Email annotation

• US 8,037,146 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Beynon, Margaret A., Carr, Hollie, Jones, Gareth E., Whitehead, Matthew R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea; Philip
• Application Number:
  US12/246,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 715/230
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

A method of creating an annotation to an email. The method includes: receiving an email; receiving a predefined user input; creating an annotation in response to the predefined user input, the annotation linked to the email; receiving a further user input; and defining a permission for the annotation according to the further user input, the permission defining user access to the annotation. When transmitting a second email as a response to the received email, the second email is linked to the annotation. The method further includes displaying at least a part of the annotation linked to the received email, for example when a user hovers over the email. The structure of the annotations allows the associating of the annotation with one or more further annotations.

Claims

1. A method of creating an annotation to an email communication, comprising:

receiving a first email including a first annotation;

receiving a predefined user input;

creating a second annotation in response to the predefined user input, the second annotation linked to the first email;

receiving a further user input;

defining a permission for the second annotation according to the further user input, the permission defining user access to the second annotation, wherein the permission defines user access for a specific user to only a sub-portion of the second annotation;

transmitting a second email, the second email separately composed and distinct from the received first email, as a response to the received first email; and

linking the second email to the second annotation and not the first annotation.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at least a part of the second annotation linked to the received first email.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

associating the second annotation with at least one additional annotation.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predefined user input includes a reference to a section of the first email, and when creating the second annotation in response to the predefined user input, the second annotation is linked to the section within the first email.

5. A system for creating an annotation to an email communication, comprising:

at least one computing device, including;

an email manager for receiving a first email including a first annotation;

an email user interface for receiving a predefined user input and a further user input;

an annotation manager for creating a second annotation in response to the predefined user input, the second annotation linked to the first email;

a permissions manager for defining a permission for the second annotation according to the further user input, the permission defining user access to the second annotation, wherein the permission defines user access for a specific user to only a sub-portion of the second annotation;

wherein the email manager is arranged to transmit a second email, the second email separately composed and distinct from the received first email, as a response to the received first email, and the annotation manager is arranged to link the second email to the second annotation and not the first annotation.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the user interface is arranged to display at least a part of the second annotation linked to the received first email.

7. The system according to claim 5, further comprising:

an association manager arranged to associate the second annotation with one or more further annotations.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein the predefined user input includes a reference to a section of the first email, and the annotation manager is arranged, when creating the second annotation in response to the predefined user input, to link the second annotation to the section within the first email.

9. A computer program product on a non-transitory computer readable medium, which when executed, creates an annotation to an email communication, the program product comprising instructions for:

receiving a first email including a first annotation;

receiving a predefined user input;

creating a second annotation in response to the predefined user input, the second annotation linked to the first email;

receiving a further user input;

defining a permission for the second annotation according to the further user input, the permission defining user access to the second annotation, wherein the permission defines user access for a specific user to only a sub-portion of the second annotation;

transmitting a second email, the second email separately composed and distinct from the received first email, as a response to the received first email; and

linking the second email to the second annotation and not the first annotation.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9, further comprising instructions for:

displaying at least a part of the second annotation linked to the received first email.

11. The computer program product according to claim 9, further comprising instructions for:

associating the second annotation with one or more further annotations.

12. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the predefined user input includes a reference to a section of the first email, and when creating the second annotation in response to the predefined user input, the second annotation is linked to the section within the first email.