US6654791B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for processing electronic mail using an importance indicator
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 2000-03-24
•
Granted: 2003-11-25
•
Expires: 2020-03-24
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for processing electronic mail (e-mail) using an importance indicator such that a user can clearly identify which mail is important and should be viewed immediately. The method applies a set of importance rules to each electronic mail message that is received to determine the importance of that particular electronic mail message. Control messages are used to identify e-mail messages that have been read by others and replied to by others. As such, if a particular message has been “handled” by another recipient of the message then the importance indicator is lowered for the non-responding recipient(s). In one embodiment, a recipient may nominate another recipient of a message to “handle” the message. When a nomination is made, a nomination control message is sent to the nominated user to cause the importance indicator to be the highest value for the message the user has been nominated to handle.
Inventors
- 👤 Cary Lee Bates
- 👤 Paul Reuben Day
- 👤 John Matthew Santosuosso
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:56
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q10/107
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A method, implemented by a computer, of prioritizing electronic mail messages comprising: receiving an electronic mail message and at least one associated control message; assigning an initial importance value to the received electronic mail message; updating the initial importance value with an updated importance value, where the updated importance value is determined using the at least one associated control message; displaying the electronic mail message with the updated importance value; and, sending a read control message to at least one recipient listed in a recipient's field of the electronic mail message when the message is read, the read control message being configured to affect an importance value associated with an instance of the electronic mail message received by the at least one recipient.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
123 words
A method, implemented by a computer, of prioritizing electronic mail messages comprising: receiving an electronic mail message and at least one associated control message; assigning an initial importance value to the received electronic mail message; updating the initial importance value with an updated importance value, where the updated importance value is determined using the at least one associated control message; displaying the electronic mail message with the updated importance value; and, sending a read control message to at least one recipient listed in a recipient's field of the electronic mail message when the message is read, the read control message being configured to affect an importance value associated with an instance of the electronic mail message received by the at least one recipient.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the assigning step further comprises: identifying whether a recipient is in a particular recipient's field in the electronic mail message; and determining the initial importance value depending upon the particular recipient's field information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the control messages comprise an indicia of a response to an electronic mail message.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the control messages comprise at least one of a read control message to indicate that a recipient of the electronic mail message has read the electronic mail message and a reply control message to indicate that a recipient of the electronic mail message has replied to the electronic mail message.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the updating step further comprises: determining a first number of read control messages associated with a particular electronic mail message; determining a second number of reply control messages associated with a particular electronic mail message; determining a third number of recipients of the electronic mail message; and using the first, second and third numbers to compute an updated importance value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the control message is a nominate control message that identifies a particular user as responsible to respond to the electronic mail message.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the updated importance value is a highest importance value when a nominate control message is associated with an electronic mail message.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
123 words
A method, implemented by a computer, of prioritizing electronic mail message comprising: receiving an electronic mail message; analyzing recipient information contained in the electronic mail message; assigning an importance value to the received electronic mail message in response to the analysis of the recipient information; receiving a control message from at least one recipient listed in a recipient's field of the electronic mail message when the message is read by another recipient, the control message being configured to affect the importance value associated with the electronic mail message; updating the initial importance value with an updated importance value, wherein the updated importance value is determined using the at least one associated control message; and displaying the electronic mail message with the importance value.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
123 words
A method, implemented by a computer, of prioritizing electronic mail message comprising: receiving an electronic mail message; analyzing recipient information contained in the electronic mail message; assigning an importance value to the received electronic mail message in response to the analysis of the recipient information; receiving a control message from at least one recipient listed in a recipient's field of the electronic mail message when the message is read by another recipient, the control message being configured to affect the importance value associated with the electronic mail message; updating the initial importance value with an updated importance value, wherein the updated importance value is determined using the at least one associated control message; and displaying the electronic mail message with the importance value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 wherein analyzing step further comprises: identifying a number of recipients in a TO: field of the electronic mail message.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 wherein analyzing step further comprises: identifying a number of recipients in a CC: field of the electronic mail message.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 wherein analyzing step further comprises: identifying a number of recipients in a BCC: field of the electronic mail message.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
107 words
A computer readable medium storing a software program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method comprising: receiving an electronic mail message; analyzing recipient information contained in the electronic mail message; assigning a value to an importance indicator to the received electronic mail message in response to the analysis of the recipient information; and dynamically changing the importance value in response to control messages indicating that at least one other instance of the electronic mail message has been manipulated by at least one other recipient, wherein the control message is configured to affect the importance value associated with the electronic mail message.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
107 words
A computer readable medium storing a software program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method comprising: receiving an electronic mail message; analyzing recipient information contained in the electronic mail message; assigning a value to an importance indicator to the received electronic mail message in response to the analysis of the recipient information; and dynamically changing the importance value in response to control messages indicating that at least one other instance of the electronic mail message has been manipulated by at least one other recipient, wherein the control message is configured to affect the importance value associated with the electronic mail message.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method claim 12 further comprising: sending a read control message to the at least one other recipient listed in a recipient's field of the electronic mail message when the message is read.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the assigning step further comprises: identifying whether a recipient is in a particular recipient's field in the electronic mail message; and determining the initial importance value depending upon the particular recipient's field information.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the control messages comprise an indicia of a response to an electronic mail message.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the control messages comprise at least one of a read control message to indicate that the at least one other recipient of the electronic mail message has read the electronic mail message and a reply control message to indicate that the at least one other recipient of the electronic mail message has replied to the electronic mail message.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the control message is a nominate control message that identifies a particular recipient of the electronic mail message as responsible to respond to the electronic mail message.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
99 words
A method, implemented by a computer, for indicating an importance of electronic mail messages, comprising: receiving an e-mail message having a list of recipients; assigning an initial importance value to the e-mail message; receiving a control message indicating manipulation of at least one other instance of the e-mail message by at least one other recipient on the list of recipients, wherein the control message is configured to affect an importance value associated with the electronic mail message; and, updating the initial importance value of the e-mail message to an updated importance value on the basis of the control message.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
99 words
A method, implemented by a computer, for indicating an importance of electronic mail messages, comprising: receiving an e-mail message having a list of recipients; assigning an initial importance value to the e-mail message; receiving a control message indicating manipulation of at least one other instance of the e-mail message by at least one other recipient on the list of recipients, wherein the control message is configured to affect an importance value associated with the electronic mail message; and, updating the initial importance value of the e-mail message to an updated importance value on the basis of the control message.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein updating the initial importance value comprises reducing the initial importance value.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the manipulation indicated by the control message includes opening the at least one other instance of the e-mail message by the at least one other recipient.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 20 , wherein updating the initial importance value comprises reducing the initial importance value.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 21 , wherein an initial value of the associated importance indication is based on a number of recipients in the list of recipients.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
91 words
A method, implemented by a computer, for indicating an importance of electronic mail messages, comprising: receiving an e-mail message having a list of recipients having an associated importance indication; receiving a plurality of control messages each indicating manipulation of another instance of the e-mail message by other recipients on the list of recipients, wherein the control messages are configured to affect the importance indication associated with the electronic mail message; and, successively updating a value of the importance indication upon receipt of, and on the basis of, each individual control message.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
91 words
A method, implemented by a computer, for indicating an importance of electronic mail messages, comprising: receiving an e-mail message having a list of recipients having an associated importance indication; receiving a plurality of control messages each indicating manipulation of another instance of the e-mail message by other recipients on the list of recipients, wherein the control messages are configured to affect the importance indication associated with the electronic mail message; and, successively updating a value of the importance indication upon receipt of, and on the basis of, each individual control message.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein an initial value of the associated importance indication is based on a number of recipients in the list of recipients.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein updating the value of the importance indication comprises reducing the value.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein the manipulation indicated by a given control message includes opening the respective instance of the e-mail message by the respective recipient.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5377354A
Cited
US5694616A
Cited
US6411947B1
Cited
US6473752B1
Cited
WO1999064972A2
Cited
US6351764B1
Cited
US6442593B1
Cited
US6532489B1
Cited
US6496853B1
Cited
US6400810B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-11-24 | 2007-05-26 | 2007-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-11-24 | 2011-05-26 | 2011-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-11-24 | 2015-05-26 | 2015-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |