Method and apparatus for receiving electronic mail

Claim 2

A computer system having a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM) coupled to said CPU, a communications mechanism for receiving a message, a message storage mechanism and a message management mechanism; said message management mechanism further comprising: an ignored discussion database configured to store information relating to a recipient selected discussion; a database management mechanism configured to manage said ignored discussion database; and a message classification mechanism configured to determine whether said message is associated with said recipient selected discussion.

Claim 3

The computer system of claim 1 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises: a core subject determination mechanism configured to determine a core subject of said message; and a recipient determination mechanism configured to produce a list of recipients of said message; said core subject and said list of recipients comprising a message discussion.

Claim 4

The computer system of claim 2 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises: an overlap determination mechanism configured to determine whether said message discussion is associated with said recipient selected discussion.

Claim 5

The computer system of claim 1 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises: an ignore discussion command mechanism configured to determine a message discussion relating to a selected message and to add said message discussion to said ignored discussion database by using said database management mechanism.

Claim 6

The computer system of claim 1 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises: an ignored discussion database maintenance mechanism configured to: (a) update an ignored discussion database record during processing of an ignored message to reset an inactivity related field; and (b) delete said ignored discussion database record after said inactivity related field indicates that said record has been inactive for a suitable period of time.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises: a core subject determination mechanism configured to determine a core subject of said message; and a recipient determination mechanism configured to produce a list of recipients of said message; said core subject and said list of recipients comprising a message discussion.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises: an overlap determination mechanism configured to determine whether said message discussion is associated with said recipient selected discussion.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises: an ignore discussion command mechanism configured to determine a message discussion relating to a selected message and to add said message discussion to said ignored discussion database by using said database management mechanism.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises: an ignored discussion database maintenance mechanism configured to: (a) update an ignored discussion database record during processing of an ignored message to reset an inactivity related field; and (b) delete said ignored discussion database record after said inactivity related field indicates that said record has been inactive for a suitable period of time.

Claim 13

A computer controlled method of receiving electronic mail messages, said method comprising the steps of: (a) storing information relating to a recipient selected discussion into an ignored discussion database; (b) managing said ignored discussion database; (c) receiving a message; (d) determining whether said message is associated with said recipient selected discussion; and (e) saving said message if said message is not associated with said recipient selected discussion.

Claim 14

A computer controlled method of receiving electronic mail messages, said method comprising the steps of: (a) storing information relating to a recipient selected discussion into an ignored discussion database; (b) managing said ignored discussion database; (c) receiving a message; (d) determining whether said message is associated with said recipient selected discussion; and (e) saving said message if said message is not associated with said recipient selected discussion.

Claim 15

The computer controlled method of claim 11 wherein step (d) further comprises the steps of: (d1) determining a core subject of said message; and (d2) producing a list of recipients of said message; said core subject and said list of recipients comprising a message discussion.

Claim 16

The computer controlled method of claim 12 wherein step (d) further comprises the step of: determining whether said message discussion is associated with said recipient selected discussion.

Claim 17

The computer controlled method of claim 11 wherein step (b) further comprises the steps of: (b1) determining a message discussion relating to a selected message; and (b2) adding said message discussion to said ignored discussion database.

Claim 18

The computer controlled method of claim 11 wherein step (b) further comprises the steps of: (b3) updating an ignored discussion database record during processing of an ignored message to reset an inactivity related field, and (b4) deleting said ignored discussion database record after said inactivity related field indicates that said record has been inactive for a suitable period of time.

Claim 19

A computer program product comprising: (a) a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for causing a computer to receive electronic mail, said computer program product comprising: (b) computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an ignored discussion database configured to store information relating to a recipient selected discussion; computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a database management mechanism configured to manage said ignored discussion database; computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a message classification mechanism configured to determine whether said message is associated with said recipient selected discussion; and computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a message save mechanism configured to save said message using a storage mechanism if said message is not associated with said recipient selected discussion.

Claim 20

A computer program product comprising: (a) a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for causing a computer to receive electronic mail, said computer program product comprising: (b) computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an ignored discussion database configured to store information relating to a recipient selected discussion; computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a database management mechanism configured to manage said ignored discussion database; computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a message classification mechanism configured to determine whether said message is associated with said recipient selected discussion; and computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a message save mechanism configured to save said message using a storage mechanism if said message is not associated with said recipient selected discussion.

Claim 21

The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises: computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a core subject determination mechanism configured to determine a core subject of said message; and computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a recipient determination mechanism configured to produce a list of recipients of said message; said core subject and said list of recipients comprising a message discussion.

Claim 22

The computer program product of claim 17 wherein said message classification mechanism further comprises: computer readable code devices configured to cause a computer to effect an overlap determination mechanism configured to determine whether said message discussion is associated with said recipient selected discussion.

Claim 23

The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises: computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an ignore discussion command mechanism configured to determine a message discussion relating to a selected message; and computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to add said message discussion to said ignored discussion database by using said database management mechanism.

Claim 24

The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said database management mechanism further comprises: computer readable code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an ignored discussion database maintenance mechanism configured to: update an ignored discussion database record during processing of an ignored message to reset an inactivity related field; and delete said ignored discussion database record after said inactivity related field indicates that said record has been inactive for a suitable period of time.