Leveraging point-in-time knowledge to respond to e-mail

• US 8,959,158 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2009
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Harpur, Liam, O'Sullivan, Patrick J., Raguillat, Fred, Stern, Edith H., Willner, Barry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dustin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mesa, Joel
• Application Number:
  US12/577,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20110087740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,954 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/204
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Point-in-time actions are leveraged between computers that receive the same asynchronous electronic message. A point-in-time action is performed at a first receiving computer in response to receipt of an asynchronous electronic message. The point-in-time action results in an action alert, which is transmitted to a second receiving computer that also received the asynchronous electronic message.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of leveraging point-in-time actions, the computer-implemented method comprising:

establishing a hierarchical group that comprises a first receiving computer and a second receiving computer, wherein the hierarchical group defines which co-recipient computers are authorized to be monitored for and notified of action activities;

receiving, by the first receiving computer, an asynchronous electronic message;

performing, at the first receiving computer and in response to receiving the asynchronous electronic message, a point-in-time action, wherein the point-in-time action comprises performing an Internet word search for subjects that are related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message;

generating an action alert by the first receiving computer, wherein the action alert is generated in response to the point-in-time action being performed at the first receiving computer, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an open request to any of multiple recipients to perform an activity related to a particular project, wherein the point-in-time action initiated a performance of the activity related to the particular project, wherein the action alert indicates that the point-in-time action has been taken by the user of the first receiving computer, and wherein transmission of the action alert is limited to other computers in the hierarchical group;

transmitting the action alert to the second receiving computer, wherein the second receiving computer also receives the asynchronous electronic message, and wherein the action alert is automatically generated and transmitted by the first receiving computer in response to the user of the first receiving computer performing the point-in-time action; and

receiving a response from the second receiving computer, wherein the response is generated by the second receiving computer in response to the second receiving computer receiving the action alert, and wherein the response instructs a user of the first receiving computer to contact by telephone a user of the second receiving computer.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the action alert comprises instructions to force the second receiving computer to automatically delete the asynchronous electronic message from the second receiving computer.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the action alert comprises instructions to force details of the point-in-time action to be displayed on the second receiving computer.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer further comprises opening a database that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer further comprises retrieving previously received asynchronous electronic messages that are related to the topic of the currently received asynchronous electronic message.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer further comprises opening an existing local folder that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an e-mail that has a topic described in a subject line, wherein a descriptor term in the subject line describes the topic of the e-mail, wherein a name of the existing local folder comprises the descriptor term, and wherein the existing local folder is identified as being related to the topic of the asynchronous electronic e-mail if the name of the local folder comprises the descriptor term.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer further comprises creating a new document that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an e-mail that has a topic identified in a subject line, wherein a descriptor term in the subject line describes the topic of the e-mail, wherein a name of the new document comprises the descriptor term, and wherein the new document is identified as being related to the topic of the e-mail if the name of the new document comprises the descriptor term.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer further comprises adding an entry to an existing “

to do”

list on the first receiving computer, wherein the entry on the existing “

to do”

list is logically related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an original e-mail that has a subject line, and wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer further comprises creating a new e-mail that shares a common term with the subject line from the original e-mail.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an original e-mail that has a subject line, wherein the point-in-time action taken by the first user further comprises retrieving a prior e-mail that shares a common term with the subject line from the original e-mail, and wherein the prior e-mail was previously received by the first user.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer further comprises creating a time entry in a billing calendar, and wherein the time entry is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an original e-mail, and wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer further comprises saving a draft of a response e-mail to the original e-mail.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer further comprises printing the asynchronous electronic message.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an original e-mail, and wherein the point-in-time action taken at the first receiving computer further comprises copying a portion of the original e-mail.

17. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit; and

a computer readable memory coupled to the central processing unit, wherein the computer readable memory comprises software which, when executed, causes the central processing unit to implement;

establishing a hierarchical group, wherein the hierarchical group defines which co-recipient computers are authorized to be monitored for and notified of action activities;

receiving an asynchronous electronic message;

performing, in response to receiving the asynchronous electronic message, a point-in-time action, wherein the point-in-time action comprises performing an Internet word search for subjects that are related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message;

generating an action alert, wherein the action alert is generated in response to the point-in-time action being performed at the computer system, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an open request to any of multiple recipients to perform an activity related to a particular project, wherein the point-in-time action initiated a performance of the activity related to the particular project, wherein the action alert indicates that the point-in-time action has been taken by the user of said computer system, and wherein transmission of the action alert is limited to other computers in the hierarchical group;

transmitting the action alert to another computer that also receives the asynchronous electronic message, wherein the action alert is automatically generated and transmitted by said computer system in response to the user of said computer system performing the point-in-time action; and

receiving a response from said another computer, wherein the response is generated by said another computer in response to said another computer receiving the action alert, and wherein the response instructs a user of the computer system to contact by telephone a user of said another computer, wherein the action alert comprises instructions to force said another computer to automatically delete the asynchronous electronic message from said another computer, wherein the point-in-time action taken at said computer system further comprises opening a database that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message, wherein the point-in-time action taken at said computer system further comprises retrieving previously received asynchronous electronic messages that are related to the topic of the currently received asynchronous electronic message, wherein the point-in-time action taken at said computer system further comprises opening an existing local folder that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an e-mail that has a topic described in a subject line, wherein a descriptor term in the subject line describes the topic of the e-mail, wherein a name of the existing local folder comprises the descriptor term, wherein the existing local folder is identified as being related to the topic of the asynchronous electronic e-mail if the name of the local folder comprises the descriptor term, wherein the point-in-time action taken at said computer system further comprises creating a new document that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message, wherein the point-in-time action taken at said computer system further comprises creating a time entry in a billing calendar, and wherein the time entry is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein modifying the response comprises transmitting a message to a sending computer that the computer system is in a process of creating a reply e-mail to the asynchronous electronic message.

19. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodied therewith, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising:

computer readable program code for establishing a hierarchical group, wherein the hierarchical group defines which co-recipient computers are authorized to be monitored for and notified of action activities;

computer readable program code for receiving an asynchronous electronic message at a computer system;

computer readable program code for performing, in response to the computer system receiving the asynchronous electronic message, a point-in-time action, wherein the point-in-time action comprises performing an Internet word search for subjects that are related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message;

computer readable program code configured for generating an action alert, wherein the action alert is generated in response to the point-in-time action being performed at by the computer system, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an open request to any of multiple recipients to perform an activity related to a particular project, wherein the point-in-time action initiated a performance of the activity related to the particular project, wherein the action alert indicates that the point-in-time action has been taken by the user of said computer system, and wherein transmission of the action alert is limited computers in the hierarchical group;

computer readable program code for transmitting the action alert to another computer that also receives the asynchronous electronic message, wherein the action alert is automatically generated and transmitted by said computer system in response to the user of said computer system performing the point-in-time action; and

computer readable program code for receiving a response from said another computer, wherein the response is generated by said another computer in response to said another computer receiving the action alert, and wherein the response instructs a user of the computer system to contact by telephone a user of said another computer, wherein the action alert comprises instructions to force said another computer to automatically delete the asynchronous electronic message from said another computer, wherein the point-in-time action taken at said computer system further comprises opening a database that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message, wherein the point-in-time action taken at said computer system further comprises retrieving previously received asynchronous electronic messages that are related to the topic of the currently received asynchronous electronic message, wherein the point-in-time action taken at said computer system further comprises opening an existing local folder that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message, wherein the asynchronous electronic message is an e-mail that has a topic described in a subject line, wherein a descriptor term in the subject line describes the topic of the e-mail, wherein a name of the existing local folder comprises the descriptor term, wherein the existing local folder is identified as being related to the topic of the asynchronous electronic e-mail if the name of the local folder comprises the descriptor term, wherein the point-in-time action taken at said computer system further comprises creating a new document that is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message, wherein the point-in-time action taken at said computer system further comprises creating a time entry in a billing calendar, and wherein the time entry is related to a topic of the asynchronous electronic message.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the action alert forces details of the action alert to be displayed on said another computer.