Duplicate e-mail content detection and automatic doclink conversion

• US 8,631,077 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Handy-Bosma, John Hans, Walker, Keith Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US10/897,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,463 Days
• Field of Search: 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A Duplicate Content Storage and Access Program (DCSAP) identifies duplicate content, stores the duplicate content in one location, and provides a doclink to the stored duplicate content so that the doclink may be automatically replaced with the duplicate content. DCSAP examines email to determine whether the email contains a section identifier. A section identifier is a data element assigned by an algorithm in such a manner that no two section identifiers can be the same. If the email does not contain a section identifier, DCSAP embeds a section identifier into the email and forwards the email. If the email contains a section identifier, DCSAP extracts the section. DCSAP stores the extracted section in a repository and creates a doclink to the stored section. DCSAP then embeds a section identifier in the remainder of the email, and forwards the remainder and the doclink to the recipient. The doclink may be activated by the recipient, or it may be activated automatically. When activated the doclink resolves into the text of the corresponding section in the repository. Additional features such as security permissions, sorting preferences, and display effects may be added to the doclink.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for reducing utilization of disk storage space due to duplicate content in electronic mail message transmission, the method comprising:

intercepting, at a server, an email from a second user to a first user in a thread of emails between a first user and a second user, the email comprising a first message created by the first user and a second message created by the second user;

responsive to determining that the first message includes a first section identifier, extracting the first message from the email, saving the first message in a repository connected to the server, generating a doclink, and replacing the first message in the email with the doclink;

responsive to determining that the second message does not include a section identifier, generating a second section identifier, and embedding the second section identifier in the second message;

sending the email to the first user at a first computer; and

responsive to the first user opening the email at the first computer, automatically resolving the doclink into a representation of the first message so that an entire email is displayed.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to saving the first message in the repository, storing the first message in a description column of a table, storing the first section identifier in a section identification column of the table, and storing the doclink in a doclink column of the table;

wherein the table has a plurality of additional columns including a user identification column, a line column, a time column, a security column, and an effect column;

wherein the line column, responsive to showing on, allows line numbering to be applied to the first message;

wherein the time column, responsive to showing on, determines that a date and time stamp is to be shown with the first message when the first message is displayed;

wherein the security column, responsive to showing on, determines that only the first user has permission to alter or modify the message; and

wherein, the effect column contains an effect, when an entry is made, enable the first message to be displayed with a color background, an italicization, a specified font size, a specified font face, or with text bolded.

3. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer having a processor connected to a memory; and

an email cleaning utility stored in the memory, the email cleaning utility containing a plurality of instructions adapted to cause the processor to perform steps comprising;

intercepting a plurality of emails;

determining whether any email contains a section identifier, wherein the section identifier is a data element previously assigned by an algorithm in such a manner that no two section identifiers are the same;

responsive to determining that an email does not contain a section identifier, embedding a new section identifier into the email and forwarding the email;

responsive to determining that the email contains one or more section identifiers, extracting from the email each section that has an assigned section identifier, storing each section extracted from the email in a repository, creating a doclink to each section extracted from the email and stored in the repository, assigning a new section identifier to a remainder section of the email, and forwarding the remainder section with the new section identifier and each doclink for each section extracted from the email to a recipient;

wherein responsive to activation each doclink resolves into a representation of a corresponding section in the repository; and

wherein a storage of a duplicate content is eliminated while permitting a selective access to each section having a doclink in the plurality of emails.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

adding a security permission, a sorting preference, and a display effect to the doclink.

5. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable storage device; and

an email cleaning utility stored in the computer readable storage device, the email cleaning utility containing a plurality of instructions adapted to cause a processor of a computer to perform steps comprising;

intercepting a plurality of emails;

determining whether any email contains a section identifier, wherein the section identifier is a data element previously assigned by an algorithm in such a manner that no two section identifiers are the same;

responsive to determining that an email does not contain a section identifier, embedding a new section identifier into the email and forwarding the email;

responsive to determining that the email contains one or more section identifiers, extracting from the email each section that has an assigned section identifier, storing each section extracted from the email in a repository, creating a doclink to each section extracted from the email and stored in the repository, assigning a new section identifier to a remainder section of the email, and forwarding the remainder section with the new section identifier and each doclink for each section extracted from the email to a recipient;

wherein responsive to activation each doclink resolves into a representation of a corresponding section in the repository; and

wherein a storage of a duplicate content is eliminated while permitting a selective access to each section having a doclink in the plurality of emails.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, further comprising:

adding a security permission, a sorting preference, and a display effect to the doclink.