Thread based email - Patent Review 6704772

Claims

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In an e-mail messaging system that provides clients of a host system with electronic messaging services, a method for providing access to an e-mail message, to a plurality of intended recipients, and in a way that reduces potential storage and processing requirements otherwise associated with duplicating the e-mail messages for each intended recipient, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a distribution list that includes a plurality of intended recipients of an e-mail message;

storing a single copy of the e-mail message at a host system to be shared by the plurality of intended recipients, regardless of whether the e-mail message has one or more associated attachments, and rather than storing a duplicate copy of the e-mail message for each of the plurality of intended recipients the e-mail message including one or more rules that define how the e-mail message can be used by the intended recipients; and

without transmitting copies of the email message to the intended recipients, using the distribution list to send a notification message to each of the intended recipients that notifies each of the intended recipients of the e-mail message and that includes a link that can be used by the intended recipients to access the single copy of the e-mail message through the host system, as permitted by the one or more rules, and so as to enable the single copy of the e-mail message to be shared by each notified recipient, as permitted by the one or more rules.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of tracking each intended recipient who accesses the single stored copy of the e-mail message.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of altering the distribution list.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the step of altering the distribution list comprises the step of removing an intended recipient, thereby denying the intended recipient subsequent access to the single copy of the electronic message.

5. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein an intended recipient maintains a local copy of the e-mail message and the step of altering the one or more distribution list comprises the step of removing the intended recipient, thereby denying the intended recipient subsequent access to future updates of the e-mail message but leaving the local copy intact.

6. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the step of altering the distribution list comprises the step of adding an intended recipient, thereby granting the intended recipient access to the at least one copy of the e-mail message.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the e-mail message comprises rules that govern access to the at least one copy of the electronic message.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of using the rules to prevent an intended recipient from distributing the e-mail message to another recipient that is not one of the plurality of intended recipients.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of using the rules to delete the copy of the e-mail message at a time designated by the rules.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the single copy of the e-mail message is stored at the host system.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein clients of the host system are organized into groups and one copy of the e-mail message is stored for each group having an intended recipient of the e-mail message.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the notification message to each of the plurality of intended recipients comprises the e-mail message's subject and the link to access the e-mail message.

13. In a messaging system that includes an originating host system and at least one other host system, each host system providing e-mail messaging services to a particular set of clients, a method for distributing one or more e-mail messages to a plurality of intended recipients without duplicating the one or more e-mail messages for each intended recipient, the method comprising steps for:

at the originating host system, receiving an e-mail message intended for the clients of the at least one other host system;

at the originating host system, identifying each additional host system that provides e-mail messaging services for the intended recipients of the e-mail message;

at the originating host system, creating for each of the identified additional host systems, a distribution list that includes the intended recipients of the e-mail message, and providing that created distribution list for each of the identified additional host systems' use;

sending a copy of the e-mail message from the originating host system to each of the identified additional host systems for storage at those additional host systems; and

at least one of the additional identified host systems using the distribution list created by the originating host system to then send an e-mail notification that notifies the recipients identified on the distribution list of the e-mail message stored at the host system for the notified recipients.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein at least one of the additional identified host systems performs a step for:

tracking each client who accesses the one copy of the e-mail message stored at the additional identified host system.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising a step for the originating host system altering at least one of the one or more distribution lists.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the step of altering the distribution list comprises the step of removing an intended recipient, thereby denying the intended recipient subsequent access to the single copy of the electronic message.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein an intended recipient maintains a local copy of the e-mail message and the step of altering the distribution list comprises the step of removing the intended recipient, thereby denying the intended recipient subsequent access to future updates of the e-mail message but leaving the local copy intact.

18. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the step of altering the distribution list comprises the step of adding an intended recipient, thereby granting the intended recipient access to the at least one copy of the e-mail message.

19. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein the e-mail message comprises rules that govern access to the e-mail message.

20. A method a recited in claim 13 wherein the originating host system further performs steps for:

determining that at least one of the identified additional host systems is unsupported in that it is not capable of using one or more distribution lists to notify intended recipients of a copy of an e-mail message stored at the unsupported host system; and

sending the e-mail message to the unsupported host system using another e-mail messaging protocol compatible with the unsupported host system.

21. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein an intended recipient of the e-mail message maintains a local copy of the e-mail message, the method further comprising the step of altering the one or more distribution lists by removing the intended recipient, thereby denying the intended recipient subsequent access to future updates of the e-mail message but leaving the local copy intact.

22. In an electronic messaging system that provides clients of a host system with electronic messaging services, a method for distributing one or more electronic messages that reduces potential storage and processing requirements otherwise associated with duplicating the one or more electronic messages for each intended recipient, the method comprising the steps of:

creating one or more distribution lists that include each of a plurality of intended recipients of an electronic message;

storing at least one copy of the electronic message at a host system to be shared by the plurality of intended recipients, rather than storing a duplicate copy of the electronic message for each of the plurality of intended recipients;

using the one or more distribution lists to notify each of the plurality of intended recipients of the electronic message, such that the at least one copy of the electronic message may be shared by each notified recipient, wherein an intended recipient maintains a local copy of the electronic message; and

altering the one or more distribution lists comprising the step of removing the intended recipient thereby denying the intended recipient subsequent access to future updates of the electronic message but leaving the local copy intact.

23. A computer program product as recited in claim 22, wherein an intended recipient of the electronic message maintains a local copy of the electronic message, wherein the computer-executable instructions further comprise altering means for altering the one or more distribution lists by removing the intended recipient, thereby denying the intended recipient subsequent access to future updates of the electronic message but leaving the local copy intact.

24. In a messaging system that includes all originating host system and at least one other host system, each host system providing e-mail messaging services to a particular set of clients, a computer program product that comprises a computer readable medium having stored thereon executable code for implementing a method for distributing one or more e-mail messages to a plurality of intended recipients without duplicating the one or more e-mail messages for each intended recipient, and wherein the method comprises steps for:

at the originating host system, receiving an e-mail message intended for the clients of the at least one other host system;

at the originating host system, identifying each additional host system that provides e-mail messaging services for the intended recipients of the e-mail message;

at the originating host system, creating for each of the identified additional host systems, a distribution list that includes the intended recipients of the e-mail message, and providing that created distribution list for each of the identified additional host systems' use;

sending a copy of the e-mail message from the originating host system to each of the identified additional host systems for storage at those additional host systems; and

at least one of the additional identified host systems using the distribution list created by the originating host system to then send an e-mail notification that notifies the recipients identified on the distribution list of the e-mail stored at the host system for the notified recipients.

25. A computer program product as recited in claim 24, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further have thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the originating host computing system to perform a step for altering at least one of the one or more distribution lists.

26. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein the step of altering the distribution list comprises the step of removing an intended recipient, thereby denying the intended recipient subsequent access to the single copy of the electronic message.

27. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein an intended recipient maintains a local copy of the e-mail message and the step of altering the distribution list comprises the step of removing the intended recipient, thereby denying the intended recipient subsequent access to future updates of the e-mail message but leaving the local copy intact.

28. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein the step of altering the distribution list comprises the step of adding an intended recipient, thereby granting the intended recipient access to the at least one copy of the e-mail message.

29. A computer program product as recited in claim 24 wherein the e-mail message comprises rules that govern access to the e-mail message.

30. A computer program product as recited in claim 24, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further have thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the originating host computing system to perform steps for:

determining that at least one of the identified additional host systems is unsupported in that it is not capable of using one or more distribution lists to notify intended recipients of a copy of an e-mail message stored at the unsupported host system; and

sending the e-mail message to the unsupported host system using another e-mail messaging protocol compatible with the unsupported host system.

31. A computer program product as recited in claim 24, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical memory media.

32. A computer program product as recited in claim 31, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are persistent memory.

33. A computer program product as recited in claim 31, wherein the one or more computer-readable media is volatile system memory.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to methods and systems for delivering and organizing electronic messages. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and systems that may be used to reduce the computing resources necessary for delivering a single message to multiple recipients and to improve the organization of responses to the message.

2. The Prior State of the Art

Traditional electronic messaging systems are a huge improvement over the paper analogues they augment or replace. By reducing the human and material resources necessary to transcribe, photocopy, and distribute paper communications, electronic messaging allows for resources to be focused on core business objectives rather than wasted on overhead. However, the contribution of prior art electronic messaging systems can be characterized as replacing physical inefficiencies with electronic ones.

Specifically, prior art electronic messaging systems distribute a single message to multiple recipients by duplicating the message and delivering a copy to each recipient. The two major inefficiencies that result include both processing time to duplicate the message and storage space to hold the copies. For example, consider what occurs when prior art systems deliver a three kilobyte message to all three thousand employees of a particular business. The prior art electronic messaging systems must dedicate processing resources to duplicate the three kilobyte message three thousand times, producing some nine megabytes of data that must be stored in the computer systems of the business.

Admittedly, with today's computer systems, duplicating a file three thousand times and storing nine megabytes of data are minor concerns, when viewed in isolation. However, several other factors render this drain on computer resources more serious. For example, electronic messaging systems operate on many individual messages. Duplicating a single message three thousand times is the equivalent of receiving three thousand messages at once. When combined with the normal operating conditions of the electronic messaging system, a sudden requirement to process three thousand messages can dramatically reduce system performance.

This problem is further complicated when recipients begin replying to widely distributed electronic messages. Because replies may be difficult to understand in isolation, the original message is often copied with the reply to avoid misunderstandings. Furthermore, the replies are often distributed to all original recipients, multiplying the initial nine megabytes of data by a factor of two and adding another three thousand messages the size of the reply.

However, copying the original message with a reply provides only minimal context. By its very nature, recipients will read and respond to a widely distributed electronic message over a substantial period of time. Some recipients may be out of the office, for hours at a meeting or days on vacation, when certain electronic messages are delivered. Some recipients will be involved in other work when the message is delivered and postpone reading and/or response to a more convenient time. Others, however, will read and respond immediately. This response time delay leads prior art electronic messaging system to intersperse responses with unrelated messages received in the interim. Moreover, if a specific electronic message generates a large amount of discussion, it may be advantageous to divide an initial topic into several subtopics. However, prior art electronic messaging systems provide only limited support for organizing electronic messages by topic, such as rules for sorting messages by sender.

Furthermore, electronic messaging typically provides only limited formatting capabilities. Many messages, however, require fairly sophisticated presentation. Enhanced formatting may be important as a means of efficiently communicating information. Perhaps a table of data quickly conveys the message that would otherwise require significant amounts of text. Alternatively, higher degrees of formatting generally connote an increased level of importance or authority. The effect of requiring a high degree of formatting often leads to electronic messages containing attachments of word processing documents that provide the increased formatting capabilities. Unfortunately, the formatting information of a document may contribute as much to a document's size as the text of the document itself and introduces a certain amount of overhead. Thus, three kilobytes is an extremely conservative size for an email message with an attached word processing document. It is not uncommon for even simple word processing documents to be in the range of ten to twenty kilobytes. A twenty kilobyte attachment sent to three thousand recipients with a single reply that includes the original message represents 120 megabytes of data--for a single communication. The problem may be at its worst when a fifty kilobyte image or 100 kilobyte program is involved.

Because the copies are electronic, little consideration is given to the resources that are required for delivering electronic messages. It is a simple matter for the average person to recognize the effort in physically duplicating something three thousand times. Few if any would even consider making a short (or even humorous) comment in a paper system that requires three thousand copies of the comment, three thousand duplicates of the original message, time to attach the comment to the duplicates, and manual distribution to three thousand people. However, in an electronic messaging context, senders give little consideration to the computing resources necessary for processing widely distributed messages and the possible impact of replies.

Nevertheless, some prior art electronic messaging systems provide ill-suited solutions to the processing and storage problems introduced by multiple recipient messages. For example, public folders and newsgroups both provide a mechanism for placing information in a common area where it can be accessed by multiple requestors without being duplicated for each. While newsgroups and public folders provide a topical arrangement of information, they lack the ability to direct messages to an easily modifiable group of recipients. Specifically, newsgroups and public folders require a user to post information and then depend on those who are interested in the topic to periodically check for new messages. This operation renders newsgroups and public folders virtually useless for ad hoc electronic discussions.

Moreover, newsgroups and public folders provide limited capabilities for controlling access to posted information. For example, access to newsgroups and public folders can be controlled by users, but access cannot be tailored on a message by message basis. This limitation imposes a need for newsgroups and public folders to be created based on both topic and anticipated distribution, leading to a proliferation of newsgroups and public folders that must be checked periodically for new messages.

Finally, growing enthusiasm for the Internet further contributes to the problems in the prior art because an increasing number of people have access to electronic messaging services. This increased access enhances the ability to interact with one another and increases the likelihood that a single message will be meaningful to multiple recipients, further aggravating processing and storage problems. The prior art demands either sacrificing performance, limiting distribution, or designing systems to support the inefficiencies at their peak demand.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The problems in the prior state of the art have been successfully overcome by the present invention which is directed to methods and systems for improved distribution of electronic messages directed to multiple recipients and improved, organization of replies to an electronic message. The improvement eliminates inefficiencies in processing power and storage space caused by duplicating electronic messages and provides enhanced organization by grouping replies with the original message.

More specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, a host system providing electronic messaging services efficiently distributes electronic messages to multiple recipients. In contrast to the prior art's need to duplicate a message for each recipient, the host system stores as few as one copy of the electronic message, notifies each recipient of the stored message, and includes with the notification a link for accessing the stored message. Therefore, the host system saves both the processing time that would otherwise be used for duplicating and the corresponding storage space required to hold each of the duplicated messages.

Alternatively, the invention can be practiced using multiple host systems, each providing electronic messaging services to a particular set of clients. With multiple host systems, the host system originating a message creates a list identifying host systems providing electronic messaging services for each recipient and a list of recipients for each of the identified host systems. Then, for each host system, the originating system sends a host-specific list of recipients and a copy of the electronic message. However, in a multiple host system environment, an originating host system may determine that another host system providing electronic messaging service to certain recipients is unsupported in that it does not provide the full functionality of the invention disclosed herein. Upon identifying an unsupported host system, the originating host system sends the electronic message using another protocol that is compatible