Signature e-mail attachment printing

• US 8,285,794 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Parry, Travis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bengzon, Greg C
• Application Number:
  US10/144,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20030217107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,801 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping

Abstract

A method and system for organizing printed documents associated with an e-mail message wherein each of the printed documents may be separated by a printer header page reflecting some or all of the signature information included with the e-mail message from which the printed documents originate.

Claims

1. A method of printing an e-mail message, comprising:

sending said e-mail message to a printing device for printing, said e-mail message comprising a body and a signature, said signature included within said e-mail message at an end of said body of said e-mail message;

separating said body and said signature, including receiving said e-mail message by said printing device, routing said e-mail message to a daemon operating on said printing device, and executing said daemon on said printing device for stripping said signature from said e-mail message at said printing device;

separately printing said signature as a header page before printing said body; and

after separately printing said signature as said header page, separately printing said body.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said separating said body and said signature comprises receiving said e-mail message at an e-mail management program, and operating said e-mail management program to strip said signature from said e-mail message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said e-mail message further comprises at least one attachment, and further comprising printing said at least one attachment to said e-mail message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said separately printing said signature as a header page comprises separately printing said signature as a single header page before printing said body of said e-mail message and said at least one attachment to said e-mail message.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said separately printing said signature as a header page comprises:

separately printing said signature as one header page before printing said body of said e-mail message; and

separately printing said signature as another header page before printing said at least one attachment to said e-mail message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said signature comprises a customized signature included within said e-mail message, wherein said separating said body and said signature comprises stripping said customized signature from said e-mail message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a file name for storage of said e-mail message from said signature of said e-mail message;

storing said e-mail message to a storage location with said file name; and

printing said signature and said file name as a header page when said e-mail message is stored in said storage location.

8. A system for printing e-mail messages, comprising:

a computer system;

an e-mail management program operating with said computer system;

a printer in communication with said computer system; and

a printer daemon operating with said printer for separating signature information included at an end of a body of an e-mail sent to said printer from said body of said e-mail, separately printing said signature information as a header page before printing said body of said e-mail, and, after separately printing said signature information as said header page, separately printing said body of said e-mail,

wherein a file name for said e-mail is created from said signature information of said e-mail, and said e-mail is stored with said file name.

9. The system of claim 8, said printer daemon further operating with said printer for printing said signature information as a header page before printing said body of said e-mail and for printing said signature information as another header page before printing an attachment to said e-mail.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said signature information comprises a customized signature included within said e-mail.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said signature information includes an origin of said e-mail, a recipient of said e-mail, and a date and time of said e-mail.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said signature information and said file name are printed as a header page when said e-mail is stored.

10. A method of printing an e-mail message, comprising:

sending said e-mail message to a printing device for printing, said e-mail message comprising a body, signature information, and at least one attachment, said signature information included at an end of said body of said e-mail message;

stripping said signature information from said e-mail message, including routing said e-mail message to a daemon operating on said printing device, and executing said daemon on said printing device for stripping said signature information from said e-mail message at said printing device;

printing said signature information as a header page before printing said body of said e-mail message and printing said body of said e-mail message after printing said header page, including eliminating said signature information from a printed copy of said e-mail message; and

printing said signature information as another header page before printing said at least one attachment to said e-mail message and printing said at least one attachment after printing said another header page.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

creating a file name for storage of said e-mail message from said signature information of said e-mail message;

storing said e-mail message to a storage location with said file name; and

printing said signature information and said file name as a header page when said e-mail message is stored in said storage location.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said signature information comprises a customized signature included within said e-mail message at an end of said e-mail message.