Apparatus and method for affecting correspondent-centric electronic mail

Abstract

Techniques to make e-mail correspondent-centric rather than message-centric, and reduce junk e-mail. Tabulates, maintains, and updates useful information about the user's chosen correspondents, and the history and status of each correspondence series. Filters incoming messages from an unrecognized sender, asking user whether to add sender to correspondent list, and if so prompts user for needed information. Eliminates the need to search for e-mail addresses. Facilitates viewing sequential messages to and from a correspondent. Provides an effective tool to eliminate junk-mail by making it simpler and more practical to screen messages or change one's e-mail address. When user changes his e-mail address, automates notification of user's chosen correspondents, and in some cases can automatically update such correspondents' e-mail address lists. Eliminates need to manually create and maintain mailboxes or folders. Allows automated organization of e-mail by correspondent. Is easier to learn and use than previous forms of e-mail.

1 . A system for managing a plurality of messages, said system comprising:
 a first data structure that stores a plurality of information items, wherein the information items are each independent of the plurality of messages; and   one or more modules that are operable to link an instance of a first message to a first set of two or more information items in the plurality of information items stored in the first data structure.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of information items include one or more topic identifiers. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more topic identifiers are specified by an input from one or more users. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of information items include one or more identifiers of folders, the one or more folders being identified from an input of a user of the system. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second data structure that stores linkage data that links each of the information items with one or more messages in the plurality of messages, wherein the one or more modules are operable to link the instance of the first message to the first set of information items using the first data structure and the second data structure. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the linkage data is at least in part based on one or more inputs from one or more users of the system.  7 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a third data structure that stores at least one of a (i) a plurality of messages, or (ii) links to a plurality of messages, wherein the plurality of messages includes the first message, and wherein the one or more modules are operable to link the instance of the first message to the first set of information items using the third data structure. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more modules are operable to link an instance of any message in the plurality of information items with a designated information item. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more modules are configured to:
 receive an input from a user, the input being a text-string identifier; and   designate the text-string identifier as a New topic;   receive input from the user identifying one or more messages in the plurality of messages; and   link an instance of each of the identified one or more message in the plurality of messages with the New topic.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more modules are configured to:
 receive an input from a user, the input being a text-string identifier; and   identify an existing topic that matches the text-string identifier, wherein the existing topic is stored in the first data structure as one of the plurality of information items;   receive input from the user identifying one or more messages in the plurality of messages; and   link an instance of each of the identified one or more message in the plurality of messages with the identified topic.