# US 2014/0195680 A1 · Facilitating access to references in communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195680 A1 - Document ID: US20140195680A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/738,310 - Filed: 2013-01-10 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Judith H. Bank; Liam Harpur; Ruthie D. Lyle; Patrick J. O'Sullivan; Lin Sun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195680A1 ## CPC - H04L 63/102: {Entity profiles} - G06F 16/00: Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor - G06F 21/604: {Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems} - H04L 51/04: Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] - H04L 51/08: Annexed information, e.g. attachments - H04L 51/52: for supporting social networking services - H04L 63/10: {for controlling access to devices or network resources} - 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) ## Abstract A method and apparatus for managing electronic communications is disclosed. One or more processors detect a reference in an electronic communication. The reference points to a resource stored in storage of a data processing system. The one or more processors identify a set of permissions required to access the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication. The one or more processors then perform a set of access-oriented actions associated with the set of permissions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for managing electronic communications, the method comprising: detecting, by one or more processors, a reference in an electronic communication, the reference pointing to a resource stored in storage of a data processing system; identifying, by one or more processors, a set of permissions required to access the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication; and performing, by one or more processors, a set of access-oriented actions associated with the set of permissions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: one or more processors identifying a set of users having access to the electronic communication; one or more processors determining for each user in the set of users, whether the user has a set of access permissions corresponding to the set of permissions required to access the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication; and one or more processors selecting the set of access-oriented actions based on whether each user in the set of users has the set of access permissions corresponding to the set of permissions required to access the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the set of access-oriented actions include the computer prompting a sender of the electronic communication to select at least one of changing the electronic communication, restricting access to the electronic communication, identifying a particular group of recipients for the electronic communication, initiating a process for granting one or more access permissions for accessing the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication to one or more of the set of users having access to the electronic communication, and continuing processing of the electronic communication. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the set of access-oriented actions associated with the set of permissions includes one or more processors generating a request for access to the resource for recipients of the electronic communication. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic communication is selected from one of an instant message, a posting, a reposting, an email, and a search result. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detecting, by one or more processors, the reference in the electronic communication further comprises: one or more processors parsing the electronic communication to identify a set of references in the electronic communication; and one or more processors selecting the reference in the electronic communication from the set of references identified in the electronic communication. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the set of access-oriented actions include presenting an indication that the electronic communication comprises the reference pointing to the resource that requires the set of permissions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the set of access-oriented actions include presenting a list of users that do not have the required set of access permissions corresponding to the set of permissions required to access the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication. ### Claim 9 An apparatus for managing electronic communications, the apparatus comprising: one or more processors, a memory, and a computer readable storage device; first program instructions to detect a reference in an electronic communication, the reference pointing to a resource stored in storage of a data processing system; second program instructions to identify a set of permissions required to access the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication; and third program instructions to perform a set of access-oriented actions associated with the set of permissions, wherein the first program instructions, the second program instructions, and the third program instructions are stored in the computer readable storage device for execution by the one or more processors via the memory. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: fourth program instructions to identify a set of users having access to the electronic communication; fifth program instructions to determine for each user in the set of users, whether the user has a set of access permissions corresponding to the set of permissions required to access the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication; and sixth program instructions to select the set of access-oriented actions based on whether each user in the set of users has the set of access permissions corresponding to the set of permissions required to access the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication, wherein the fourth program instructions, the fifth program instructions, and the sixth program instructions are stored in the computer readable storage device for execution by the one or more processors via the memory. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the set of access-oriented actions include prompting a sender of the electronic communication to select at least one of changing the electronic communication, restricting access to the electronic communication, identifying a particular group of recipients for the electronic communication, initiating a process for granting one or more access permissions for accessing the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication to one or more of the set of users having access to the electronic communication, and continuing processing of the electronic communication. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the set of access-oriented actions associated with the set of permissions includes generating a request for access to the resource for recipients of the electronic communication. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electronic communication is selected from one of an instant message, a posting, a reposting, an email, and a search result. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first program instructions to detect the reference in the electronic communication further comprises: program instructions to parse the electronic communication to identify a set of references in the electronic communication; and program instructions to select the reference in the electronic communication from the set of references identified in the electronic communication. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the set of access-oriented actions include presenting an indication that the electronic communication comprises the reference pointing to the resource that requires the set of permissions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the set of access-oriented actions include presenting a list of users that do not have the required set of access permissions corresponding to the set of permissions required to access the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication. ### Claim 17 A computer program product comprising: a computer readable storage device in a data processing system; a communications management system running on the data processing system for managing electronic communications; program instructions of the communications management system, stored on the computer readable storage device, for detecting a reference in an electronic communication, the reference pointing to a resource stored in storage of a data processing system; program instructions of the communications management system, stored on the computer readable storage device, for identifying a set of permissions required to access the resource pointed to by the reference in the electronic communication; and program instructions of the communications management system, stored on the computer readable storage device, for performing a set of access-oriented actions associated with the set of permissions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the communications management system comprises a plurality of programs and wherein one program in the communications management system running on the data processing system causes another program to be downloaded to the data processing system while managing electronic communications. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the program instructions of the communications management system are downloaded over a network from a remote data processing system to the computer readable storage device in the data processing system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the computer readable storage device in the data processing system is a first computer readable storage device in a server data processing system, and wherein the program instructions of the communications management system are downloaded over the network to the remote data processing system for use in a second computer readable storage device in the remote data processing system.