SENDING MESSAGES WITH LIMITED AWARENESS OF RECIPIENTS

• US 20110225245A1
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Peterson, Robert R., Bhogal, Kulvir S., DeLuca, Lisa Seacat, Talbot, Mark W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,990,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

Methods, apparatus and articles for sending emails to a plurality of recipients comprising a group of blind carbon copied recipients. A graphical user interface (GUI) screen comprising a TO field, a carbon copy field, and at least one blind carbon copy group (BCC-G) field may be provided for entering a list of recipients for the email. The email may be transferred to the recipients such that the identities of a plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field are disclosed only to the recipients within the BCC-G field.

Claims

1. A method for sending emails, comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for entering identities of recipients of an email, the GUI comprising;

a TO field;

a carbon copy (CC) field; and

at least one blind carbon copy group (BCC-G) field;

receiving identities of a plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field; and

transferring the email to identified recipients of the email, wherein the email is configured to disclose the identities of the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field only to the recipients within the BCC-G field.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one identity of a recipient in one of the TO field and the CC field.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the email is configured to identify the at least one identity of the recipient in one of the TO field and the CC field to the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the email comprises a header comprising at least a TO header field and a CC header field comprising identities of recipients listed in at least the TO field and CC field of the GUI.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the CC header field further comprises the identities of the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the header comprises a BCC group header field comprising the identities of the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the BCC group header field is encrypted.

8. A computer readable storage medium comprising a program product which, when executed, is configured to perform an operation for sending an email, comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for entering identities of recipients of an email, the GUI comprising;

a TO field;

a carbon copy (CC) field; and

at least one blind carbon copy group (BCC-G) field;

receiving identities of a plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field; and

transferring the email to identified recipients of the email, wherein the email is configured to disclose the identities of the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field only to the recipients within the BCC-G field.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising receiving at least one identity of a recipient in one of the TO field and the CC field.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the email is configured to identify the at least one identity of the recipient in one of the TO field and the CC field to the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the email comprises a header comprising at least a TO header field and a CC header field comprising identities of recipients listed in at least the TO field and CC field of the GUI.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the CC header field further comprises the identities of the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the header comprises a BCC group header field comprising the identities of the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the BCC group header field is encrypted.

15. A system, comprising:

at least one client computer configured to display a graphical user interface (GUI) for entering identities of recipients of an email, the GUI comprising;

a TO field;

a carbon copy (CC) field; and

at least one blind carbon copy group (BCC-G) field; and

an email server configured to;

receive identities of a plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field; and

transfer the email to identified recipients of the email, wherein the email is configured to disclose the identities of the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field only to the recipients within the BCC-G field.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the mail server is further configured to receive at least one identity of a recipient in one of the TO field and the CC field.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the email is configured to identify the at least one identity of the recipient in one of the TO field and the CC field to the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the email comprises a header comprising at least a TO header field and a CC header field comprising identities of recipients listed in at least the TO field and CC field of the GUI.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the CC header field further comprises the identities of the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the header comprises a BCC group header field comprising the identities of the plurality of recipients in the at least one BCC-G field.