Source initiated autonomic recipient e-mail address correction redistribution

• US 8,495,146 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Murphy, Thomas E. Jr., Pflug, Francis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Emdadi, Keyvan
• Application Number:
  US11/463,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20080040432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,540 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 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

A computer system and associated method is disclosed for distributing electronic communication. The electronic communication is originated from a first originating destination and is to be sent to a distribution of recipient(s). The distribution can simply consist of one or a plurality of intended recipients. When delivery information is verified, any errors leading to delivery failure of the communication is corrected to be used in subsequent response communication originated by one or more of these recipients.

Claims

1. A method of distributing electronic communication, comprising:

sending an electronic communication from an originator to a distribution of one or more recipients as specified by delivery information provided in the electronic communication, wherein at least one of the one or more recipients includes wrongly entered user identity information;

responsive to detecting an error in the delivery information, related to the wrongly entered user identity information, provided in an original electronic communication after it has been sent from the originator, notifying the originator of the error and prompting the originator for corrected delivery information;

referencing the original electronic communication to aggregate a subsequent electronic communication with the corrected delivery information, the correct delivery information being newly and not previously entered user identity information correcting the wrongly entered user identity information, and entered into the subsequent electronic communication; and

responsive to receiving corrected delivery information from the originator, distributing the corrected delivery information to one or more of said recipients in the subsequent electronic communication separate from the original electronic communication such that said corrected delivery information can be used in a subsequent response communication originated by one of said recipients,

wherein said originator selects a customizable option to distribute the corrected delivery information, the customizable option being a resend with propagation option, the propagation option including identifying all recipient of the electronic communication and sending the corrected delivery information to all recipients of the electronic communication,

wherein said subsequent electronic communication is distributed to one or more of said recipients as if it were sent directly from the originator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said distribution includes only one recipient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery information includes addressing information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein corrected delivery information is distributed automatically upon receiving such corrected delivery information from the originator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein corrected delivery information is distributed only if the originator has selected distribution of corrected delivery information to said distribution of recipients.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said originator has selected distribution of corrected delivery information through a customized option triggered upon either origination of said original electronic communication or receipt of a potential delivery failure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said customized option is a resend with propagation option.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein corrected delivery information is distributed to a recipient of said original electronic communication only if the recipient has previously selected distribution of corrected delivery information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said recipient has selected distribution of corrected delivery information through a customized option triggered after an acknowledgement is received informing said recipient of the existence of erroneous delivery information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein corrected delivery information is only distributed after an onset of a subsequent response communication by one or more of said recipients.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said corrected delivery information is only provided to an originator of said subsequent response.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a globally unique message identifier is used to link the original electronic communication to subsequent response communications that may need to use said corrected delivery information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each electronic communication includes an envelope having one or more header fields as well as content which includes a message to be communicated.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said header fields come in different varieties and together hold information regarding delivery and transmission of said electronic communication.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said header fields include a resent header field.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

upon detecting a potential delivery problem and receiving corrected delivery information, prepending the original electronic communication with information provided in a resent header field such that said information causes a reference to said original electronic communication so as to identify the original electronic communication being updated.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a new header line is added carrying information relating to erroneous delivery information as well as associated corrected delivery information, and wherein said reference to said original electronic communication is made through the use of a globally unique identification field.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a reply option is used and information correction is not triggered automatically.

19. A method of distributing electronic mail, comprising:

sending an electronic mail communication from an originator at a first location to a distribution of one or more recipients, said electronic mail communication including one or more header fields, said header fields including delivery information needed for transmission and delivery of said electronic mail communication, wherein at least one of the one or more recipients includes wrongly entered user identity information;

responsive to detecting an error in the delivery information, related to the wrongly entered user identity information, provided in an original electronic mail communication after it has been sent for the originator, notifying the originator of the error and prompting the originator for corrected delivery information;

referencing the original electronic communication to aggregate a subsequent electronic communication with the corrected delivery information, the correct delivery information being newly and not previously entered user identity information correcting the wrongly entered user identity information, and entered into the subsequent electronic communication;

responsive to receiving corrected delivery information from the originator, correcting the error in said delivery information and prepending the original electronic mail communication with a resent header field such that it would cause a reference to said original electronic mail communication via a message identification field, said resent header field indicating that said original electronic mail communication is being updated;

generating a new header line in one or more of said header fields as to provide both information relating to said error and information about an associated corrected replacement; and

delivering said electronic mail communication and any corrected delivery information to one or more of said recipients in the subsequent electronic mail communication separate from the original electronic mail communication such that said corrected delivery information can be used in a subsequent response communication originated by one of said recipients,

wherein said originator selects a customizable option to distribute the corrected delivery information, the customizable option being a resend with propagation option, the propagation option including identifying all recipient of the electronic communication and sending the corrected delivery information to all recipients of the electronic communication,

wherein said subsequent electronic communication is distributed to one or more of said recipients as if it were sent directly from the originator.

20. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of nodes in processing communication with one another, each of said nodes being able to generate as an originating node an electronic communication and send the electronic communication to a distribution of one or more recipient nodes, each generated electronic communication having one or more header fields providing delivery information needed for delivery and transmission, wherein at least one of the one or more recipient nodes includes wrongly entered user identity information;

means responsive to detecting an error in the delivery information, related to the wrongly entered user identity information, provided in an original electronic communication after it has been sent from an originating node for notifying the originating node of the error and prompting the originating node for corrected delivery information;

means responsive to referencing the original electronic communication to aggregate a subsequent electronic communication with the corrected delivery information, the correct delivery information being newly and not previously entered user identity information correcting the wrongly entered user identity information, and entered into the subsequent electronic communication; and

means responsive to receiving corrected delivery information from the originating node for distributing the corrected delivery information to one or more of said recipient nodes in the subsequent electronic communication separate from the original electronic communication such that said corrected delivery information can be used in a subsequent response communication originated by one of said recipient nodes,

wherein said originator selects a customizable option to distribute the corrected delivery information, the customizable option being a resend with propagation option, the propagation option including identifying all recipient of the electronic communication and sending the corrected delivery information to all recipients of the electronic communication,

wherein said subsequent electronic communication is distributed to one or more of said recipients as if it were sent directly from the originator.