Patent Application
20100293475
This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 09159990.2 filed 12 May 2009 and entitled “AN APPARATUS, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR NOTIFICATION OF ADDITIONAL RECIPIENTS OF MESSAGES”, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application, and the teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The disclosure relates to the field of software-based message handling and, more particularly, to automatic notification of additional recipients of email messages.
Electronic mail messages, also known as email messages, are a common use of the Internet. Typically, an email system comprises a server-based email computer program operating on a server computer, that manages the exchange of email messages over one or more networks, and a client-based email computer program operating on a client computer to implement a mail box that receives and holds email messages for a user. Typically, client-based email computer programs also include a graphical user interface (GUI) to enable a user to open and read email messages in addition to creating new email messages.
For the avoidance of doubt, as used herein, an ‘email client’ is to be construed as a client-based email computer program.
Users often send email messages to multiple recipients. Typically, email messages may be forwarded to further recipients, with an option to include additional text. Also, typically, email clients are operable to reply to the sender (‘reply-to’) of an email message, or to reply to the sender and all recipients (‘reply-to-all’) of an email message. However, a problem exists with replying to an email message, as the original sender and the original multiple recipients may not be aware of further recipients of the email message. Indeed, each of the members of the distribution list of an email may have a different view of the membership of the distribution list. Therefore, if a recipient uses ‘reply-to-all’ to reply to an email message, not all recipients of the original email message would necessarily receive the reply. For example, consider an email message sent from User A to User B and User C. User C then sends the email message to User D, without copying User B on the forwarded email message. If User B subsequently uses ‘reply-to-all’ for the original email message then User A (as originator), and User C (as a recipient) will receive the reply. However, User D will not, as User B is unaware that User D received the email message. Prior art does not address the problems that each of the multiple recipients of an email have a different view on the distribution list.
Numerous aspects of the disclosure are contemplated which can be optionally implemented in various embodiments of the disclosure. Not all aspects are present in every embodiment, and described aspects are expected to be tailored and adapted for specific implementations. Thus, the various aspects and details expressed herein, when taken as a whole, permit one of ordinary skill in the art to grasp the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined more succinctly by the claims. It should be understood that nothing in this brief summary or detailed description is meant to be construed in a manner that limits the scope of the claimed content expressed herein.
One aspect of the disclosure is for a method, computer program product, system, and apparatus for providing notification to email clients with recipient updates resulting from email forwards. In the aspect, an initial email message can be sent to a set of recipients. A notification message can be received from a first one of the recipients responsive to the first one forwarding the initial email message to an additional recipient. The notification message can indicate that the first one has forwarded the email message to at least one additional recipient. Responsive to receipt of the notification message, an update message can be composed. The update message can indicate that the first one of the recipients has forwarded the message to the additional recipient. The update message can be sent to at least one of the set of recipients other than the first one.
Another aspect of the disclosure can be for an email client software application. The application can include a sending component, a receiving component, a notifier, and a reply-all option. The sending component can be for sending email messages to a set of recipients. The receiving component can be for receiving email messages. The notifier can be for receiving notifications from recipients to whom email messages have been previously sent. The received notifications can indicate that previously sent email messages have been forwarded to others. The reply-all option can be provided such that when triggered it automatically sends a reply message to a subset of recipients associated with an initial one of the email messages and to the others that have been sent the initial one of the email messages. The others included in the subset can be determined from the notifications received and processed by the notifier.
The disclosure provides a solution for updating a client to allow the originator of a message to send updated message information concerning a previously sent message. The updated message information concerns the membership of the distribution list of the message. The originator has the option to send an update to the original message. In one embodiment, updated email message information contains information relating to the original email message and the distribution list changes that have been made to it. For example, the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) capabilities of the email message can be used when updating the distribution list.
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.
Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
Referring now to
By way of description, as an example, User A 136 is the sender of an email message 148 to User B 138 and User C 140. Following receipt of the email message 148, User C 140 forwards the email message 148 to User D 142 in a second email message, without adding User B 138 to the distribution list of the second email message.
A notification message 422 is generated by User C 140, in response to User C 140 forwarding an email message 148, 402 to User D 142. The notification message 422 is sent to inform User A 136, as the originator of the email 148, 402, that User C 140 has forwarded the email message 148, 402. A typical notification message 422 comprises: a header section 424 depicting that User C 140 sends the notification message 422 to User A 136; and a body section 426 depicting information, for example, that User D 142 has been added to the distribution list 240 of email message 148, 402 ‘id 1’. User A 136 uses such information in the notification message 422 to match the notification message 422 to the original email 148, 402.
An update message 432 is composed by User A 136 in response to receiving a notification message 422. The update message 432 is sent by User A 136 to User B 138. The update message 432 informs User B 138 that the email message 148, 402 has been forwarded to User D 142. A typical update message 432 comprises: a header section 434 depicting that User A 136 sends the update message 432 to User B 138; and a body section 436 depicting that User D 142 has been added to the distribution list 240 of email message 148, 402 ‘id 1’.
Thus, the original email user (User A) is continuously kept informed of all recipients that have received (been forwarded) a message by others (such as user D). User A can then send each other user an update (message 432) so all users on an email thread are aware of which users (including User D) have received the original email. This arrangement ensues that all email users have an option to “reply to all” and ensure that everyone involved in an email discussion (a thread) will receive the reply.
Security and privacy considerations can be added to the scenario described by
Other configurations may be realized by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.
The method starts at step 601. At step 610, a sender component 310, 510 of User A 136 sends email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402 to User B 138, and to User C 140. At step 620, receiver components 320, 520 of User B 138 and User C 620 receive the email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402. At step 630, the sender component 310, 510 of User C 140 forwards email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402 to User D 142 in email message ‘id 2’ 148, 412. Email message ‘id 2’ 148, 412 may comprise text ‘Text 2’. Also, at step 630, a notifier component 540 of User C 138 composes a notification message 422. The sender 310, 510 of User C 138 sends the notification message 422 to the originator User A 136 of email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402 to inform User A 136 that User C 138 has forwarded the email message 148, 402 ‘id 1’ to User D 142. At step 640, the receiver component of User D 142 receives the email message ‘id 2’ 148412.
At step 650, the receiver component of User A 136 receives the notification message 422. At step 660, the analyzer component of User A 136 matches the notification message 422 with the original email message 148, 402, and then analyses the received notification message 422 for new recipient User D 142. User A 136 updates its records of email message 148, 402 by updating the distribution list 240 of email message 148, 402. The analysis may also comprise a determination of recipient relationships, for example, which recipients are aware of which other recipients. The determined relationships may be stored in a distribution table (not shown) for the email message 402. For example, in the example used, at step 630, both User C 138 and User D 142 are aware that User A 136, User B 138, User C 140, and User D 140 are on distribution of the email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402. However, if User B 138 is not on the distribution list 240 of email message ‘id 2’ 148, 412, User B 138 is only aware that User A 136, User B 138, and User C 140 are on distribution list 240 of email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402.
At step 670, an updater component 560 of User A 136 composes an update message 432 comprising information concerning email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402. The sender component 310, 510 of User A 136 sends the update message 432 to User B 138. At step 680, the receiver component 320, 520 of User B 138 receives the update message 432. At step 690, the analyzer component 550 of User B 138 matches the update message 432 with the original email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402, and then analyses the update message 432 for new recipient User D 142. User B 138 updates its records of email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402 by updating the distribution list 240 of email message 148, 402. Consequently, all users are aware of all other users on the distribution list 240 of email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402. The method ends at step 699.
In an alternative embodiment, the analyzer of User A 136 does not analyze the notification message 422 for new recipients. Instead, the update message 432 may be sent to all members in the distribution list 240. On receipt of the update message 432, all the members match the update message 432 with the original email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402, analyzing the update message for new recipients. This alternative embodiment uses less effort for User A 136, but more effort for the other members of the distribution list 240.
In one embodiment, a copy of an email message 148, 202 held by User B 138 is updated on receipt of the update message 432. In an alternative embodiment, the modified email client 145, 505 of User B 138 is updated, so that on opening an email message 148, 402 a check is performed to identify any updates that have been received. In this case, the distribution list 240 of the email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402 is updated automatically. In an alternative embodiment, on opening an email message 148, 402, a refresh button 218 is made available, as depicted in
In an alternative embodiment, when User B 138 operates a reply-to-all function, a dialogue box appears that provides User B 138 with an option to include any or all of the enlarged distribution list 240. In an alternative embodiment, on receiving a distribution list 240 for an email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402 the modified email client 505 of User B 138, automatically forwards a corresponding ‘reply-to-all’ email message already sent by User B 138, to any new members of the distribution list 240 of email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402. In an alternative embodiment, on receiving a updated distribution list 240 for an email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402 the modified email client 505 of User B 138 alerts User B 138, and provides an option to forward a corresponding ‘reply-to-all’ email message already sent, to new members of the distribution list 240.
In one embodiment, notification message 422 and update message 432 comprise MIME encoded header information providing details of an updated distribution list 240. The MIME encoded header information is designated as an update type and contain information on the header 220 of the email message 148, 402 that was sent. The information may contain information about, for example, the subject, date and time to enable full identification of the email message 149, 402 by the receiving modified email client 505 of User B 138. The modified email client 505 of User B 138 may recognize the update encoding in the email and be able to process the header information included to identify the original email. The modified email client 505 of User B 138 may determine the difference between the distribution list 240 provided in the update message 432 and the distribution list 240 in the original email message 148, 402. In an alternative embodiment, the modified email client 505 of User A 138 determines the difference between the distribution list 240 provided in the notification message 422 and the distribution list 240 in the original email message 148, 402, providing the difference in the update message 432 to User B 138.
In an alternative embodiment, update message 432 comprises an updated distribution list 240 and the original email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402. The update message 432 replaces the original email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402 at the email client 305, 505 of User B 138. Updated email message information can be compatible with prior art email clients 305. Prior art email clients 305 that may not support the update function accept the email message ‘id 1’ 148, 402 as a new email message 148 (not depicted), for example ‘id 3’.
In one embodiment, automatic notification of additional recipients of an email message 148, 402, as described herein, is provided as an option of an email message 148, 402. The option may be taken by the originator User A 136 when the email message 148, 402 is sent (step 610), or alternatively, when the notification message 422 is analyzed (step 660).
It should be appreciated that the flow of
For the avoidance of doubt, the term “comprising”, as used herein throughout the description and claims is not to be construed as meaning “consisting only of”. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not just limited to email messages, but is also applicable to other types of messages that have a distribution list that can be updated.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09159990.2 | May 2009 | EP | regional |
