Automatic display of email distribution lists

• US 8,230,034 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Leisher-Samenfink, Peggy J., Lenard, Rohan, Thomas, Michael J., Williams, Bradley B., Atkins, Richard J., Kalsi, Sunny Singh, Thambiratnam, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ashok
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDBERG, ANDREW C
• Application Number:
  US13/115,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 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]

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed generally to autocompete functionality in messaging applications. The autocomplete functionality, for example, generates frequently and/or recently used distribution lists or groups, performs keyword searches to identify recipient identifiers, and provides convenient modification of existing distribution lists or groups.

Claims

1. A messaging method, comprising:

(a) receiving from a user, as part of completing an outgoing message, at least a part of a recipient identifier;

(b) matching the at least part of the recipient identifier with one or more of a plurality of single and multi-member group recipient identifiers to form a set of matching identifiers, wherein multi-member group recipient identifiers are included in the set of matching identifiers based on a semantic analysis such that all individual members of the multi-member group are listed when a first member of the multi-member group matches the at least part of the recipient identifier and also when the first member of the multi-member group is not a match with the at least part of the recipient identifier, but a later member of the multi-member group is a match with the at least part of the recipient identifier, wherein the user is provided with a selectable option for creating a frequently used multi-member group when the multi-member group recipient identifiers are provided to the user, the selectable option, when selected by the user, automatically populating a recipient field of the outgoing message with members of the provided multi-member group, wherein the user is always provided the selectable option for creating a frequently used multi-member group;

(c) automatically ordering, by an addressee analysis module and a microprocessor, the members of the set of matching identifiers using at least one of an occurrence and nonoccurrence of selected expressions in at least one of a subject and a message text field of the outgoing message relative to one or more of;

one or more past messages and one or more past appointments; and

(d) providing to the user a listing of the matching identifiers in the ordering determined in step (c).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a selected expression is at least one word.

3. A non-transitory computer readable information storage medium comprising processor executable instructions for performing the steps of claim 1.

4. A messaging server comprising an address analysis module having an auto-complete function including processor executable instructions to perform the steps of claim 1.