Patent ID: 8392519
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A machine implemented method, comprising: receiving an incoming electronic mail message (email) that is part of an email flow; receiving an indication that a user wishes to send a new email relating to the email flow; determining that the email flow is a sequential email flow, wherein a sequential email flow is an email flow in which recipients of future emails in the email flow are predetermined by an initiator of the email flow; accessing a set of participant information from one of the emails in the sequential email flow, wherein the set of participant information specifies a plurality of sets of participants including a first set of participants, a second set of participants, and a third set of participants, with each set of participants comprising one or more participants, wherein the second set of participants is different from the first set of participants, and the third set of participants is different from the second set of participants, wherein the set of participant information specifies a predetermined sequential ordering of the plurality of sets of participants for receiving emails relating to the sequential email flow, and wherein the predetermined sequential ordering indicates that a first email in the sequential email flow is to be sent to the first set of participants, that a next email in the sequential email flow, sent by the first set of participants, is to be sent to the second set of participants, and that a next email in the sequential email flow, that is sent by the second set of participants, is to be sent to the third set of participants; determining, based at least partially upon the predetermined sequential ordering, which set of participants is next in line to receive emails relating to the sequential email flow; and sending the new email to the set of participants that is next in line to receive emails relating to the sequential email flow.