# US 7,613,732 B2 · Auto organization hierarchy traversal in email addressees > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,613,732 B2 - Document ID: US7613732B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/128,695 - Filed: 2005-05-12 - Published: 2006-06-22 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2004-12-22 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Haw Kuang Oh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7613732B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/107: Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing] - 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 automatic hierarchy traversal in email addressees. The method includes parsing an entry in an email addressee field and determining if the entry includes a predefined notation appended to the entry. If the entry has a predefined notation appended to the entry, then the hierarchy structure for the name in the entry is traversed based on the predefined notation. The predefined notation includes a special character to identify the direction of traversal and a level indicator to identify the level of traversal. Email addresses for each name listed at the designated level of the hierarchy structure are retrieved and the entry in the email addressee field is replaced with the retrieved email addresses. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for email address automation, comprising: a) parsing, by a computing device, an entry in an email addressee field the email addressee field entry residing in computer readable memory; b) determining, by the computing device, whether the entry includes a predefined notation appended to the entry; and c) if the entry has a predefined notation appended to the entry, traversing, by the computing device, a hierarchy structure from a name in the entry to a designated level of the hierarchy structure based on the predefined notation; retrieving, by the computing device, email addresses of names listed at the designated level; and replacing, by the computing device, the entry in the email addressee field with the email addresses retrieved from the designated level of the hierarchy structure; wherein the predefined notation defines a relationship between the names at the designated level and the name included in the entry, the predefined notation including a special character indicating if the designated level is a higher or lower level than a level of the name in the entry, and a level indicator indicating a number of levels between the designated level and the level of the name in the entry. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the computing device, an email to all email addresses listed in the email addressee field. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the traversing comprises traversing the hierarchy structure a certain level upward or downward from the name in the entry based on the special character and the level indicator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein if the special character is a “+”, the hierarchy structure is traversed upward to the level indicated by the level indicator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein if the hierarchy structure is an organization hierarchy structure, the hierarchy structure is traversed upward to the level indicated by the level indicator to obtain a manager for the name in the entry. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein if the hierarchy structure is an organization hierarchy structure and the level indicator indicates all levels, the hierarchy structure is traversed upward to obtain each manager in the hierarchy chain for the name in the entry. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein if the special character is a “−”, the hierarchy structure is traversed downward to the level indicated by the level indicator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein if the hierarchy structure is an organization hierarchy structure, the hierarchy structure is traversed downward to the level indicated by the level indicator to obtain subordinates for the name in the entry. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein if the hierarchy structure is an organization hierarchy structure and the level indicator indicates all levels, the hierarchy structure is traversed downward to obtain all subordinates in the hierarchy chain for the name in the entry. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined notation includes a special character of “+” followed by a level indicator, and wherein traversing the hierarchy structure of the name in the entry based on the predefined notation comprises traversing the hierarchy structure upward to a level indicated by the level indicator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined notation includes a special character “−” of followed by a level indicator, and wherein traversing the hierarchy structure of the name in the entry based on the predefined notation comprises traversing the hierarchy structure downward to a level indicated by the level indicator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchy structure comprises one of an organization hierarchy structure, a department hierarchy structure, an organization unit code hierarchy structure, or a cost center code hierarchy structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the computing device, whether there is another entry in the email addressee field; and if there is another entry in the email addressee field, repeating processes a), b), and c). ### Claim 14 An article comprising: a storage medium having a plurality of machine accessible instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor, the instructions provide for: a) parsing an entry in an email addressee field; b) determining whether the entry includes a predefined notation appended to the entry, wherein the predefined notation includes a direction of traversal and a level of traversal; and c) if the entry has a predefined notation appended to the entry, traversing a hierarchy structure from a name in the entry to a designated level of the hierarchy structure based on the direction and level of traversal indicated in the predefined notation; retrieving email addresses of names listed at the designated level; and replacing the entry in the email addressee field with the email addresses retrieved from the designated level of the hierarchy structure; wherein the predefined notation defines a relationship between the names at the designated level and the name included in the entry, the predefined notation including a special character indicating if the designated level is a higher or lower level than a level of the name in the entry, and a level indicator indicating a number of levels between the designated level and the level of the name in the entry. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The article of claim 14, further comprising instructions for: determining whether there is another entry in the email addressee field; and if there is another entry in the email addressee field, repeating the instructions for a), b), and c). ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The article of claim 14, further comprising instructions for sending an email to all email addresses listed in the email addressee field. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The article of claim 14, wherein instructions for traversing comprises instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure a certain level upward or downward from the name in the entry based on the special character and the level indicator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein if the special character is a “+”, instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure of the name in the entry based on the predefined notation include instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure upward to the level indicated by the level indicator. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein if the hierarchy structure is an organization hierarchy structure and the special character is a “+”, instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure of the name in the entry based on the predefined notation include instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure upward to the level indicated by the level indicator to obtain a manager for the name in the entry. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein if the hierarchy structure is an organization hierarchy structure and the special character is a “+” and the level indicator indicates all levels, instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure of the name in the entry based on the predefined notation include instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure upward to obtain each manager in the hierarchy chain for the name in the entry. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein if the special character is a “−”, instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure of the name in the entry based on the predefined notation include instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure downward to the level indicated by the level indicator. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein if the hierarchy structure is an organization hierarchy structure and the special character is a “−”, instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure of the name in the entry based on the predefined notation include instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure downward to the level indicated by the level indicator to obtain subordinates for the name in the entry. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein if the hierarchy structure is an organization hierarchy structure and the special character is a “−” and the level indicator indicates all levels, instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure of the name in the entry based on the predefined notation include instructions for traversing the hierarchy structure downward to obtain all subordinates in the hierarchy chain for the name in the entry. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The article of claim 14, wherein the hierarchy structure comprises one of an organization hierarchy structure, a department hierarchy structure, an organization unit code hierarchy structure, or a cost center code hierarchy structure.