Duplicate e-mail content detection and automatic doclink conversion
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for reducing utilization of disk storage space due to duplicate content in electronic mail message transmission, the method comprising:
- intercepting, at a server, an email from a second user to a first user in a thread of emails between a first user and a second user, the email comprising a first message created by the first user and a second message created by the second user;
responsive to determining that the first message includes a first section identifier, extracting the first message from the email, saving the first message in a repository connected to the server, generating a doclink, and replacing the first message in the email with the doclink;
responsive to determining that the second message does not include a section identifier, generating a second section identifier, and embedding the second section identifier in the second message;
sending the email to the first user at a first computer; and
responsive to the first user opening the email at the first computer, automatically resolving the doclink into a representation of the first message so that an entire email is displayed.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A Duplicate Content Storage and Access Program (DCSAP) identifies duplicate content, stores the duplicate content in one location, and provides a doclink to the stored duplicate content so that the doclink may be automatically replaced with the duplicate content. DCSAP examines email to determine whether the email contains a section identifier. A section identifier is a data element assigned by an algorithm in such a manner that no two section identifiers can be the same. If the email does not contain a section identifier, DCSAP embeds a section identifier into the email and forwards the email. If the email contains a section identifier, DCSAP extracts the section. DCSAP stores the extracted section in a repository and creates a doclink to the stored section. DCSAP then embeds a section identifier in the remainder of the email, and forwards the remainder and the doclink to the recipient. The doclink may be activated by the recipient, or it may be activated automatically. When activated the doclink resolves into the text of the corresponding section in the repository. Additional features such as security permissions, sorting preferences, and display effects may be added to the doclink.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for reducing utilization of disk storage space due to duplicate content in electronic mail message transmission, the method comprising:
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intercepting, at a server, an email from a second user to a first user in a thread of emails between a first user and a second user, the email comprising a first message created by the first user and a second message created by the second user; responsive to determining that the first message includes a first section identifier, extracting the first message from the email, saving the first message in a repository connected to the server, generating a doclink, and replacing the first message in the email with the doclink; responsive to determining that the second message does not include a section identifier, generating a second section identifier, and embedding the second section identifier in the second message; sending the email to the first user at a first computer; and responsive to the first user opening the email at the first computer, automatically resolving the doclink into a representation of the first message so that an entire email is displayed. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An apparatus, comprising:
a computer having a processor connected to a memory; and
an email cleaning utility stored in the memory, the email cleaning utility containing a plurality of instructions adapted to cause the processor to perform steps comprising;intercepting a plurality of emails; determining whether any email contains a section identifier, wherein the section identifier is a data element previously assigned by an algorithm in such a manner that no two section identifiers are the same; responsive to determining that an email does not contain a section identifier, embedding a new section identifier into the email and forwarding the email; responsive to determining that the email contains one or more section identifiers, extracting from the email each section that has an assigned section identifier, storing each section extracted from the email in a repository, creating a doclink to each section extracted from the email and stored in the repository, assigning a new section identifier to a remainder section of the email, and forwarding the remainder section with the new section identifier and each doclink for each section extracted from the email to a recipient; wherein responsive to activation each doclink resolves into a representation of a corresponding section in the repository; and wherein a storage of a duplicate content is eliminated while permitting a selective access to each section having a doclink in the plurality of emails. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A computer program product, comprising:
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a computer readable storage device; and an email cleaning utility stored in the computer readable storage device, the email cleaning utility containing a plurality of instructions adapted to cause a processor of a computer to perform steps comprising; intercepting a plurality of emails; determining whether any email contains a section identifier, wherein the section identifier is a data element previously assigned by an algorithm in such a manner that no two section identifiers are the same; responsive to determining that an email does not contain a section identifier, embedding a new section identifier into the email and forwarding the email; responsive to determining that the email contains one or more section identifiers, extracting from the email each section that has an assigned section identifier, storing each section extracted from the email in a repository, creating a doclink to each section extracted from the email and stored in the repository, assigning a new section identifier to a remainder section of the email, and forwarding the remainder section with the new section identifier and each doclink for each section extracted from the email to a recipient; wherein responsive to activation each doclink resolves into a representation of a corresponding section in the repository; and wherein a storage of a duplicate content is eliminated while permitting a selective access to each section having a doclink in the plurality of emails. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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Specification