SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING FILES TO BE ATTACHED TO OR DETACHED FROM AN ELECTRONIC MAIL

• US 20080147746A1
• Filed: 12/03/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Truntschka, Carole, Marmigere, Gerard, Bauchot, Frederic, Coulomb, Beatrice
• Granted Patent: US 9,276,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A system and method for identifying specific locations where to attach or detach e-mail attachments based on e-mail storage locations is disclosed. The method allows to search in a mail-attachment connection table all the attachment locations that are in relation to the e-mail where the attachment is to be attached to or to be detached from and to present to a user all attachment locations that have a relevance for the attach/detach operation.

Claims

1. A method for managing electronic mail file attachments comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a user to attach or detach a file attachment from an electronic mail;

identifying a mail location where to file said electronic mail;

searching in a mail-attachment connection table for all attachment locations linked to the identified mail location; and

extracting at least one attachment location among the found all attachment locations.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of identifying a mail location comprises the step of prompting the user to specify a mail location.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of identifying a mail location comprises the step of retrieving an existing mail location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching step comprises the step of sorting all attachment locations according to the number of attach/detach operations occurred on said electronic mail.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the extracting step comprises the step of extracting the at least one attachment location having the highest number of attach/detach operations.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising after the extracting step, the step of allowing the user to select one attachment location among the at least one extracted attachment location to process an attach/detach operation.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising after the selecting step, the step of updating the mail-attachment connection table.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment location is a disk directory.

9. A computer readable storage media, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform method steps for managing electronic mail file attachments, said method steps comprising:

receiving a request from a user to attach or detach a file attachment from an electronic mail;

identifying a mail location where to file said electronic mail;

searching in a mail-attachment connection table for all attachment locations linked to the identified mail location; and

extracting at least one attachment location among the found all attachment locations.

10. The computer readable storage media according to claim 9, wherein the step of identifying a mail location comprises the step of prompting the user to specify a mail location.

11. The computer readable storage media according to claim 9, wherein the step of identifying a mail location comprises the step of retrieving an existing mail location.

12. The computer readable program media according to claim 9, wherein the searching step comprises the step of sorting all attachment locations according to the number of attach/detach operations occurred on said electronic mail.

13. The computer readable program media according to claim 12, wherein the extracting step comprises the step of extracting the at least one attachment location having the highest number of attach/detach operations.

14. The computer readable program media according to claim 9, further comprising the step of, after the extracting step, allowing the user to select one attachment location among the at least one extracted attachment location to process an attach/detach operation.

15. A system for managing electronic mail file attachments, comprising:

one or more processing units configured for receiving a request from a user to attach or detach a file attachment from an electronic mail;

identifying a mail location where to file said electronic mail;

searching in a mail-attachment connection table for all attachment locations linked to the identified mail location; and

extracting at least one attachment location among the found all attachment locations.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more processing units are configured for prompting the user to specify a mail location.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more processing units are configured for retrieving an existing mail location.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more processing units are configured for, after said extracting, allowing the user to select one attachment location among the at least one extracted attachment location to process an attach/detach operation.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more processing units are configured for, after the user selects one attachment, updating the mail-attachment connection table.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein the attachment location is a disk directory.