Method and system for storing and managing electronic mail

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 further comprising: control logic configured to associate a task history identification number with the electronic mail message if the electronic mail message qualifies as a task mail; control logic configured to associate the task history information and linkage information with the task history identification number; and control logic to index the task history identification number.

Claim 4

The system of claim 2 further comprising: control logic configured to receive and execute a search request.

Claim 5

The system of claim 3 further comprising: control logic configured to retrieve a list of attachment documents associated with a first specified task history identification number when the search request is for the list of attachment documents associated with the first specified task history identification number; control logic configured to retrieve information associated with a second specified task history identification number when the search request is for the second specified task history identification number; control logic configured to retrieve a first list of electronic mail messages associated with a third specified task history identification number when the search request is for the first list of electronic mail messages associated with the third specified task history identification number; control logic configured to retrieve a second list of electronic mail messages if the search request is for the second list of electronic mail messages; control logic configured to retrieve a particular electronic mail message if the search request is for the particular electronic mail message; and control logic configured to retrieve a particular attachment document if the search request is for the particular attachment document.

Claim 6

The system of claim 4 further comprising: control logic configured to display information relating to the retrieved list of attachment documents associated with the first specified task history identification number and make available corresponding links for displaying attachment documents within the list of attachment documents associated with the first specified task history identification number.

Claim 7

The system of claim 4 further comprising: control logic configured to display the retrieved second list of electronic mail messages and make available corresponding links for viewing electronic mail messages within the second list of electronic mail messages.

Claim 8

An electronic mail management server comprising: a registration control module configured to receive and store a plurality of electronic mail messages; task history recording module configured to extract and register text and attribute information from an electronic mail message as task history information, the task history information being associated with the electronic mail message; an attachment document extraction module configured to extract one or more attachment documents attached to the electronic mail message; and attachment document information module configured to generate and store attachment document management information for the one or more extracted attachment documents.

Claim 9

An electronic mail management server comprising: a registration control module configured to receive and store a plurality of electronic mail messages; task history recording module configured to extract and register text and attribute information from an electronic mail message as task history information, the task history information being associated with the electronic mail message; an attachment document extraction module configured to extract one or more attachment documents attached to the electronic mail message; and attachment document information module configured to generate and store attachment document management information for the one or more extracted attachment documents.

Claim 10

The electronic mail management server of claim 7 wherein the task history recording module is further configured to: (1) associate a task history identification number with the electronic mail message if the electronic mail message qualifies as a task mail, (2) associate the task history information and linkage information with the task history identification number, (3) and index the task history identification number.

Claim 11

The electronic mail management server of claim 7 wherein each extracted attachment document is stored; and wherein the attachment document management information for each extracted attachment document includes at least one of the following: filename, file size, transmission date of the electronic mail message associated with the extracted attachment document, sender name, and pointer information on where the extracted attachment document is stored.

Claim 12

The electronic mail management server of claim 7 wherein task history recording module is further configured to append the task history identification number to the electronic mail message and forward the electronic mail message with the appended task history identification number to its intended destination.

Claim 13

The electronic mail management server of claim 8 further comprising: a search control module configured to receive and execute a search request.

Claim 14

The electronic mail management server of claim 11 further comprising: a task history attachment document look-up module configured to retrieve a list of attachment documents associated with a first specified task history identification number when the search request is for the list of attachment documents associated with the first specified task history identification number; and a task history search module configured to: (1) retrieve information associated with a second specified task history identification number when the search request is for the second specified task history identification number; retrieve a first list of electronic mail messages associated with a third specified task history identification number when the search request is for the first list of electronic mail messages associated with the third specified task history identification number; (2) retrieve a second list of electronic mail messages if the search request is for the second list of electronic mail messages; (3) retrieve a particular electronic mail message if the search request is for the particular electronic mail message; and (4) retrieve a particular attachment document if the search request is for the particular attachment document.