Email enabled project management applications

• US 8,204,949 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Russ Krajec
• Original Assignee: Russ Krajec
• Inventors: Krajec, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): SERRAO, RANODHI N
• Application Number:
  US13/247,276
• Time in Patent Office: 265 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 715/209, 726/2
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A web application for managing multiple matters may have an email interface that may be used to update status items as well as upload and categorize documents. The web application may authenticate the source of the information, and may apply the various input received via email to an appropriate matter. The email interface may generate email queries for users, and the queries may include various identifiers that may be used to apply a response to the appropriate matter. The email interface may allow a user to create new matters or activities within matters. An email'"'"'s subject line, contents, attachments, or other information may be analyzed.

Claims

1. A method performed on a computer processor, said method comprising:

receiving an email from a sender;

authenticating said sender to an authentication database;

identifying a first matter from said email, said email being a reply email to an original email transmitted by said matter database, said first matter being determined by evaluating said original email;

determining that said sender has permission to update said first matter;

looking up said first matter in a matter database, said matter database comprising matter records and activities related to said matter records;

adding at least a portion of said email to said first matter in said database;

determining a set of open activities for said first matter;

evaluating the contents of said email to identify one of said open activities;

updating said one of said open activities;

identifying a first activity from said set of open activities by evaluating contents of said email, said first activity having a due date;

associating an identifier with said first activity;

updating said first activity with at least a portion of said contents, said updating comprising determining a completion date from said contents;

said updating further comprising uploading an attached file from said email to said matter database, said attached file being associated with said first matter.

2. The method of claim 1, said original email comprising a matter identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, said identifying a first matter from said email being performed by evaluating said matter identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, said original email comprising a unique identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, said unique identifier comprising a GUID.

6. The method of claim 1, said original email being a task reminder email.

7. The method of claim 1, said first activity being identified from an activity identifier in said email.

8. The method of claim 1, said identifier contained in a subject line for said email.

9. The method of claim 1, said identifier contained in said reply email.

10. The method of claim 1, said identifier contained in an attachment to said email.