EMAIL CATEGORIZATION METHODS, CODING, AND TOOLS

• US 20090164588A1
• Filed: 12/22/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Patrick Zeller, Paul D'Amato
• Original Assignee: Patrick Zeller, Paul D'Amato
• Inventors: Zeller, Patrick, D'Amato, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,635,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 messages received by a user or sent by a user, the electronic mail management system operable to:

a) receive electronic mail message components from the user, the electronic mail components including an identification of at least one recipient;

b) present a plurality of predetermined categories for classifying the electronic message to the user;

c) receive a first user selection from the predetermined categories;

d) determine if the recipient is a member of a predetermined class of recipients;

e) send the electronic mail to the recipient, the first user selection being embedded therein if the recipient is a member of the predetermined class of recipients; and

f) store the email in a manner dependent upon the user selection.

2. The electronic mail management system of claim 1 further operable to:

a′

) receive an electronic message from an electronic mail sender;

b′

) determine if the electronic message from an electronic mail sender has an associated classification category;

c′

) present a plurality of predetermined classification categories to the user when the user accesses the electronic message from an electronic mail sender;

d′

) receive a second user selection from the predetermined receive categories;

e′

) store the electronic mail from an electronic mail sender in a manner dependent upon the second user selection; and

f′

) provide the electronic mail from an electronic mail sender to the user.

3. The electronic mail management system of claim 2 is further operable to provide the electronic mail from an electronic mail sender after a predetermined period of time if the user has failed to provide the second user selection.

4. The electronic mail management system of claim 2 further operable to request the second user selection after the electronic mail message from an electronic mail sender is provided to the user.

5. The electronic mail management system of claim 2 wherein the predetermined categories are associated with a command operable by the user.

6. The electronic mail management system of claim 5 wherein the predetermined categories are associated with a command for sending emails or for saving email messages.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the command is initiated by a button that is presented to the user as part of a graphical user interface.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the button is divided into two or more distinct button subsections, each button subsection being associated with a subset of the predetermined categories.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the button is associated with one or more pop-up or pull-down menus for presenting the plurality of predetermined categories to the user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the command is initiated by a button that is presented to the user, the button being segregated into two or more distinct buttons, each sub-button associated with a subset of the predetermined categories.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising retaining the electronic mail message for a predetermined time period associated with the user selection.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising collecting statistics regarding user selections.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein each category has an associated computer readable identifying code for computer implementation of activities associated with the user selection.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of categories include a “

work related”

category and one or more non-personal categories.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined categories are associated with a command operable by the user.

15. A method for categorizing electronic mail that is sent by a user, the method comprising:

a) receiving electronic mail message components from a user, the electronic mail components including an identification of at least one recipient;

b) presenting a plurality of predetermined categories for classifying the electronic message to the user;

c) receiving a user selection from the predetermined categories;

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

e) sending the electronic mail to a recipient, the user selection being embedded therein if the recipient is a member of the predetermined class of recipients; and

f) storing the email in a manner dependent upon the user selection.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the predetermined categories are associated with a command for sending emails or for saving email messages.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the command is initiated by a button that is presented to the user as part of a graphical user interface.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the button is divided into two or more distinct button subsections, each button subsection being associated with a subset of the predetermined categories.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the button is associated with one or more pop-up or pull-down menus for presenting the plurality of predetermined categories to the user.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the button is divided into two or more distinct button subsections, each button subsection being associated with a subset of the predetermined categories.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein the command is initiated by a button that is presented to the user, the button being segregated into two or more distinct buttons, each sub-button associated with a subset of the predetermined categories.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein steps a)-d) are repeated a plurality of times.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising sorting a plurality of electronic mail messages by user selected categories.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising retaining the electronic mail message for a predetermined time period associated with the user selection.

26. The method of claim 20 further comprising collecting statistics regarding user selections.

27. The method of claim 15 wherein each category has an associated computer readable identifying code for computer implementation of activities associated with the user selection.

28. The method of claim 15 wherein the plurality of categories include a “

work related”

category and one or more non-personal categories.

29. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

a′

) receiving an electronic message from an electronic mail sender;

b′

) determining if the electronic message from an electronic mail sender has an associated classification category;

c′

) presenting a plurality of predetermined classification categories to the user when the user accesses the electronic message from an electronic mail sender;

d′

) receiving a second user selection from the predetermined receive categories;

e′

) storing the electronic mail from an electronic mail sender in a manner dependent upon the second user selection; and

f′

) providing the electronic mail from an electronic mail sender to the user.

30. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions encoded therein for:

a) receiving electronic mail message components from a user, the electronic mail components including an identification of at least one recipient;

b) presenting a plurality of predetermined categories for classifying the electronic message to the user;

c) receiving a user selection from the predetermined categories;

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

e) sending the electronic mail to a recipient, the user selection being embedded therein if the recipient is a member of the predetermined class of recipients; and

f) storing the email in a manner dependent upon the user selection.