and an Add button, wherein the first section includes a list of potential recipients;

selecting each recipient of the at least one first recipient from the list of potential recipients in the first section; and

adding each selected recipient to the second section by clicking the Add button for each selected recipient.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein before both said creating the first message in the first response section and said identifying at least one first recipient, the menu bar in the composition window comprises icons, wherein a totality of icons in the menu bar consists of a File icon, an Edit icon, a View icon, the Create icon, an Actions icon, and a Help icon;

and

wherein after both said creating the first message in the first response section and said identifying at least one first recipient, the method further comprises adding a Section icon to the icons in the menu bar in the composition window.

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

selecting a delivery option for the new e-mail from a plurality of delivery options displayed in a Delivery Options window, wherein the plurality of delivery options displayed in the Delivery Options window comprise a Level Of Importance, a Delivery Report, a Delivery Priority, a Return Receipt bcc, a Return Receipt cc, a Return Receipt To, an Auto Spellcheck, a Security Option Sign, a Security Option Encrypt, and a Security Option Confidential.

6. Programmable media comprising a computer readable physically tangible storage device, said storage device containing software which upon being executed by a computer system implement a method of processing an e-mail, said method comprising:

opening an e-mail composition window in an e-mail application for generating a new e-mail, said composition window comprising a menu bar;

creating a general message in a body section in the composition window;

specifying a plurality of recipients from a plurality of recipient groups for the new e-mail;

creating a first message in a first response section in the new e-mail;

identifying at least one first recipient for the first response section, wherein the plurality of recipients consists of the at least one first recipient and one or more other recipients; and

sending the new e-mail generated to each recipient of the plurality of recipients, wherein the general message and the first response section in the new e-mail are displayed to each recipient of the plurality of recipients, and wherein only the at least one first recipient may reply to the first message.

7. The programmable media of claim 6, said method further comprising:

creating a second message in a second response section in the new e-mail;

identifying at least one second recipient for the second response section, wherein the one or more other recipients consist of the at least one second recipient and at least one other recipient, wherein the second response section in the new e-mail is displayed to each recipient of the plurality of recipients, and wherein only the at least one second recipient may reply to the second message.

8. The programmable media of claim 6, wherein said creating the first message in the first response section and said identifying at least one first recipient comprises:

selecting first text consisting of the first message by highlighting the first text;

after said selecting first text, selecting a Create icon in the menu bar in the composition window, which results in a display of a pull-down menu that includes a Section sub-item;

selecting the Section sub-item from the pull-down menu, which results in a display of a Response Section window that includes a first section, a second section, and an Add button, wherein the first section includes a list of potential recipients;

selecting each recipient of the at least one first recipient from the list of potential recipients in the first section; and

adding each selected recipient to the second section by clicking the Add button for each selected recipient.

9. The programmable media of claim 6,

wherein before both said creating the first message in the first response section and said identifying at least one first recipient, the menu bar in the composition window comprises icons, wherein a totality of icons in the menu bar consists of a File icon, an Edit icon, a View icon, the Create icon, an Actions icon, and a Help icon;

and

wherein after both said creating the first message in the first response section and said identifying at least one first recipient, the method further comprises adding a Section icon to the icons in the menu bar in the composition window.

10. The programmable media of claim 6, said method further comprising:

selecting a delivery option for the new e-mail from a plurality of delivery options displayed in a Delivery Options window, wherein the plurality of delivery options displayed in the Delivery Options window comprise a Level Of Importance, a Delivery Report, a Delivery Priority, a Return Receipt bcc, a Return Receipt cc, a Return Receipt To, an Auto Spellcheck, a Security Option Sign, a Security Option Encrypt, and a Security Option Confidential.

11. A system comprising a computer system and a computer readable storage device, said storage device containing software which upon being executed by a computer system implement a method of processing an e-mail, said method comprising:

opening an e-mail composition window in an e-mail application for generating a new e-mail, said composition window comprising a menu bar;

creating a general message in a body section in the composition window;

specifying a plurality of recipients from a plurality of recipient groups for the new e-mail;

creating a first message in a first response section in the new e-mail;

identifying at least one first recipient for the first response section, wherein the plurality of recipients consists of the at least one first recipient and one or more other recipients; and

sending the new e-mail generated to each recipient of the plurality of recipients, wherein the general message and the first response section in the new e-mail are displayed to each recipient of the plurality of recipients, and wherein only the at least one first recipient may reply to the first message.

12. The system of claim 11, said method further comprising:

creating a second message in a second response section in the new e-mail;

identifying at least one second recipient for the second response section, wherein the one or more other recipients consist of the at least one second recipient and at least one other recipient, wherein the second response section in the new e-mail is displayed to each recipient of the plurality of recipients, and wherein only the at least one second recipient may reply to the second message.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said creating the first message in the first response section and said identifying at least one first recipient comprises:

selecting first text consisting of the first message by highlighting the first text;

after said selecting first text, selecting a Create icon in the menu bar in the composition window, which results in a display of a pull-down menu that includes a Section sub-item;

selecting the Section sub-item from the pull-down menu, which results in a display of a Response Section window that includes a first section, a second section, and an Add button, wherein the first section includes a list of potential recipients;

selecting each recipient of the at least one first recipient from the list of potential recipients in the first section; and

adding each selected recipient to the second section by clicking the Add button for each selected recipient.

14. The system of claim 11,

wherein before both said creating the first message in the first response section and said identifying at least one first recipient, the menu bar in the composition window comprises icons, wherein a totality of icons in the menu bar consists of a File icon, an Edit icon, a View icon, the Create icon, an Actions icon, and a Help icon;

and

wherein after both said creating the first message in the first response section and said identifying at least one first recipient, the method further comprises adding a Section icon to the icons in the menu bar in the composition window.

15. The system of claim 11, said method further comprising:

selecting a delivery option for the new e-mail from a plurality of delivery options displayed in a Delivery Options window, wherein the plurality of delivery options displayed in the Delivery Options window comprise a Level Of Importance, a Delivery Report, a Delivery Priority, a Return Receipt bcc, a Return Receipt cc, a Return Receipt To, an Auto Spellcheck, a Security Option Sign, a Security Option Encrypt, and a Security Option Confidential.

16. A method of responding to a received e-mail having a plurality of distinct sections, said method comprising:

opening the received e-mail in a recipient e-mail window at a computer device of an intended recipient that received the e-mail in an e-mail application, wherein the received email has been sent by a sender to a plurality of recipients consisting of at least one first recipient, at least one second recipient, and at least one other recipient, wherein the at least one first recipient comprises the intended recipient, wherein the plurality of distinct sections comprises a first distinct section having a first message therein and a second distinct section having a second message therein, wherein the received email comprises a general message, the first distinct section, and the second distinct section, wherein the received email is characterized by the general message, the first distinct section, and the second distinct section being displayable to each recipient of the plurality of recipients, wherein the received email is characterized by the at least one first recipient being identified for the first message subject to a first constraint of only the at least one first recipient being able to reply to the first message, and wherein the received email is characterized by the at least one second recipient being identified for the second message subject to a second constraint of only the at least one second recipient being able to reply to the second message;

displaying the general message, the first distinct section, and the second distinct section in the recipient e-mail window at the computer device of the intended recipient;

generating a reply e-mail message in a reply e-mail composition window at the computer device of the intended recipient, wherein the reply e-mail message is in response to the first message and cannot be in response to the second message due to the second constraint; and

sending a reply e-mail from the e-mail composition window at the computer device of the intended recipient to the sender that had sent the received e-mail to the plurality of recipients, said reply e-mail comprising the reply e-mail message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said generating the reply e-mail message comprises:

selecting a Reply button in the recipient e-mail window, which results in a display of the reply e-mail composition window that includes first distinct section comprising the first message; and

generating the reply e-mail message beneath the first distinct section.

18. The method of claim 16,

wherein the recipient e-mail window comprises a menu bar comprising icons wherein a totality of icons in the menu bar consists of a File icon, an Edit icon, a View icon, a Create icon, an Actions icon, a Section icon, and a Help icon;

and

wherein the reply e-mail composition window comprises a menu bar comprising icons consisting of the File icon, the Edit icon, the View icon, the Create icon, the Actions icon, a Text icon, and the Help icon.

19. The method of claim 16, said method further comprising:

selecting a delivery option for the reply e-mail from a plurality of delivery options displayed in a Delivery Options window, wherein the plurality of delivery options displayed in the Delivery Options window comprise a Level Of Importance, a Delivery Report, a Delivery Priority, a Return Receipt bcc, Return Receipt cc, a Return Receipt To, an Auto Spellcheck, a Security Option Sign, a Security Option Encrypt, and a Security Option Confidential.