Method and system for e-mail chain group

• US 7,103,634 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2000
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ullmann, Lorin Evan, Kubik, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqi, M. A.
• Application Number:
  US09/714,759
• Time in Patent Office: 2,119 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/246, 709/217, 709/220, 709/204, 709/245, 395/200, 395/345, 345/704
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

An enhanced e-mail reader and composer having automatic addressing functions to create and manage chain groups for organizing chain-forwarded and chain-replied messages. The system and method allows users to receive chained messages, automatically create chain groups within their address book, associate chain message participants to chain groups, and to automatically address new messages to members of chain groups stored within their address book.

Claims

1. A method for creating and managing chain groups related to chained electronic mail messages in an electronic mail system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving or opening a single chained electronic mail message containing a plurality of portions of content, said portions of content being repeated from previous chain senders of said electronic mail message and being stored inline within a body section of said single mail message or being attached to said mail message;

searching within said single chained electronic mail message for a chain-key field and message chain-key value; and

associating said searched chained electronic mail message with a chain group which has a chain group chain-key value corresponding to said message chain-key value, said group having one or more other users for whom entries are stored in an electronic address book.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of searching a chained electronic mail message comprises searching a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol e-mail message.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of creating a new chain group with a group chain-key value corresponding to said message chain-key value.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said step of creating a new chain group comprises associating a subject descriptor with the new chain group.

5. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said step of creating a new chain group comprises associating at least one electronic mail address with the new chain group.

6. A computer-readable media containing computer program code for creating and managing chain groups related to chained electronic mail messages in an electronic mail computer system, said program code when executed causing the electronic mail computer system to perform the steps of:

receiving or opening a single chained electronic mail message containing a plurality of portions of content, said portions of content being repeated from previous chain senders of said electronic mail message and being stored inline within a body section of said single mail message or being attached to said mail message;

searching within said single chained electronic mail message for a chain-key field and message chain-key value; and

associating said searched chained electronic mail message with a chain group which has a chain group chain-key value corresponding to said message chain-key value, said group having one or more other users for whom entries are stored in an electronic address book.

7. The computer-readable media as set forth in claim 6 wherein said program code for searching a chained electronic mail message comprises program code for searching a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol e-mail message.

8. The computer-readable media as set forth in claim 6 further comprising program code for creating a new chain group with a group chain-key value corresponding to said message chain-key value.

9. The computer-readable media as set forth in claim 8 wherein said program code for creating a new chain group comprises program code for associating a subject descriptor with the new chain group.

10. The computer-readable media as set forth in claim 8 wherein said program code for creating a new chain group comprises program code for associating at least one electronic mail address with the new chain group.

11. A system for managing chain groups for chained electronic messages in an electronic mail terminal, said electronic mail terminal having a processor suitable for executing program code, and said electronic mail terminal having a means for receiving chained-transmitted electronic messages via a computer network, said system comprising:

a message receiver for opening a single chained electronic mail message containing a plurality of portions of content, said portions of content being repeated from previous chain senders of said electronic mail message and being stored inline within a body section of said single mail message or being attached to said mail message;

a chain-key searcher for finding a message chain-key field value within said single chained electronic message; and

an address book chain group associator for associating the chained electronic message with a chain group having a corresponding group chain-key value, said group having one or more other users for whom entries are stored in an electronic address book.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said chain-key searcher is adapted to search Simple Mail Transfer Protocol messages.

13. The system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a chain group creator for creating a new chain group within an address book, said new chain group having a group chain-key value corresponding to a message chain-key field value.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said chain group creator comprises a subject descriptor creator for defining a subject descriptor for a new chain group.

15. The system as set forth in claim 14 wherein said chain group creator comprises a group member associator for associating one or more electronic mail addresses with a new chain group.