Second person review of email

• US 20050050145A1
• Filed: 09/03/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John C. Lowe
• Original Assignee: John C. Lowe
• Inventors: Lowe, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An email review tool gives users a simple, quick, and safe method of initiating review of an email document. The email review tool may provide a window to a user which allows the user to select another person to review the email or skip the review process and send the email directly to the recipients. Transmission of the email is thus deferred until the email has been reviewed.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating second person review of an electronic mail (“

email”

) document destined for one or more addressees, the method comprising;

presenting a graphical window to an email sender, the graphical window configured to receive information from the email sender describing a request for a second person review of the email, the information including an identification of at least one person to perform the second person review;

transmitting the request for the second person review to the person identified to perform the second person review; and

transmitting a reviewed version of the email document to the one or more addressees.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical window is presented to the email sender in response to the email sender selecting a send email option in an email program.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

blocking the presentation of the graphical window to the email sender in situations determined based on the one or more addressees.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the graphical window is blocked when all of the one or more addressees correspond to internal email addresses.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical window includes an option to return the email sender to an email editing program.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical window includes an option to input information relating to where a hardcopy of the email should be filed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical window includes an option to input information relating to a date when the email can be deleted as part of a document retention program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information describing the request for the second person review additionally includes at least one of author name and email priority.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information describing the request for the second person review additionally includes comments from the email sender to the at least one person to perform the second person review.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the request for the second person review additionally includes:

transmitting the request as a review email document to the at least one person identified to perform the second person review.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a subject line of the review email document includes a standard textual identifier that is used to identify the review email document as an email requesting second person review.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a second graphical window to the at least one person to perform the second person review, the second graphical window configured to allow the at least one person to view and edit contents of the email document, the second graphical window additionally including a review complete option through which the at least one person performing the second person review indicates that the second person review is complete.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a reviewed version of the email document to the one or more addressees further includes:

returning the reviewed version of the email document to the email sender via email; and

presenting the graphical window to the email sender, the graphical window being additionally configured to accept a command that skips second person review and initiates sending of the email document to the one or more addressees.

14. An email review tool comprising:

a first graphical window presented to an email sender when the email sender attempts to send an email document to an addressee, the first graphical window informing the email sender that the email document should be reviewed by a second person before the email document is sent to the addressee, the first graphical window additionally including;

a reviewer field configured to receive information identifying a reviewer of the email document,

a skip review option through which the email sender directs that a second person review should be skipped and the email document transmitted to the addressee, and

a send for review option through which the email sender transmits the email document to the reviewer identified in the reviewer field.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first graphical window further includes:

an option to return the email sender to an email editing program.

16. The email review tool of claim 14, wherein the first graphical window further includes:

an author field configured to receive authorship information from the email sender.

17. The email review tool of claim 14, wherein the first graphical window further includes:

a priority field configured to receive priority information relating to an urgency of the second person review of the email document.

18. The email review tool of claim 14, wherein the first graphical window further includes:

a comment field configured to receive comments from the email sender relating to the second person review of the email document.

19. The email review tool of claim 14, further comprising:

a second graphical window presented to the reviewer of the email document, the second graphical window configured to allow the reviewer to view the email document and edit the email document, the second graphical window additionally including a review complete option through which the reviewer indicates that the second person review is complete.

20. A method comprising:

displaying a graphical window to a user of an email program when the user selects a send option of the email program, the graphical window including

a review field configured to receive information identifying at least one reviewer of an email document,

a skip review option through which the user directs that a second person review of the email document should be skipped and the email document transmitted to an addressee of the email document, and

a send for review option through which the user initiates transmission of the email document to the reviewer identified in the review field.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the graphical window further includes:

an author field configured to receive authorship information from the user.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the graphical window further includes:

a priority field configured to receive priority information relating to the second person review of the email document.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the graphical window further includes:

a comment field configured to receive comments from the user relating to the second person review of the email document.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein a subject line of the email document received by the reviewer includes a standard textual identifier that is used to identify the email document received by the reviewer as an email requesting second person review.

25. A computer-readable medium containing programming instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to implement a method comprising:

displaying a graphical window to a user of an email program, the graphical window including

a review field configured to receive information identifying at least one reviewer of an email document,

a comments field in which the user enters a message to the reviewer identified in the review field, and

a send for review option through which the user initiates transmission of the email document to the reviewer identified in the review field.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the graphical window further includes:

a skip review option through which the user directs that a second person review of the email document should be skipped and the email document transmitted to an addressee of the email document.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the graphical window is displayed to the user when the user selects a send option of the email program.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the graphical window further includes:

an author field configured to receive authorship information from the user.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the graphical window further includes:

a priority field configured to receive priority information relating to the second person review of the email document.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein a subject line of the email document received by the reviewer includes a standard textual identifier that is used to identify the email document received by the reviewer as an email requiring second person review.

31. A computing device comprising:

means for displaying a graphical window to a user of an email program, the graphical window including

means for presenting a review field for receiving information identifying a reviewing entity of an email document,

means for presenting a skip review option for directing that a review of the email document should be skipped and the email document transmitted to an addressee of the email document, and

means for presenting a send for review option for initiating transmission of the email document to the reviewing entity identified in the review field.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the graphical window is displayed to the user when the user selects a send option of the email program.

33. The device of claim 31, wherein the graphical window further includes:

means for presenting an author field for receiving authorship information from the user.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein the graphical window further includes:

means for presenting a priority field for receiving priority information relating to the second person review of the email document.

35. The device of claim 31, wherein the graphical window further includes:

means for presenting a comment field for receiving comments from the user relating to the review of the email document.

36. A computing device comprising:

means for displaying a graphical window to a user of an email program, the graphical window including

means for presenting a review field for receiving information identifying a reviewer of an email document,

means for presenting a skip review option for directing that a second person review of the email document should be skipped and the email document transmitted to an addressee of the email document,

means for presenting a send for review option for initiating transmission of the email document to the reviewer identified in the review field,

means for presenting an author field for receiving authorship information from the user,

means for presenting a priority field for receiving priority information relating to the second person review of the email document, and

means for presenting a comment field for receiving comments from the user relating to the second person review of the email document.