DE10319492A1 - E-mail forwarding filter has means for checking to see if an E-mail to be forwarded has already been sent to a person to whom it is to be forwarded and, if so, preventing its re-sending to such a person - Google Patents

Abstract

E-mail forwarding method in which e-mail received by an E-mail-receiving agent, and initially sent to one or more receivers, is forwarded. According to the method the E-mail agent checks to see if the E-mail was initially sent to any address that is included within the list of addresses to which the E-mail is to be forwarded. If so, the E-mail is not forwarded to that or those addresses. Independent claims are also included for the following:- (a) a further E-mail filtering method; (b) a computer with means for sending and receiving E-mail; (c) a computer with an E-mail agent; (d) a computer program with means for implementing an E-mail agent and; (e) a plug-in for provision of an E-mail agent.

Description

AREA OF INVENTION

The The present invention relates generally to a forwarding filter for one electronic mail (e-mail) and e.g. a process, a computer, a computer program and a plug-in for forwarding filtering one E-mail.

BACKGROUND THE INVENTION

The Electronic message (e-mail) has existed for over two decades and it rose during of the nineties exponentially so far that today the number the number of e-mails sent per day far exceeds the number of paper letters.

The The first e-mail systems were based on simple file transfer protocols with the convention that the first line of every message is the address Recipient contained. These systems offered only a few functions to the user. To these restrictions to overcome, Advanced e-mail systems were proposed, which was in 1982 to develop a standard for Internet text messages RFC 822 ("Request for Comments ") by ARPANET led that defined the message format. Except for minor revisions today's Internet e-mail is still based on RFC 822. The RFC 822 internet e-mail standard is e.g. on the website www.facqs.org/rfcs/rfc822.html released. A general introduction on the subject of "e-mail" can e.g. in Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Computer Networks, 4th edition 2003, Pearson Education International, pp. 588-611.

Two very popular features of this standard were (i) the ability to send a message to a group of people, and (ii) that Forward a message by putting it in the content of another Message inserted the forwarded part is thereby identified, for example was that he was disconnected from the rest of the message. Allow e-mail user agents a user usually via a graphical user interface (GUI) to write e-mails, too send and manage. Nowadays, comfortable e-mail user agents provide User-friendly functions are available to forward an email or around one or more recipients to answer. Furthermore, address books are typically offered, to provide an easy way to provide the addresses of the recipients and mailing lists to generate and manage. These lists can be used by multiple recipients a group like "everyone Colleagues from Department X "or" all members of Project Y "included on the just over a single alias can be accessed if the user has a Send email to all members of a specific mailing list or want to forward without each recipient being written individually or must be specified.

Except for the There are some pleasant ways to send messages around the world other factors that compared to the enormous popularity of e-mail Paper letters have contributed: it is less expensive, very informal, has a low threshold to use it and it almost gets instantly delivered to any location in the world.

The popularity However, e-mail also has its disadvantages: people won't most recently due to the widespread use of mailing lists often overwhelmed with emails. On Employee of a large international company can e.g. in many local or company-wide Mailing lists may be included, such as mailing lists for various Projects, functions or interests within the company. As a result the employee can use the same email twice or even more receive.

The JP 2001024692 A describes an e-mail transmission system that does not transmit e-mails with the same content to a recipient more than once.

SUMMARY THE INVENTION

On The first aspect of the invention relates to a forwarding filter method for one E-mail received from an e-mail user agent and originally to one or more original receiver was sent. According to the first Aspect will be the process by the user agent in response to a user input to forward the email to at least one Forwarding destination carried out and comprises the following steps: (i) comparing the forwarding recipient with the original receivers; and (ii) if it is detected that the forwarding recipient is using one of the original Recipient matches, the agent causes the e-mail not to match Forwarding destination is forwarded.

In another aspect, another forwarding filtering method is provided for an e-mail received by an e-mail user agent and originally sent to one or more original recipients. The method is used by a user agent in response to user input to forward the email to at least one relay tion recipient carried out. The method comprises the following steps: (i) comparing the forwarding recipient with the original recipients; and (ii) if it is detected that the forwarding recipient matches one of the original recipients, the agent requests the user to confirm that the original email should not be forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient and, according to the user confirmation, causes the user to original email is not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient.

According to one Another aspect is an e-mail forwarding filtering process performed by an e-mail server to disposal posed. The method is implemented in response to receiving one of e-mail coming to a user sent to recipients of a mailing list should be carried out. It includes the following steps: (i) Determine whether the email is a forwarding email that contains information to identify the original receiver which contains e-mail; (ii) Compare the recipients the mailing list with the original ones receivers; and (iii) if it is detected that one of the recipients of the Mailing list with one of the original ones Recipient agrees, initiated the e-mail server that the e-mail was not sent to the matching recipient becomes.

According to one Another aspect is a computer with a component for receiving and sending e-mails. The e-mail component is trained to send a forwarding email in response to a User input to route one in the e-mail user agent received original Filter email to at least one forwarding recipient. The original E-mail was sent to one or more original recipients Service. The email component is designed to match the forwarding recipient with the original recipient compare and is trained in response to a match between the forwarding recipient and one of the original ones receiver do the following: (a) Require that the user confirms that the original E-mail was not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient and, according to the user confirmation, cause the original E-mail not too the matching one Forwarding destination is forwarded; and / or (b) initiating without user confirmation, that the original E-mail did not match Forwarding destination is forwarded.

According to one Another aspect is a computer with an e-mail user agent disposal which is designed to enable a user to generate a forwarding e-mail to one received in the e-mail user agent original Forward e-mail to at least one forwarding recipient. The original E-mail was sent to one or more original recipients Service. The e-mail user agent includes means for filtering the forwarding e-mail in response on user input. These filtering means include: (i) Means for comparing the forwarding recipient with the original one receivers; and (ii) means for causing the original email not to match Forwarding recipients forwarded if the comparison means detects that the forwarding recipient with one of the original Recipient matches.

According to one Another aspect is a computer program with program code to run on available to a computer provided that an e-mail user agent to filter an e-mail, that was received in the agent and was originally one or more sent to original recipients was included. The agent is trained in response to a user input to forward the email to at least one Forwarding destination, (i) the forwarding recipient with the original Recipients too to compare; and (ii) to cause the email to fail to match Forwarding destination is forwarded when the agent detects that the forwarding recipient is using one of the original Recipient matches.

On another aspect relates to a plug-in for providing an email user agent with an e-mail forwarding filter functionality. The e-mail user agent is trained to allow a user to send a forwarding email generate an e-mail received in the e-mail user agent forward to at least one forwarding recipient. The original email was sent to one or more original recipients Service. The plug-in, when running, (i) compares that Forwarding destination with the original recipients; and (ii) causes the original E-mail did not match Forwarding recipients forwarded when the agent detects that the forwarding recipient is using one of the original Recipient matches.

Other Features are in the disclosed method, computer, computer program and plug-in included or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments and their accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION THE DRAWINGS

embodiments the invention will now become exemplary and with reference to the accompanying drawings described in which

1 shows a schematic overview of an e-mail user agent;

2 Figure 4 is a general flow diagram of a routing filter;

3 a flowchart of a forwarding filter that does not require user confirmation;

4 a flowchart of a forwarding filter that requires user confirmation;

5 a flowchart of another embodiment analogous to 4 is in which groups of matching and non-matching forwarding recipients are determined and processed separately;

6 is a flowchart of a forwarding filter that distinguishes between changed and unchanged forwarding emails;

7 a flow diagram of a forwarding filter similar to 6 is that asks for user confirmation when processing unchanged forwarding emails;

8th a flow diagram of a forwarding filter similar to 6 is that requires user confirmation when processing changed forwarding e-mails;

9 and 10 14 are flowcharts illustrating two alternative embodiments that differ in the time the filtering process is performed;

11 illustrates a forwarding filter implemented as a plug-in;

12 illustrates a forwarding filter integrated with an e-mail user agent;

13 Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a computer that includes an e-mail user agent;

14 illustrates a forwarding filter processing performed by an e-mail server.

In corresponding steps and components are carried in the drawings the same reference numerals.

1 shows components of an e-mail user agent. Before proceeding with the detailed description of these components, however, some points of the exemplary embodiments are discussed.

E-mail systems generally have two basic parts: user agents, the allow the user Read, send and manage emails and messaging agents, the the e-mail messages bring from the source to the destination. The message transfer agents are typically system demons, i.e. Processes that run in the background without interacting with the user, and that for connecting to the goal for transferring e-mail messages and clearing the connection are responsible. The e-mail user agents (also called "e-mail clients") are programs which is a command-based, menu-based and / or provide a graphical interface for interacting with the e-mail system, e.g. to compose, receive and reply to messages as well to design mailboxes in which the received e-mails are saved and to maintain mailing lists, the lists of individual e-mail addresses represent. examples for E-mail user agent are the Microsoft program Outlook or the messenger program from Netscape.

It are two often Protocols used for final e-mail delivery: POP3 (Post Office Protocol Version 3) and IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol). When using POP3, when the user reads the e-mail reader (part of the User agent who is trained to read e-mails), usually all messages in the user's mailbox at Transfer agents downloaded and on the user's hard drive saved and the mailbox is emptied. When using IMAP the message remains permanently on a mail server in the mailbox (or the mailboxes) of the user. The emails will be sent to you read, downloaded, but they are not permanently in one User memory saved. Many available user agents can be configured to work with POP3 or IMAP, and also the described embodiments work with both POP3 and IMAP (for POP3 and IMAP see Tanenbaum, pages 605-609).

E-mail user agents usually also offer the functionality of an address book in which e-mail addresses can be stored and which can later be accessed, for example, via the e-mail address, the surname or first name, an alias such as a nickname, a person's initials or other abbreviations, etc. The entries in such an address book can then be sorted and, in particular, organized in mailing lists, with which multiple e-mail addresses can be accessed using a single name.

On E-mail user agent also includes several mailboxes in which e.g. E-mails received and copies of e-mails sent are saved be (POP3) or a mechanism to open in such mailboxes read e-mails stored on a mail server (IMAP), and especially one So-called inbox, in which the newly arrived e-mails are saved and are displayed.

If a user sends an email from the inbox or other mailboxes another recipient from the address book or another recipient (not from the address book), the user chooses interactively the appropriate email address and activates the process of Forwarding an email, e.g. by selecting the appropriate forward button on the graphical user interface of the e-mail user agent. Either before or after activating the process of forwarding one E-mail must indicate to which other recipient or to other recipients the email should be forwarded. Therefore the user agent Funds available with which the user has the appropriate email addresses either by manually typing the address or by selecting the Can specify address from the address book. In some embodiments the user is able if the email is forwarded to multiple forwarding recipients will, between primary recipients to the one with "To" in the user interface Is referenced, and secondary recipients referred to with "Cc" ("carbon copy") will distinguish. However, the email will be sent to both primary as well as secondary recipients independent of passed to "To" or "Cc" attributes. In some embodiments can be another recipient additionally the attribute "Bcc" ("blind carbon copy") can be assigned. This attribute causes the email to be sent to the "Bcc" recipients as well is forwarded to this recipient however, do not appear in the copies related to the primary and secondary recipients sent. This property allows people to make copies Send to third parties without the primary and secondary recipients doing this knowledge.

The Expression original E-mail refers to the e-mail sent by the user from one of the Mailboxes selected to be forwarded to one or more other recipients.

In some embodiments when the process of forwarding an email from the user a text box containing the original e-mail is activated displayed on the computer screen in which the user has content (e.g. text), the additional to the original E-mail should be sent, added or in which the user e.g. the subject line or the content (e.g. the text) of the original E-mail can change.

The The term e-mail generally refers to electronic messages, the across computers the internet will be shipped. However, the embodiments are not limited to the classic Internet e-mail, but also include internal ones E-mails or other types of electronic messages within an internal network, such as internal notes, or any other Type of electronic messages that are transferred over a network become. Email transfer is not limited to computer networks, but can also use other communication networks such as mobile telecommunication networks include. In this context, the term e-mail can also be SMS-like (Short Message Service) and MMS-like (Multimedia Message service; Multimedia messaging service) the one between phones, portable computers and mobile phones Telecommunications network to be exchanged.

According to the RFC 822 standard, e-mails are composed of an envelope and a message. The case surrounds the message. It contains everything the information for the transport of the message is necessary, such as the destination address, the priority and the security level, all separated from the message itself are. The message itself consists of a header and a body of the message is separated from the header fields by an empty line. During the Header control information for contains the e-mail user agent, holds the body the actual information for the human recipient. Some of the header fields are used by the message transfer agent used the envelope to create.

Next a unique identifier (message ID), which is a unique Number is to sign up later to relate to the message, as described above, the header includes a "To" field, a "Cc" field and a "Bcc" field. Other header fields are a "From" field that indicates who wrote the message, or a "Subject" field.

If an original Email forwarded will have additional fields to the original ones Header fields added. These new header fields are identified by the prefix "Resent" and are followed by one of the standard fields, e.g. "Resent-From", "Resent-Date", "Resent-To", "Resent-Cc" or "Resent-Message-ID", etc. The "Resent-From" field e.g. specifies the person who sent the forwarding message generated while the "From" field the person indicating the original message generated. If one email is forwarded, the others are receiver contained in the "Resent-To" or "Resent-Cc" fields, while the originals receiver contained in the "To" or "Cc" fields are.

Each header field consists of a single line of ASCII text that contains the field name, a colon, and a value for most fields. A header field therefore has the following syntax:
Field name: [field body] CRLF

The Field name is used to identify the specific field when the header is parsed. The field name is defined by the field body a colon separated. The field body contains the value of the field, e.g. the e-mail addresses of the recipients, the date or ID of the message. Because each field from a line ASCII text exists, it is replaced by a line break and line feed (CRLF) ended.

Around to the original receiver to access an email to be forwarded, broken down into some embodiments a parser the email to be forwarded. Such a parser scares in the header fields e.g. after the "To" field. If he detects this field, he reads in the data of this field, which in this case contains the original primary recipient (s). A similar Processing is performed in some embodiments the other recipient (s) the e-mail to be forwarded to investigate. In this case the parser searches e.g. after the "Reset-To" field of the email to be forwarded. In other embodiments become the other recipients however extracted directly from the user interface if the User specifies the email addresses or names of the other recipient (s) i.e. the other recipients are directly from the "To" mask of the e-mail user agent read.

In some embodiments forwarding e-mails are prevented from matching Forwarding recipients to be forwarded without requiring user confirmation becomes. The forwarding recipient will match the original recipients compared, and if it is detected that it is with one of the original Recipient matches, the agent causes the original e-mail not to match Forwarding destination is forwarded without it a user confirmation too desire.

In other embodiments the agent requires that the user confirm that the original E-mail was not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient and when the user confirms the agent causes the original e-mail not to match Forwarding destination is forwarded. That means the user has the option has to intervene by confirming or not confirmed that the email did not match receiver is forwarded.

This Forwarding filter functionality is also useful if Mailing lists are used. Often one receives in such a list User included an email that was sent to the members of the original Mailing list has been sent and would like it to be sent to members forward to another mailing list (called the "Forwarding Mailing List"). The However, the forwarding mailing list may be different from the original one Overlap mailing list. consequently would some of the original receiver this email twice receive. This would be for this (i.e. the "matching") recipients disturbing.

Around prevent this situation if more than one forwarding recipient is specified (e.g. through a forwarding mailing list) be requested by the user, either individually for each matching Receiver or collectively for all matching Recipient too to confirm, that the email is not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient (s) becomes.

It It can happen that the user can forward the original E-mail changes. He or she can e.g. change the content of the original email or additional Add content. If the user to the original E-mail text, e.g. a comment, this text appears in the The e-mail user agent is usually displayed separately from the text the original E-mail so that the other recipient between the original Original text E-mail and the newly added Can distinguish text. However, the user can also use the text change the original email, e.g. he enters comments directly into the original text.

If the original e-mail was changed, the user may want the modified e-mail to be forwarded to the original recipients who are have already received the original email. Therefore, the agent causes the original email to be forwarded to a forwarding recipient, even if it is a matching forwarding recipient, without requiring user confirmation. On the other hand, if the original e-mail was not changed by the user, the agent prevents the original e-mail from being forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient, in some embodiments without requiring user confirmation, in other embodiments only, when the user confirms that the email should not be forwarded to the matching recipient. If no user confirmation is requested, either for modified or unchanged e-mails, the filtering process is automatically without user interaction.

In other embodiments is a stronger one Filters implemented in the sense that if the original E-mail changed by the user is not forwarded unconditionally, but the User is asked for confirmation that the (changed) E-mail not matching Forwarding recipients should be forwarded. That could e.g. be appropriate if the user between cases with minor changes, the for the matching recipients do not are relevant, and cases with relevant changes, in which the modified email also to the matching ones Forwarding recipients should be forwarded. If the original email is not from that User changed , the agent prevents them from matching Forwarding recipients forwarded will without a user confirmation desire.

In other embodiments there is no differentiation between changed and unchanged Forwarding emails made, i.e. both changed and unchanged emails are prevented from being forwarded to the matching forwarding recipients to become, for that either a user confirmation is requested or not.

If the user has specified more than one forwarding recipient and more as one of the forwarding recipients matches the original recipients, is required by the user in some embodiments that he confirms that the original E-mail not too the matching one Forwarding recipients is forwarded. As already mentioned above, in one embodiment the user confirmation individually demands for any matching forwarding recipient while they in another embodiment only once for all matching Forwarding destination is required.

in the In the first case, the user can individually decide which ones match Forwarding recipients the original E-mail should be forwarded, which is particularly useful can if the original E-mail changed by the user has been. In the second case, the user is not repeated by Bothered inquiries, but can be a general confirmation, e.g. by one Mouse click, type.

In some embodiments become the recipients through their email address identified in other embodiments by their name while in still other embodiments both Identification procedures can be combined. Some e-mail systems broadcast not just the sender's email address, but also his or her their full name or alias. Sometimes it is also possible to get one receiver name extract from his or her email address as addresses often e.g. are composed in the form firstname.name@domain. To match recipients too will not only find the e-mail addresses of the forwarding recipients and the original receiver compared, but also their names if they are available. The names of the other recipients can e.g. extracted from the address book, in which an e-mail address with the real name of the person or any alias connected is. This can be particularly useful if one recipient has several Has e-mail addresses, such as a private e-mail address and a company e-mail address or special email addresses for certain Projects. In such cases the result of the comparison process is independent of the specific e-mail address, that of the original recipients or the forwarding recipient is used as the matching recipient by their names are identified.

In addition, in some embodiments, not only are identical email addresses compared, but similar email addresses are also considered to find matching recipients. Several criteria can be defined for which the e-mail address of an original recipient and a forwarding recipient are considered to be the same. For example, a forwarding recipient and an original recipient can be considered to match if their domain is identical and at least the first name or the last name that occurs in the respective e-mail addresses match. This can be useful because some e-mail providers allow different e-mail addresses to be used for the same e-mail account or the same person such as first name @ domain, last name @ domain, first name.name@domain, etc.

The The filtering process described above can occur at different times while of the forwarding process.

In some embodiments the filtering is already done when the user enters an or several forwarding recipients specified by using the appropriate interface of the e-mail user agent used, i.e. e.g. if he provided the email address or the name of the or the forwarding recipient or a forwarding mailing list or if he or she is the forwarding recipient selects the mailing list from the address book. Then the filtering process begins. If more than one forwarding recipient is specified, begins filtering either after specifying a forwarding recipient completes is individual for this recipient or after all forwarding recipients have been specified. in the in the latter case, the filtering is initiated when the user of the Interface of the e-mail user agent for specifying the forwarding recipients, e.g. in the "To" field, to another part of the e-mail user agent replaced. Alternatively, filtering can be done continuously through a demon program carried out that runs in the background and continuously or at predetermined time intervals the forwarding recipients of the checked forwarded e-mail, e.g. by reading out the corresponding user interface or by analyzing the e-mail to be forwarded.

In other embodiments the filtering process is only carried out if the user E-mail user agents actually instruct the forwarding e-mail submit. Filtering is e.g. initiates when the user enters the Submit button of the e-mail user agent which causes the e-mail user agent to forward the e-mail to submit to the e-mail transfer agent.

Sometimes E-mails are sent successively several times by one recipient forwarded to another etc. In this way, chains of forwarded emails are produced, being for everyone Step multiple recipients be specified. It will not be just one group, but several Groups of original recipients from previous routing processes before the email is sent to the user. In some embodiments, that of forwarding recipients specified to the user with all or at least some recipients, to which the original Email previously sent or forwarded was compared.

typically, allows an e-mail user agent allows the user to provide attributes for forwarding recipients, like "To" or "Cc". In some embodiments will only be forwarding recipients compared to the original recipients with a certain attribute, e.g. only the forwarding recipients of the "Cc" field are in included the filtering process while the forwarding recipients of the "To" field is not the subject of filtering. In these exemplary embodiments it is assumed that the user is a more important to the forwarding recipients of the "To" field Assigns role and therefore does not want to include it in the filtering.

Some embodiments the computer program and the plug-in comprise program code which e.g. is stored on a computer-readable data carrier or in Form of signals about a Computer network or the Internet is transmitted. Some examples of the program code and the plug-in are in an object-oriented Programming language (e.g. Java or C ++) written. The program code can be loaded (if necessary after compilation and binding with others Codes) and run in a digital computer such as a PC.

In some embodiments the mailing lists are not local to the user's computer stored, but rather centrally, e.g. on an email server, that of many users about a network accessible is. Typically, such a centrally stored mailing list becomes one assigned specific email address and the user can send an email Send to all addresses contained in the mailing lists by he sends them to the address of the mailing list. The email server then send this email to the addresses in the mailing list.

In some embodiments the user agent fetches the centrally stored mailing lists Mailing list from the mailing server when sending an email to a centrally stored one Mailing list to be forwarded. The forwarding filter processing is then executed locally at the user agent, as if the mailing list would be stored locally.

In other exemplary embodiments with centrally stored mailing lists, the forwarding filter processing is carried out on a central mail server when it receives an e-mail from the user which is to be sent to recipients of a mailing list. The e-mail server then makes sure that the e-mail is a forwarding e-mail that contains information about the original recipients of the e-mail. If it is such a forwarding e-mail, the compares E-mail server the recipients of the mailing list with the original recipients. Analogously to that described above, if the e-mail server detects that one of the recipients of the mailing list matches one of the original recipients, it causes the e-mail not to be sent to the matching recipient. To notify the user of this filtering action, in some embodiments, the email server sends a message back to the user indicating that the email was not sent to the matching recipient.

It is coming back on now 1 , which shows components of an e-mail user agent and a user interface for routing an original e-mail. Incoming emails 4 (ie original emails) are displayed in an inbox window 2 displayed. In the inbox window 2 become attributes of the incoming e-mails 4 , such as the sender, the date, the priority, a subject line, an icon indicating whether the email files are attached, the first sentence of the text of the email, etc., usually in the form of a list of incoming emails Emails 4 displayed. The e-mail user agent allows the user to specify the attributes to be displayed and the way in which the incoming e-mails 4 in the inbox window 2 sorted, for example chronologically according to the date. Internally, all emails are in a database 6 stored, which usually represents one or more files, in which all e-mails are stored on the computer of the user agent or a remote mail server. Every email in the save file 6 is referenced by a unique ID identifier. Different file types can be used depending on the specific e-mail user agent used. For example, the Microsoft Outlook e-mail user client uses a .pst file that is updated when new e-mails are received.

If a certain original email 14 from the list of incoming e-mails 4 the inbox 2 by the user by activating a forwarding button 24 For example, if a computer mouse is selected, the e-mail user agent opens a forwarding e-mail 8th in a user interface window in which the selected original e-mail 14 is shown.

The original email 14 is in a text box interface 10 the forwarding email 8th displayed, being visually different from the other text of the text box interface 10 using a special character 26 (eg ">"), which marks each new line of the original e-mail. In other embodiments, the original email is created by indenting its text in the text box interface 10 marked. Not only the text of the original e-mail is displayed, but also some header fields such as the ID, a "From" field, a "Date" field and a field or fields 28 that contain the original recipients. The latter are the "To" or "Cc" fields of the original email. The user can then add additional text 30 in the text box interface 10 the forwarding email 8th Add. User input masks 16 . 18 and 20 are provided to specify the recipient (s) to whom the forwarding email is to be forwarded. These masks are linked to the "To" field, "Cc" field and "Bcc" field of the forwarding e-mail. The user can identify the forwarding recipients by typing their e-mail addresses, their names or aliases associated with the e-mail addresses, by keyboard entry or by selecting from an address book 22 Specify with the computer mouse or keyboard shortcuts, for example. The user can also specify forwarding recipients by selecting a mailing list. If the selected mailing list is stored centrally on an e-mail server, for example, the user agent fetches it from there.

Extract some embodiments from the original email 14 and in particular from the "To" and "Cc" fields of the original e-mail a list containing the original recipients 12 by sending the original email 14 analyze.

As in 2 illustrated, the user generally selects an original e-mail from one of his mailboxes, for example using the computer mouse or the keyboard, and activates it, for example by pressing the forwarding button 24 of the e-mail user agent the forwarding process. A forwarding email 8th is generated and subjected to the filtering process S32. Depending on the result of the filtering S32, the original e-mail is actually forwarded (w, S34) or (actually) not forwarded (nw, S36).

In the exemplary embodiments according to 3 the filtering process S32 comprises the step S38 of comparing the forwarding recipients specified by the user with the original recipient. In step S40 and as a result of the comparison S38, those forwarding receivers that match one or more original receivers are detected and identified. If one or more matching forwarding recipients are detected (Y in step S42), the e-mail is not forwarded automatically in accordance with step S36, ie without requesting a user confirmation. In some embodiments, although the user is not required to confirm that the original email should not be forwarded, a notification is sent It was issued that the original e-mail was not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipients. On the other hand, if no matching recipients are detected (N in step S42), the original e-mail is routed to the specified forwarding recipients in accordance with step S34.

According to other exemplary embodiments 4 the original email will be as in the in 3 illustrated embodiment routed in step S34 if the steps S38, S40 and S42 of the filtering process S32 do not detect any matching forwarding receivers. However, if one or more matching forwarding recipients are detected (Y in step S42), the user is asked in step S44 to confirm that the original e-mail should not be forwarded to the matching forwarding recipients. If the user confirms in step S46, the original email is not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipients in step S48. On the other hand, if the user refuses to confirm (N in step S46), the original email is forwarded to the forwarding recipients in step S50 even if one or more forwarding recipients are identical to the original recipients.

If more than one forwarding receiver is specified, in some embodiments, examples of which are shown in 3 and 4 are shown, the filtering process is carried out successively for all forwarding recipients. In other embodiments, of which 5 As an example, only the steps of comparing (S38) and detecting the match (S40) are carried out in succession for all forwarding receivers in a first phase. As a result of this first phase, two groups of relay receivers are found, namely matching receivers (labeled S54) and non-matching receivers (labeled S56). In a second phase, the elements of the groups of matching and non-matching receivers are processed separately. The forwarding e-mail is forwarded for the elements of the group of the mismatched recipients (S34). For the elements of the group of the mismatched recipients in the example the 5 required by the user to confirm in step S52 that the original email should not be forwarded to the matching recipients. Only when the user confirms the confirmation request of step S44 in step S46, the original e-mail is not forwarded to these forwarding recipients (step S48). Otherwise, ie if the user refuses to confirm (N in step S46), the original e-mail is finally forwarded to the matching forwarding recipients (step S50).

A Function of user confirmation is to warn the user and inform that one or several of the other recipients already the original Have received e-mail. The confirmation request can be implemented as a warning pop-up that appears in the e-mail user agent and the user has at least two options for answering like YES / NO allowed. An example of such a pop-up ad is:

WARNING:

The Receiver, to whom you want to forward this email has already received it.

Are you sure you want to forward them to this recipient?
[YES NO]

The User can then sign up for one of the ways decide by clicking the YES or NO button with the mouse.

6 . 7 and 8th illustrate three different types of embodiments for handling the case where the original email has been changed by the user. All of these three types can be implemented in the same user agent, so that the user is able to choose between these three alternatives either when configuring the agent or individually for each forwarding process.

It gives for the user different types, the content of the original Change email. The user can use the original E-mail e.g. by adding of additional Text to the text of the original E-mail, by changing or reformatting the text of the original email, or by inserting additional forwarding recipients who are not already on the list of original recipients.

In the embodiments of the 6 and 7 the filtering step S32 is performed to detect the matching forwarding recipients, and if no matching forwarding recipients are detected in step S42, the original e-mail is forwarded to the forwarding recipients in step S34 as described above.

In the embodiments of the 6 if one or more matching forwarding receivers are detected in step S42, it is determined in step S60 whether the original E-mail has been changed in the above sense, whereby, for example, the content of the original e-mail is compared with the content of the e-mail to be forwarded. If it is detected in step S62 that the original e-mail has not been changed, the forwarding e-mail is not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipients in step S36. The user is not asked to confirm step S36. On the other hand, if the original e-mail has been changed by the user (Y in step S62), the forwarding e-mail is forwarded to the matching recipients in step S34 without requiring confirmation.

In the embodiments of the 7 if the original e-mail has been changed, it becomes the matching recipient in step S34 as in FIG 6 forwarded without user confirmation. However, if no changes are detected in step S62, the user is warned that the original e-mail is sent a second time identical to the matching forwarding recipients and an acknowledgment is requested in step S52 that the e-mail should not be forwarded ,

In contrast, the 8th the original email in step S36 of 8th automatically not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipients (ie, without requiring user confirmation) unless changes have been detected in step S62. On the other hand, if changes have been made in the original e-mail, the user is asked in step S52 to confirm whether or not the original e-mail should be forwarded to the matching forwarding recipients (step S50) (step S58) ).

In 9 and 10 Two alternative embodiments are illustrated which differ in terms of the time at which the filtering process is carried out. In the embodiment of the 9 the filter S32 is applied immediately after the selection of the original e-mail and the activation of the forwarding process in step S30 and the specification of the forwarding recipients in step S70. This means that depending on the result of the filtering S32, the process of forwarding the e-mail to the matching recipients in accordance with step S36 is interrupted after the forwarding recipient has been entered in step S70 by the user. If the filter is not applied, for example if no matching forwarding recipient is detected, the original e-mail is forwarded in accordance with step S34 if the user actually uses the e-mail user agent, for example by pressing the send button 25 the 1 in step 72 instructs to send the original email.

On the other hand, in the embodiment of the 10 the filtering process is not performed immediately after specifying the forwarding recipients in step S70, but only when the user is the e-mail user agent, for example by pressing the send button 25 ( 1 ) instructs in step S72 to forward the forwarding email. The filtering process S32 is then applied and, according to the filter result, the original e-mail to the matching forwarding recipients is either forwarded in step S34 or not forwarded in step S36.

In some embodiments are features of several exemplary embodiments described above implemented in combination. In some embodiments, the user can between the different features when configuring the e-mail user agent choose, so that it has a functionality selected from the exemplary embodiments described above. In other embodiments additional criteria are implemented in a specific Situation an automatic decision between the different Features available put.

For example, the user can choose between introducing a user confirmation before sending an e-mail 4 is finally prevented from forwarding and working in accordance with such a confirmation requirement 3 , As another example, treating the matching forwarding recipients and the forwarding recipients separately can be according to 5 can be combined with other described exemplary embodiments. In all of the exemplary embodiments described, the user can also according to 9 and 10 choose the time at which the filtering process is performed. The various options for handling changed forwarding e-mails of the 6 . 7 and 8th optionally included in the other described embodiments.

In the 11 and 12 are two different embodiments for implementing a forwarding filter 82 into an email user agent 1 illustrated. In the embodiment of the 11 is the filter 82 as a plug-in 80 implemented as a component separate from the e-mail user agent 1 can be installed. The plug-in can be downloaded via a network (e.g. Internet) or from a data medium such as a CD. This enables the filter 82 regardless of the e-mail user agent 1 to be distributed and sold. If it is on the same system as the e-mail user agent 1 installed, the plug-in communicates 80 about a common one interface 84 by the e-mail user agent 1 is provided with the e-mail user agent 1 and exchanges data with him. The programming language and software technology used to implement the plug-in 80 used may be different from that of the e-mail user agent 1 ,

In contrast, the 12 the filter 82 in the e-mail user agents 1 integrates and communicates and exchanges data with it via an internal data structure of the e-mail user agent 1 , The filter is implemented in the same programming language and uses the same software technology as the e-mail user agent 1 , since both are usually compiled into a single executable program. The filter 82 is distributed and sold as part of the e-mail user agent.

13 Figure 3 shows a diagrammatic representation of a computer comprising an e-mail user agent 90 within which a set of instructions can be executed to the e-mail user agent 1 to cause any of the forwarding filtering methods discussed here to be performed. The computer 90 includes a processor 92 , a main memory 94 and a network interface device 106 working with each other on a bus 114 communicate. It can also have a static memory 96 , a video display unit 98 , an alphanumeric input device 100 , a cursor control device 102 and a hard drive 104 include. The network interface device 106 connects the computer to an intranet or the Internet 112 , The emails are sent through the network interface device 106 received and sent. The hard drive 104 includes a machine-readable medium 108 on which a set of instructions (ie software) 110 stored that embody one or all of the forwarding filtering methods described above. It is also shown that the software 110 completely or at least partially within the main memory 94 and / or within the processor 92 located. The software 31 can be further via the Internet and through the network interface device 106 sent or received.

Finally illustrated 14 an embodiment in which the filter processing by an e-mail server 120 with which the computer is running 90 connected to the user agent over a network. A forwarding mailing list is central to the email server 120 saved. An original email 4 is received by the user agent and the user forwards this original email to the members of the forwarding mailing list simply by providing an address that identifies the centrally stored mailing list. This forwarding email 8a becomes the e-mail server 120 Posted. The email server 120 then executes the filtering procedure: it determines whether the e-mail 8a is a forwarding e-mail, for example by checking "Resent" fields in the e-mail 8a , If the email 8a as forwarding e-mail turns out, the e-mail server extracts the original recipients of the e-mail as described above and compares them with the original recipients. In some embodiments, it further determines whether the original email has been modified and, like that described above, prevents a modified email from being filtered. If the email server 120 detects that one of the recipients of the forwarding mailing list matches one of the original recipients, causes the email not to be sent to the matching recipient, ie the email (now " 8b " in 14 ) is only sent to the mismatched recipients. To inform the user about this filter action, the e-mail server sends 120 a notification 121 to the user (eg in the form of a reply e-mail) which indicates that the e-mail has not been forwarded to all recipients of the mailing list and which specifies the matching recipient or recipients to whom it was not forwarded.

Consequently is a general purpose of the disclosed embodiments, an improved one Method, computer, computer program and plug-in for filtering one Forwarding email available to ask who can prevent that the same email was sent or forwarded to a recipient twice becomes.

Even though certain processes and products made in accordance with the teachings of the invention are described here is the scope of this patent not limited to that. On the contrary, this patent covers all embodiments of the teaching of the Invention that is still within the scope of the appended claims, either literally or under the doctrine of equivalence fall.

Claims (30)

Forwarding filtering method for an email ( 14 ) created by an e-mail user agent ( 90 ) was received and originally to one or more original recipients ( 28 ) was sent, the procedure being performed by the user agent ( 90 ) in response to user input to forward the email ( 14 ) to at least one forwarding recipient ( 16 ) and comprises the following steps: (i) comparing (S38) the forwarding receiver ( 16 ) with the original recipients ( 28 ); and (ii) if it is detected (S40) that the forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with one of the original Receiver ( 28 ) matches, the agent causes ( 90 ) that the email ( 14 ) is not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (ii) the agent causes that the email did not match Forwarding destination is forwarded without requesting user confirmation (S44). The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein when the E-mail to be forwarded to more than one forwarding recipient steps (i) and (ii) are to be carried out for each of the forwarding recipients and the email to the mismatched ones Forwarding recipients is forwarded. Method according to one of the preceding claims, where the e-mail can be changed by the user and where change this (i) changing the content of the original E-mail and / or (ii) adding of content. Method according to one of the preceding claims, step (ii) only performed Otherwise, if the e-mail has not been changed by the user however, the following step (S52) is carried out instead of step (ii): Require the user when it detects that the forwarding recipient is using one of the original Recipient matches, confirmed that the email was not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient and prompt, according to the user confirmation (S44), that the email did not match Forwarding destination is forwarded (S48). Method according to one of the preceding claims, the agent if the e-mail has been changed by the user causes that the e-mail is forwarded to the forwarding recipient (S94), even if it's a match Forwarding recipient acts, without it requires user confirmation becomes. Method according to one of the preceding claims, which the recipient be identified by their email address or their name. Method according to one of the preceding claims, which steps (i) and (ii) in response to the indication (S70) one or more forwarding recipients by the user in the e-mail user agent. Method according to one of the preceding claims, which steps (i) and (ii) are performed when the user the e-mail user agent instructs to forward the e-mail (S72). Method according to one of the preceding claims, that if the email was sent to the user before it is to other recipients was sent or forwarded, steps (i) and (ii) also for this previous recipient accomplished become. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the e-mail user agent enables attributes ( 16 . 18 . 20 ) are specified for the forwarding recipients, only the forwarding recipients with a specific attribute being included in step (i). E-mail forwarding filtering method ( 14 ) created by an e-mail user agent ( 90 ) was received and originally to one or more original recipients ( 28 ) was sent, the procedure being performed by the user agent ( 90 ) in response to user input to forward the email ( 14 ) to at least one forwarding recipient ( 16 ) and comprises the following steps: (i) comparing (S38) the forwarding receiver ( 16 ) with the original recipients ( 28 ); and (ii) if it is detected (S40) that the forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with one of the original recipients ( 28 ) the agent requests ( 90 ) that the user confirms (S44) that the e-mail ( 14 ) should not be forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient and causes, according to the user confirmation (S44), that the e-mail ( 14 ) is not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient. The method of claim 12, wherein when the e-mail be forwarded to more than one forwarding recipient steps (i) and (ii) are to be carried out for each of the forwarding recipients and the forwarding email at least to the mismatched ones Forwarding recipients is forwarded. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein if the email is forwarded to more than one forwarding recipient and more than a forwarding recipient matches the original recipients, the step (ii) for everyone matching Forwarding destination individually with an individual user interaction or for all matching Forwarding destination once with a single user interaction. Method according to one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the E-mail from the user be changed can and where changing (i) changing the Content of the original E-mail and / or (ii) adding of content. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, in which if the e-mail has been changed by the user (S60) the agent causes that the e-mail is forwarded to the forwarding recipient (S34), even if it's a match Forwarding destination acts without that a user confirmation is required. Method according to one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the receiver be identified by their email address or their name. Method according to one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the Steps (i) and (ii) in response to indicating (S70) one or several forwarding recipients can be done by the user in the e-mail user agent. Method according to one of claims 12 to 18, wherein the Steps (i) and (ii) performed when the user instructs the e-mail user agent, the forwarding e-mail to be sent (S72). Method according to one of claims 12 to 19, in which if the e-mail to others before it was sent to the user recipients has been sent or forwarded, steps (i) and (ii) also for these previous recipients are running. A method according to any of claims 12 to 20, in which the e-mail user agent enables attributes ( 16 . 18 . 20 ) are specified for the forwarding recipients, only forwarding recipients with a specific attribute being included in step (i). E-mail forwarding filtering method (S32), which is carried out by an e-mail server ( 120 ) in response to receiving an email from a user ( 14 ) to be sent to recipients of a mailing list, the method comprising the steps of: (i) determining whether the email is a forwarding email ( 8a ) which includes information to identify the original recipients of the email; (ii) comparing the recipients of the mailing list with the original recipients; and (iii) if it is detected that one of the recipients of the mailing list matches one of the original recipients, the e-mail server causes the e-mail not to be sent to the matching recipient ( 8b ). The method of claim 22, wherein when the email server causes the email not to be sent to the matching recipient, the user receives a message ( 121 ) is returned, indicating that the email was not sent to the matching recipient. Single-component computer ( 1 ) to receive and send e-mails ( 4 ) where the e-mail component ( 1 ) is trained to send a forwarding e-mail ( 14 ) to filter (S32) in response to a user input to forward one in the e-mail user agent ( 90 ) received original email ( 14 ) to at least one forwarding recipient ( 16 ), with the original email ( 14 ) to one or more original recipients ( 28 ) was sent using the e-mail component ( 1 ) is trained to send the forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with the original recipients ( 28 ) to compare (S38), and the e-mail component ( 1 ) is configured to respond to a match between the forwarding recipient ( 16 ) and one of the original recipients ( 28 ) to do the following: (a) request that the user confirm (S44) that the original e-mail should not be forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient and, according to the user confirmation (S44), have the original e-mail not is forwarded to the matching forwarding receiver (S48); and / or (b) causing without user confirmation (S36) that the original e-mail is not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient. Computer with an e-mail user agent ( 90 ), which is designed to enable a user to generate a forwarding e-mail in order to send one in the e-mail user agent ( 90 ) Original email received ( 14 ) to at least one forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with the original email ( 14 ) to one or more original recipients ( 28 ), and comprising: means for filtering (S32) the forwarding e-mail in response to user input, comprising: (i) means for comparing (S38) the forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with the original recipients ( 28 ); and (ii) means for causing the original email ( 14 ) is not forwarded to the matching forwarding receiver if the comparison means (S38) detect that the forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with one of the original Receiver ( 28 ) matches. The computer of claim 25, wherein the means (ii) Include means for requiring the user to confirm (S44) that the original email not to match the Forwarding destination to be forwarded and, only in accordance with the user confirmation (S44), to cause the original email to not match the one Forwarding recipients forwarded becomes. Computer program comprising program code for execution on a computer with an e-mail user agent ( 90 ) for filtering (S32) an e-mail ( 14 ) in the agent ( 90 ) was received and originally to one or more original recipients ( 28 ) was sent with the agent ( 90 ) is trained to forward the e-mail in response to a user input ( 14 ) to at least one forwarding recipient ( 16 ), (i) the forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with the original recipients ( 28 ) to be compared (S38); and (ii) cause the email not to be forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient when the agent detects (S40) that the forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with one of the original recipients ( 28 ) matches. The computer program of claim 27, wherein the agent is trained to require that the user confirm (S44), that the email is not to the matching Forwarding destination to be forwarded and, only in accordance with the user confirmation (S44), to have the e-mail not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient. Plug-in ( 80 ) to provide an email user agent ( 90 ) with an e-mail forwarding filter functionality ( 82 ), where the e-mail user agent ( 90 ) is designed to allow a user to send a forwarding email ( 14 ) to generate one in the e-mail user agent ( 90 ) E-mail received to at least one forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with the original email ( 14 ) to one or more original recipients ( 28 ) was sent, with the plug-in ( 80 ) when it is executed, (i) the forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with the original recipients ( 28 ) compares; and (ii) causes the original email ( 14 ) is not forwarded to the matching forwarding recipient if the agent ( 90 ) detects (S40) that the forwarding recipient ( 16 ) with one of the original recipients ( 28 ) matches. Plug-in according to claim 29, which is designed to to request that the user confirm (S44) that the original E-mail did not match Forwarding destination to be forwarded and, only in accordance with the user confirmation (S44), to cause the original E-mail did not match Forwarding destination is forwarded.