Method for an efficient electronic messaging system

• US 7,890,591 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dlas, Eric Willfred Bruno, Agrawal, Sachin Omprakash, Chenthamarakshan, Vijil Enara
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr.; William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang; Shirley X
• Application Number:
  US12/023,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 726 2- 21, 726 26- 33
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content

Abstract

A computer implemented method and computer program product for efficiently managing messages handled by electronic messaging systems. A unique header is associated with a first electronic message and a link is created, which is associated with the unique header. The link is embedded in a second electronic message as part of an electronic message chain originating with the first electronic message. The second electronic message is transmitted with the embedded link to a set of recipients without the first electronic message.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing messages handled by electronic messaging systems, the computer implemented method comprising:

creating a unique header associated with a first electronic message;

creating a hyperlink associated with the unique header, wherein the hyperlink is a selectable element used to replace and link to a content of the first electronic message;

embedding the hyperlink within a second electronic message to replace the content of the first electronic message in the second electronic message, wherein an electronic message chain comprises the first electronic message and the second electronic message, and wherein the electronic message chain originates with the first electronic message; and

transmitting the second electronic message containing the embedded hyperlink to a set of recipients without the first electronic message;

retrieving a content of the first electronic message only after receiving a request to view the content of the first electronic message by a user selecting the embedded hyperlink within the second electronic message that replaced the content of the first electronic message in the second electronic message;

responsive to retrieving the content of the first electronic message after receiving the request to view the content of the first electronic message by the user selecting the embedded hyperlink within the second electronic message, generating a separate pop-up window to display the retrieved content of the first electronic message to the user;

responsive to a current recipient of the electronic message chain adding a new recipient, displaying access options to the current recipient that define an ability of the new recipient to access previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain; and

responsive to receiving a selection by the current recipient of an access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient, managing the access of the new recipient to the previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain by;

providing the new recipient access to all previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain in response to receiving a selection by the current recipient of a full access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient;

providing the new recipient access to a set of selected previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain in response to receiving a selection by the current recipient of a limited access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient, wherein the set of selected previous electronic messages comprises only specific previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain selected by the current recipient for viewing by the new recipient, and wherein the access to the set of selected previous electronic messages is restricted by encrypting restricted electronic messages in the electronic message chain; and

providing the new recipient access to only the current electronic message sent to the new recipient in response to receiving a selection by the current recipient of a restricted access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the unique header includes a unique finder, and wherein the unique finder is configured to locate a respective message associated with the unique header.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving the content of the first electronic message further comprises:

pre-fetching the content of the first electronic message.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a first user attaching an electronic file to the first electronic message, sending the electronic file with the first electronic message to a set of intended recipients.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

responsive to a second user replying to the first electronic message to create the second electronic message, sending the second electronic message to the set of intended recipients without the electronic file.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

responsive to a third user forwarding the first electronic message to a new recipient to create a third electronic message, sending the third electronic message to the new recipient without the electronic file.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a previous histories marker within each electronic message, wherein the previous histories marker indicates the number of electronic messages in the electronic message chain.

8. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer recordable medium including computer usable program code for managing messages handled by electronic messaging systems, said computer program product comprising;

computer usable program code for creating a unique header associated with a first electronic message;

computer usable program code for creating a hyperlink associated with the unique header, wherein the hyperlink is a selectable element used to replace and link to a content of the first electronic message;

computer usable program code for embedding the hyperlink within a second electronic message to replace the content of the first electronic message in the second electronic message, wherein an electronic message chain comprises the first electronic message and the second electronic message, and wherein the electronic message chain originates with the first electronic message;

computer usable program code for transmitting the second electronic message containing the embedded hyperlink to a set of recipients without the first electronic message; and

computer usable program code for, responsive to a selection of the link in the second electronic message, retrieving the first electronic message;

computer usable program code for retrieving a content of the first electronic message only after receiving a request to view the content of the first electronic message by a user selecting the embedded hyperlink within the second electronic message that replaced the content of the first electronic message in the second electronic message;

computer usable program code responsive to retrieving the content of the first electronic message after receiving the request to view the content of the first electronic message by the user selecting the embedded hyperlink within the second electronic message, for generating a separate pop-up window to display the retrieved content of the first electronic message to the user;

computer usable program code responsive to a current recipient of the electronic message chain adding a new recipient, for displaying access options to the current recipient that define an ability of the new recipient to access previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain; and

computer usable program code responsive to receiving a selection by the current recipient of an access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient, for managing the access of the new recipient to the previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain by;

providing the new recipient access to all previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain in response to receiving a selection by the current recipient of a full access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient;

providing the new recipient access to a set of selected previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain in response to receiving a selection by the current recipient of a limited access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient, wherein the set of selected previous electronic messages comprises only specific previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain selected by the current recipient for viewing by the new recipient, and wherein the access to the set of selected previous electronic messages is restricted by encrypting restricted electronic messages in the electronic message chain; and

providing the new recipient access to only the current electronic message sent to the new recipient in response to receiving a selection by the current recipient of a restricted access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code for retrieving the content of the first electronic message further comprises:

computer usable program code for pre-fetching the content of the first electronic message content.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer usable program code responsive to a first user attaching an electronic file to the first electronic message, for sending the electronic file with the first electronic message to a set of intended recipients.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

computer usable program code responsive to a second user replying to the first electronic message to create the second electronic message, for sending the second electronic message to the set of intended recipients without the electronic file.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code responsive to a third user forwarding the first electronic message to a new recipient to create a third electronic message, for sending the third electronic message to the new recipient without the electronic file.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer usable program code for generating a previous histories marker within each electronic message, wherein the previous histories marker indicates the number of electronic messages in the electronic message chain.

14. A data processing system for managing messages handled by electronic messaging systems, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a storage device connected to the bus system, wherein the storage device stores instructions; and

a microprocessor unit connected to the bus system, wherein the microprocessor unit executes the instructions to;

create a unique header associated with a first electronic message;

create a hyperlink associated with the unique header, wherein the hyperlink is a selectable element used to replace and link to a content of the first electronic message;

embed the hyperlink within a second electronic message to replace the content of the first electronic message in the second electronic message, wherein an electronic message chain comprises the first electronic message and the second electronic message, and wherein the electronic message chain originates with the first electronic message;

transmit the second electronic message containing the embedded hyperlink to a set of recipients without the first electronic message;

retrieve a content of the first electronic message only after receiving a request to view the content of the first electronic message by a user selecting the embedded hyperlink within the second electronic message that replaced the content of the first electronic message in the second electronic message;

generate a separate pop-up window to display the retrieved content of the first electronic message to the user in response to retrieving the content of the first electronic message after receiving the request to view the content of the first electronic message by the user selecting the embedded hyperlink within the second electronic message;

display access options to a current recipient of the electronic message chain that define an ability of a new recipient to access previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain in response to the current recipient of the electronic message chain adding the new recipient; and

manage the access of the new recipient to the previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain in response to receiving a selection by the current recipient of an access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient by;

providing the new recipient access to all previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain in response to receiving a selection by the current recipient of a full access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient;

providing the new recipient access to a set of selected previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain in response to receiving a selection by the current recipient of a limited access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient, wherein the set of selected previous electronic messages comprises only specific previous electronic messages in the electronic message chain selected by the current recipient for viewing by the new recipient, and wherein the access to the set of selected previous electronic messages is restricted by encrypting restricted electronic messages in the electronic message chain; and

providing the new recipient access to only the current electronic message sent to the new recipient in response to receiving a selection by the current recipient of a restricted access option within the access options displayed to the current recipient.