US 2003/0115273 A1Published application

Method of managing attached document

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsWayne M. Delia, William A. Ma, William Hsioh-Lien Ma

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Abstract

A method for managing e-mail attachment files received via a network e-mail system by a user. A first e-mail is received at a client computer which includes a first attachment file from the network e-mail system. The client computer begins searching for a second attachment file included with a second e-mail file, preferably automatically after opening the first e-mail. The files are compared to determine if the first attachment file is another incidence of the second attachment file. If true, the method replaces the first attachment file with an identification which points to the second attachment file. When deleting the second e-mail file, the method searches for a third e-mail file. If the third e-mail file is found and the third e-mail file is the next earliest dated incidence of the second e-mail file, the method provides moving and attaching the second attachment file to the third e-mail file.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for managing e-mail attachment files received via a network e-mail system by a user, comprising:

receiving at a client computer a first e-mail including a first attachment file from said network e-mail system;
opening said first e-mail at said client computer;
comparing said first attachment file of said first e-mail with at least one existing second attachment file associated with a second e-mail file;
determining whether said first attachment file is another incidence of said second attachment file;
replacing said first attachment file with an identification which points to said second attachment file when said first attachment file is another incidence of said second attachment file;
attaching a reference tag to said second attachment file indicating a file system location of said second attachment file;
searching for a third e-mail file being a next earliest dated incidence of said second e-mail file when deleting said second e-mail file;
moving and attaching said second attachment file to a third e-mail file being said next earliest dated incidence of said second e-mail file after said second e-mail file is deleted;
and
saving said first attachment file of said first e-mail file when said first attachment file is not another incidence of said second attachment file.

7 more elements

A method for managing e-mail attachment files received via a network e-mail system by a user, comprising:

selecting an option from an option menu at said client computer;
receiving at a client computer, a first e-mail including a first attachment file from said network e-mail system;
opening said first e-mail from said client computer;
searching automatically for a second attachment file included with a second e-mail file after said opening said first e-mail;
comparing said first attachment file with said second attachment file;
determining whether said first attachment file is another incidence of said second attachment file;
replacing said first attachment file with an identification which points to said second attachment file when said first attachment file is another incidence of said second attachment file;
attaching a reference tag to said second attachment file indicating a file system location of said second attachment file;
searching for a third e-mail file being a next earliest dated incidence of said second e-mail when deleting said second e-mail file;
moving and attaching said second attachment file to said third e-mail file after finding said third e-mail file being said next earliest dated incidence of said second e-mail file, after said second e-mail file is deleted;
and
saving said first attachment file included with said first e-mail file when said first attachment file is not another incidence of said second attachment file.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/017,188Filed 14 Dec 2001
Published: 19 Jun 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G06Q 10/107
Office automation; Time management: computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
H04L 51/08
Characterised by the inclusion of specific contents: annexed information, e.g. attachments
H04L 51/216
Monitoring or handling of messages: handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
H04L 51/56
User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail: unified…