Email categorization methods, coding, and tools

• US 8,635,285 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2007
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Patrick Zeller, Paul D'Amato
• Original Assignee: Patrick Zeller, Paul D'Amato
• Inventors: D'Amato, Paul, Zeller, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHAN, AFTAB N
• Application Number:
  US11/963,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20090164588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,222 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207, 715/204, 715/752, 715/763
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

An electronic mail management system is operable to receive electronic mail message components from a user. Prior to sending of the email message, a plurality of predetermined categories for classifying the electronic message are presented to the user. The email system receives a user selection from the predetermined categories. A determination is made as to whether or not the email recipient is a member of a predetermined class of recipients. The electronic mail is then sent to the recipient. The user selection is embedded within the email message if the recipient is a member of the predetermined class of recipients. Finally, the email is stored in a manner dependent upon the user selection. Similarly, the email management server may also be operable to categorize received email messages. Further, email messages may be selected or programmed to automatically be deleted upon certain events.

Claims

1. An electronic mail management system for categorizing electronic mail message communication, the electronic mail management system comprising a computer, the computer executing steps of:

receiving electronic mail message components from an electronic mail sender, the electronic mail components including an identification of a recipient on a graphical user interface when composing an electronic mail message to be sent to the recipient;

presenting a plurality of predetermined categories for classifying electronic mail messages to the electronic mail sender in the graphical user interface;

receiving a first user selection from the predetermined categories for classifying the electronic mail messages;

determining when the recipient is a member of a predetermined class of recipients;

sending the electronic mail message to the recipient unless the first user selection is a category identified to be prevented from transmitting electronic mail messages, the first user selection being embedded in the graphical user interface when the recipient is a member of the predetermined class of recipients otherwise the electronic mail is sent without the first user selection embedded therein;

restricting the electronic mail message when the electronic mail message is identified in an attorney-client privileged category in at least one of the following ways;

by preventing the electronic mail message being sent outside of a company;

preventing the electronic mail message being forwarded to any user; and

preventing the electronic mail message being replied to in a “

reply to all”

manner;

storing the electronic mail message in a predetermined category;

wherein the predetermined categories for classifying electronic mail messages are associated with a send command or send button or a save command or a save button that is operable by the electronic mail sender for sending and saving the electronic message;

wherein the send button is divided into two or more distinct button subsections, each subsections being associated with the predetermined categorizes;

wherein an email management server checks exchange of messages to determine whether the recipient is compliant with categorization of electronic messages such that when the recipient is not compliant with the categorization of electronic messages, notifying the electronic mail sender or the recipient indicating denial of communication of the electronic message; and

collecting statistics regarding user compliance with comparison to each of the predetermined categories for classifying electronic mail messages in the graphical user interface.

2. The electronic mail management system of claim 1 further comprising retaining the electronic mail message for a predetermined time period associated with the first selection.

3. The electronic mail management system of claim 1 wherein each category has an associated non-transitory computer readable identifying code for computer implementation of activities associated with the first selection.

4. The electronic mail management system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of predetermined categories include a “

work related”

category and one or more non-personal categories.

5. The electronic mail management system of claim 1 wherein the computer further executes steps of:

categorizing received electronic mail messages by the recipient by determining when the electronic message from the electronic mail sender has an associated classification category;

presenting the plurality of predetermined categories to the recipient when the recipient accesses the electronic message from the electronic mail sender in association with a close command in the graphical user interface;

receiving a second user selection from the predetermined categories within the graphic user interface;

storing electronic mail messages in the predetermined category according to the second user selection;

providing the electronic mail from the electronic mail sender to the recipient; and

automatically deleting electronic message after they have been read by the recipient and automatically removing the electric mail message from a deleted folder and from a recycle bin.

6. The electronic mail management system of claim 5 wherein the computer further executes a step of providing the electronic mail message from the electronic mail sender after a predetermined period of time when the user has failed to provide the second user selection.

7. The electronic mail management system of claim 5 wherein the computer further executes a step of requesting the second user selection after the electronic mail message from the electronic mail sender is provided to the recipient.

8. The electronic mail management system of claim 5 wherein the send button or the save button is associated with one or more pop-up or pull-down menus for presenting the plurality of predetermined categories to the recipient.

9. The electronic mail management system of claim 5 wherein categorization of an electronic mail message limits functionality or storage of the email after the electronic mail message is drafted, saved, sent, or received.

10. The electronic mail management system of claim 5 wherein the sender automatically receives a copy of every message that was forwarded by the recipient.

11. The electronic mail management system of claim 5 further comprising using searching technologies to find documents responsive to document requests.

12. A method for categorizing electronic mail message communication, the method comprising:

receiving electronic mail message components from an electronic mail sender on a computing device, the electronic mail message components including an identification of a recipient on a graphical user interface when composing the electronic mail message to be sent to the recipient;

presenting a plurality of predetermined categories for classifying the electronic message to the sender in the graphical user interface;

receiving a first user selection from the predetermined categories;

determining when the recipient is a member of a predetermined class of recipients;

sending the electronic mail to the recipient unless the first user selection is a category identified to be prevented from transmitting electronic messages, the first user selection being embedded in the graphical user interface therein when the recipient is a member of the predetermined class of recipients otherwise the electronic mail is sent without the first user selection embedded therein;

restricting the electronic mail message when the electronic mail message is identified in an attorney-client privileged category in at least one of the following ways;

by preventing the electronic mail message being sent outside of a company;

preventing the electronic mail message being forwarded to any user; and

preventing the electronic mail message being replied to in a “

reply to all”

manner;

storing the electronic mail message in a predetermined category;

wherein the predetermined categories for classifying electronic mail messages are associated with a send command or send button or a save command or a save button that is operable by the electronic mail sender for sending and saving the electronic message;

wherein the send button is divided into two or more distinct button subsections, each subsections being associated with the predetermined categorizes;

wherein an email management server checks exchange of messages to determine whether the recipient is compliant with categorization of electronic messages such that when the recipient is not compliant with the categorization of electronic messages, notifying the electronic mail sender or the recipient indicating denial of communication of the electronic message; and

collecting statistics regarding user compliance with comparison to each of the predetermined categories for classifying electronic mail messages in the graphical user interface.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein each category has an associated non-transitory computer readable identifying code for computer implementation of activities associated with the user selection.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the plurality of the predetermined categories include a “

work related”

category and one or more non-personal categories.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

categorizing received electronic mail messages by the recipient by determining when the electronic message from the electronic mail sender has an associated classification category;

presenting the plurality of predetermined categories to the recipient when the recipient accesses the electronic message from the electronic mail sender in association with a close command in the graphical user interface;

receiving a second user selection from the predetermined categories within the graphic user interface;

storing electronic mail messages in the predetermined category according to user selection;

providing the electronic mail from the electronic mail sender to the user the recipient; and

automatically deleting electronic message after they have been read by the recipient and automatically removing the electric mail message from a deleted folder and from a recycle bin.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the send button or the save button is associated with one or more pop-up or pull-down menus for presenting the plurality of predetermined categories to the sender.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising collecting statistics regarding user selections.

18. The method of claim 12, are repeated periodically and at plurality of times.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising sorting a plurality of electronic mail messages by user selected categories.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising retaining the electronic mail message for a predetermined time period associated with the user selection.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions encoded therein that are accessed by a computer to execute a method, the method comprising:

a) receiving electronic mail message components from an electronic mail sender, the electronic mail components including an identification of a recipient on a graphical user interface when composing the electronic mail message to be sent to the user;

b) presenting a plurality of predetermined categories for classifying the electronic message to the electronic mail sender in the graphical user interface;

c) receiving a user selection from the predetermined categories;

d) determining when the recipient is a member of a predetermined class of recipients;

e) sending the electronic mail message to the recipient, the user selection being embedded therein if the recipient is a member of the predetermined class of recipients otherwise the electronic mail is sent without the selection embedded therein;

f) restricting the electronic mail message when the electronic mail message is identified in an attorney-client privileged category in at least one of the following ways;

by preventing the electronic mail message being sent outside of a company;

preventing the electronic mail message being forwarded to any user; and

preventing the electronic mail message being replied to in a “

reply to all”

manner;

storing the electronic mail message in a predetermined category;

wherein the predetermined categories for classifying electronic mail messages are associated with a send command or send button or a save command or a save button that is operable by the electronic mail sender for sending and saving the electronic message;

wherein the send button is divided into two or more distinct button subsections, each subsections being associated with the predetermined categorizes;

wherein an email management server checks exchange of messages to determine whether the recipient is compliant with categorization of electronic messages such that when the recipient is not compliant with the categorization of electronic messages, notifying the electronic mail sender or the recipient indicating denial of communication of the electronic message; and

collecting statistics regarding user compliance with comparison to each of the predetermined categories for classifying electronic mail messages in the graphical user interface.