# US 10,122,667 B2 · Method and apparatus for storing email messages

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,122,667 B2
- Document ID: US10122667B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/700,356
- Filed: 2017-09-11
- Published: 2017-12-28
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2005-04-14
- Assignees: TJ²Z Patent Licensing and Tech Transfer, LLC
- Applicants: TJ2Z Patent Licensing and Tech Transfer, LLC
- Inventors: Timothy J. Ziolkowski; Kent L. Baker
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122667B2

## CPC

- H04L 51/42: Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
- G06F 16/116: {Details of conversion of file system types or formats}
- G06F 16/13: File access structures, e.g. distributed indices (arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06)
- G06F 16/148: {File search processing}
- G06F 16/164: {File meta data generation}
- G06F 16/22: Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
- G06Q 10/107: Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A method for saving an email to an electronic storage location is disclosed. A topic identifier located in the email is used to locate a storage location on the electronic storage device for saving the email message. Emails relating to the same topics of interest may be stored in the same storage location.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An email storage system comprising:
one of a local email server and a remote email server configured to transmit and receive emails; and
a processor programmed to:
identify an email transmitted or received by the email server;
generate a file name for the email, the file name comprising at least one of a date, a name contained within the email, and at least a portion of the subject line of the email message;
identify at least one storage location for the email based on characters within the email; and
save the email to the at least one storage location.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The email storage system of claim 1 wherein, if at least one storage location for the email is not identified based on characters within the email, the processor is programmed to prompt a user to identify a storage location for the email.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The email storage system of claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to convert the email into a file to be stored on a database.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The email storage system of claim 1 further comprising a database accessible by processor and comprising a plurality of folders.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The email storage system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of folders are named with unique topic identifiers; and
wherein the processor is further programmed to identify the at least one storage location for the email by matching characters within the email to one of the unique topic identifiers.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The email storage system of claim 4 wherein the database is stored on a file server.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The email storage system of claim 4 wherein the database is stored on one of a laptop computer and a desktop computer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The email storage system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to:
identify a first storage location for the email based on a first plurality of characters contained within the subject line of the email;
identify a second storage location for the email based on a second plurality of characters contained within the subject line of the email; and
save the email in the first and second storage locations.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The email storage system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to permit a user to modify the file name if the generated file name exceeds a predetermined maximum number of characters.

### Claim 10

An email storage system comprising:
an email server configured to transmit and receive email messages, the email server comprising one of a remote email server and a local email server; and
a processor programmed to:
identify an email message transmitted or received by the email server;
locate an email topic identifier in one of a subject line and a message body of the email message;
if an email topic identifier is located, match the email topic identifier to unique topic identifiers associated with folders located on a database; and
if the email topic identifier matches one of the unique topic identifiers, save the email message in a folder associated with the matched unique topic identifier.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The email storage system of claim 10 wherein the unique topic identifier comprises one of a customer number, a matter number for a customer, and a project file identifier.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The email storage system of claim 10 wherein the unique topic identifier comprises a series of alpha-numeric characters.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The email storage system of claim 10 wherein, if the email topic identifier does not match one of the unique topic identifiers associated with the folders, the processor is programmed to prompt a user to identify a storage location for the email message in the database.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The email storage system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further programmed to generate a file name for the email message, the file name comprising at least one of a date, a name contained within the email message, and at least a portion of the subject line of the email message.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The email storage system of claim 10 wherein, if an email topic identifier is not located in the subject line or the message body of the email message, the processor is further programmed to prompt a user to input an email topic identifier.

### Claim 16

An email storage system comprising:
an email server comprising one of a local email server and a remote email server; and
a computer programmed to:
automatically monitor at least one folder of the email server for an addition of an email thereto;
upon detecting an email added to the at least one folder, generate a file name for the email, the file name comprising at least one of:
characters from a subject line of the email;
a name of at least one recipient or sender of the email;
a date the email was transmitted; and
a date the email was received; and
save the email at a storage location with the generated file name.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The email storage system of claim 16 wherein the computer is further programmed to prompt a user to modify the generated file name if the storage location contains a previously saved email with the generated file name.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The email storage system of claim 16 wherein the computer is further programmed to automatically modify the generated file name if the generated file name exceeds a maximum number of characters.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The email storage system of claim 16 wherein the computer is further programmed to generate the file name based on user input.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The email storage system of claim 16 wherein the computer is further programmed to:
convert the email into an email file having an electronic file format selected from the group consisting of: a plain text formatted file, a Hyper-text Markup Language (HTML) formatted file, and an email formatted file; and
save the email file at the storage location.