# US 2020/0402008 A1 · System and Method for Electronic Mail Approval Paths

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- Number: US 2020/0402008 A1
- Document ID: US20200402008A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/450,607
- Filed: 2019-06-24
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-24
- Assignees: Dell Products L.P.
- Applicants: Dell Products, LP
- Inventors: Sathish Kumar Bikumala; Shibi Panikkar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200402008A1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/103: {Workflow collaboration or project management}
- G06Q 10/107: Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
- H04L 51/046: Interoperability with other network applications or services
- H04L 51/18: Commands or executable codes
- H04L 51/212: using filtering or selective blocking
- H04L 51/214: using selective forwarding
- H04L 51/42: Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
- 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
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

An information handling system includes service layer processing circuitry and server component processing circuitry. The service layer processing circuitry receives an electronic mail message. The server component processing circuitry may communicate with the service layer processing circuitry. The server component processing circuitry assigns an approval card to the electronic mail message by a processor storing the approval card and the electronic mail message in a computer memory, and determines whether a primary approver approved the electronic mail message within a predefined amount of time. In response to the primary approver not approving the electronic mail message within the predefined amount of time, the server component processing circuitry sends the electronic mail message to a secondary approver. In response to sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver, server component processing circuitry notifies a sender of the electronic mail message that an intermediate action of the approval process card has been taken.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
creating of an approval process card, wherein the creating of an approval process card includes:
defining primary and secondary approvers in the same level of the approval process card;
defining a service level agreement for an unread electronic mail message assigned to the approval process card;
assigning the approval process card to an electronic mail message;
storing, by a processor, the electronic mail message and the approval process card in a computer memory;
determining whether a primary approver approved the electronic mail message within a predefined amount of time;
in response to the primary approver not approving the electronic mail message within the predefined amount of time, sending the electronic mail message to a secondary approver; and
in response to sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver, notifying a sender of the electronic mail message that an intermediate action of the approval process card has been taken, wherein the intermediate action includes sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
defining criteria for passing a single level of the approval process card;
determining whether the electronic mail message has passed the single level of the approval process card based on whether the criteria has been met;
in response to the electronic mail message passing the single level, providing an approval notification to the sender of the electronic mail message; and
in response to the electronic mail message not passing the single level, providing a rejection notification to the sender of the electronic mail message.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the defining of the criteria for passing a single level of the approval process card comprises:
assigning a percentage of approvers within the single level that must approve the electronic mail message.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the rejection notification includes reasons for the rejection in the signal level.

### Claim 5

(canceled)

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the creating of the approval process card further comprises:
defining a mandatory approver in a specific level of the approval process card.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising:
in response to the electronic mail message passing the single level, determining whether the approval card includes a next higher approval level; and
in response to the approval card including the next higher approval level, sending the electronic mail message to a primary approver within the next higher approval level of the approval card.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the approval process card includes an approval list of individuals needed for approval.

### Claim 9

An information handling system comprising:
service layer processing circuitry to receive an electronic mail message; and
server component processing circuitry to communicate with the service layer processing circuitry, the server component processing circuitry to: assign an approval card to the electronic mail message by a processor storing the approval card and the electronic mail message in a computer memory; determine whether a primary approver approved the electronic mail message within a predefined amount of time; in response to the primary approver not approving the electronic mail message within the predefined amount of time, send the electronic mail message to a secondary approver; in response to sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver, notify a sender of the electronic mail message that an intermediate action of the approval process card has been taken, wherein the intermediate action includes sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver; define criteria for passing a single level of the approval process card; determine whether the electronic mail message has passed the single level of the approval process card based on whether the criteria has been met in response to the electronic mail message passing the single level, provide an approval notification to the sender of the electronic mail message; and in response to the electronic mail message not passing the single level, providing a rejection notification to the sender of the electronic mail message.

### Claim 10

(canceled)

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The information handling system of claim 10, wherein the definition of the criteria for passing a single level of the approval process card includes the server component processing circuitry to: assign a percentage of approvers within the single level that must approve the electronic mail message.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The information handling system of claim 10, wherein the rejection notification includes reasons for the rejection in the signal level.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The information handling system of claim 9, wherein the creation of the approval process card includes the server component processing circuitry further to:
define primary and secondary approvers in the same level of the approval process card; and
define a service level agreement for an unread electronic mail message assigned to the approval process card.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The information handling system of claim 13, wherein the creation of the approval process card includes the server component processing circuitry further to: define a mandatory approver in a specific level of the approval process card.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The information handling system of claim 10, wherein in response to the electronic mail message passing the single level, the server component processing circuitry further to: determine whether the approval card includes a next higher approval level; and in response to the approval card including the next higher approval level, send the electronic mail message to a primary approver within the next higher approval level of the approval card.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The information handling system of claim 9, wherein the approval process card includes an approval list of individuals needed for approval.

### Claim 17

A method comprising:
creating an approval process card for an electronic mail message, wherein the approval process card includes an approval list of individuals needed for approval;
storing, by a processor, the approval process card in a computer memory;
determining whether a primary approver approved the electronic mail message within a predefined amount of time;
in response to the primary approver not approving the electronic mail message within the predefined amount of time, sending the electronic mail message to a secondary approver;
in response to sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver, notifying a sender of the electronic mail message that an intermediate action of the approval process card has been taken, wherein the intermediate action includes sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver;
receiving a reply electronic mail message;
determining whether a subject line of the reply electronic mail message matches a subject line of the approval process card; and
in response to the subject line of the reply electronic mail message matching the subject line of the approval process card, providing a message on a display device asking if a sender of the electronic mail message wants to close the approval process card.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
defining criteria for passing a single level of the approval process card;
determining whether the electronic mail message has passed the single level of the approval process card based on whether the criteria has been met;
in response to the electronic mail message passing the single level, providing an approval notification to the sender of the electronic mail message; and
in response to the electronic mail message not passing the single level, providing a rejection notification to the sender of the electronic mail message.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the rejection notification includes reasons for the rejection in the signal level.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the creating of the approval process card further comprises:
defining primary and secondary approvers in the same level of the approval process card;
defining a service level agreement for an unread electronic mail message assigned to the approval process card; and
defining a mandatory approver in a specific level of the approval process card.