Enabling a sender to control future recipients of an email

• US 20050091318A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Keohane, Susann Marie, McBrearty, Gerald Francis, Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han, Mullen, Shawn Patrick, Murillo, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US10/682,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20050091318A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method, system, and program for enabling a sender to control future recipients of an email are provided. An email is received with at least one pre-selected future recipient at a computer system accessible to a primary recipient of the email. The pre-selected future recipient is distinguishable from a sender of an email. The received email is displayed. Then, responsive to the primary recipient electing to respond to the email, a response email is automatically addressed to the at least one pre-selected future recipient, such that a sender of the email controls future recipients of the email by pre-selecting the at least one future recipient. Future recipients may be selected by the sender for each email or automatically selected from a database of addresses each with a pre-selected future recipient based on the primary recipient of the email.

Claims

1. A method for controlling future recipients of an email, comprising:

receiving an email with at least one pre-selected future recipient at a computer system accessible to a primary recipient of said email, wherein said at least one pre-selected future recipient is distinguishable from a sender of said email;

displaying said received email; and

responsive to said primary recipient electing to respond to said email, automatically addressing a response email to said at least one pre-selected future recipient, such that a sender of said email controls future recipients of said email by pre-selecting said at least one fixture recipient.

2. The method of claim 1 for controlling future recipients of an email, further comprising:

receiving an election to respond by replying to said email.

3. The method of claim 1 for controlling future recipients of an email, further comprising:

receiving an election to respond by forwarding said email.

4. The method of claim 1 for controlling future recipients of an email, further comprising:

automatically addressing said response email as a carbon copy to said at least one pre-selected future recipient.

5. The method of claim 1 for controlling future recipients of an email, further comprising:

hiding an actual address for said at least one pre-selected future recipient.

6. The method of claim 1 for controlling future recipients of an email, further comprising:

enabling said primary recipient to select additional recipients of said response email.

7. An electronic mail system, comprising:

a computer system communicatively connected to a network;

means for receiving an email with at least one pre-selected future recipient at said computer system accessible to a primary recipient of said email;

means for displaying said received email; and

means responsive to said primary recipient electing to respond to said email, for automatically addressing a response email to said at least one pre-selected future recipient.

8. The electronic mail system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for receiving an election to respond by replying to said email.

9. The electronic mail system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for receiving an election to respond by forwarding said email.

10. The electronic mail system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for automatically addressing said response email as a carbon copy to said at least one pre-selected future recipient.

11. The electronic mail system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for hiding an actual address for said at least one pre-selected future recipient.

12. The electronic mail system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for enabling said primary recipient to select additional recipients of said response email.

13. A computer program product for controlling future recipients of an email, comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing an email intended for a primary recipient with at least one pre-selected future recipient specified by a sender of said email, wherein said at least one pre-selected future recipient is distinguishable from said sender of said email;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for displaying said received email; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for automatically addressing a response email to said at least one pre-selected future recipient, responsive to said primary recipient electing to respond to said email.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 for controlling future recipients of an email, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving an election to respond by replying to said email.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 for controlling future recipients of an email, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving an election to respond by forwarding said email.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 for controlling future recipients of an email, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for automatically addressing said response email as a carbon copy to said at least one pre-selected future recipient.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 for controlling future recipients of an email, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for hiding an actual address for said at least one pre-selected future recipient.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 for controlling future recipients of an email, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for enabling said primary recipient to select additional recipients of said response email.

19. A method for enabling a sender to control future recipients of an email, comprising:

responsive to a request to compose a new email, enabling a sender of said email to designate at least one future recipient of said email; and

embedding said at least one future recipient in a header of said email, wherein a mail reader receiving said email is directed to address any response to said email to said at least one future recipient.

20. A method for pre-selecting future recipients of an email, comprising:

detecting a composed email with at least one primary recipient;

comparing said at least one primary recipient with an plurality of addresses each specified with a pre-selected future recipient; and

responsive to said at least one primary recipient matching one of said plurality of addresses, automatically designating said matching pre-selected future recipients for said address in said email.